What was the government's view of Native Americans east of the Mississippi River?
The government's view of Native Americans east of the Mississippi River during the 19th century was largely negative and driven by a policy of removal. The Indian Removal Act of 1830, signed by President Andrew Jackson, reflected the government's belief that Native Americans were obstacles to westward expansion and that their lands should be acquired for white settlers.
The government perceived Native Americans as "savages" and held the belief that they needed to be assimilated into white society or removed from their ancestral lands. The removal policy aimed to relocate Native American tribes living east of the Mississippi River to designated territories in the west, primarily in present-day Oklahoma (known as Indian Territory).
This perspective was based on the doctrine of "Manifest Destiny," which proclaimed the divine right and inevitable expansion of the United States from coast to coast. It was also influenced by racist notions prevalent at the time, which viewed Native Americans as inferior to white settlers.
The government forcibly relocated many tribes, such as the Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek, and Seminole, in what became known as the Trail of Tears. Thousands of Native Americans died during these forced marches and the subsequent resettlement in unfamiliar and harsh territories.
Overall, the government's view of Native Americans east of the Mississippi River was one of dispossession, removal, and assimilation into white society, driven by expansionist policies and prejudices of the era.