Historisch, the American Revolution and its subsequent creation are regarded as historic milestones in the battle against European imperialism. In many ways, this is true (e.g. Rebalancing power and power in Europe, integration ethnically-diverse population under one flag, and so forth. The Indian states were adversely affected politically, economically, socially, and financially by the American government’s creation after the Revolutionary War. The American state’s westward expansion brought it into conflict and led to the destruction of many Indian communities as well as the transfer of enormous political power from the hinterlands. The American state’s subsequent expansion and creation, mainly through conquest, caused a huge restructuring of economic relationships in the hinterlands. This euphemism refers to the economic exploitation, which was carried out by physical intimidation, coercion, disenfranchisement, and war. The above-mentioned reasons have resulted in a very negative impact on Native American culture, history, and society from the American Revolution and its subsequent creation.
The colonial process that resulted in the American state’s creation is evident. The interaction between Indian nations and European powers was varied before the Revolutionary War. They interacted with European power for many purposes, including trade of essential products, realigning tribal borders, military diplomacy, and other diplomatic activities. Indian nations were politically divided entities, autonomous and mature. British and French diplomatic missions frequently stressed the sovereign rights of these nations (and therefore entitled to treaties). The American state did not change much during its early years. However, it maintained regular interactions with Indian nations. America’s drive westward saw Indian nations as autonomous tribal units, not sovereign entities. This was the beginning of America’s expansion. American negotiators emphasized America’s superlative position as a pluralist state as a foundation for its continued expansion westward. They called this “Manifest Destiny”. This clearly shows the power imbalance between America and India Nations in some way. Amanda Cobb, historian, stated that “the American nation state is so powerful, and so hegemonic,” that it makes its sovereignty invisible. America’s relative superiority with regard to armaments, as well its international political power, greatly assisted this. It was often difficult to negotiate territories with hostile Indian states. This almost always meant that military intervention was required. There was always the possibility of force, and many tribes had the obligation to ratify treaties that were not equal in order to avoid violence. Indian nations had to continue to negotiate with the United States, federal courts and the Congress of the United States to protect their sovereignty as a result of the American state’s continued intrusion into territories previously held by Indians. Indian nations gave up their sovereignty as a result force majeure. In this way, sovereignty, also known to be the power making laws, was lost. In this specific context, Indian Nations were no longer sovereigns. Instead, they were wards. The nation to tribe and treaty-to-agreement are both testaments to how systematic destruction has been done to Indian nations as sovereign, autonomous political entities.
American expansionism was a disaster for Native American tribes. The transfer of entire villages to reserve land and tribal lands was appropriate. Early settlers introduced diseases and epidemics into tribal communities through contact. Census data in 1890 showed that the US had less than 300,000. American troops killed sometimes with impunity during the Indian War. Some believe it would be redundant to claim that the American State actively appropriated tribal lands commercially. It did happen. Many of these joint ventures, which were both federal and commercial, targeted tribal communities that owned “idle” land. The belief that Native Americans are lazy, backward and unambitious was the overarching one. If managed or supervised, such lands could be more “productive”, whether they are under the control of a federal commission or private leasing.
So severe was the economic disaster that Indian nations experienced that many Native Americans are today considered poor. Pokagon spoke at Chicago’s World Fair (1893) about the economic injustices perpetrated by the federal governments. He said that many of “modern” American achievements were built upon the blood and sweat of once cheerful nations. The “red man”‘s wigwams were used to build some of the cities celebrating 19th-century America’s achievements. Inexorable materialism and a lack of respect for the environment was the driving force behind West’s materialism. The truth is that America’s success in economics was built on Indian suffering. The American state also destroyed “the graves and remains of our Indian dead” and made a field of grain from our Indian burial ground.
Socially, the American government actively supported an assimilationist strategy to eliminate Native American culture. This policy promoted Native Americans to become Christians through missions and to farm. Native American children would be taught English grammar and “ways of white race” in boarding schools. The idea was that Native Americans would have to leave their homelands and be integrated into society through this “progressive” assimilationist policy. This policy was unsuccessful, however, untold numbers of Native American artifacts and cultural practices were lost. O’Brien says that civilization does not agree with Indians’ natural instincts. They either die in places where there is more food, or they become wanderers in villages and towns where their forefathers used to roam and hunt.
The American Revolution, which led to the creation of the American nation, had an enormous negative impact on Native American society, culture, history, art, and culture. America’s westward push didn’t just reduce Indian nations’ status from “sovereign” entities to autonomous entities. It also led the widespread appropriation, destruction and wholesale extermination of Native American art, culture, and history (to different degrees of success).
Works cited
Cobb, Amanda. “Understanding Tribal Sovereignty” American Studies 46.3/4(2005): 112-132. Print.
Frederick E. Hoxie. “Introduction.” Talking Back To Civilization: Indian Voices From the Progressive Era. New York City: Bedford and St. Martin’s, 2001. Print.
O’Brien, Jean. “Vanishing Indians, Nineteenth-Century New England: Local Historyrs’ Erasure Of Still-Present Indian Peoples.” New Perspectives on Native North America. Lincoln, written by the University of Nebraska Press in 2006. Print.
In 1915, Arthur C. Parker stated his criticisms of the government for how it had treated the Indian population, as part of the Progressive Era dialogue. New York City: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2001. Print.
Pokagon, Simon. “The Red Man’s greeting.” In Talking back to Civilization: Indian Voices From the Progressive Era. New York City: Bedford and Saint (St.) Martin’s, 2001. Print.
