Background (Continued)

The point of bringing up the Acquisition of the Jackson Purchase is that, as stated before, it had contributed to American expansion to the west. This was also because the settlers had exploited the land that they had taken from the Chickasaw Nation[1]. Before that, however, there was a peaceful negotiation process that had Andrew Jackson oversee it from start to finish. Regardless of how peaceful the land transition was, the Chickasaw Indians were still forced out[2]. The main theme that had been presented thus far would be about land exploitation and its effects on the Native Americans, mainly the Chickasaw Nation. Another major theme is how the Chickasaw Nation had managed to overcome the issue of being depicted as savages.

Such a past with Native Americans had contributed to Andrew Jackson’s skills as a negotiator, for both his career as a general and the presidency. Not only that, but it also made contributions to the American ideals of Manifest Destiny and America’s territorial expansion. What it meant for Americans to believe in Manifest Destiny was that they had seen themselves as exceptional and argued about being better than the Native Americans. This national ideal left the impression to the Americans by October 1818 that Native Indians were seen as savages. Of course, this would not be the case since there were five Native American tribes that are indeed civilized. These five tribes include the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole because each of them is unique in terms of establishing their own governments and adapting to change.

One other matter to take into account would have to be that both the Chickasaw Nation had made a series of treaties and journals that recorded how they had settled a land dispute. Such documents would consist of treaties and journals, mainly written by the Secretary of War along with Andrew Jackson and Isaac Shelby[1]. Each of them had described the process of the land annexation from the Chickasaw Nation, especially writing back and forth to one another[2]. This exchange of letters between them was meant to make certain that the land acquisition would be a success in terms of diplomacy. In the end, it was successful, but until then there was a sense of uneasiness as they had expressed in their journals and letters due to the risk of war.

The Chickasaw Nation, even by 1818, were a special tribe of Native Americans for reasons such as establishing their own constitution as well as being able to negotiate peacefully[1]. In fact, they were also concerned about their own stereotypes as savages to the point of living similarly to the populace of the United States and creating a structured government on their own[2]. This comes to show that the Native Americans, whether they are Chickasaw Nation or others, are not the savages that they were portrayed by October 1818. Another statement for this would be that the Chickasaw had strived to improve and also prove they are as civilized as the Americans. And yet even with such a positive portrayal of Native Americans, this did not stop the American settlers from taking their land away from them and being forced to live in Indian Reservations.

Chief Tishomingo

There was a warchief of the Chickasaw Nation that had played a role that was historically vital to the annexation of the Jackson Purchase and had gone by the name of Chief Tishomingo[1]. He was considered to have been, in an arguable sense, the last great warchief of the Chickasaw Nation mainly because he was said to be noble and is an example of a civilized Indian[2]. This was because of the fact that Tishomingo wanted to secure peace between his tribe and the United States so that he could help secure a transition of land without the need for war at all. The negotiation had resulted in the Jackson Purchase being taken by the United States and then the Chickasaw had to move out, but Chief Tishomingo died before he could be moved as well. The point is that Chief Tishomingo was a historically unique individual because he was a reasonable leader and that he was able to keep his tribe safe from harm through negotiations.

Regardless of the end result, the Chickasaw would have moved out because even though they had negotiated with the United States, they were still seen as a not so civilized populace. This resulted in the establishment of the Chickasaw’s reservation in what is now the state of Oklahoma along with other Native American tribes as well. One positive notion to consider would be that the Chickasaw Nation was allowed to govern their own regional autonomy[1]. It is an implication that the Chickasaw could be independent but also subject to American authority. After that, the Chickasaw Nation was provided time to modernize themselves and show to the United States that they are a civilized populace, even as they had been removed from their land.

When discussing land exploitation and how it would fit the subject of Manifest Destiny, both had been a complement towards each other in more ways than one. This is because the issue of land exploitation involved taking territory away from the Native Americans. It only fits the ideals of Manifest Destiny because it involves the Americans seeing themselves as the best. In other words, they do not describe the same for the Indians that had been in their way of territorial expansion until halfway through the Nineteenth Century[1]. There was also the usage of industry, which was an advantage for Americans since the Native Indians were not as advanced[2].

The ideals of Manifest Destiny were considerably important to the Americans by the time they had annexed Western Kentucky because at the time it was thought to have been necessary. This was likely due to the circumstances of the time, which included the need to have more space for settlers to live in, although they would have to deal with the Indians that had lived westward. There was a risk of war for a time, but the United States government figured that negotiating with the Native Americans to hand over a region was considered to be a much better resolution. Afterward, the Americans began to exploit whatever land they took from the Native Indians and then use it for resources and expanding borders as well. As a result of this, the United States, despite the cost of Indian sovereignty, would grow geographically larger on a global scale.

As a result of the United States expanding westward, many Native Americans were forced to migrate into designated reservations to live in, which they would have to struggle with. A part of this struggle would involve surviving harsh environments and clashing with American militias in several disputes as well. It also contributed to the geographic change of the United States as it was growing into a giant nation and becoming a powerful one at that. This came with new resources and a boost of American economy, but not without the cost of Indian nationality. Nevertheless, such a territorial expansion on the global scale was made possible with the acquisition of the Jackson Purchase region.

