Identify the driving force behind American development from the colonial era through the 1850s.

From the earliest days of colonialism to the industrialized 1850s, the story of American development is one of political and economic exploitation and subjugation of “inferior” groups of people. After having won its independence in the Revolutionary War, America felt more pressure to prove its legitimacy as a sovereign nation by acquiring more territory, prospering economically, and maintaining political dominance within its sphere of influence. Technological developments, improvements in transportation, and massive population growth all contributed to the American expansion westward in the 1800s, which had a profound effect on the Native Americans living there. This primary use of “lesser” groups of people to improve and develop their economy, territory, and political power was also clear in not only the exploitation of African Americans but the westward relocation of the Native Americans. The importance of dominance and greed was at an all time high, and Americans, feeling powerful in their new position as a nation, didn’t want to lose the power they had gained with their independence but rather, improve and grow it. The exploitation of the Native Americans and Africans clearly aided American development during this time period but also marked a stain on our history that could never be undone. A desire to assert its political and economic dominance as a new nation and carve out a uniquely American identity fueled American development and led to the abuse and subjugation of people from other races and cultures from the colonial era through the 1850s.

The American nation’s desire to prove its economic independence and foster economic growth became the primary consideration for future governmental policies and actions and led to the rampant exploitation of minority groups. From the colonial era to the early 19th century, America’s economic success was primarily built on the exploitation of slave labor. America’s most profitable business was agriculture, specifically, the cash crops of the South, which required large amounts of manual labor to produce. In order to achieve a prosperous economy independent of Britain and reliance on international trade, Americans felt the enslavement of hundreds of thousands of Africans was necessary. Political leaders at the time rationalized their horrific treatment of the enslaved by explaining their exploitation of the enslaved as merely part of the natural order of life, “I hold then, that there never has yet existed a wealthy and civilized society in which one portion of the community did not, in point of fact, live on the labor of the other.” (John Calhoun, “Slavery a Positive Good”) This notion crossed over many political influencers and leaders affecting future decisions regarding enslavement. While the Northern states were able to eventually develop successful economies in manufacturing that did not depend on slave labor, the Southern states remained part of an agrarian economy whose foundation was slave labor. Not only did the Southern states continue to abuse power and slave labor for economic prosperity, but would continue to fight for slave labor through the civil war until their ultimate surrender in 1865. Westward expansion did not decrease the dependence on slave labor, but rather, “The purchase of Louisiana from a beleaguered France, engineered by Thomas Jefferson, created not an “empire for liberty,” as Jefferson had promised, but an empire for slavery.” (pg. 48, Ira Berlin, “Generations of Captivity: A History of African-American Slaves”) the Northern “free” states and Southern “slave” states used westward expansion as a political tool to bolster their arguement for or against slavery, as states’ admission into the Union as either “free” or “slave” would tip the scales in favor of one argument over the other.

As the nation continued to develop, religion, specifically Christianity, played a significant role in distinguishing and carving out the American identity as well as rationalizing Americans’ territorial expansion. Compared to Britain, America was a new country that felt compelled to prove its worth and legitimacy. Many of the original colonists were Puritans who came to America to practice their religion freely without persecution. Most of the leadership figures of early America were Puritan men, and as the country grew dramatically, religion sustained its hold on political influence and power. Christianity and God were often used as justifications for the enslavement and abuse of African Americans by not only the citizens but the government as well. As James Henry Hammond, a South Carolina attorney and politician, stated, “Our slaves are black, of another and inferior race. [...] They are elevated from the condition in which God first created them, by being made our slaves.” (James Henry Hammond, “Speech to the U.S. Senate”) The American identity began to take form as white and Christian, and other races or religions were considered inferior in the eyes of Americans and in their opinion, God. The notion of manifest destiny stated that as the “sons and daughters of God,” Americans had a “divine right” to expand westward and enslave an “inferior” race for their own economic benefit. The early 19th century was characterized by “The sense of America as the redeemer nation destined for continental expansion, the open acceptance of racism as a justification not only for the enslavement of blacks but also for the expulsion of Native Americans.” (pg. 194, “The Long, Bitter Trail”) Christianity was the driving force behind manifest destiny, which fueled the idea that Americans were morally superior to other groups and thus, were obligated to “civilize” the “savage” societies like the Native American tribes and enslave and force “free” labor on Africans. This belief in the moral superiority of the American shaped the government’s relations with Native American tribes and led to policies of assimilation and attempts to “civilize” Native Americans against their will.

American political, economic, and territorial expansion depended on the subjugation and eradication of Native Americans, whose mere existence was believed to be a threat to American sovereignty and economic power. After having won their independence from Britain, Americans began to view Native Americans as a political threat because they lived within the boundaries of “American territory” yet were not subject to American laws or customs. As a young nation trying to assert its dominance, America was fearful of the natives and their existence. When the Cherokee Nation adopted a constitution similar to that of the United States, it asserted their “sovereignty and independence,” and was viewed as a direct threat to American political power. Native Americans’ attempts to organize their tribes were intimidating and unnatural to Americans, who only viewed Native Americans’ presence as an obstacle to overcome, “[...] to many whites, especially in Georgia, the threat was not so much the savage, drunken Indian as the civilized one, who if left in place to govern himself in his own territory would beat the white man at his own game—raising cotton—and prevent forever the further acquisition of Indian land.” (pg. 197, “The Long, Bitter Trail”) The fact remained that Native Americans’ presence on western land was a hindrance to progress that needed to be subdued. President Andrew Jackson reassured Americans with this fear of an “enemy” within their own borders when he stated, “The Constitution declares that ‘no new State shall be formed or erected within the jurisdiction of any other State’ without the consent of its legislature.” (pg. 225, Andrew Jackson, “State of the Union Address”) With the annihilation of native power and jurisdiction in their own land, America began to change its attitude towards Native Americans, viewing them as “now a conquered and dependent people,” (pg.193, “The Long, Bitter Trail”) and rationalized Indian removal because “the object of government must be to save them from imminent extinction by removing them to the West.” (pg. 193, “The Long, Bitter Trail”) Through native removal, the American government gave limited options to Native Americans, forcing them to move west off their ancestral lands, or in some cases, assimilate into white society by force so as to keep American Christian cities “pure.”

It’s undeniable that America grew and prospered as a nation during this time period but at great moral cost. The tapestry of American history is stained with the blood of the thousands of Native Americans who were displaced and killed, as well as the enslaved Africans. Americans’ relentless march westward added new states to the Union, but also irreparably damaged relations with Native American tribes, many of whom still feel the effects of displacement and blood loss to this day. The American government today continues to exploit minority groups with institutional practices like mass incarceration,the American-Mexican border crisis, and cruel immigration policies including family separation, which mirrors the widespread practices of family separation that occurred during the days of slavery. The story of progress is often told by the victors, not those who were abused or exploited on the road to prosperity. While we are victorious in our economy, politics, and growth, we continue to lack morality and peace. The horrifying past reminds us that in order to create a peaceful and prosperous nation, it is pertinent to harness real and legal human equality and equal job opportunity.