1. Westward Movement: The Expansion of the United States
Joan Stewart
PS/MS 123
Fall 2014

2. American history public policy steps
Identify the Problem
Gather the Evidence
Determine the Causes
Evaluate the Policy

3. Identify the Problem

4. Identify the Problem
What was the meaning of “manifest destiny” and how did it help to define the migration west and what was the impact on Native American peoples?
What were the hardships faced along the The Trail of Tears by The Cherokee and other Native American tribes?

5. Determine the Causes
European settlers were becoming crowded and less land was available. Native American's were outside the taxing powers of the States and Federal Government. Added to this was not only the raw land value, but the mineral value of gold discovered on native lands.

6. Determine the Causes
Andrew Jackson made 'Indian removal' part of his campaign, and promised to remove, subjugate and distribute Indian held lands to the people (for some reason the promise of free lands appealed to people and he was elected). His first real act as President was to push through the "Indian Removal Act" giving himself the power to remove the natives

7. Determine the Causes
His first real act as President was to push through the "Indian Removal Act" giving himself the power to remove the natives from their homelands.

8. Evaluate the Policy
In 1830 the Congress of the United States passed the "Indian Removal Act." Although many Americans were against the act, most notably Tennessee Congressman Davy Crockett, it passed anyway. President Andrew Jackson quickly signed the bill into law.

9. Evaluate the Policy
At first the court seemed to rule against the Indians. In Cherokee Nation v. Georgia, the Court refused to hear a case extending Georgia's laws on the Cherokee because they did not represent a sovereign nation.

10. Evaluate the Policy
In one of the saddest episodes of our brief history, men, women, and children were taken from their land, herded into makeshift forts with minimal facilities and food, then forced to march a thousand miles(Some made part of the trip by boat in equally horrible conditions).

11. Robert Ottakar Lindneux (1871-1970)
The Trail of Tears
Robert Ottakar Lindneux ( )

12. The History of Westward Movement

13. Focus Questions to Consider
What was the objective of the Lewis and Clark Expedition?
How did the Homestead Act and other events of that time motivate families to move west?
What was the meaning of “manifest destiny” and how did it help to define the migration west?
What were the hardships faced along the Oregon Trail for the settlers and Native Americans ?
What impact did the Gold Rush have on the colonists and Native Americans?
How did the railroad change life for the settlers who moved west?
What were the cultural values of the diverse groups of people that migrated west?

14. Evaluate the Policy
Evaluate the policy-look at a problem of your choosing, a policy that was implemented during Westward Expansion
Analyze the advantages and disadvantages of this policy (for example, The Trail of Tears)