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The History of the United

States Part 3 (1789-1849)


THE

ANTEBELLUM PERIOD

Now, the journey of America continues. The early nation of America saw massive infrastructure
development and the nefarious existence of slavery against people of black African descent. Also, while
communities expanded in the Midwest, Native Americans further saw their lands diminished recklessly and
many of them were unjustly forced to march hundreds of miles into Oklahoma. The United States of
America during this early antebellum period saw wars, debates on the role of government, and the
expansion of territories over millions of square miles. Also, heroes would rise up to promote freedom and
justice like Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, and Henry Thoreau. American literature would flourish and
culture would establish itself as well. This time was a time of growing pains, oppression, and the resistance
to that oppression too. After the end of this period, the North and the South would have the biggest
configuration in American history.
The Contents
The Introduction
America’s Start
The early 1800’s.
A New Era
The Reactionary
Andrew Johnson (and
more events)
Social Movements
including the
Abolitionist Movement
Wars and Tensions
THE INTRODUCTION
Extraordinary and exciting (culminating in the War of legitimately progressive social
moments have always 1812), and multiple disputes change. The more that many
prodigiously existed in transpired with Native things have changed, the more
American history. Times have Americans. The North and the that they stay the same though.
incredibly changed during this South became increasingly Courageous people back then
era of American history too. divided on politics, social like Frederick Douglass, Harriet
For sixty years, from 1789 to attitudes, slavery, and economic Tubman, and others
1849, America burgeoned in its interests. The modern day continuously fought for justice.
infrastructure, yet it maintained Democratic and Republican This time period saw
the twin injustices of slavery parties commenced after the monumental events plus
and the pernicious oppression end of the Anti-Federalist plus tragedies like the splitting up of
against Native American the Federalist parties. black families of the antebellum
people. That is exemplified in Abolitionists of diverse period and the implementation
the passage of the evil Fugitive backgrounds fought to end of dilapidated reservations.
Slave Act and the execution of slavery once and for all. They Viciously racist Presidents like
the Trail of Tears (that basically included courageous people the notorious Andrew Jackson
destroyed the human rights of like: Frances Harper, David harmed communities
so many indigenous human Walker, Elijah Lovejoy, Lucy nationwide with their
beings). After the Bill of Rights Stone, Sojourner Truth, James reactionary policies. Likewise,
was created, cities and towns Forten, and other human there were those people who
flourished in the South, in the beings. The United States of desired a great, equitable
East Coast, and in the Midwest. America back then was slow to society. Therefore, the journey
Growing pains developed in the embrace abolitionism and of life goes forth like a river and
midst of a new nation. People women's rights, but social the truth is on our side.
talked about slavery, there were movements did spread far and
more conflicts with Britain wide in order to make real,
America's Start
Early American society started with new changes. By 1789, the Federalists had their peak of political power
from that year until 1800. 1789 was a year of new beginnings in the American nation. George Washington
was the first President of the United States under the new Constitution in 1789. Before he came into NYC,
Washington said the following words on April 16, 1789, "About ten o'clock I bade farewell to Mount
Vernon, to private life, and to domestic felicity, and with a mind oppressed with more anxious and painful
sensation than I have words to express, set out for New York." The early government had its first capital in
New York City. This time was a time of new beginnings. He was once the American Revolutionary War
general and commander in chief of the Continental Army. The Judiciary Act of 1789 established the federal
judiciary system. James Madison made sure that the law was established as he was part of the first
Congress being part of the House of Representatives. John Jay was appointed by George Washington as
the first Chief of the United States Supreme Court. The Cabinet system grew with the State, Treasury, and
War departments (James Knox was the Secretary of War, Thomas Jefferson led the Department of State,
and Alexander Hamilton was the Secretary of Treasury). There was the Attorney General who was
Edmund Randolph.

