How "Manifest Destiny" Removed Native Americans from their Land

Reconnecting Roots

14 Feb 202303:53

Summary

TLDRThe video script explores the irony of America's founding principles versus the historical treatment of Native Americans. It discusses the distortion of divine right into 'manifest destiny,' leading to the forced displacement and cultural erasure of indigenous tribes. The script highlights the delayed recognition of Native American rights, such as voting and gun ownership, and the ongoing struggle for sovereignty. It concludes with a call to understand and learn from this history to address ongoing issues of greed and racism.

Takeaways

📜 The Declaration of Independence proclaims equality and inalienable rights such as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
🌎 The concept of 'Manifest Destiny' was used to justify the expansion of the U.S. westward, often at the expense of native tribes.
🔫 Native Americans faced the loss of their lands and the eradication of their way of life by aggressive U.S. forces.
🏰 Chiefs like Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse fought to defend their people against the U.S. Army and militias.
🏡 The American ideals of liberty and justice were not extended to Native Americans for much of the nation's history.
🔒 Native Americans were often denied basic rights such as owning firearms, practicing their religion freely, and voting.
📊 It wasn't until the 20th century that many rights were granted to Native Americans, including the right to bear arms and freedom of religion.
🏛️ The recognition of Native American tribes as separate sovereign nations has been a complex issue, affecting their citizenship and legal status.
🌟 The Narragansett tribe of Rhode Island has reclaimed some of its ancestral lands, demonstrating a resurgence of native rights and recognition.
📚 Understanding the historical treatment of Native Americans is crucial for learning, inspiring change, and addressing ongoing issues of greed and racism.

Q & A

What does the term 'manifest destiny' refer to in the context of the script?
-In the script, 'manifest destiny' refers to the notion that the United States had a divine right to expand and rule the entire continent from sea to shining sea, which was used as a justification for the aggressive expansion westward at the expense of the native tribes.
How did the concept of 'manifest destiny' distort the idea of divine right?
-The concept of 'manifest destiny' distorted the idea of divine right by applying it to justify the United States' expansionist policies, which were in contrast to the original rejection of divine right by Americans.
Who were Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse, as mentioned in the script?
-Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse were prominent Native American chiefs who are remembered for their resistance against the U.S. government and military, defending their people and their way of life.
What does the script imply about the concept of liberty and justice for Native Americans?
-The script suggests that the American ideals of liberty and justice were not extended equally to Native Americans, as they faced significant restrictions and injustices, including the loss of land, culture, and rights.
When were Native Americans granted the right to vote in the United States?
-According to the script, Native Americans were granted the right to vote in the 1920s.
What was the significance of Richard Nixon's actions regarding Native American tribes?
-Richard Nixon played a significant role in ensuring that Native American tribes delisted by the federal government could be re-recognized, which was a step towards affirming their rights and sovereignty.
How are recognized Native American tribes legally considered in the United States?
-Recognized Native American tribes are legally considered as domestic dependent nations, a status that originated from a court ruling in 1831, although the ruling was later reversed and not enforced.
What percentage of the U.S. population identifies as Native American today?
-Today, roughly one percent of the U.S. population identifies as Native American.
How many tribes does the federal government officially recognize?
-The federal government officially recognizes 573 Native American tribes.
What is an example of a tribe that has reclaimed some of its ancestral homelands?
-The Narragansetts of Rhode Island are an example of a tribe that has reclaimed some of its ancestral homelands, with special exemptions for hunting and fishing.
What is the purpose of the PBS series 'Reconnecting Roots' mentioned in the script?
-The PBS series 'Reconnecting Roots' aims to explore and understand the history, culture, and contemporary issues of Native American tribes, inspiring viewers to learn from the past and engage with present-day Native American communities.

Outlines

00:00

📜 The Declaration vs. Manifest Destiny

The paragraph discusses the contrast between the principles in the Declaration of Independence, which advocate equality and inalienable rights, and the later concept of Manifest Destiny. Manifest Destiny, a belief that the U.S. had a divine right to expand across the continent, distorted these ideals and justified the violent removal and eradication of Native American tribes. The irony is highlighted in how this expansion disregarded the principles of equality and rights that the nation was founded on.

🦅 The Forgotten Braves

Here, the focus shifts to the hypocrisy in American values of liberty and justice, which were not extended to Native Americans. While the U.S. celebrated freedom, Native peoples were displaced from their lands, and their lifestyles were destroyed. Though some tribes adapted, many suffered irrevocable losses. The paragraph draws attention to the contrast between American ideals and the treatment of Native Americans, who were denied the rights the country claimed to uphold.

⚖️ Denied Rights and Delayed Freedoms

This paragraph outlines the various civil rights that Native Americans were historically denied, such as the right to bear arms, freedom of religion, and the right to vote. Many of these rights were only extended to Native Americans in the 20th century, long after other Americans had enjoyed them. It also mentions President Richard Nixon’s role in allowing tribes to regain federal recognition, showing the long struggle for Native Americans to secure basic rights.

