U.S. Civil War and Lincolns Presidency

U.S. Civil War and Lincolns Presidency
AMIND 140: Week 10

U.S. Civil War and Lincolns Presidency
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Key Term: Manifest Destiny
Manifest Destinyis the 19th century belief that American settlers were destined, with the God-given right, to expand settlements from coast-to-coast of North America connected to American Exceptionalism
First, lets discuss this weeks key term manifest destiny, which is the 19th century belief that American settlers were destined, with the God-given right, to expand settlements from coast-to-coast of North America in order for the United States to reach its full potential. This concept is often connected with American Exceptionalism, the idea that Americans were doing what was right for the greater good of the country. As we continue on in this weeks lecture, be thinking about how this term connects to the events unfolding in the expansion of the United States.
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Gold Rush
1848-1855
Sparked by gold nuggets found in Sacramento Valley at Sutters Mill in early 1848, just days after Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed ending Mexican-American War
News of gold discovery spread, leading to thousands of would-be gold miners travelling overland across mountains or by sea (through Panama or around Cape Horn)
To begin thinking about Manifest Destiny and connect to last weeks lesson, we will go back in time a few years to discuss the California Gold Rush and how California achieved statehood. The Gold Rush lasted from about 1848-1855 and was sparked by gold nuggets found in Sacramento Valley at Sutters Mill in early 1848, just days after the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed ending the Mexican-American War. News of gold spread all over the world and led thousands of gold-hungry settlers to California travelling overland or by sea (through Panama or around Cape Horn.) Here we have two pictures of advertisements from the time period encouraging settlers to come to California for gold.
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Gold Hungry Settlers
Settler population went from 800 in 1848 to estimated 100,000 in 1849
Sped up process of CA achieving statehood
Gold seekers from all over the world
Devastating effects on California Native people: torture, rape, starvation, and disease in sought-after goldfields while wiping out food sources and natural resources
US occupation and settlement exterminated more than 100,000 California Native people by 1870
The population of settlers in California grew exponentially from 800 in 1848 to around 100,000 a year later in 1849. This tremendous growth sped up the process of California achieving statehood by 1850. As you can imagine, this drastic increase in settler population and competition for resources had devastating effects on California Natives. The US occupation and settlement ultimately exterminated more than 100,000 California Native people over gold by 1870.
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Civil War and Lincolns Presidency
Civil War 1860-1865
Military roots to American institutional development runs deep
President Lincoln inaugurated 1861 2 months after South ceded from Union
Many argue that Souths secession and Civil War based on states rights not slavery but every settler in southern states aspired to own land+slaves or more land+slaves
Wealth and status depended on property owned
Most non-slave-owning settlers supported and fought for confederacy
Five years after the ending of the Gold Rush in the West, the Civil War occurred in the East. The Civil War happened from 1860-1865, and President Lincoln was inaugurated in 1861 (only 2 months after the South ceded from the Union.) Many argue that the Souths secession and Civil War was based on states rights, not slavery. However, every settler in the southern states aspired to own land and slaves or more land and slaves because wealth and status depended on property ownership. Most non-slave-owning settlers actually supported and fought for confederacy.
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Lincolns Free-Soilers
Lincolns campaign for presidency appealed to vote of land-poor settlers who wanted government to open Indigenous lands west of Mississippi for settlement
Free-soilers wanted cheap land free of slavery
New gold rushes brought waves of settlers to squat on more Indigenous lands
Some Indigenous people preferred Confederate victory (in hopes of dividing/weakening U.S.)
Lincolns campaign for presidency appealed to vote of land-poor settlers who wanted the government to open up Indigenous lands west of the Mississippi for settlement, or in other words, take over Indigenous lands. These free-soilers wanted cheap land that was free of slavery. During this time period, new gold rushes across the country brought waves of settlers to squat/attempt to take over more and more Indigenous lands. Because of this, some Indigenous people preferred a Confederate victory in the Civil War, in hopes of dividing or weakening the United States.