The United States Bill of Rights was established by 1791. The national capital moved from New York City to
Philadelphia in 1790 and finally into Washington, D.C. in 1800. The Washington administration expanded
the national government. After the Revolutionary War, the U.S. had a national debt of $52 million from the
Confederation. America was a mostly farm economy with 3 million people. Treasury Secretary Alexander
Hamilton assumed the debts of the states (the debt holders received federal bonds) and created the Bank
of the United States. He wanted to stabilize the financial system. He created a system of tariffs or taxes on
imports and other taxes to pay off the debt and grow the financial infrastructure. Hamilton wanted to tax
the American people, mostly farmers, to pay for the debts. Hamilton wanted a loose construction of the
Constitution (or giving the Constitution more latitude to enact laws via the implied powers) while Jefferson
wants a strict construction of the Constitution (or limiting the federal government power solely on what is
mentioned literally in the Constitutional text). Alexander Hamilton was a leader of his political party of the
Federalist Party. Hamilton's plan for the national bank was approved by Congress in 1791. Thomas
Jefferson and James Madison formed the opposition Republican Party (or the Democratic-Republican
Party). During the early years of the French Revolution, George Washington passed the Proclamation of
Neutrality in 1793. It wanted neutrality in the midst of European wars. Thomas Jefferson would go on to
support the French Revolution. In the same year, the Citizen Genet affair came about. This was when a
French diplomat recruited Americans in order to support the French. This would violate the policy of
neutrality. Samuel Slater opened a textile mill in Pawtucket, Rhode Island.

Hamilton and Washington formed the Jay


Treaty in 1794 which reestablished good
relations with Britain. Jefferson and his
followers protested this and the voters aligned
behind one party or the other to form the First
Party System. Jefferson was more sympathetic
with the French Revolution too. Federalists
promoted business, financial and commercial
interests and wanted more trade with Britain.
Sally Hemings was a courageous woman of color. She
Republicans accused the Federalists of plans to
experienced unspeakable pain, but her memory lives on. Her
establish a monarchy, turn the rich into a
life exposes the hypocrisy of Thomas Jefferson, but her life had
ruling class, and making the United States a value when she was living. The image to the left shows the
pawn of the British. The treaty passed, but room at Monticello where Sally Hemings was believed to have
politics became intensely heated. The Anti- lived at. Despite the cruelty of wicked slaveowners, she was a
Federalists were heavily popular among woman who wanted the best for her children. Her mother was
farmers and many slave owners. Eli Whitney Betty Hemings (whose mother was an African woman named
patented the cotton gin in 1794 that Susannah Eppes. Sally’s father was John Wayles). Sally Hemings
revolutionized cotton production and lived from ca. 1773 to 1835.
increased slavery throughout especially the
South. In the same year, the U.S. involvement in the foreign slave trade was prohibited with the Slave Trade
Act of 1794.

The Whiskey Rebellion of 1794 was about western settlers protesting against a federal tax on liquor. This
was one of the early tests of the federal government. It started in western Pennsylvanian mountains. It was
about the difficulty in transporting large bushels of grain to eastern markets. Rural farmers didn't like the
excise taxes on whiskey. It reminded them of British taxes given to them before the American
Revolutionary War. The farmers started to attack and intimidate tax collectors. Hamilton commanded
12,000 militiamen to stop the Whiskey Rebellion.

Later, Washington called out the state militia and personally led an army to end the rebellion (as the
insurgents left) and the national government’s power was established. Most people didn't resist, but stayed
home or ran away. Hamilton arrested 20 suspects, but only 2 were convicted. Jefferson didn't like
Hamilton's views and mocked Hamilton's actions. The opposition to Hamilton led by Jefferson and Hamilton
grew stronger. This later evolved into the political divisions that we see today. Jefferson and Madison
supported the Democratic societies that opposed the Federalists while Washington criticized these
societies as a threat to the republic. The Federalists had leaders like Alexander Hamilton and John Adams
while the Democratic Republicans (who had support among farmers) were led by Thomas Jefferson and
James Madison. Most Federalists (who had support among merchants) were in the North and most
Democratic Republicans were in the South, but both parties had members of every class including people
of every region of America.

