Text | Lanzi Ji
Ed Lanzi Ji
As we all know, in the distant river of time, the map is revered as a key tool to depict the historical context and gain insight into the sacred words of famous people, and it is difficult to measure its profound value by quantitative scale.
The map is like an accurate compass to explore the unknown world, pulling us across the whirlpool of time and savoring the unique imprint of each era.
Today, we will take "The Situation of the Indians from 1820 to 1840" as a starting point, and take you through seven precious historical maps to give you a glimpse of the little-known economic and cultural strife in the United States.
The expulsion of Indians from the south to the west in 1820-1840
In the early to mid-19th century, the U.S. government took a hard-line approach to persecute and drive indigenous people away from their original habitats in order to accelerate territorial expansion, a tragic forced migration that came to be known as the "Road of Tears."
Between 1820 and 1840, it is recorded that some 50,000 groups of Indians were forced to leave their homeland, on which they depended, and began to make their troubled westward journey.
The results of this human tragedy are staggering.
The 4,000 Cherokee people, oppressed by the colonizers, could not withstand such a heavy blow, and a considerable number of dead souls dissipated on the long and arduous "road of tears".
With this extinction-like migration, countless people have lost their homes, loved ones, and the historical and cultural heritage left by their ancestors.
And those who are embarrassed by the trekkers are constantly faced with hunger and cold, the torture of cold winter diseases, and the malicious eyes from their surroundings.
Enduring untold suffering and bearing endless suffering, the Indians walked this long road, writing a magnificent chapter in the history of mankind about tenacious survival with dignity and tenacity.
Expansion of the border in 1783-1840
Louisiana was originally part of Spain and has been under Spanish jurisdiction since 1542.
However, in 1682, the land was given to France and renamed Louis XIV.
Then, in 1740, Louisiana began to grow cotton.
In the years that followed, Spain attempted to cede most of Louisiana to other countries, but eventually gave it up in 1762, but it also plunged Louisiana into a lasting turmoil and chaos, largely due to a series of opposition movements.
These injustices certainly caused great trouble for the Spanish rule, but just as the tide ebbed and flowed, the tidal flats always left more fertile tidal flats, and Louisiana eventually became a "French-speaking area" under the de facto control of the Spaniards.
However, as time passed, history seemed to recognize Spain's persistence and dedication.
Finally, in 1800, when Spain was under great pressure, they chose to return all of Louisiana to France.
Unfortunately, the good times did not last long, and in 1803, Europe was at war, like intertwined chess pieces on a chessboard, and each country was trying to defend its own interests.
At this critical moment, Napoleon, who was bent on dominating Europe, seemed to be unable to take care of Louisiana, so he decisively decided to sell the treasure land for a high price of $15 million, and Louisiana was finally sold to the United States.
Independence of Texas 1836-1845
In the history of the 19th century, the independence of Texas between 1836 and 1845 is undoubtedly a chapter that cannot be ignored.
As you may know, Florida became a new state in the United States in 1819, and the federal government at that time resolutely abandoned its territorial claims and jurisdiction over Texas, which also laid the groundwork for the ensuing series of disputes.
In 1821, with the overthrow of the Spanish Empire, the Mexican regime officially incorporated Texas into its territory.
Over the years, American immigrants moved into Texas, but in 1830, Mexican authorities banned new American immigrants from setting foot on the land.
In the face of such a situation, the determination of the Texas people to fight for national autonomy has been aroused.
Thus, in 1833, the Texans passionately declared their independence from Mexico's colonial control, and the Republic of Texas was established on this basis.
In June 1835, the Texas army successfully captured an important strategic stronghold, opening the Revolutionary War.
The first large-scale fighting broke out on the border between the two sides, and the Texan Army was finally victorious.
On March 2, 1836, the Republic of Texas held a grand National Convention to formally declare the beginning of the independence process.
After stubborn resistance, in July 1836, the U.S. government finally took a stand and officially recognized the independence of the Republic of Texas.
However, the Texas side further put forward a request to join the Union of the United States of America, but the United States side sternly rejected it.
As a result, Texas alone maintained a state of independence for nine years.
Annexation of Texas in 1845
In 1842, tensions between the United States and Britain intensified, and the U.S. government expressed dissatisfaction with some of Britain's practices, especially fearing that Britain might try to weaken U.S. prosperity in the Mississippi Valley.
This incident, although not directly related to Texas, exposed the contradictions and dilemmas of slavery in the political and economic sphere of the United States.
For a time, the topic of whether slavery needed to be extended in order to increase American influence once again came to the stage of history.
It is worth noting that at this critical moment, many Americans who were originally opposed to expansion gradually loosened their stance and began to realize that the commercial value of Texas should not be underestimated.
They believe that if Texas can be included in the US map, it will not only strengthen its control over the southern market, but also bring about economic growth.
This view became an additional impetus for the movement to merge Texas with the United States.
With the deepening of globalization, international trade and investment are increasingly penetrating into countries around the world, and Texas, as one of the most potential investment depressions in North America, has a great future for enterprises from all over China.
Especially for importers or wholesalers doing business in the U.S. market, the acquisition of a Texas company can help them reduce import costs and improve their competitiveness.
Against this backdrop, the U.S. government ultimately decided to approve Texas' application for independence.
