Topic 2 - US government policy Flashcards
What was the ‘Permanent Indian Frontier’ and what did it prevent white people from doing?
- a border between Indian and white territory
- It prevented white people from settling on American Indian land, and it prevented the sale of any guns or alcohol to American Indians by white traders
Where was the permanent indian frontier in 1834?
The mississippi river
What is meant by ‘manifest destiny’?
The belief that white Americans had the right to populate all areas of America from coast to coast
What was the importance of pushing the frontier westwards?
- American Indian lands were now surrounded by the USA
- Whites would now cross the Frontier to get to the west
Name two of the territories gained by the US between 1835 and 1853 and how were they gained?
Mexico - USA won a war with Mexico in 1848 and gained it as a result
Oregon country - Was previously shared with Britain but the USA had taken it completely in 1846
Why did the US government encourage migration to the west?
to maintain control of the territories gained by the USA
What were two consequences of white settlement for the Plain Indians?
1- White Migrants would kill buffalo for meat
2- Racism towards the Plains Indians increased
What were the two main terms of the 1851 Indians Approprations act?
1- Funds were assigned to the moving of Indian tribes onto reservations
2- These reservations were to be enclosed and protected by the US government
Give two reasons for the passing of the Indian Appropriations Act (1851)
1- to protect tribes from expansion of American settlers
2- To move Indians out of the way so American settlers can take over
What was the consequence of the Indian Appropriations act and why?
Conflict escalated on the Great Plains when the settlers moved in because there was nowhere left for the Indians to go
State 3 reasons as to why the Americans wanted to migrate to the west?
- There was an economic crisis in the East
- The east was getting crowded
- Gold was discovered in California
What was the origin of the Oregon trail?
The explorer, Jedediah Smith, found a pass through the Rocky Mountains
What did the pre-emption act of 1842 state?
Oregon Land was promised to settlers, at low prices, who cleared the land and built a house on it
How did the American government encourage migration to Oregon?
- By buying Oregon from Britain
2. By printing thousands of maps of the region
What was the impact of the Californias Gold rush (1849) on migration and settlement?
It resulted in huge amounts of migration west, and therefore large new settlements in the region