George Washington didn’t want to have more than 2 terms. He gave his famous farewell address. He
promoted the benefits of the federal government; he claimed to promote ethics and morality (when he
hypocritically owned slaves) and warned against foreign alliances. He opposed the formation of political
parties as divisive. Pinckney's Treaty or the Treaty of San Lorenzo was signed with Spain. It established
borders, allowed navigation of the Mississippi River, and granted access to New Orleans. The treaty
encouraged westward migration and weakened Native American resistance to the theft of their lands. From
1790-1794, there was a conflict among Native Americans and Americans over the fertile Ohio valley region.
This land saw an increase of settlers after the Treaty of Paris. In 1790, Native Americans (led by the war
chief Little Turtle) defeated a small force sent by President Washington to stop attacks against settlers. The
British gave Little Turtle weapons to defeat a larger American force which was commanded by the
American General Arthur St. Clair, in 1791. In August of 1794, American General Anthony Wayne defeated
the Native American confederacy at the Battle of Fallen Timbers. It's named after the fallen trees at the
battle location. Wayne's victory caused the Native Americans to sign a peace treaty. The Treaty of
Greenville caused the Native American leaders to give up most of present state of Ohio to the U.S.
government. This opened up the Northwest Territory to settlement. By 1793, Britain and France resumed
war and America tried to maintain neutrality. In 1795, America signed a treaty with Spain. This caused more
American settlers to move down the Mississippi River to New Orleans. Goods could travel from New
Orleans into the East.

John Adams was a Federalist. The national election of 1796 was very contentious. The Federalist and
Republican parties fought for power. Neither side didn't want to embrace political parties per se since they
viewed them as a form of conspiracy against legitimate government. John Adams defeated Thomas
Jefferson in the 1796 election to be the 2nd President of America. Thomas Jefferson was elected the 2nd
Vice President under John Adams. By this time of 1796, George Washington issued his famous Farewell
Address where he will not serve a third term and he advised caution in foreign affairs (i.e. he didn't want
unnecessary foreign entanglements).

The French Revolution began in 1789. Anti-Federalists regretted the executions in France, but supported it
as a fight against monarchy. Thomas Jefferson praised the French Revolution as "the most sacred cause
that ever man was engaged in." The Federalists mainly opposed the French revolutionaries as bloody
anarchists wanting to destroy religion and social order. War loomed with France (with the French
Revolution and the Haitian Revolution) and the Federalists used the opportunity to try to silence the
Republicans with the Alien and Sedition Acts, build up a large army with Hamilton at the head, and prepare
for a French invasion. However, the Federalists became divided after Adams sent a successful peace
mission to France that ended the Quasi-War of 1798. This came about the XYZ Affair when French officials
humiliated U.S. diplomats. Many Americans demanded war. Adams was completely wrong to sign the anti-
democratic Alien and Sedition Acts. These acts extended the period of residency for foreign immigrants
applying for naturalization. It empowered the President to deport or imprison foreigners. It also
criminalized what was deemed, "malicious" writings that criticized the government. So, these acts were
against free speech overtly. Thomas Jefferson and James Madison anonymously author the Virginia and
Kentucky Resolutions, exploring ways for states to resist the Alien and Sedition Acts. The KY legislature
adopted additional resolutions in 1799. One journalist named James Callender was prosecuted for sedition
for criticizing President Adams.

From 1789 to 1849, slavery was very prominent in American society. During the first two decades after the
Revolutionary War, there was an increase of freed African Americans. Many northern states abolished
slavery being inspired by the ideals of equality (and some states were economically less reliant on slavery).
Some states of the Upper South made manumission easier. There was, as a result, an increase in the
proportion of free black people in the Upper South (as a percentage of the total non-white population)
from less than one percent in 1792 to more than 10 percent by 1810. By that date, a total of 13.5 percent
of all black people in the United States were free. After that date, with the demand for slaves on the rise
because of the Deep South's expanding cotton cultivation, the number of manumissions declined sharply.
An internal U.S. slave trade became an important source of wealth for many planters and traders. In 1809,
President James Madison severed the US's involvement with the Atlantic slave trade.

