American Progress by John Gast During the period of the Frontier, when westward expansion was the forefront of the United States goals, a mentality grew very present across the nation. This mentality is one of entitlement, belief that the American colonists had a right to the land they were on. This ideology has existed in the world since the beginning of time, and was present in America the second the colonists first landed, but I believe once the country decided to grow its territory, the entitlement grew with it. When the government began to encourage people to move out west, they promoted the vast land that was out there and the opportunity for new jobs and homesteads. However, the government fails to acknowledge the existing Native American tribes already on said land, therefore diminishing the tribes right to that land and instead perpetuating the idea that the white Americans who were on their way deserved it instead. It is also important to make clear that while the United St...