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Results of Lincolns Free-Soiling
Minnesota became a non-slavery state for free-soilers in 1859
Led to Dakota Sioux on verge of starvation by 1862
When Dakota Sioux mounted an uprising to drive out settlers, Union Army troops crushed revolt, slaughtered Dakota civilians, and rounded up several hundred men
300 prisoners were sentenced to death, but under Lincolns orders to reduce numbers, 38 were selected at random to die in the largest mass hanging in US history
The revered Dakota leader, Little Crow, was not among those hanged, but was assassinated the following summer with his son by a settler-farmer who collected a $500 bounty
Heightening settler law and order and anti-Indian hysteria
Lincolns free-soiling resulted in Minnesota becoming a non-slavery state for free-soilers in 1859, which led to the Dakota Sioux reaching verge of starvation by 1862 due to competition for resources. When the Dakota Sioux mounted an uprising to drive out settlers, the Union Army troops crushed the revolt, slaughtered Dakota civilians, and rounded up several hundred men. Three hundred prisoners were sentenced to death, but under Lincolns orders to reduce the numbers, 38 were selected at random to die in the largest mass hanging in US history. The revered Dakota leader, Little Crow, was not among those hanged, but he was assassinated the following summer along with his son by a settler-farmer who collected a $500 bounty for him. This instance is an example of heightening settler-law-and-order and anti-Indian hysteria.
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Civil War and Indian Territory
5 Civilized Tribes relocated to Oklahoma during Jackson administration: Cherokees, Muskogee/Creeks, Seminoles, Choctaws, Chickasaws
After forced removal and Trail of Tears, rebuilt their towns, farms, ranches, institutions, newspapers, schools, and orphanages
Tiny group of elite in each nation owned slaves and private estates, but most continued collective agrarian practices
All 5 Civilized Tribes signed treaties with Confederacy
As mentioned in last weeks lesson, forced removal during Jacksons administration had relocated the 5 Civilized Tribes to Oklahoma. After their forced removal and the Trail of Tears, Cherokees, Creeks, Seminoles, Choctaws, and Chickasaws had rebuilt their towns, farms, ranches, institutions, newspapers, schools, and orphanages. They were resilient and flourishing. A tiny group of elite in each nation actually owned slaves and held private estates, but most continued collective agrarian practices. However, all 5 Civilized Tribes signed treaties with the Confederacy.
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Civil War & Indian Territory Continued
Conflict between mixed bloods and full bloods emerged: Wealthy, assimilated, slave-owning minority who dominated politics favored Confederacy and Non-slave-owning poor and traditional majority wanted to stay out of Anglo-American war
John Ross, Cherokee chief, first called for neutrality, but later agreed to negotiate treaty with Confederacy
Nearly 7000 men of the 5 nations went to battle for the Confederacy
During war, however, many Indigenous soldiers went over to the Union forces with enslaved African Americans who fled to freedom
Soon a conflict emerged between mixed bloods and full bloods. The wealthy, assimilated, slave-owning minority who dominated politics favored Confederacy, and the non-slave owning poor and traditional majority wanted to stay out of the Anglo-American war. John Ross, the Cherokee chief at the time, first called for neutrality, but later agreed to negotiate a treaty with the Confederacy. Nearly 7,000 men of the 5 nations went to battle for the Confederacy. During the war, however, many Indigenous soldiers went to the Union forces with African Americans who fled to freedom.
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Resistance Against Confederacy
A few months after war broke out, 10,000 men in Indian Territory (volunteers, African Americans who freed themselves, and some Anglo-Americans) engaged in guerilla warfare against Confederate army
Fought from Oklahoma to Kansas, where many joined unofficial Union units
Multiethnic battle force and self-liberation by African Americans (happening all over the South) led to Lincolns eventual 1863 Emancipation Proclamation, which allowed freed Africans to serve in combat
There were also cases of resistance against the Confederacy. A few months after the war broke out, 10,000 men in Indian Territory (volunteers, African Americans who freed themselves, and some Anglo-Americans) engaged in guerilla warfare against the Confederate army. They fought from Oklahoma to Kansas, where many joined unofficial Union units. This multiethnic battle force and self-liberation by African Americans (happening all over the South) led to Lincolns eventual 1863 Emancipation Proclamation, which allowed freed Africans to serve in combat.
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Emerging Genocidal Armies in the West
To get professional soldiers in the east to help fight Confederate army, Lincoln called for volunteer fighters in the West settlers responded
With few Confederates to fight, the volunteers fought Indigenous people instead
Land speculators in trans-Mississippi West sought statehood for occupied former Mexican territories
Generated strong anti-Indian hysteria and violence
Eagerness to undertake ethnic cleansing of Indigenous residents to achieve necessary population balance in order to attain statehood
Lincoln administration did little to prevent genocidal actions by territorial authorities because of preoccupation with Civil War in East
Settler law and order set pattern for postwar genocide
Genocidal armies emerged in the West as Lincoln called for volunteer fighters in the West to help fight the Confederate army, and the settlers responded. With very few Confederates to fight in the west, the volunteers fought Indigenous people instead. Here are two pictures of different advertisements for volunteer fighters. This generated and perpetuated anti-Indian hysteria and violence. Land speculators west of the Mississippi sought statehood for occupied former-Mexican territories, and there was an eagerness to undertake ethnic cleansing of Indigenous residents to achieve necessary population balance in order to attain statehood. The Lincoln administration did little to prevent genocidal actions by territorial authorities because of preoccupation with the Civil War in the East. Yet the emerging settler-law-and-order during the Civil War began to set a pattern for postwar genocide.