The early 1800's


By the turn of the century, Thomas Jefferson was finally elected President in 1800. This came about John
Adams doing unique changes. He didn't expand the army. He sent new diplomats to France to seek peace.
Many Federalists were angry like Hamilton, who tried to stop Adams' reelection campaign. Adams lost the
1800 Presidential election. Also, in 1800, almost 4000,000 Americans lived beyond the Appalachian
Mountains. Many of Jefferson’s policies influenced America to this very day. He was contradictory. Thomas
Jefferson claimed to want a small government with independent yeoman farmers and planters living
comfortably in a republican society. Yet, he allowed a massive expansion of government to exist with the
Louisiana Purchase of 1803. This allowed U.S. settlers to travel west beyond the Mississippi River. Jefferson
distrusted cities, factories, and banks. He distrusted the federal government and judges. So, he was like a
Tea Party member before the Tea Party ever existed. Jefferson wanted to cut the deficit by cutting down
the Army and Navy, streamlining the government's bureaucracy, and increased revenues from imports. He
wanted to weaken the judiciary. Yet, he didn’t prevail. He met his match in John Marshall, a Federalist from
Virginia. Ironically, John Marshall was Thomas Jefferson's cousin. Jefferson was a Democratic Republican
and John Marshall was a Federalist. Although the Constitution specified a Supreme Court, its functions
were vague until Marshall, the Chief Justice (1801–35), defined them, especially the power to overturn acts
of Congress or states that violated the Constitution, first enunciated in 1803 in Marbury v. Madison. That
decision ruled the Judiciary Act of 1789 unconstitutional. Chief justice John Marshall wrote that the court
has the power of judicial review or declaring laws unconstitutional if they don't correspond to the essence
of the Constitution. This check of the Supreme Court in dealing with laws is called judicial review.
He or Thomas Jefferson allowed Lewis and Clark to lend their expedition to explore lands west of the
Mississippi River. Thomas Jefferson wanted this since he believed that white Americans have the right to
use farms as a means to spread his republican ideals in the North American continent as Jefferson was a
racist and didn't believe in true human equality. Jefferson wanted them to use the Louisiana Territory to
expand America into the Pacific. The Louisiana Territory was controlled by Spain, then by France via
Napoleon Bonaparte. By 1803, Napoleon sold the lands of the Louisiana Territory to Thomas Jefferson.
America paid $15 million for it. Tripoli declared war on America in 1801 starting the Barbary Wars. In 1804,
Thomas Jefferson allowed the Meriwether Lewis and William Clark expedition to exist. Both men met
Native Americans, studied animal species, and saw the diversity of the environments of the American lands.
One Native Americans who worked with them was a woman named Sacagawea. She was a Lemhi Shoshone
woman, who helped Lewis and Clark in their objectives.

America defeated Tripoli in the first Barbary Wars by 1805. These war started after the Barbary States of
North Africa (as found in Morocco, Algiers, Tunis, and Tripoli) wanted to increase the price for Americans to
travel near their lands. The Washington and Adams administration paid the Barbary states protection
money before. Jefferson though that the protection money was too expensive, so a war existed. This
caused the Americans to have access in the Mediterranean Sea. In 1807, the United States Congress a law
banning U.S. involvement in the foreign slave trade by January 1, 1808. In that year, the Chesapeake affair
existed. This was when a British naval vessel searched for deserters, but fired on an American frigate.
Robert Fulton started steamboat transportation on the Hudson River (in New York state) in 1807. Jefferson
signed an embargo against Britain in 1807 for the reason of impressment of the British taking American
sailors and forcing them to serve in the British navy. The embargo failed and harmed the American
economy, so Congress ended the embargo very quickly. In 1808, James Madison was elected President and
he was from Virginia. Congress passed the 1809 Intercourse Act that bans American trading with Britain
and France. It allowed trading with other nations. The Supreme Court in Fletcher v. Peck said that states
may invalidate contracts.
U.S. Army forces defeat Native Americans at the Battle of Tippecanoe in Indiana on November 7, 1811.
Back then in Indiana, Native Americans wanted to preserve their lands and culture. The Shawnee leaders of
the prophet Tenskwatawa and the warrior Tecumseh fought for their lands. Governor William Henry
Harrison of the Indiana Territory organized troops to defeat the Native American forces. James Madison
was re-elected President on 1812.

