The California Genocide
One of the most destructive acts of legislation ever instituted by the US government, the Indian Removal Act, signed into law under the administration of President Andrew Jackson, forced thousands of Native Americans out of their land and “relocated” them further westward. This forced relocation caused thousands of Native Americans to die on what became to be known as the Trail of Tears. However, the Indian Removal Act and the actions of the government at the federal level were not the only causes of large-scale displacement and genocide, as state governments and phenomena such as the Gold Rush also precipitated mass violence against Native Americans. One historical tragedy that is important to recognize is the California Genocide.
When gold was found in California, hundreds of thousands of Americans traveled westward seeking fortune. However, hundreds of thousands of diverse tribes already lived on the land, the largest of which were the Chumash people. The settlers who began to seep into California created their own government and declared that the so-called “Indian Problem” had to be dealt with. To do this, the government of California passed the 1850 Act for the Government and Protection of Indians, which resulted in the systematic and state-supported oppression of the Native Americans living in California. This law created arbitrary laws for Native Americans that allowed white settlers to arrest them for minor offenses such as loitering. They would then be charged with a fine that many couldn’t pay. However, the detainees could pay off the fine through forced labor, and this labor would be auctioned off to the highest bidder. This effectively allowed the white settlers to enslave tens of thousands of Native Americans.
Furthermore, the law also permitted white settlers to take and indenture Native American children. Many Native American youth who were forced off their land were also forced to go to assimilation schools. Expeditions were also launched against Native Americans by settlers and local militia who would raid Native American settlements, wiping out entire populations. In an 1851 State of the State address, the then-governor of California Peter Burnett said, “That a war of extermination will continue to be waged between the races until the Indian race becomes extinct must be expected”, which highlights the attitude of the white settlers towards the Native Americans. California only recognized the Genocide in 2019 when governor of California, Gavin Newson, publicly acknowledged and apologized for the genocide.
Sources:
https://www.history.com/news/californias-little-known-genocide
https://www.newsweek.com/2016/08/26/california-native-americans-genocide-490824.html
