history lecture feb 10 MANIFEST DESTINY

Populist Movement

Pooling Resources: People can collectively pool their resources, share machinery, and bargain for better transportation prices, impacting railroads and other industries.
Emergence of the Populist Party: The party aims for government action to favor the populace over big businesses, advocating for worker and farmer rights.
Activist Government: Calls for an end to laissez-faire economics, promoting government involvement in supporting lower-class workers and farmers.
Key Changes Requested: Nationalization of certain industries and more rights for working-class citizens.

Divine Right: The belief that the United States was destined to expand from coast to coast, viewed as preordained by God.
Symbolism of 'American Progress': Artwork from 1872 reflects white settlers bringing Christianity and industrial progress to the West, while displacing Native Americans.
Impact on Native Peoples: Manifest Destiny resulted in the forced removal and dispossession of indigenous populations who lived in the West.

Winning the West: The narrative of winning the West overlooks the consequences for Native Americans who are pushed out during expansion efforts.
Conflict with Mexico: The Mexican-American War was instigated by President James K. Polk, further facilitating American expansion.
Allure of Land: Thomas Jefferson envisioned a nation of small farmers claiming land; the Homestead Act (1862) offered 160 acres for settlers willing to make improvements.

Great Migration of African Americans: Post-Reconstruction, many African Americans moved westward seeking better opportunities and freedom from oppression in the Southeast.
Sodbusters: Settlers who moved to the Plains to farm, often building sod houses from the earth.
Opportunities in the West: Economic prospects included mining, cattle ranching, and work on railroads, which employed immigrant labor.

Transcontinental Railroad: Completed a vital rail line connecting the US, facilitating trade and movement of goods and people.
Population Booms: Towns like Denver experienced rapid growth due to railroad connectivity, increasing from 2,000 to 100,000 residents within thirty years.
Cattle Industry: The demand for cattle led to the rise of cowboy culture, with longhorn cattle being driven to markets across the country.

Population Collapse: The native population drastically declined due to diseases brought by Europeans—90% mortality rate in many groups.
Legislation Against Indigenous Peoples: In California, laws formalized the oppression of Native Americans, allowing exploitation and violence against them.
Brutality of the Gold Rush Era: Accounts describe violent encounters, forced servitude, and bounties placed on Native American scalps, leading to significant loss of life and human rights.

Consequences of Expansion: The violent methods employed against indigenous populations during westward expansion are a dark legacy of American progress and manifest destiny.