The War of 1812 existed because of many reasons. One was that many Americans were angry at the British
violation of Americans ships’ neutral rights in order to hurt France. The British used the seizure of 10,000
American sailors via the Royal Navy in order to fight Napoleon. That act was controversial. The British
supported Native Americans in attacking American settlers in the Midwest. Some of the British may wanted
to annex part or all of British North America. Many young war hawks like John C. Calhoun of South Carolina,
Henry Clay of Kentucky, Felix Grundy of Kentucky, and others wanted war with Britain. Despite strong
opposition from the Northeast, especially from Federalists who did not want to disrupt trade with Britain,
Congress declared war on Britain on June 18, 1812. The war was brutal among both sides. Both sides
invaded each other and were repulsed. The Americans forces struggled to defeat the British until late in the
war. Jefferson was an advisor to James Madison. Jefferson was wrong to assume that American forces
could defeat Canada and there would be no need of a larger militia. Americans tried to invade Canada, but
they were defeated during the early parts of the War of 1812. In 1813, Americans recaptured Detroit. In
1814, General Andrew Jackson defeated the Creek Native Americans in Alabama. The American militia was
weakened since many of their soldiers didn’t want to leave their homes and invade Canada. The British
used a blockade in the Atlantic Ocean.
Sacagawea lived in America and she was a Lemhi Shoshone woman. Idaho was the place of her birth.
She traveled with the Lewis and Clark expedition among thousands of miles from North Dakota to the
Pacific Ocean. She had 2 children named Jean Baptist Charbonneau and Lisette Charbonneau. She not
only knew about cultural influences among Native Amerians. She understood natural history as it relates
to biology. May 14, 1805 was when she rescued items like the journals and records of Lewis and Clark.
Her father was the chief Cameahwait. A black man named York was another African American explorer
in the Lewis and Clark Expedition too. The statue on the far right shows the image of York. American
history is very complex indeed. During this time especially, we have to promote the principles of
equality, human justice, and social justice.

This ruined American commerce and bankrupted the Treasury. New Englanders smuggled supplies to
Britain in anger. The Americans under General William Henry Harrison finally gained naval control of Lake
Erie and defeated the Native Americans under Tecumseh in Canada, while Andrew Jackson defeated many
Native American forces in the Southeast. The Native American aspect to the War on 1812, involving settler
expansion into the Midwest, was permanently ended. The British invaded and occupied much of Maine.
The British raided and burned Washington, D.C., but were repelled at Baltimore in 1814 – where the "Star
Spangled Banner" was written to celebrate the American success. That anthem was created by the slave
owner Francis Scott Key. The anthem originally supported slavery. In upstate New York, a major British
invasion of New York State was turned back. Finally in early 1815, Andrew Jackson decisively defeated a
major British invasion at the Battle of New Orleans, making him the most famous war hero in the eyes of
many. Napoleon was gone. Both sides came into the peace table. Prewar boundaries remain. Americans
claimed victory on February 18, 1815 as news came almost simultaneously of Jackson's victory of New
Orleans and the peace treaty that left the prewar boundaries in place. Americans swelled with pride at
success in the "second war of independence"; the naysayers of the antiwar Federalist Party were put to
shame and the party never recovered. The Native Americans were defeated as they never gained the
independent nationhood Britain had promised them and no longer posed a serious threat as settlers
poured into the Midwest. New states developed like Indiana in 1816, Mississippi in 1817, Illinois in 1818,
and Alabama in 1819.
A New Era
Soon, the Era of Good Feelings transpired. The Federalists were strong opponents of the War of 1812.
Therefore, they held the Hartford Convention of 1814. Some hinted at disunion. There was national
euphoria after the victory at New Orleans. The Federalists lost their power as a political party. President
Madison and most Republicans realized that they couldn’t end the Bank of the United States since they had
to finance the war. They used foreign bankers to charter the Second Bank of the United States in 1816. The
Republicans also imposed tariffs designed to protect the infant industries that had been created when
The Sacagawea on the U.S. Dollar coin Britain was blockading the U.S. With the collapse of the
Federalists as a party, the adoption of many Federalist
principles by the Republicans, and the systematic policy of
President James Monroe in his two terms (1817–25) to
downplay partisanship, the nation entered an Era of Good
Feelings. This era existed with far less partisanship than
before (or after), and closed out the First Party System. The
Missouri Compromise came about in 1820. It made Missouri
a slave state. Maine would be a free state. Slavery was no
On the front side of The reverse of the longer allowed north of latitude 36 30 of Missouri's southern
the coin, there is coin shows the border. James Monroe by 1820 was re-elected as President
the image of eagle in flight, the without much opposition. The Federalist Party ends
Sacagawea with her country’s name, completely by this time. Most national politicians are
son Baptiste and the motto of E Republican. James Monroe formed his Monroe Doctrine by
Charbonneau along Plurbius unum (our 1823. It was the view describing the United States' opinion
with the U.S. of many, one) that European powers should no longer colonize or interfere
national motto, the in the Americas.
year, and the word
of Liberty on the This was a defining moment in the foreign policy of the
top. United States. The Monroe Doctrine was adopted in response
This is known as the Sacagawea dollar. to American and British fears over Russian and French
expansion into the Western Hemisphere. By the 1820's,
railroads existed in America. The transportation was in full bloom with canals, roads, railroads, steamboats,
etc. The Industrial Revolution flourished along with fights for economic justice and labor rights. In 1837,
Samuel F. B. Morse invented the electric telegraph. Groups like the Workingmen Party promoted labor
unions in order to defend the interests of working people.
By the time of 1822, America recognized the independence of Latin American nations. Stephen F. Austin
established a colony in Mexican controlled Texas. Mexico wanted them to come initially for economic
reasons. The settlers live in the northern territories of then Mexican controlled Texas. They give land to the
settlers in the empresario system. The Mexican political leaders want the settlers to be Mexican citizens,
but desire them to adopt Catholicism and give up slavery. The Mexicans were right to oppose slavery as
slavery is immoral, but wrong to try to force the settlers to be Roman Catholics since religious freedom
dictates that people don't have to be Catholic if he or she wants doesn't want to. The Americans settlers
take up the offer, but they refuse to convert to Catholicism or embrace emancipation.

