North American Communities from Coast to Coast
· The Former American Colonies
o Great population growth in U.S.A.: 1790-1800 pop grew 3.9 mil. to 5.3 mil.
o From 1800-1850, huge territorial expansion, from sea to sea in fifty years.
· Spanish Colonies
o Tensions mounted between peninsulares and criollos.
o Spanish established a chain of 21 missions in a last effort to protect Mexico.
o American traders were making inroads on Spanish-held territory along the Mississippi River.
· Haiti and the Caribbean
o Provided 80-90% of European sugar.
o French colony, Saint-Domingue, black slave revolt in 1791.
o Led by L’Ouverture, the colony was renamed Haiti and became NA’s first independent black nation.
o This revolt scared white slave owners and sent hope to enslaved peoples.
· British North America
o British NA is mostly just Canada
§ Population was mostly French with some loyalists that were kicked out of U.S.
o The govt. in Canada reflected lessons learned in the colonies.
· Russian America
o Rapidly expanding presence in Alaska and the Northwest.
o Fur Trade on Aleutian Islands fueled expansion.
o Americans did not really care since they were distracted by the Brits in Canada.
· Trans-Appalachia: Cincinnati
o People moved to the Ohio River system for fertile land.
o Due to an increasing population the area earned state hood
§ Kentucky- 1792
§ Tennessee- 1796
o Migration was a principal feature of American life,
§ From 1790 to 1800 1/3 of the homes on the Atlantic coast had moved.
o Cincinnati was a good representation of then rapid growth seen during this time period; it’s pop. tripled from 1800-10.
o This was also a key location, because goods could be sent downstream to N.O.
· Atlantic Ports: From Charleston to Boston
o Despite the migrations seen at this time, Atlantic Ports were still the centers of trade, since most merchants found it easier to cross the Atlantic than to travel inward the country.
o Important Ports:
§ Charleston
§ Baltimore
§ Philadelphia
§ New York
§ Boston
o The cities led the nation politically, socially, and economically.
A National Economy
· Cotton and the Economy of the Young Republic (1800)
o Predominantly rural
o 94% of Americans lived in communities of less than 2500 people
o Crops were grown for home use rather than sale
· Shipping and the Economic Boom (1793-1807)
o French Revolution started war between France and Britain.
o American merchants wanted to sell to both sides.
o Expansion of trade led to the development of the shipbuilding industry and the growth of coastal cities.
The Jefferson Presidency
· Republican Agrarianism
o Jefferson:
§ “life, liberty and . . . the pursuit of happiness”
§ American could achieve a republican form of govt. because it had room to grow.
o Thomas Malthus:
§ Warned of population explosion
§ TJ said we have enough room
o Agrarian Republic- a nation of small family farms clustered together in rural communities.
o Jefferson’s agrarianism led to unstable and constantly mobile groups rather than stable communities. Also fostered ruthlessness towards Indians who were pushed out of the way to make room for white settlers.
· Jefferson’s Government
o Promised to:
§ cut all internal taxes
§ reduce the size of the army (4000 to 2500 men) and the Navy (25 to 7 ships)
§ eliminate the national debt
o Wanted to cut Govt.
o Federal Govt. covered very little (mostly just mail); states did most of the work
o Washington was small because the govt. couldn’t get the money they thought they would get from land sales.
· An Independent Judiciary
o Marbury v. Madison
o Case sparked by Jefferson’s refusal to recognize Adam’s ‘midnight judges”
o Justice Marshall ruled that the duty of the courts was “to say what the law is.”
o Ruling made the Supreme Court a powerful nationalizing force.
· Opportunity: The Louisiana Purchase
o Napoleon v. Britain started in 1799 with Napoleon’s rise ended with his defeat at waterloo 1815.
o Napoleon secretly got back Louisiana from Spain and wanted to conquer Haiti.
o 1802: Jeff. sent Robert Livingston to buy NO from France for $2-10 mil.
o Bargaining did not go well, but then Napoleon’s army in Haiti was destroyed by yellow fever and an army of former slaves led by Toussaint L’Ouverture.
o Napoleon then offered the entire LA territory rather than just NO. Monroe and Livingston accepted the offer for $15 mil.
· Incorporating Louisiana
o Louisiana (especially NO) was very diverse and so the Americans did not know what to do with them all.
o The people of LA insisted that they be recognized a having all of the same rights as an American citizen and that their property and beliefs be respected.
o Originally the Americans wanted to eliminate the culture of LA and plug in their own, but instead it became a fusion of 2 cultures, American and French.
o The governor of lower LA, William Claiborne, adopted a legal code in 1808 that was based on French civil law rather than English common law. LA became the first slave state attained from the LA purchase in 1812.
