Manifest Destiny and Westward Expansion were fundamental ideas so the United States can be the size it is today however, there was a lot controversy going on back then, especially between native Americans and the colonists that came to America. Things such as land, trade were points of focus back then that caused conflicts such as King Philip's War, and then came things like benefits and non-benefits from Westward Expansion and Manifest Destiny, and how there was a huge backlash such as the French and Indian War, which caused a lot of future prejudices and hatred for
In the light of the controversy of Manifest destiny and how both Americans and Native Americans are affected, the land is an issue that is brought up frequently, especially because …show more content…
Firstly, to go back to “American Progress” (Gast), it shows that westward is evidently benefitting the Americans, who are going westward and bringing their technology, and education. However, native Americans are being chased out with looks of despair on their faces and trying to take whatever they can. Another benefit for Americans is that they’ll be able to get more farmland, as shown by farmers and as such moving westward as well in “American Progress”, and how they had pushed natives out for growing tobacco as well (Beck 565). Westward expansion had really benefitted the Americans more, as natives were losing homes, and native tribes were getting pushed together and closer and enemy tribes would be closer as well, therefore making it worse for most of the native tribes, causing lots of problems in the native American world. If Americans hadn’t really been hostile towards the natives, and accepted who they were, they probably could have lived somewhat in harmony and didn’t have as many problems as they would have. Making peace with natives could have prevented conflicts that had killed several …show more content…
Events like the Trail of Tears had caused people to have pity on the natives, while other times like when native Americans are really hostile and they attack and kill people, and raid colonies, such as during the French and Indian war, where native Americans and French soldiers would burn colonies so they can get the upper hand in the French and Indian war. That’s where most prejudices against native Americans were born, and how most people had based opinions on the native’s actions in the war. People had committed crimes against natives, such as killing them for sport or killing them out of spite, however, it’s undeniable that there was a lot of hatred back then for native Americans. On the other hand, there was a lot of hatred from native Americans against Americans as well, as there were several attacks on colonies, and burning them down with the French as well. All of this had affected land, trade, and there were benefits and non-benefits from Westward expansion and as such, however, there was a backlash from Manifest Destiny/Westward expansion that caused people to reflect on the whole idea. So there would be an end, however, problems like land are still going on, such as Keystone Pipe, and the pipe going through Native American territory, still causing a lot of controversies