Is Early United States History a History of Progress?

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798
War of 1812
The Indian Removal Act
Conclusion
References

Introduction

The history of the US is often portrayed to be a history of progress in terms of civil rights, democratic achievements, and quality of life. However, these generalities do not often correspond to realities for certain groups of individuals living in the US at specific time periods. Native Americans, for example, were systematically oppressed by the colonists, forced off their lands, murdered, and forcefully assimilated (Jenkins, 2017). The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that early United States history is that of regression when it came to native populations of the continent, by evaluating three key events happening during that time period: the Alien and Sedition Acts, the Indian Removal Act, and the War of 1812.

Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798

The Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798 were, allegedly, made to increase the defensibility of the US against foreign enemies, while being on the brink of war with France. In practice, however, it suppressed the rights of non-citizens (which included Native Americans, who were not given citizenship in the US until 1924) (Jenkins, 2017). It also prevented any individuals or media outlets from criticizing the government during the time period, by making doing so a crime (Jenkins, 2017). Such a motion was not progressive, instead repressing Native Americans and silencing the few voices that could have spoken out against their extortion and pushing away from their lands. This law, though widely unpopular between both white and indigenous populations, paved the way for further ceding of land and general oppression of peoples happening after the War of 1812.

War of 1812

The aftermath of the War of 1812 was considered to be fairly beneficial for both the US state and the British, so much so there was not a single military conflict between them, The US showed its capability to defend itself against any foreign powers and was allowed to conduct policies on the North American continent unchecked (Jenkins, 2017). This was illustrated in the treatment of Indians on both sides. During the war, both countries utilized Native American forces actively – the US needed them as scouts, whereas the British compensated for their numerical weakness with the use of irregulars. After the war, the agreement between the US and the British stipulated that “all possessions, rights, and privileges which they may have enjoyed, or been entitled to in 1811” (Jenkins, 2017, p. 73) However, this article was violated by the US after the peace treaty was signed, and the British did nothing about that. In essence, after the war, the US gained the ability to oppress and pursue Natives unchecked.

The Indian Removal Act

The Indian Removal Act of 1830 is the observable progression of the three chosen historic events and an act of unprecedented oppression towards the Natives. This act forced over 60,000 Natives to leave the land east of Mississippi and south of the Great Lakes, to be relocated elsewhere (Jenkins, 2017). This act rested on two axles, both of which took advantage of the fact that Indians were, in essence, non-citizens of the US. They were not allowed their own land and form a self-governing body since that would violate the Constitution (Jenkins, 2017). At the same time, as residents of the US, they were subject to all the laws and provisions initiated by the Government (Jenkins, 2017).

As such, it made Natives powerless to oppose the act. Several attempts have been made, including those in court, but all were fruitless. One of the biggest injustices in US history, thus, was commenced.

Conclusion

The early history of the US saw the gradual theft of land from the Natives, the dismantlement of their rights, and their transformation from independent entities into something less than second-class citizens. This motion was regressive, rather than progressive – an enslavement of an entire people, while driving off or exterminating those who did not adhere to these oppressive policies. Thus, whenever someone says that US history was what of progress, they should be asked: “For whom?”

References

Jenkins, P. (2017). A history of the United States. Bloomsbury Publishing.

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Is Early United States History a History of Progress?

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