TIMED! ESSAY: From 1855 to 1890, western settlement increasingly brought Americans and American Indians into conflict with one another, especially on the plains. Analyze the causes and effects of these conflicts.

Westward expansion beyond the American frontier was one of the most significant historical events in North American history. The United States quickly became one of the twentieth century’s most powerful nations after settling more than three million square miles of rich, diverse land. Despite the rewards, the expansion resulted in great destruction, suffering, and cultural loss to Native American peoples. Warfare between whites and Native Americans began as early as 1809 and ended in 1890, when the Indians were ultimately defeated and forced to live on reservations. Despite heavy military involvement in the Indian Wars, the final conquest of Native Americans rested squarely on the shoulders of the vast numbers of white settlers who wrested land from the native peoples. After 1800, the United States militantly expanded westward across the continent. Rooted in the idea of manifest destiny, the United States considered it a God-given right and duty to gain control of the continent and spread the benefits of its “superior” culture. Illustrated by the white, blonde, feminine figure of Columbia, the historical personification of the United States, people saw the nation’s mission as one of bringing education, modern technology, and civilization to the West and driving away the “uncivilized” American Indians.

whose power in the senate is equal to the power of the speaker of the house?