A painting called American Progress conveys symbolism regarding positive views on the Westward Expansion. The central figure, Columbia, is floating westward along with all other organisms in the painting. The lands and the rocky mountains in the west, which the Native Americans, dark and ominous clouds, and buffalos were occupying, are getting cleared by Columbia along with all the good and new trails of advancements she is leading. She is bringing progress, goods, and civilization with her towards the west: telegraph wires, bright and white clouds, trains and railroads, ships, and Americans. These happenings show the Americans’ beliefs in new technologies and their urge to spread that across the lands, even in the Native Americans’ territories. The audience can infer that the author of this painting is referring to Native Americans as bad, underdeveloped people who are fearful, and therefore running away from all positive progress the Americans are bringing. On the other hand, he is portraying Americans as the people with the most authority, power, prominence, and progress over the Native Americans by painting the “star of empire” on Columbia’s hair.
The American Progress shows lots of biased information which are supported by many primary and secondary sources from our research. To be specific, the author’s view on Native Americans is incredibly biased; his painting does not show the efforts they put in to fight for their rights on their territory in a very sophisticated way rather than giving up. An original copy of a “Protest Petition from Cherokee Nation to the United States Government,” written in 1836, supports my assertion. Also, a secondary source says that the Native Americans have tried to blend in within the Americans’ society by utilizing the press, earning jobs as carpenters, blacksmiths, and farmers, setting up governing councils, and more. They have also held wars and surprise attacks against the Americans and showed disapproval on Americans’ unfair offerings. In reality, the Native Americans were culturally advanced and developed than their representation in this painting; they are half naked and running away from well-dressed Americans with only bows and arrows in their hands. In contrast, in the painting called Trail of Tears, by Robert Lindneau in 1942, Native Americans move in carriages, wear unique accessories and clothing, and use weapons such as guns.
To conclude, the American Progress is mainly trying to convey to new immigrants, tourists, and Americans that people should expand America’s territories and continue to build progress westward. As said formerly, this idea is indicated by movements of people, including Columbia, who represented all Americans and the progress they made. The telegraph wires and railroads were the primary inventions that the author introduced in this painting; he wanted widespread use of them and wanted to make people believe that they were revolutionary. Also, the idea of dominating the Native Americans, who were depicted as having less value than the Americans in this painting, might have motivated more people to join the movement and prove power and superiority. To add on, minor features such as contrasting colors of the clouds gives us the general idea of which groups or parts of the painting the author associates as good or bad. He is trying to manipulate people’s minds by reinforcing his opinion on Native Americans and convincing that Western Expansion is the new best way to grow the economy since slavery has ended.
