Westward Expansion and Its Impact on Native Americans and Hispanics

These flashcards cover essential vocabulary and concepts related to the lecture on westward expansion, focusing on the experiences of Hispanics and Native Americans during this period.

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

The treaty that ended the Mexican-American War and ceded land to the United States, promising rights to Mexicans living on that land.

Citizenship Options for Mexican Residents

After cession, Mexicans could either remain Mexican citizens, become American citizens, or move to Mexico.

Sand Creek Massacre

An 1864 attack in Colorado where U.S. troops killed over 200 Arapaho and Cheyenne natives.

Fort Laramie Treaty

An 1868 agreement aimed at ending conflict by closing the Bozeman Trail and establishing reservations for Native Americans.

Assimilation

The process by which Native Americans were forced to adopt American culture, often through laws like the Dawes Act.

Dawes Act of 1887

Legislation that aimed to assimilate Native Americans by dividing reservations into individual plots and granting American citizenship.

Wounded Knee Massacre

The 1890 incident where U.S. troops killed 200 Sioux men, women, and children, marking the end of the Indian Wars.

Indian Problem

The term used to describe the various strategies employed by the U.S. government to deal with Native American tribes, including extermination, relocation, and assimilation.

Custer's Last Stand

The infamous battle on June 26, 1876, where General George Custer and his troops were defeated by a coalition of Native American tribes at the Battle of Little Bighorn.

Cultural Impact of Western Expansion

The forceful imposition of American culture on Native Americans led to widespread loss of their traditional ways of life and languages.