Manifest Destinies role in the breakdown of Indian Culture

Native American culture in the western United States suffered greatly during the mid-1800’s. Intrusions by white settlers believing in Manifest Destiny, or the obvious belief that Americans were meant to expand from the Atlantic to the Pacific, caused the Natives to be driven from their homelands. Their culture was continually broken apart by relocations and severed treaties. Many tribes refused the forced relocations to reservations. Thousands of Natives were killed during the following confrontations. Manifest Destiny played a key role in the demise of Native American culture during the 1800’s.

The Native Americans living in the western region of the United States had very well-developed cultures. The nearly 150,000 Native Americans living in the west were divided amongst many different nations. Most Indians followed large herds of buffalo that roamed about the plains. Indians lived in tipis, which can be compared to modern day tents. They carried these “tents” around with them on travois’ and hunted Buffalo. The buffalo was extremely important to the Indians. It

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As expansion drew westward more and more Native Americans were forced to either relocate or be shot. By the end of the 1800’s a way of life had died out. John Chivington led his small force against a village of Cheyenne Indians. These Cheyenne were not at war and the government had promised to protect them. Their unique culture was doomed when settlers began eyeing the vast western regions. The Native American way of life was gone forever.

Conflicts quickly arose between the settlers and the Native Americans living on the western lands. The Indians raised a white flag showing no wish to fight but Chivington ignored them. Gold strikes throughout the west flooded the countryside with prospectors. This region was not empty; however, people had been living there for hundreds of years. One can say that their history actually came to an end when they were assimilated into our civilization. In forcing them to act like white men the government was stripping them of their culture. Many corrupt government officials tricked the Native Americans out of their food and their land. White settlers believing in Manifest Destiny stole their lands from them against their own laws and regulations. As the railroad companies moved throughout the plains their workers hunted the buffalo for food.

Approximate Word count = 725
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

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