In 1824, John Quincy Adams was elected President. The election was decided in the House of
Representatives when no candidate won an electoral majority. Andrew Jackson won the popular vote. He
accused Adams of getting his office by a corrupt bargain when the Speaker of the House Henry Clay was
named secretary of state. In 1825, President John Quincy Adams proposed expansive programs of internal
improvements like a national university, a national observatory, and the adoption of metric system. He
wanted the construction of roads and canals. The Erie Canal is fined in 1825. This canal linked the Great
Lakes across New York to the Hudson River and new York City. It was a project funded by state and private
investments. it was the most successful canal of that time period. Communities grew canal all over America
afterwards. In 1826, the U.S. anti-Masonry movement existed. This came after the disappearance and
murder of the former Freemason William Morgan. The Anti-Masonic Party came about in 1828 to oppose
the views and political influence of Freemasonry. It had nominating convention and other things, but it was
short lived. John Quincy Adams was a public dissident of Freemasonry.

The Reactionary Andrew Jackson (and more events)


In 1828, Andrew Jackson was elected President. He was a Democrat who lived in Tennessee. He was
wounded during the American Revolution and his campaign manager was Martin Van Buren. Jackson was
an early leader of the Democratic Party. During that year, Congress passed a protective tariff and
construction started on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. Later, the nullification crisis existed. This was
when John C. Calhoun promoted this doctrine in his "South Carolina Exposition and Protest" agenda. He
wanted states to judge the tariff law as unconstitutional since it favors northerner manufacturing at the
expense of southern agriculture. Calhoun was a supporter of slavery and one of the most racist men in
American history. In 1829, Jackson stared the spoils system of appointing federal officials. This was done in
Jackson's mind to prevent corruption, but the chief criterion for selection was loyalty to Jackson. People
should have loyalty to the truth. There were the Webster-Hayes debates in 1830 on tariff policy. Daniel
Webster (from MA) and Robert Y. Hayne (from SC) discussed about the nature of the union, the power of
the states, and the structure of federalism.

One of the most important events of American history was the Nat Turner rebellion of 1831. It was about
Nat Turner and his allies fighting slavery in Southampton County, Virginia. Virginia had a large slave
population. Turner used spiritual inspiration in order to fight for the freedom of our people. He knew of the
risk involved and he gathered his supporters to plan and enact the rebellion. Many people died and Nat
Turner plus many of his followers were captured. Later, Nat Turner was executed. The events in
Southampton County caused Virginia and other places to enact even stricter pro-slavery laws in fear of
more rebellions made by black people. It also encouraged the growth of the abolitionist movement too.

In 1832, President Andrew Jackson, 7th President of the United States, ran for a second term under the
slogan "Jackson and no bank" and did not renew the charter of the Second Bank of the United States of
America, ending the Bank in 1836. Jackson was convinced that central banking was used by the elite to
take advantage of the average American, and instead implemented state banks, popularly known as "pet
banks." His policies ruined the U.S. economy for years. He was a slave owner, a racist, and a brutal enemy
of the Native American people. The 1832 bank war was about Jackson refusing to believe that the federal
government should have a concrete role in banking. Presidential candidate Henry Clay and Second Bank of
the United States (or the SBUS) president Nicholas Biddle attempted to recharter the SBUS four years early.
Jackson was very anti-SBUS. Jackson vetoed the recharter bill even though the SBUS was popular. Many
people supported his position. The Supreme Court decision of 1832 in Worcester v. Georgia ruled that
Georgia laws don't apply to Cherokee lands. Justice Marshall said that the Cherokee are, "domestic
dependent nation." Andrew Jackson refused to follow the Supreme Court ruling and he pushed for the
removal of the Cherokee from their lands anyway. So, Andrew Jackson was a law breaking hypocrite. The
Tariff of 1832 is passed. The Blackhawk War comes about which is about U.S. forces fighting Native
Americans in the upper Midwest and near the Mississippi River.