· Texas and the Struggle for Mexican Independence
o When France took over Spain Mexico divided into royalists and populists.
o Revolts
§ 1810- Led by Father Miguel Hidalgo- Defeated by royalists
§ 1813- Led by Father Jose Maria Morelos- Defeated by royalists
§ 1812- Led by Bernardo Gutierrez- Invaded Texas, captured San Antonio, and killed gov. Salcedo, and declared Texas independent; One year later they were defeated by royalists
Renewed Imperial Rivalry in North America
· Problems of Neutral Rights
o The Brits were mad at Americans because Americans wanted to stay Neutral and trade with everyone so they to U.S. Ships that were trading with France.
o About ¼ of British sailors started to sail on American ships.
o American citizens were forced into impressments in the British Navy.
o A British ship, the Leopard, stopped a U.S. ship, the Chesapeake, and demanded to search for deserters, but when the captain of the U.S. ship refused they opened fire.
· The Embargo Act
o Imposed by Jefferson in 1807
o Forbade American ships from sailing to foreign ports
o Intended to force Britain and France to recognize Neutral rights
o Act was Economic disaster for the U.S.
· Madison and Failure of “Peaceable Coercion”
o Jefferson hands presidency to Madison after failing to achieve “peaceable coercion”
o Embargo Act= total failure
§ French used it as an excuse to capture U.S. ships (claiming they were British ships in disguise)
§ British open new markets in South America because of U.S. absence
§ U.S. economy was devastated
§ Repealed in 1809
o More Acts, like Non-Intercourse Act of 1809 and Macon’s Bill #2 in 1810, were passed, but also failed to solve the issue of neutrality.
· A Contradictory Indian Policy
o Indians were resisting westward American expansion
o Americans weren’t supposed to take Indian land unless it was acquired in a treaty (Indian Intercourse Act of 1790), but settlers pushed anyway.
o Cycle of invasion, resistance, and defeat for Indians
o Jeff. wanted to “civilize” them (teach them to read and make them Christians)
§ Jeff’s plan found little support from settlers and territorial govs.
o Jeff set aside land further back for Indians after the LA purchase, but less than 20 yrs later white settlers were at their doorsteps again
o The Indians, once again backed into a corner, split between Accommodationists (wanted to adapt their life style to live with the White man) and traditionalists (wanted nothing to do with the White man)
· Indian Resistance
o William Henry Harrison tricked the Indians into 15 treaties through coercion and bribery.
o In 1805 Tenskwatawa, AKA The Prophet, preached a message of Indian revitalization; a rejection of all contact with the White man
o Tecumseh molds his brother’s religious massage into the Pan-Indian military resistance movement, which called the Indian tribes to join together in cultural and political unity to resist the White man. Also got British support from Canada (Ironic since his brother said no contact with the White man)
o Tecumseh argued for Indian land back, and said that settlers that stepped on their land would risk their lives.
o Tecumseh’s people and Harrison’s people fought and while Harrison won the casualties each side faced were about the same.
The War of 1812
· The War Hawks
o Members of congress from the south and west, who pushed for war against the Brits after their election in 1810; also wanted to steal Florida so slave could not run there
o The Brits were about to adopt a more conciliatory policy towards the U.S. ships, but then Madison declared war in June 1812
o The War of 1812
§ Went from June 1812 to Jan. 1815 and split the Govt. by party.
§ U.S. army and navy was small and weak compared to the British
§ Brits burned Washington in summer 1814
§ Key wrote “Star Spangled Banner” while watching the U.S. beat back a British attack on Baltimore and Fort McHenry
§ U.S. navy saw few successes among them, Constitution defeated the Guerriere and theJava, 2 British men-of-war.
· The Campaigns Against the Northern and Southern Indians
o While the Americans envisaged a quick victory over the British-Indian alliance, but instead they were defeated.
o Brit-Indians took Detroit and Fort Dearborn in August, 1812 after repulsing an American foray in July.
o In Sept. 1813 U.S. Captain Oliver Perry took Lake Erie at the Battle of Put-in-Bay, which led to the recapture of Detroit by Harrison.
o Perry and Harrison defeated British and Indian defenders in the Battle of Thames in Oct. 1813.
o The Brits and the Americans fought to invade each other in the Niagara area.
o 3 reasons for Failure
§ Brit-Indian force was stronger than we thought
§ New England states didn’t approve of the war
§ Canada really did not want to become part of the U.S.
o Southern Indians started to fight like in the Northwest
§ they were divided on what to do accommodation v. tradition
§ Some like Red Sticks joined the Brits
o 1813 and 1814: Andrew Jackson v. The Red Sticks. Red Sticks were attacking Creeks that sided with the U.S.
o At the end of the War in 1814 Jackson demanded land concessions from the Creeks; he wanted more than half their land (about 23 million acres).
o Battle of NO 1815; Jacksons most famous victory’ he won improbably over veteran British soldiers, after the Treaty was signed
· The Hartford Convention
o Federalists did not like War of 1812.
o At 1st there were threats of Secession, but cooler heads took charge and insisted that states had the power of Nullification, The doctrine that states had the right to ignore federal laws within their borders.
o These nullification threats were ignored, because of the announcement of peace with Britain
· The Treaty of Ghent
o Treaty signed in December 1814 in Ghent, Belgium.
