American Revolution
“Ultimately, for Jefferson, it made no difference whether Indians were removed to the Rocky Mountains, 'extirpated from the earth,' or allowed to remain in the United States. Indians as Indians could not be tolerated in the republican civilization the American Revolution had created. The new nation must have a 'homogeneous' population.”
After the American Revolution, the newly formed United States of America refocused their attention from deciding on what kind of society they wanted, to how they were going to get this society. Thomas Jefferson was the mastermind behind the proposal of a republican society, a society rooted in a civilization made up of people that were homogenous and virtuous, centered on pure morality. However, now that America was a multiracial society, with the presence of Blacks and Native Americans, a new conflict arose. How could Americans produce a homogenous population despite the existence of “non-Americans”? Jefferson had a complex relationship with the Indians and believed that a homogenous population would only be attainable by fully changing the ways of Native American life. Although Jefferson had notable reasons for his opposition of Indians, he failed to recognize that his goals were far too unrealistic and the problem of obtaining a pure republican society would not be hindered by the presence of Indians, but rather, hindered by the American people themselves. Jefferson was a strong advocate for removing the Indians from their natural habitat, whether it was by exterminating them, shipping them somewhere else, or stripping them of their culture and forcing them to become “White.” There were many proponents for this idea and had convincing reasons as to why Native Americans were unfit for American society. The main supporting argument was that Native Americans were too deficient as human beings to function in society. Their undeveloped intelligence, uncleanliness, and lack of self-control were all seen as hindrances in
After the American Revolution, the newly formed United States of America refocused their attention from deciding on what kind of society they wanted, to how they were going to get this society. Thomas Jefferson was the mastermind behind the proposal of a republican society, a society rooted in a civilization made up of people that were homogenous and virtuous, centered on pure morality. However, now that America was a multiracial society, with the presence of Blacks and Native Americans, a new conflict arose. How could Americans produce a homogenous population despite the existence of “non-Americans”? Jefferson had a complex relationship with the Indians and believed that a homogenous population would only be attainable by fully changing the ways of Native American life. Although Jefferson had notable reasons for his opposition of Indians, he failed to recognize that his goals were far too unrealistic and the problem of obtaining a pure republican society would not be hindered by the presence of Indians, but rather, hindered by the American people themselves. Jefferson was a strong advocate for removing the Indians from their natural habitat, whether it was by exterminating them, shipping them somewhere else, or stripping them of their culture and forcing them to become “White.” There were many proponents for this idea and had convincing reasons as to why Native Americans were unfit for American society. The main supporting argument was that Native Americans were too deficient as human beings to function in society. Their undeveloped intelligence, uncleanliness, and lack of self-control were all seen as hindrances in