The journey of Native Americans into the area of Oklahoma from


the Southeast was brutal. More than 4,000 Cherokee human beings
THE TRIAL OF TEARS died because of disease, starvation, and cold.

A Cherokee woman named Wahnenauhi


wrote about the unjust removal of
Cherokee Native Americans. Seminole,
Creek, Sioux, Fox, Choctaw, and
Chickasaw tribes were moved by forced
into Oklahoma as well.
Andrew Jackson was so racist that he allowed Congress to pass the Indian Removal Act of 1830. This law
authorized the President to negotiate treaties that exchanged Native American tribal lands in the eastern
states for the lands west of the Mississippi River. In order words, it wanted to remove Native Americans
(including the Five Civilized Tribes) from the American Southeast into the reservations of the West.
Jacksonian Democrats wanted the forcible removal of native populations who refused to acknowledge
state laws in the West. Andrew Jackson was a racist and he said the following words about Native
Americans: "...What good man would prefer a country covered with forests and ranged by a few thousand
savages to our extensive Republic?" Southern whites wanted lands where Native Americans lived at. From
1827 to 1830, governments in Georgia, Mississippi, and Alabama unilaterally stole lands from Native
Americans. The Native Americans appealed this policy to the federal courts. John Marshall's Supreme Court
tried to help the Native Americans. In the decision Worcester v. Georgia, the Court ruled that Georgia's land
seizure was unconstitutional. The Court said that federal law was superior to state law, but President
Jackson violated policy to still forced Native Americans to leave their homes and go into the West. Jackson
was a cruel nationalist and favored states' rights. Whigs and religious people rightfully opposed the move as
inhumane. Thousands of deaths resulted from the relocations, as seen in the Cherokee Trail of Tears. Many
of the Seminole Native Americans in Florida refused to move west; they fought the Army for years in the
Seminole Wars.

Andrew Jackson was a disgraceful man to put it lightly. Soon, the Second Party System would exist after the
First Party System of Federalists and Republicans ended in the 1820’s. The new party system was created
from the well-organized local parties that appealed for the votes of almost all adult white men. Back then,
most of the rights in America were given to adult white men for the most part. Black people, women,
people of color in general, and the poor were not given equal rights back in those days in America. The
former Jeffersonian (Democratic-Republican) party split into 2 factions. They split over the choice of a
successor to President James Monroe, and the party faction that supported many of the old Jeffersonian
principles, led by Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren, became the Democratic Party. The Democratic
Party were heavily pro-states’ rights, pro-slavery, and believed in coalitions by 1828. The opposing faction
was led by Henry Clay to help create the Whig Party. The Democratic Party had a small but decisive
advantage over the Whigs until the 1850’s. The Whigs fell apart over the issue of slavery. The Democrats
were diverse, but they believed in the Jeffersonian concept of an agrarian society, opposition to a central
government, and opposed federal support to banks and corporations. They were like the far right
movement of today's generation. Some Democrats opposed educational reform or even a public
educational system. Jackson and other Democrats had no sympathy for American Native Americans too (i.e.
They organized the Trail of Tears).
Social Movements including the Abolitionist Movement
The Second Great Awakening spread from ca. 1790 to the 1840’s. It was led by Protestants to promote
church growth. During that period, membership grew rapidly among Baptists and Methodist congregations.
Preachers led the movement. Millions became Christians and others formed new denominations. The
Second Great Awakening influenced the development of many reform movements like abolitionists and
temperance activists. The temperance movement wanted to stop alcoholism and try to discourage people
from drinking alcohol in general. Some wanted to eliminate evil before the anticipated Second Coming of
Jesus Christ. In 1816, the African Methodist Episcopal Church was founded and the black preacher Richard
Allen was named as its first bishop. It is no secret that many African Americans were part of the Second
Great Awakening. One black minister named Lemuel Haynes back in 1785 was perhaps the first African
American to be ordained by a mainstream Protestant church.
Sister Mary Meachum was a famous abolitionist.
Many Black Americans used spirituals and folk music to not only show joy, but to use coded language in
trying to promote freedom from slavery. Many spirituals referenced the North Star as a way to know how
to go into the North plus Canada. By 1826, the AME had almost 8,000 members. Many Jewish people faced
discrimination back then too, which was wrong. By the early 1800's, only 2,000 Jewish people lived in
America mostly in Rhode Island, New York, and Pennsylvania. More came by the 1840's. In the same year,
the American Bible Society was founded to distribute the Bible. In Indiana, Richard Owen created a utopian
community. In 1830, preacher Charles Finney started many revivals in Rochester, New York. Finney is
famous for his preaching style being emotional and promoting the spreading of the Holy Spirit. In that same
year, Joseph Smith published the book entitled, the Book of Mormon. It is the foundational text of the
Mormons who are also known as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Mormons would spread
far from New York state, Illinois (where Joseph Smith would be killed by a mob in 1844), and into Utah. In
1836, Ralph Waldo Emerson published, "Nature” and founded the Transcendental Club to explore the
philosophy of transcendentalism. Education was further developed by Noah Webster and Horace Mann.
Dorothea Dix promoted humane treatment for people with mental health issues. She helped to form
mental hospitals in 15 states and Canada. She fought to improve prisons.

