Foreign Policy & Treaties
This treaty ended the American Revolution and granted land to the United States
What is the Treaty of Paris?
This Shawnee leader tried to unite Indigenous nations against U.S. expansion.
Who is Tecumseh?
This cash crop became the main reason slavery expanded in the South
What is cotton?
The Cherokee Nation adapted to European-American customs in some ways. Name one way they did this
building log cabins, writing a constitution, adopting Christianity
The Declaration of Independence says all people have the right to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” How did the treatment of enslaved people and Indigenous nations conflict with this idea?
they were denied freedom and rights
The Treaty of Greenville forced Indigenous nations to give up most of their land in the Northwest Territory. Why might some leaders have signed it even if they did not want to?
to avoid more war or because they had no other choice
Imagine you are an Indigenous leader in the Northwest Territory in the 1780s. What would be the pros and cons of signing a treaty with the U.S.?
pros: might prevent war, secure some land;
cons: might lose land, U.S. might break the treaty”?
How did the growth of cotton farming affect both enslaved people and Indigenous nations?
it increased the demand for enslaved labor and pushed Indigenous people off their land
What might have happened if the U.S. had honored its treaties with Indigenous nations?
less conflict, Indigenous nations keeping more land, slower expansion
Why do different groups remember the same historical events in different ways?
people’s perspectives depend on how the event affected them
Tecumseh refused to sign the Treaty of Greenville. What argument did he make against the treaty?
land belonged to all Indigenous people, not just those who signed the treaty
Why did the United States want control of the Northwest Territory?
to sell land to settlers and expand the country
Enslaved people resisted slavery in many ways. Give an example of an act of resistance.
rebelling, escaping, slowing down work, preserving culture
The U.S. declared war on Great Britain in 1812, leading Tecumseh to fight alongside the British. What do you think his goal was in doing this?
to stop U.S. expansion and protect Indigenous land
How do treaties made in the past still affect Indigenous nations today?
they shaped land ownership, government relationships, and legal battles
How did treaties between the United States and Indigenous nations reflect unequal power relationships?
the U.S. often used force, pressure, or unfair terms to get Indigenous leaders to sign
The Lewis and Clark expedition brought back information about the land and people of the Louisiana Territory. What perspectives might Indigenous nations have had about their arrival?
they might have seen them as invaders, as potential allies, or as traders
How did the economy of the South benefit from slavery, and who suffered because of it?
plantation owners became wealthy, but enslaved people suffered
If you were an enslaved person in the early 1800s, how might you try to resist slavery? What risks would you face?
running away, organizing revolts, breaking tools, keeping cultural traditions—but all carried great danger
What lessons can we learn from the conflicts over land, treaties, and slavery in early U.S. history?
the importance of fairness, power struggles, and consequences of broken promises
What does the U.S. government’s failure to stop settlers from moving onto Cherokee land—despite treaties—tell us about its priorities?
the government prioritized expansion and settler interests over treaty agreements
Tecumseh and his followers rejected European-American culture and created Prophetstown. What does this tell us about different ways Indigenous nations responded to U.S. expansion?
some chose to resist cultural change, while others adapted to survive
The Constitution allowed states to decide whether to permit or abolish slavery. Why might this have been a compromise, and what problems did it create?
it kept the nation united but led to long-term conflicts over slavery
Imagine you are a U.S. leader in 1800. You want to expand westward, but Indigenous nations refuse to sell land. What are your options, and what are the consequences?
make treaties (may not be fair), force removal (causes conflict), allow coexistence (limits U.S. expansion)
Think about everything you’ve learned about the Growth of the Republic. What does this history tell us about the balance between expansion and justice?
growth often came at the expense of others, and justice was not always a priority