Louisiana Purchase – Term Paper

Louisiana purchase definition

One of the challenges that the American Indians and white settlers occupying the Louisiana territory faced included America territorial expansion. This was characterized by the introduction of American laws and policies as well as occupying these areas forcing them out. As a result, these two groups had to consider other options. Two of the methods used were remonstrance to challenge the American Legislation and persuading the Choctaws and Chickasaws to take up a fight to chase away the intruders.

The Louisiana Purchase essay 

Remonstrance was through delivering petitions by the Louisiana people to challenge the political system that had been developed by the Congress for them. The Louisiana people through their petitioners delivered their concerns respectfully to the United States Legislature. The remonstrance was requesting recognition of their rights which have been present since time in memorial. Additionally, the petitioners challenged several laws which contravened their rights. Further, Louisiana people were requesting a redress to the nature of the law which through positive stipulation had entitled them. Some of the concerns cited by this group were that the new laws denied them their freedom and also, they had been promised to become American citizens, something which was not fulfilled. While complaining about the structure of the government, these people suggested that the governance had become an oppression instrument. According to the petitioners, the United States legislation allowed for changing some aspects if there was found evidence.

On the other hand, the Tecumseh’s speech to Choctaws and Chickasaws was to convince these two groups to wake up and reject the suffering induced by the white settlers. Through the speech, the two groups were reminded of what they were being denied such as freedom and being oppressed. The speech stated, “You too will be driven away from your native land and ancient domains as leaves are driven before wintry storms.” This reflected on the motive of white settlers which was to occupy foreign territories without considering the earlier communities. This speech was therefore requesting for the groups to consider war as an option, a difference in the remonstrance approach which was found on legal procedures and respect.  Similarity in the two approaches was that they all reminded the people of what their forefathers wanted yet was taken from them, that is freedom.

References

Remonstrance of the People of Louisiana, “Annals of Gong. 8th Cong. 2nd Sess. 1597 – 1608 (1803), http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llac&fileName=014/llac014.db&recNum=795.

Tecumseh, “Speech to Choctaws and Chickasaws, “in Horatio B. Cushman. History of the Choctaw, Chickasaw and Natchez Indians (Greenville, Texas: Headlight Printing House, 1899), 311 – 314 https://archive.org/stream/histchoctaw00cushrich#page/302/mode/2up