During the first part of the nineteenth century the United States followed policies which viewed American Indians as impediments to the economic growth of the country. At the beginning of the century, President Thomas Jefferson had expressed the idea that the future of the United States depended on acquisition of land for the rapidly growing population. Thus, the future of the country depended on dispossessing the Indians of their land. Under this Jeffersonian view, American Indians were not seen as being welcome in the United States and it was felt that they should be removed from their ancient homelands and moved to lands west of the Mississippi River.
By 1825, the United States was actively pursuing a policy of manifest destiny to spread out between the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans. In their chapter in North American Indian Wars, James Davidson et al write:
“Many Americans had long believed that their country had a special, even divine mission. The Protestant version of this conviction could be traced back to John Winthrop, who assured his fellow Puritans that God intended them to build a model ‘city upon a hill’ for the rest of the world to emulate.”
In his book The Bitter Waters of Medicine Creek: A Tragic Clash Between White and Native America, Richard Kluger describes manifest destiny this way:
“God had assigned the American people, robust and pure of heart, to spread the gospel of liberty and democracy around the earth—well, certainly across all of North America—and prosperity and happiness would follow.”
Briefly described below are some of the events involving American Indians and the federal government 200 years ago, in 1825.
President
John Quincy Adams (1767-1848) became the sixth President of the United States in 1825. There was little change in basic Indian policies as Thomas McKenney (1785-1859) continued as the head the recently established Indian Desk. In his book Toward the Setting Sun: John Ross, the Cherokees, and the Trail of Tears, Brian Hicks writes:
“The new president was not only sympathetic to the Indians but also understood the larger issues of sovereignty.”
Indian Territory
In 1825 Congress created Indian Territory as a permanent home for Indian people. The new territory was bounded by the Platte River on the north, the Red River on the south, Spanish territory on the west, and Arkansas territory on the east.
Most Americans at this time viewed this area as a “Great Desert” which was unsuitable for American settlement. Therefore, it provided a solution to the “Indian problem” by putting Indians in a territory which was not desired by the land-hungry American settlers.
Trade Debts
In 1825, the United States government began a policy of paying the trading debts of individual Indians out of funds granted to the tribes for lands which had been ceded in treaties. As a result of this policy, many traders began to extend additional credit to Indians. Anthropologist Timothy Roufs, in his book The Anishinabe of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, reports:
“Inasmuch as Indians often did not understand bookkeeping procedures, these credit arrangements proved quite profitable to many unscrupulous traders.”
Indian Affairs
William Clark, the Superintendent of Indian Affairs in St. Louis wrote to former President Thomas Jefferson:
“In my present situation of Superintendent of Indian Affairs it would afford me pleasure to be enabled to ameliorate the condition of those unfortunate people placed under my charge, knowing as I do their [w]retchedness and their rapid decline—It is to be lamented that the deplorable situation of the Indians do not receive more of the human feeling of the nation.”
Quapaw
In Arkansas, Quapaw Chief Hecketon asked the American Indian agent to tell the President that they wished to remain on their lands for a few more years. The agent informed that chief that he didn’t think the request would be granted. In his letter to the Secretary of War (the Indian Desk is within the War Department), the agent noted:
“I have no doubt that the removal of the tribe to the Caddo country will be effected without difficulty, even before the term stipulated.”
Despite the request, the Quapaws were removed to the Red River area in Oklahoma.
More American Indian histories
Indians 101: American Indian battles and skirmishes 200 years ago, 1824
Indians 101: American Indian tribes 200 years ago, 1824
Indians 101: Canadian First Nations 200 years ago, 1824
Indians 101: Cherokee Indians 200 year ago, 1824
Indians 101: Sauk, Fox, Piankashaw, and Iowa Indians visit Washington 200 years ago, 1824
Indians 101: Cherokee Indians visit Washington 200 years ago, 1824
Indians 101: Choctaw Indians visit Washington 200 years ago, 1824
Indians 101: American Indian treaties 200 years ago, 1823
