The territory that is now known as the United States of America has experienced many changes over the years. The original inhabitants of the land which lay to the west of the Mississippi River were various Native American tribes, who held this land as their sacred homeland for thousands of years. Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, new settlers encroached into this tribal land, pushing the original inhabitants out and reclaiming the territory for their own nation. But who were these settlers and who ultimately claimed the land west of the Mississippi River?
To understand who held the reign over this area, we must look to the ways in which the different powers each came to possess it. Initially, the land was colonised by the Spanish in the 16th century. After controlling the area for nearly 200 years, in 1803, Thomas Jefferson negotiated for the United States to purchase the land from France in what became known as the Louisiana Purchase. When the United States purchased the Louisiana Territory, they effectively doubled their size and thus began their hold over the region.
The treaty to end the war between the U.K and U.S. was signed in 1814 and finalized in 1815, putting a permanent end to the two countries’ concerns over who would control the land west of the Mississippi. The United States thus had definitive control of the region, and despite the various treaties and compromises that were made with Native American tribes (such as the 1825 Treaty of Fort Laramie) the original inhabitants of the land were relegated to reservations and were not officially reinstalled as sovereign nations until the 1930s.
In terms of the western border, the Missouri Compromise of 1820 ensured that the land west of the border between Missouri and Iowa did not experience the same fate as the land east of the Mississippi River. This landmark treaty kept the area free from slavery and ended conflict between the north and south. Thus, the United States was able to expand westward in a much more peaceful and unified fashion.
Moreover, during this period, the newly formed United States funded expeditions to explore and document the newly acquired land west of the Mississippi. Led by the likes of Lewis and Clark and John Charles Fremon, the settlers made their way through the wilderness and the unknown, establishing trade routes and opening the land to continued westward expansion.
The Louisiana Purchase and the Missouri Compromise were essential in the foundation of the United States as we know it now. It is through these two treaties that the US acquired its current status as the third-largest nation in the world by land area. The settlement of the land west of the Mississippi River laid the groundwork for the US to become a powerful nation that would eventually span the entire continent.
Reclaiming lands and the ‘Manifest Destiny
The 19th century was a period in which the United States embarked on a mission of continental expansion. This period is often described as the “Manifest Destiny” era, where the United States was able to acquire further land from Native American tribes and foreign nations in order to further extend its influence and power.
From 1803 onwards, the United States continued to re-negotiate physical boundaries. In 1836, the Texas Revolution declared the independence of Texas from Mexico and the following year, the Republic of Texas controlled land west of the Mississippi River. The 1845 Annexation of Texas made way for the United States to reclaim this territory and in 1848, the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo with Mexico was signed. This treaty ceded the territory that is now known as the Southwestern United States.
In 1853, another swathe of land was ceded to the United States when it purchased a strip of land south of the current US-Mexico border and the Gadsden Purchase followed in 1854, when the US purchased the southern tip of present-day Arizona. By the end of the 19th century, the US had a virtual monopoly over the entirety of the land west of the Mississippi River.
The period of European migration, territorial wars and fragmented land claimants is best exemplified by the “Trail of Tears” in 1838. The U.S. government forced residents of the “Five Civilized Tribes” (Native American nations forcibly relocated from their homelands in the U.S. Southeast) to move westward to the Indian Territory, now known as Oklahoma. This event marked the largest involuntary resettlement in the history of the United States.
While Native American tribes slowly lost control over their ancestral lands, the United States’ hold over them only grew stronger with time. Over the course of the 19th century, more and more of the western states and territories were claimed by the United States — California in 1848, Alaska in 1867, Hawaii in 1898, and so on — establishing the US as a dominant power across the continent.
Today’s landscape
Today, the landscape across the United States is much different than it was 200 years ago. This can largely be attributed to the fact that settlers from across the world have made the trek to this area in the hopes of carving out a better life. The result is an incredibly diverse population which spans across the entire nation. This diversity is represented in the various states and territories which all contribute to the nation’s culture, economy, and identity.
Nevertheless, it is important to remember and honour the original inhabitants of the land which now makes up the United States. For them, this land still retains sacred value, as it always has since time immemorial. As modern Americans, it is essential to remember our shared history and to recognise and respect the various cultural perspectives which continue to shape the United States today.
Reflecting on legacy
The legacy of the settling of the land west of the Mississippi is a complex one. On the one hand, the newly forming United States did what it had to do to protect itself from competing powers and exerted its dominance over the land during that era. On the other hand, the fact that it did so often meant effectively displacing Native American tribes, who were forced to fight for land rights for decades to come.
The current status of the land west of the Mississippi is a testament to the power of compromise and perseverance. Despite the various struggles and conflicts that plagued the land in the past, the United States is now a strong and unified nation which stretches across the continent. However, it is important to remember the many people and the complicated history of the region that preceded its political unification.
Comprehending modern disputes
Modern issues related to the land west of the Mississippi River often revolve around issues such as water rights, land claims, and environmental policies. For example, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe continues to be engaged in a long-term dispute with the United States government over their right to their ancestral land and its associated resources. The dispute has been ongoing for years, but with recent developments, the tribe is optimistic that their rights will be acknowledged and respected.
The role of the federal government in land rights and treaty negotiations is also an important consideration. Over the course of recent years, they have made efforts to ensure that Indigenous peoples are treated with respect and their land rights are respected. This is seen in the negotiation of new treaties such as the 2019 Little Shell Tribe Reaffirmation Act, which signaled the US government’s respect of the tribe’s rights to their ancestral land.
In addition to the disputes that continue to arise between the US government and Indigenous peoples, there are other issues at work. Land and water disputes between states, as well as debates over resource exploitation, have been common over the years. The history of conflicts in the region demonstrate the need for constructive dialogue and compromise in order to reach a satisfactory resolution.
Conclusion
The land west of the Mississippi River has experienced dramatic change over the years and has gone through periods of conflict and cooperation. Today, the legacy of its settlement is still being felt and the various disputes related to the land’s ownership and its resources are ongoing. But despite the complexity of the issues at hand, it is crucial that all stakeholders work together to ensure that all rights are respected, and that any actions taken are in the best interests of all involved.