Such a special take on the definition of being a civilized populace is interesting because it helps determine what facts about native populations had been made right or wrong. This is because of the fact that both Americans and Europeans established their idea of being civilized. It would of course result in national and, to an extent, racial bias against whoever does not fit their criteria of a civilized populace at all. This eventually included the Native Americans, who had been subjected to being treated as barbaric to the point of leaving their land. It also resulted in territorial loss to the United States, which for the Americans was about Manifest Destiny.

Overall, the acquisition of the Jackson Purchase was historically important, for both national and global reasons, mainly because it had played a role in the expansion of America. This meant that annexing the region contributed to the geographical changes made by the United States as well as the ideals of Manifest Destiny, which emphasized national glory for Americans. It also meant that there was a risk of land exploitation once the Native Americans, such as the Chickasaw Nation, would be forced to move out of their land and into established reservations. As stated before, Chief Tishomingo is an example of a Chickasaw Indian that would prefer to live a civilized life. This was because he did not want to perpetuate the stereotype of the savage Indians as portrayed by American settlers.

Geoff Crippen had originally planned to attend Southern Illinois University, then later changed his mind and attended Murray State University in Kentucky. This was because he had grown up learning much about history and took interest to the point of wanting to know more. This led him to learning about the Chickasaw Nation and their place in the history of Western Kentucky, especially since there were individuals historically important such as Andrew Jackson. As a result of this, Crippen had learned so much and resorted to writing about how the Chickasaw Nation and their role in acquiring the Jackson Purchase area, or Western Kentucky. The main goal for Geoff Crippen in terms of writing is to present it in a manner that readers would understand and teach about the importance of history and what makes the subject unique.

Bibliography

Primary Sources

• Foreman, Grant, The Five Civilized Tribes: Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, Seminole. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press, 1934,

• Gibson, Arrell M., The Chickasaws. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press, 1971

• Sumners, Senator Cecil L., Chief Tishomingo: The last great warchief of the Chickasaw Indians. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: Oklahoma Historical Society, 1974, 47-53.

Secondary Sources

• Brown, William Garrot, “Andrew Jackson: An Interpretation,” New York, New York: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, (1900): 1-23, 46-68, 87-117.

• The Chickasaw Legislature, “Constitution, Treaties and Laws of the Chickasaw Nation,” Chickasaw Reservation, Oklahoma, (1890)

• Christina Duffy Burnett, “United States: American Expansion and Territorial Deannexation,” Chicago, Illinois: The University of Chicago Law Review Vol. 72, No. 3, (Summer 2005): 797-879.

• Fowler, Loretta, “The Columbia Guide to American Indians of the Great Plains Chapter 3: American Expansion: Trade and Treaties.” Columbia, Ohio: Columbia University Press, (2003): 44-84.

• Homer, Davis A., Chickasaw Nation Legislature, “Analysis of Constitution and Laws of the Chickasaw Nation, Together with Treaties,” Parsons, Kansas: The Foley Railway Printing Company, (1899)

• Isaac Shelby and Andrew Jackson, comrs. To Sec. of War, Oct. 23, 1818, sending the Treaty and the “Confidential Journal.” No. 105 1818, Oct. 19 Chickasaw Treaty Ground east of Old Town.

• Pearson, Ellen Holmes, “Remaking Custom: Law and Identity in the Early American Republic Chapter 5: Public Lands, Expansion, and the Native Americans,” University of Virginia Press (2011): 141-171.

Image Credits

• Jackson Purchase Historic Marker: Irvin S. Cobb Bridge, photographed by Charlotte Crippen on her way to Paducah KY

• The Jackson Purchase Agricultural Map: https://www.flickr.com/photos/normanbleventhalmapcenter/11840723176/

• Western Kentucky and Western Tennessee, Andrew Jackson and Isaac Shelby: https://haywoodcountyline.com/west-tennessee-and-the-jackson-purchase-of-1818/

• General Andrew Jackson: https://www.rlcherry.com/2015/01/battle-new-orleans/

• Chickasaw Nation Flag: https://flagpolesetc.com/blog/chickasaw-nation-flag-history

• Manifest Destiny: https://arthistory327.wordpress.com/tag/manifest-destiny/

• Oklahoma Map of The Chickasaw Nation: https://www.chickasaw.net/Our-Nation/Government/Geographic-Information.aspx

• Migrating American Settlers: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/102597697734752637/

• Growth of the United States 1783-1853: https://unitedstateswestwardexpansion.weebly.com/

• Original Chickasaw Domain: http://www.mshistorynow.mdah.ms.gov/articles/8/chickasaws-the-unconquerable-people

• Chief Tishomingo: https://www.chickasaw.tv/home/document/chief-tishomingo-profile

• Statue of Chickasaw Indians: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60771-d1936362-Reviews-Chickasaw_Cultural_Center-Sulphur_Oklahoma.html

• Geoff Crippen: Photographed by Charlotte Crippen as a family picture