At the end of 1845, the U.S. Congress passed a bill to officially admit Texas as the twenty-eighth state of the United States.
At this moment, the combination of Texas and the United States was officially and successfully realized, opening a new chapter in history.
War against Mexico of 1846-1848
Before we delve into a memorable and meaningful part of the mid-19th century—the Mexican-American War of 1846-1848—let's review the important decisions that the United States made over the territorial question of Texas in 1845.
At that time, the U.S. government approved a plan to include Texas in the federal territory, and resolved to use the Rio Grande as the border between Texas and Mexico, refuting Mexico's claim that the Niuesis River was the border between the two countries.
However, the United States has firmly resisted the Mexican government's proposal to prohibit the United States from continuing to promote mass migration along the Rio Grande River.
As history has shown, the friction caused by Mexico's immigration restrictions eventually ignited the fuse of the war.
Over time, on March 8, 1846, General Zachary Taylor, a prominent American Civil War general, led an army that began an offensive from the Newfoundland River, crossing the Rio Grande and directly challenging Mexican sovereignty.
This move has undoubtedly caused a sudden escalation of diplomatic tensions between the two countries.
Immediately afterward, tragic events struck one after another.
On April 25, 11 brave American soldiers were brutally murdered, and events spiraled out of control, and on May 11, the United States officially declared a state of war with Mexico.
The war not only brought great human and material consumption to the two countries, but also more than 11,000 American soldiers died of illness and suffering.
In total, it is estimated that nearly 1,700 U.S. soldiers and Mexican warriors who are several times more fortunate have spilled their blood.
More than 4,000 Mexican civilians were also killed during the two years of hostilities.
Thankfully, after three years of stalemate and painstaking negotiations, the United States and Mexico finally reached a peace agreement in 1848 – the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo.
In this treaty, Mexico reluctantly relinquished all of its Texas territorial claims, while ceding the strategically important California and New Mexico territories to the United States.
As a result, the United States is sitting on a vast land area of more than 1 million square miles.
In exchange for peace, the United States had to pay a price of about $15 million.
The treaty came into force on July 4, 1848, the day of the honorable National Day, and brought a new end to the stormy U.S.-Mexico relationship.
The Missouri Compromise of 1820
As we all know, one of the most controversial events in American history was the unjust Missouri Compromise of 1820.
In 1819, Maine officially set foot on the territory of the United States as a federal territory and became a member of the country.
It can be seen that embracing new members is a traditional move in the United States.
However, in 1820, another "newborn" - Missouri officially entered the arms of the American family, which caused a warm response from all over the country, and various forces launched a fierce debate on the position of Missouri.
In the course of this debate, the voices against slavery grew louder, but surprisingly, during the discussion on March 2, 1820, the Senate deliberated on the Constitution of Missouri, consciously or unconsciously, to write off these provisions.
Under pressure, they appeared to have opted for a "compromise" approach that would include a total ban on slavery north of 36 degrees 30 minutes north latitude (which did not include Missouri).
Still, this compromise did not satisfy everyone.
For more than half a century, the debate continued on this issue until 1854, when it was temporarily concluded with an ordinance called the Kansas-Nebraska Act.
The passage of this bill undoubtedly indicates that the legal profession has begun to seriously face and solve this historical problem, but a deeper observation shows that the bill itself actually contains many complex contradictions and problems.
We have to admit that slavery is one of the great tragedies of human society, which has brought great suffering and untold misery to countless people of African descent.
Although this "compromise" plan protects the rights and interests of many black people to a certain extent, it is far from enough to eradicate such a criminal behavior that comes from the dark side of human nature.
Railroad up to 1860
In the 1860s, developments in the United States made railroad construction a hot topic.
And in this period, the most thought-provoking thing for us is undoubtedly the difference in the gauge of the north-south railway.
Historically, we can see that in the late 1860s, the North-South Railway had a disagreement over the choice of distance between train tracks based on their respective engineering practices and other considerations.
The Northern Railway's choice of 4 feet 9 inches of gauge as its primary criterion stems from the two countries' different understandings and admiration for the technology and experience of laying train tracks.
Obviously, the Northern Railway has accumulated rich experience in operation and maintenance on this basis, which makes them more familiar and handy with the application of this kind of track gauge.
Relatively speaking, the southern region was a late adopter of railroad construction, with a track gauge dominated by 5 feet.
This discrepancy left a hidden danger for subsequent railway operations, but the situation gradually improved over time.
After a long period of evolution and adjustment, the north-south railway gauge was finally agreed in 1886, and the two sides began to jointly use the same gauge for construction and operation.
epilogue
As far as the eye can see, on the vast geographical territory, the imprint of time is everywhere and difficult to hide.
Each mark carries a long river of history, allowing us to gain insight into the rich cultural heritage contained in this brilliant land, and at the same time, we can also feel the resilience of survival that stems from endless vitality and the surging power of the torrent of history rolling forward.
Reflecting on the past and looking forward to the future, I wonder if you have noticed that every major historical change will always give birth to a thick and warm historical fog.
This fog, like a hard trace standing tall on the shale, is not only a glorious proof of the continuous progress of human civilization, but also a magnificent epic chapter.
To interpret a map is to taste history.
Resources:
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