o Brits agreed to evacuate western posts and abandoned the insistence on a buffer state for neutral Indian peoples.
o Although there was no real winner the Battle of NO made America think they had won and the war stopped the British from thinking of the U.S. as a colony.
o War of 1812 was the most divisive war; more opposition than even Vietnam.
o The Indians were the only real losers in the War
§ Tecumseh died in the Battle of Thames-1813
§ Southern Creeks were defeated-1814
§ The Brits abandoned them in the Treaty of Ghent-1814
§ The U.S. was once again pushing into them-1815
Defining the Boundaries
· Another Westward Surge
o Population Redistribution
§ 1790: 95% in ocean bordering states
§ 1820: 25% west of Appalachians
o Reasons for Westward Surge
§ Population nearly doubled; needed “elbow room” so they moved west (5.3 mil to 9.6 mil)
§ Indians weren’t a problem because of war of 1812
§ Land Ordinance of 1785 made western land really expensive—nobody moved there so Congress was forced to make it cheaper. Squatters took land before it was open for sale then asked for “preemption” rights to buy the land at a lower price. Land Act of 1820, Congress gave in and sold it cheap(1.25 $/acre)
o 4 Migration Routes
§ New York: Mohawk and Genesee Turnpike leads to Lake Erie
§ Turnpike from Philidelphia to Pittsburgh + National Road led to Ohio River
§ South: Wilderness Road leads to Kentucky +Tenessee
§ South Carolina + Georgia: Federal Road leads to Alabama + Mississippi
§ Geography decided where you went.
o Moses Cleaveland settles Cleveland in 1795.
o Northerners bring their religion, education, and opposition to slavery.
o South made their slaves clear the land so it could be farmed. After 1812 half of the Migrants to the Southwest were slaves.
o New states in the west did not create new political regions, because people that moved brought their politics with them.
· The Election of 1816 and the Era of Good Feeling
o James Monroe elected in 1816; Last of Virginia Dynasty; beat Federalist Rufus King (183 to 34); 1820 won again against nobody (231 to 1).
o Convinced Colombian Centinel to proclaim an “Era of Good Feeling.” The phrase is applied to Monroe’s presidency(1817-25)
· The American System
o Monroe wanted a balanced cabinet, so he took people from different political views from different parts of the country.
o Supported the American System, a program of govt. subsidies used to promote American economic growth and protect domestic manufacturers from foreign competition.
o The federal govt. played a role in assuring people an economy in which they can succeed.
o In 1816, Congress chartered the Second Bank of the United States, they had extensive regulatory powers over currency and credit, for 20 years.
o Commercial Interests began to rival farmers
o The Tariff of 1816 was the 1st substantial protective tariff in U.S. history. Put in tariff because they thought the British that had come there to open markets were selling products cheap, because they wanted to hinder U.S. industry.
o Internal improvements (roads, and canals) were controversial. Madison and Monroe only wanted to fund interstate roads. Things like the Erie Canal were funded by state and private money.
o Three parts of the American system—bank, tariff, and roads.
· The Diplomacy of John Quincy Adams
o The diplomatic achievements of the Era of Good Feelings were due almost entirely to the efforts of john Quincy Adams.
o Fixed issues with the Brits
§ Rush-Bagot Treaty of 1817 and Convention of 1818
§ U.S.-Canada border became 49th parallel
§ settled dispute over Oregon
o Adams-Onis/Transcontinental Treaty of 1819 We gave $5 mil and Texas; Spain gave Florida, claims to Louisiana, and Oregon.
o Adams drew up the Monroe Doctrine. The President presented it in 1823 to congress. The Monroe Doctrine said that the U.S. would not intervene in the affairs of other countries and that the U.S. would consider it a threat to their safety if any European nation colonized the “New World.”
o The U.S. did not have the power to back up its threat, but the Brits did, and that’s what kept the Europeans out of the “New World.” Despite this, the Monroe Doctrine did help Adams talk with the Russians to give us the Oregon territory up to the54”40’ line.
o Achievements of the Era
§ Russian Expansion Contained
§ Peace with Britain
§ U.S. much larger
o All thanks to Adams
· The Panic of 1819
o First major financial crisis in the United States
o Marked the end of the economic expansion that had followed the War of 1812 and ushered in new financial policies that would shape economic development
o Caused by bad loans for land purchases during a land buying explosion (1 mil acres in 1815 to 3.5 mil acres in 1818)
o Workers were further harmed by British competition.
o Southern planters protested over harm by the protective tariff (cotton prices were low even though imports were high). They also questioned the fairness of the political system.
o The Panic of 1819 showed how far the country had come since the Jeff. Presidency.
· The Missouri Compromise
o 1820: Admitted Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state.
o Dealt with the issue of slavery in newly acquired territory.
o Henry Clay played a key role in reaching compromise.
o Maine entered the Union as a slave state.
1. B
2. E
3. D
4. B
5. E
6. A
7. D
8. B
9. D
10. E
11. C
12. B
13. A
14. B