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Colonial Policies and Land Grabs of 1862
Throughout Civil War, Lincoln didnt forget his free-soilers
Homestead Act of 1862 encouraged western migration by providing settlers with 160 acres of public land; in exchange, settlers paid small filing fee and agreed to live on land for at least 5 years to establish ownership
Morrill Act 1862 transferred large tracts of Indigenous lands to states to establish land grant universities specializing in agriculture and mechanic arts
The Pacific Railroad Act 1862 provided private companies with nearly 200 million acres of Indigenous lands
Homestead Act 1862 1.5 million homesteads were granted to settlers west of the Mississippi, nearly 300 million acres taken from Indigenous collective estates and privatized for market
US government broke multiple treaties with land grabs in order to achieve statehood that had been delayed in Colorado, N. and S. Dakotas, Montana, Washington, Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, New Mexico, and Arizona; colonization plan for Westward expansion carried out over next 30 years
While preoccupied with the Civil War, Lincoln didnt forget his free-soilers. In 1862, several Acts were passed to encourage Westward Expansion through major land grabs from Indigenous residents. The US government broke multiple treaties with land grabs in order to achieve statehood that had been delayed in Colorado, North and South Dakotas, Montana, Washington, Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, New Mexico , and Arizona. The colonization plan for Westward expansion was carried out over the next 30 years.
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Results of Post-Civil War: Rapid Industrialization
Instead of land granted to single-family homesteaders, much of the land was passed to large operators or land speculators
Industrialization quickened = land as commodity real estate remained basis of US economy
1863-1864 federal banking acts and national currency established
Civil War set template for rapid Americanization connection to last weeks discussion on boarding schools
Federal land grants to railroad barons were not limited to the width of the railroad tracks formed a checkerboard of square-mile sections stretching for miles on both sides, carving more out of Indigenous territories
1871 Indian Appropriation Act declared that no Indian nation or tribe would be recognized as an independent nation, tribe, or power with whom the US may contract by treaty
After the Civil War and the Land Grabs of 1862 came a period of rapid industrialization. Instead of land granted to single-family homesteaders, much of the land was passed to large operators or land speculators. Because of this, industrialization quickened. Between 1863-1864, federal banking acts led to national currency being established. Land became even more of a commodity, and real estate remained the basis of the US economy. Rapid industrialization and the post-Civil War call for unity within the union also propelled rapid Americanization, which connects to last weeks discussion on boarding schools and assimilation. More Indigenous territories were carved out as federal land grants to railroad barons were not limited to the width of the railroad tracks the land grants formed a checkerboard of square-mile sections stretching for miles on both sides. By 1871, the Indian Appropriation Act declared the no Indian nation or tribe would be recognized as an independent nation, tribe, or power with whom the US may contract by treaty.
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Indian Wars After Civil War
Military campaigns against Indigenous nations constituted foreign wars during the Civil War, but the end of Civil War did not mark end of wars against Indigenous peoples
Carried on to the end of the century
Added more killing technology and seasoned soldiers
Demobilized officers and soldiers without jobs after Civil War ended joined army of the West
Prominent Civil War generals led army of the West, including: Generals Philip Sheridan (The only good Indian is a Dead Indian) and George Armstrong Custer
The wars that were happening in the West during the Civil War did not end when the Civil War ended. In fact, they got worse as more killing technology , weapons, and seasoned soldiers were added, and these wars carried on to the end of the century. Many demobilized officers and soldiers without jobs after the Civil War ended up joining the army of the West. Prominent Civil War generals led the army of the West, including Generals Philip Sheridan (the man whom was quoted as saying the only good Indian is a dead Indian), and George Armstrong Custer.
