33.8 America: a.d. 1801 to 1900  (Page 16/31)

Some of the Creeks, Cherokees and other southern Indians had migrated on their own to Oklahoma as early as 1818, and then, of course, Andrew Jackson moved hundreds there during his administration. After the Creeks had relocated in Oklahoma, supposedly not 1% could prove that they had no mixed blood. In many instances, this eventually resulted in a reversal of the old Indian matrilineal society and that created much tension. As early as 1819 the Cherokee Council had specifically prohibited white men from disposing of their Indian wives' property. (Ref. 267 ) Settling on the hills and meadow lands in the eastern section of Oklahoma territory, the so-called "Five Civilized Tribes"

The southwest (texas, new mexico&The mexican war)

In 1805 a "neutral ground" was established as a buffer zone between the United States and Mexico in the area between the Sabine River in the west and the Arroyo Hondo, a tributary of the Red River in the east. This soon became a haven for outlaws. In 1820 New Mexico, which then included Arizona and Texas, was a frontier province of Mexico and the latter country encouraged emigration from the United States. In 1821 Stephen F. Austin, taking over a grant which had been given to his father, settled 300 U.S. families in the most fertile region of Texas and by 1834 his colony comprised some 20,000 whites and 2,000 slaves, outnumbering the native Mexicans in Texas by 4 to 1. By the following year there were 28,000 North Americans and to these were soon added swashbucklers like Sam Houston, David Burnet, Branch Archer, Davy Crockett and the Bowie brothers of long knife fame. When Mexican President Santa Anna proclaimed the constitution of 1835, sweeping away state rights within the Mexican domain, the North Americans in Texas, led by Austin, expelled the Mexican garrison from San Antonio de Bexar and seceded, declaring Texas' independence. Santa Anna responded by crossing the Rio Grande with 3,000 men, besieging the 200 Texans at the Alamo fortress, killing them all. Already the colonists had proclaimed an independent Republic of Texas, elected David Gouverneur Burnet president ad interim and put Generalissimo Sam Houston in charge of troops. The latter defeated Santa Anna near the present day city of Houston and after quarreling with Burnet, he became the next president of the Lone Star Republic, which was recognized by President Jackson of the U.S. in 1837. The white population was barely 50,000 and the finances were poor.

Annexation to the United States was a solution to the Texas problems, but such occurred only after much bickering. It was finally hastily arranged after influential southern editors and politicians feared that the Republic of Texas would abolish slavery and they wanted Texas for a slave state, to balance the northern abolitionist ones. President Tyler arranged the annexation in 1845. The Mexican War, which broke out shortly thereafter may have resulted because President James Polk goaded Mexico into war in order to win California for the U.S. He had tried to buy California, unsuccessfully, so he took advantage of some debt repudiations by Mexico to put further pressure on the Mexican government, for collection. At the same time another Mexican revolution occurred and the new government there was spoiling for a fight. Polk ordered troops across the Rio-Grande on January 13, 1846 and the war was on. It had little support in the east but was popular in the Mississippi Valley, where the army received 49,000 volunteers. In March of 1847 General Winfield Scott landed 3 miles from Vera Cruz with an army, then marched to Mexico City along the old Spanish invasion trail and by September Mexico had surrendered. By the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848) New Mexico (including most of Arizona