American Geographical Imagination: Indigenous Removal in the 1800s

This essay delves into the concept of American geographical imagination, examining its influence on the removal of indigenous populations during the early nineteenth century. It begins by defining geographical imagination and then explores the perspectives of scholars like Agnew and Sharp, contras...Read More

Running head: AMERICAN GEOGRAPHICAL IMAGINATION
AMERICAN GEOGRAPHICAL IMAGINATION
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Introduction:
The term geographical imagination refers to a person’s perspective of the world around
them. American geographical imagination is one popular concept that is known worldwide
(Simonsen, 2017). American understanding of regarding the sovereignty of nations has been
usual and different than other states. The aim of the report is to discuss the idea of the American
geographical imagination to the removal of indigenous population during the early nineteenth
century. Firstly the repost discusses the opinion of Agnew and Sharp about geographical
imagination and Jackson’s address and federal act. Secondly, the relation between the mentioned
are found along with a coherent argument.
Geographical imagination
John Andrew and Joanne sharp are two political geographers who presents the history
and the dual way it can be perceived. According to Sharp and Agnew (2016), the way it is
perceived decides the relation of America with the rest of the world. According to Andrew and
sharp, it is the “frontier experience” that make America different from other countries. America
has produced a public culture involving political leaders, writers and educators and created one
of the most powerful polity. Supporting Andrew and sharp, Schien and Kagan has stated that
America predominated until 1890s in foreign-policy making as well as domestic and they indeed
believed one day they would expand across the continent (Dickinson, Kimmel & Doll, 2015).
Therefore, certainly America’s geographical imagination was significant for world economy and
globalization. However, there is a large contribution of the indigenous people in America’s
success which is absent from the history. There is sense of pride in the America’s culture where
they feel the responsibility of the state and the world economy is born by them. Therefore, as

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Domosh (2013) states the idea of geographical imagination is with the idea of Exceptionalism,
America believes it’s a free land and laws are guided by the similar values. It shapes the
political, social and economic relations within the country as well as with the foreign countries.
The world is more globalized and to America as well which making America’s long term
benefits doubtful for the image it believes.
Jackson’s address and the 1830 Act
The Indian removal act of 1830 was signed by Andrew Jackson which was highly
controversial. He raised two issues related to indigenous rights. One, sovereignty of government
over sovereignty of indigenous rights, two, removal of eastern indigenous nations to lands west of the
Mississippi River. According to Murphy (2013), the main idea of the federal act was to establish a
process through which the president would grant land west of the Mississippi River to Indian tribes.
The Indian tribes were forced to leave their ancestral lands. One of the reason for passing the law was
the richness of the lands where the natives lived. Supporting the statement Davis (2014) stated, it
was certainly for the Americans to capture the land for the benefit it would give to the miners. The
president did not considered the indigenous people as civilized but savage. Since the Supreme Court
could not help Jackson, he took the matter to congress who eventually helped them in removing the
natives. According to him, it was a favor to the natives to shift them to a new land and where they
will not die. This incident presents America’s perspective on indigenous people. The state has
perceived the indigenous people as savage and therefore, kept them under the underprivileged
category.
Contrast
John Andrew and Joanne and have spoken regarding the geographical imagination of the
America. This particular article helps in getting the view that America has thought itself

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exceptional. The country believes in the frontier experience. The country believed that it is
different than other countries with powerful writers, politicians and leaders. The country has
certainly the power of changing the world economics however, it has put the state in believe that
might be dangerous in the future aspects (Sharp, Kuus & Dodds, 2016). The perspective is in a
clear manner a sign of thinking own self powerful and more than others which is what we
understand by Jackson’s act of 1830. The act was severely cruel on the natives. According to the
president, Andrew Jackson the natives were uncivilized however they were not uncivilized as
they won in Supreme Court. Since America had a predetermined geographical imagination, it
failed to consider other culture as equally worthy (Johansen, 2017).
Argument:
According to Johnson (2018), American policies have been modified according to the
wars that it has been through. The different war and revolutions have made several changes in
American politics and socioeconomic policies. However, it has been found that history textbooks
and related classes only highlight the strengths of America. According to Cowan (2018), there
are evidences that shows America’s dislike of Native American which was in support to
Johnson. There have been way through which the Native Americans were tried to send away
from the state but also the attempt of stopping the cultural trait has been seen. The geographical
imagination of America about itself has been the reason for seeking ways to stop the passing of
native cultural traits as they are perceived as weaker section. While there are several indigenous
rights and legally they are equal to any American, there are incidents which clearly shows the
biasness or unfavorable behavior forwarded to the Native Americans

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Conclusion:
Indigenous people have been part of every culture and since long time. They are often
treated as the uncivilized and with low cultural values. Through the two resources, it was evident
to find out the status of native people in the early nineteenth century. Due to geographical
imagination of America, the indigenous people have been the suffered for years. Although with
modernity and egalitarian rules the state has modifies its legal perspective, there are still various
way indigenous people are less privileged in America.

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Reference:
Cowan, R. S. (2018). The “industrial revolution” in the home: household technology and social
change in the twentieth century. In The Routledge Companion to Modernity, Space and
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Davis, S. (2014). Presidential Government and the Law of Property. Wis. L. Rev., 471.
Dickinson, G. K., Kimmel, S. C., & Doll, C. A. (2015). Common core and common good:
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Domosh, M. (2013). Geoeconomic imaginations and economic geography in the early twentieth
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