🏞️ The Legal Status of Native Tribes

This section explains the complex legal status of Native American tribes as 'domestic dependent nations' under U.S. law. While this status grants tribes some level of sovereignty, it also kept them from the protections of U.S. citizenship for a long time. The paragraph traces this legal framework back to an 1831 court ruling, noting how the Jackson administration refused to enforce a reversal of the ruling. Today, the federal government recognizes 573 tribes, while some eastern tribes have regained portions of their ancestral lands.

⏳ Revisiting the Past to Learn and Heal

This paragraph emphasizes the importance of understanding the history of Native American tribes—both the atrocities they faced and the resilience they showed. It stresses that learning from these stories, with all their complexities, is crucial for addressing issues like greed and racism. The video encourages viewers to reflect on this history to better inform the present and future.

🎬 Closing and Call to Action

In the closing paragraph, the video script invites viewers to explore more content through the 'Reconnecting Roots' PBS series. It calls for viewers to subscribe, watch more episodes, and engage with the content to continue learning about these historical and cultural topics. The tone is one of appreciation for the audience’s support.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Declaration of Independence

The Declaration of Independence is a founding document of the United States that proclaims all individuals are created equal with inalienable rights such as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. In the video, this document is referenced to highlight the contradiction between American ideals and the treatment of Native Americans, whose rights were often denied.

💡Manifest Destiny

Manifest Destiny was the 19th-century belief that the U.S. had a divine right to expand across the North American continent. The video discusses how this concept was used to justify the forceful removal and destruction of Native American tribes, directly opposing the values of equality and justice stated in the Declaration of Independence.

💡Divine Right

Divine Right is the belief that monarchs or leaders are chosen by God and therefore have unquestionable authority. The video contrasts this with the American rejection of such a notion, only to highlight the irony that Manifest Destiny was a similar justification for expanding U.S. territory at the expense of Native American nations.

💡Native American Tribes

Native American tribes are indigenous groups that lived in North America long before European settlers arrived. The video focuses on how U.S. policies like Manifest Destiny led to their displacement, cultural destruction, and loss of land, showing how America failed to live up to its ideals when dealing with these communities.

💡Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse

Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse were Native American leaders who resisted U.S. military aggression to defend their people and way of life. Their 'last stands' symbolize the broader resistance of Native tribes against forced relocation and violence, as discussed in the video, underlining the injustice faced by indigenous peoples.

💡Liberty and Justice

Liberty and Justice are core American principles mentioned in the Declaration of Independence. The video underscores the hypocrisy of these values, as they were often denied to Native Americans, who were displaced, stripped of their lands, and denied basic rights, including freedom of religion and the right to bear arms.

💡Treaty Process

The treaty process refers to agreements made between the U.S. government and Native American tribes, often resulting in land cessions and relocation. However, the video points out how these treaties were frequently broken or manipulated, keeping Native Americans from the full protections of U.S. citizenship and sovereignty.

💡Domestic Dependent Nations

Domestic Dependent Nations is a legal term from an 1831 Supreme Court ruling that classified Native American tribes as self-governing but dependent on the U.S. government. The video explains how this status complicated their ability to claim full citizenship rights, perpetuating their exclusion from many legal protections.

💡Civil Rights for Native Americans

Civil rights for Native Americans were often denied well into the 20th century, including basic rights like voting, religious freedom, and gun ownership. The video mentions how it wasn’t until the 1920s and 1970s that Native Americans gained the right to vote and freely practice their religion, highlighting the long struggle for equality.

💡Reclaiming Ancestral Lands

Reclaiming ancestral lands refers to the recent efforts by Native American tribes to regain ownership of their traditional territories. The video highlights examples like the Narragansett tribe of Rhode Island, which has successfully re-acquired tribal lands, marking a step toward restoring some of what was taken from them.

Highlights

The Declaration of Independence asserts that all are created equal with inalienable rights.

Manifest destiny was a distortion of divine right, used as an excuse for force against western tribes.

Manifest destiny led to the eradication of the west and the last stands of chiefs like Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse.

In the land of the free, there was no home for the braves, as liberty and justice were not extended to natives.

Natives were displaced from their hunting grounds, culture, and way of life.

Natives' rights were not afforded to them until the 20th century, including the right to bear arms.

Freedom of religion was not guaranteed for natives until the 1970s.

Voting rights for natives were not established until the 1920s.

Richard Nixon ensured that delisted tribes could be re-recognized.

Native Americans were kept from citizenship protections by being considered separate self-sovereign nations.

Historically, recognized tribes were considered domestic dependent nations since a court ruling in 1831.

Today, about one percent of the US population identifies as Native American.

The federal government officially recognizes 573 tribes.

Some eastern tribes have reclaimed some of their ancestral homelands.

The Narragansetts of Rhode Island have tribal lands again with special exemptions for hunting and fishing.

Understanding the past atrocities is crucial for learning and preventing future injustices.

This video is inspired by the PBS series 'Reconnecting Roots'.