TraeshayonaWeekes Unit11Essay WasWestwardExpansionEthical?

March29th,2013

Imaginehavingtomovebecausesomeonedecidedtheywantthelandyourpeople owned.Theytakethislandandexpanded,butyourlandislost.TheMexicans,andNatives allfacedthisexactedproblemintheexpansionoftheUnitedStates.TheU.Stooktheir landandleftmostofthemwithnothing.TheexpansionoftheUnitedStatesbeganin Louisianaduring1812andendedinCaliforniaduring1848.Somemayagreeordisagree thattheexpansionwestwardwasunethical,butduetotheevidencecollectedthe expansionwestwardwasunethical,meaningtheexpansiondidmoreharmthangood. WhentheU.Sexpandedwestwardtherewasseveralproblemslikethetreatmentof NativesandMexicans,imperialism,andtheexpansionofslavery. WhileexpandingAmericansdidtreatotherslikeNativesandMexicanscruel.This wasunethical.GeneralAndrewJacksonattackedfloridawith1,700soldiersafterbeing toldnotto.HechangedfloridasHispanicgovernortoanAmericanandkilledpeoplewho triedtodisobey(TCI,2002).Theattackwasunethicalbecauseitwasnotagreedtobythe CongressandgeneralJacksondidwhathewantedtodonotwhathewastold.Hefaced noconsequencesforthiscrimebutwasawarded(JohnQuincyAdams,1818).While expandingwestwardtheU.SalsotooklandonceownedbytheCherokeetribeafterhaving afewnamessignapetition(PBS,2009).Whenthetribeattempttoremainintheir

homelandtheywereforcedoutandthenforcedtowalk850milestonewland.Onthiswalk 4,000cherokeepeopledied,14to15ateachstop.ThiswalkwascalledtheTrailofTears. (PBS,2009).Deathisnotethical,theUnitedStateskilledmostoftheCherokeepeople whiletryingtomigratethem.WhiletryingtoexpandinMexicanterritorytherewasawar andduringthiswarAmericansoldiersgotoutofhandandbegantorapeMexicanwomen andkillMexicanpeople(HowardZinn,2006).Rapeandmurderisnotokaynorisitethical. Imperialismmeanstotakelandbyforce,whichisunethicalbecauseitviolates people'srights.TheUnitedStatesdidalotofthisduringtheexpansion.PresidentMonroe toldFloridasgovernmenttogovernfloridaproperlyorgetout.InfearFloridasoldto Americafor$5milliondollarsindamagecausedbyNativestotheUnitedStatesland nearbyandforownershipofTexas(TCI,2002).PresidentMonroetookthislandwithfalse diplomacy.Diplomacyisadealwherebothpartiescomeouthappy.Floridadidnotgeta gooddealinthiscase.Theirlandwasstolenandtheygotanotherpiecesoflandthey probablydidntevenwant.Theydidntevengetthe$5milliondollarsitwentstraighttothe damage.TheTrailsofTearswastomoveNativesfromU.Sland.ThedealwastheUnited StatesmovestheNativesofftheirlandandtheNativesmovetoanewlandandreceive protectionfromtheUnitedStates,butbeforeandafterthecivilwartheU.Swasstill demandinglandfromtheNatives(PBS,2009).Thiswasnotapartofthedeal.TheNatives werecheatedatthehandsoftheUnitedStates.In1828,theUnitedStatesagainbeganto takeforceofMexicanlandusingimperialism.ThistimeintheeasternpartofTexas(Jose MariaSanchez,1828).Notreatiesweresignedfortheseactionstotakeplace.Atreatyisa signedagreementbetweencountryonlandorotherissues.Imperialismisunethical.Itisa

causeofwaranddeath,itwasduringtheexpansion. Slaveryisunethical.Expansionofslaverywasabigissuesduringtheexpansion westward.In1845,FloridabecameaslavestateaftertheUnitedStatesbroughtitfrom Spain(Unknown,2013).Duringthetimesomestateswerefreestates,includingFlorida. OncetheUnitedStatesclaimedownershipofFloridathatchanged.Toincreasesouthern powerswouldmeantoincreaseslavery.TheonlyreasontheUnitedStateswantedTexas wastodoexactlythat,increasesouthernpower.Anunknownauthorwrote,theacquisition ofTexaswouldraisethedominancesandsecurethespreadofslaveryandallits attendantsevils(Unknown,1845).Slaverywasagrowingissueintheexpansion westward.TheUnitedStateswerechangingstatesdecisionsonslavery.Thebeginning growthofslaverybeganinthepurchaseofLouisiana.ItcauseddebatesbetweentheNorth andSouthonslaveryandbroughtthenationclosertothedayofreckoninghe(Jefferson) dreaded(StephenG.Hyslop,2009).Slaverywasnotsomethingagreedon,itcaused unneededdebates,andwasunfairtopeoplebeingownedasslaves.Expandingslavery causedalotofharm,itwascausedbyexpandingtheUnitedStates. Ethicaldoesnotmeancompletelygoodbutthatsomethingdidmoregoodthan harm.Theexpansionofslaverydidalotofharm,thetreatmentofMexicansandNatives washarmful,andimperialismwasusedtoharm.Theexpansionwestwarddidfarmore harmthangood.ItwasgoodthattheUnitedStatesexpanded,butwhatabouttheharmthat cantbefixedbecauseoftheexpansion?Dowejustforgetthebloodshedforthis?John O'SullivansaidThisisourhighdestiny,andinnatureseternal,inevitabledecreeofcause andeffectswemustaccomplishit.Hespokeabouttheexpansionwestward.Itwanotour

highdestinytodestroyotherpeopleslifes,taketheirlandorkilltheirpeople