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Sand Creek Massacre
Most infamous incident involving militias: Sand Creek Massacre
Occurred at dawn, November 1864, on Sand Creek in southeastern Colorado territory
Over 700 1st and 3rd Calvary and other troops slaughtered over 150 displaced and captive Cheyenne and Arapaho men, women, and children
Leadership under great peace keeper Black Kettle
Camped under truce flag and had federal permission to hunt buffalo to feed themselves
In early 1864, Colorado territorial governor informed them that they could no longer leave reservation to hunt
Despite compliance with order, John Chivington led 700 Colorado Volunteers to attack Cheyenne and Arapaho people without warning
One of the most infamous incidences involving militias was the Sand Creek Massacre, which occurred at dawn in November 1864, on Sand Creek in southeastern Colorado territory. Over 700 1st and 3rd Calvary and other troops slaughtered over 150 displaced and captive Cheyenne and Arapaho men, women, and children who were under the leadership of the great peace keeper, Black Kettle. They had been camping under a truce flag and had federal permission to hunt buffalo in order to feed themselves. In early 1865, the Colorado territorial governor informed them that they could no longer leave their reservation to hunt. Despite their compliance with this order, John Chivington led 700 Colorado Volunteers to attack Cheyenne and Arapaho people without warning.
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Carletons Genocidal Army
US army colonel James Carleton formed Volunteer Army of the Pacific 1861, based in CA
In Nevada and Utah, colonel Patrick Connor, commanded a militia of a thousand CA volunteers who spent Civil War years massacring hundreds of unarmed Shoshone, Bannock, and Ute people
Carleton led another contingent of militias to Arizona to suppress the Apaches, who were resisting colonization under their great leader Cochise
A couple years prior to the Sand Creek Massacre, US Army colonel James Carleton formed the Volunteer Army of the Pacific in 1861, based in California. In Nevada and Utah, colonel Patrick Connor commanded a militia of about 1,000 California volunteers who had spend the Civil War years massacring hundreds of unarmed Shoshone, Bannock, and Ute people. Carleton led another contingent of militias in Arizona to suppress the Apaches who were resisting colonization under their great leader, Cochise.
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Carletons Genocidal Army Continued
Following campaign against Apaches, Carleton was promoted to brigadier general and placed in command of the Department of New Mexico
Brought in seasoned Colorado Volunteers to attack Navajos–declared total war
Enlisted infamous Indian killer Kit Carson as principal commander
Unlimited authority and the governments preoccupation with Civil War allowed Carleton to engage in a series of search-and-destroy missions against Navajos
Following his campaign against the Apaches, Carleton was promoted to brigadier general and place in command of the Department of New Mexico. He brought in seasoned Colorado volunteers to attack Navajos and declared total war. Carleton also brought in the infamous Indian killer Kit Carson and enlisted him as principal commander. Carletons genocidal army had unlimited authority in the West, and the governments preoccupation with the Civil War allowed Carleton to engage in a series of search-and-destroy missions against Navajos.
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Carletons War Against Navajos
Culminated in 1864–300 mi. forced march of 8,000 Navajo civilians to military concentration camp at Bosque Redondo in southeastern New Mexico desert
Recalled in Navajo oral history as the Long Walk
of incarcerated died of starvation
Navajos werent released and allowed to return home until 1868
Permission not based on deadly conditions rather because Congress determined the camp too expensive to maintain
Carleton appointed as major general in US army in 1865 for these noble deeds
Carleton now led Fourth Cavalry against Plains Indians
Carletons war against Navajos culminated in 1864 in a 300 mile forced march of 8,000 Navajo civilians to a military concentration camp at Bosque Redondo in the southeastern New Mexico desert. This forced removal is recalled in Navajo oral history as the Long Walk, and one quarter of the incarcerated died of starvation. Navajos werent released and allowed to return home until 4 years later, in 1868, and their permission to return home was not based on the deadly conditions in which they had been living. Instead, it was because Congress had determined the camp to be too expensive to maintain. By 1865, Carleton was appointed as major general in the US army for his noble deeds with the Navajo. Because of this promotion, Carleton now led the Fourth Cavalry against Plains Indians.
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Genocidal Campaigns Continue
Genocidal campaigns against Indigenous civilians during President Grant administration 1869-1877
Black troops out west governments way of getting rid of Black and Indian problem
US policy directed army to destroy basic economic base of Plains Indians the buffalo
Buffalos killed to near extinction only a few hundred left by 1880s
Commercial hunters only wanted skins; bones shipped to the East for various uses
Often referred to as Buffalo Soldiers mentioned in Bob Marleys song
Genocidal campaigns against Indigenous civilians continued through President Grant administration 1869-1877. After Civil War, many freed black troops were sent out West, the governments way of getting rid of Black and Indian problem. To gain control of Plains Indians lands, US policy direct the army to destroy their basic economic base, the buffalo. During this time period, buffalos were killed nearly to extinction only a few hundred were left by the 1880s. The army in charge of killing buffalo were often referred to as Buffalo Soldiers, as mentioned in Bob Marleys song, which well be listening to and analyzing this week. This concludes this weeks lecture, and well continue building off of this material next week.
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