The abolitionist movement has existed for centuries. It grew into the next level by the 1800’s in America. By
1830, 2 million African Americans and Africans were slaves in America from Maryland to Texas. About one-
third of slaves back then were children under the age of 10. Slaves worked all day and experienced
whippings, murder, torture, assaults, rape, and separation from family members. In 1822, freeman
Denmark Vesey wanted to organize a Charleston, South Carolina slave revolt. His planned ended by
authorities and he was hanged including some of his followers. Free African Americans lived in America and
had many jobs. Some came into Liberia while others stayed in America. Some like David Walker attacked
slavery.
The goal of the abolitionist movement wanted to end
slavery completely worldwide. It had support among
4 Great American Heroes
secularists, religious people, black people, women, etc.
Some became abolitionists as a product of the Second
Great Awakening. In 1845, the author Edgar Allen Poe
published his poem called "The Raven" It focused on the
American romanticism literary movement. In that year
of 1845 also, Frederick Douglas published his
autobiography entitled, "The Narrative of the Life of
Frederick Douglass, an American slave." It was a book
that captivated the nation and inspired the anti-slavery
movement in America to go into new heights of power
plus influence.

William Lloyd Garrison, a militant abolitionist, published


the most influential of the many anti-slavery
newspapers, The Liberator, while Frederick Douglass, an
ex-slave, began writing for that newspaper around 1840
and started his own abolitionist newspaper North Star in
1847. William Lloyd Garrison worked with the American
Anti-Slavery Society to use newspapers, speeches, and
other forms of activism to fight slavery. Theodore Weld
married Angelina Grimke and they were both
abolitionists too. Southerners weren't the only ones These heroes risked their lives to save black
who opposed abolitionism. Many northerners opposed lives from the evil, cruel bondage of slavery.
it too. In fact, abolitionists were assaulted in Their courage and their monumental
Philadelphia back in 1838, Illinois, and in other places. contributions to human liberation in general are
Abolitionist Elijah Lovejoy was killed by a mob in Illinois always cherished by us. The persons on the top
back in 1837. It was divided too. Some anti-slavery are William Still and Harriet Tubman. The
activists were moderates like Abraham Lincoln. Others human beings on the bottom are Lewis Hayden
were progressives like Garrison, Douglass, and others and Sarah Mapps Douglass.
who wanted slavery to immediately end. From 1800
to 1849, Westward expansion increased too. As the American colonies and the new nation grew in
population and area, many lands of the Native Americans were gone. This process ended by 1890-1912
when the last major farmlands and ranch lands were settled. Many Native American tribes resisted the
imperialism of Manifest Destiny militarily. Yet, they were repelled by the U.S. Army and settlers. Many were
relocated to reservations in the West.

The Manifest Destiny myth was a racist view that settlers (especially settlers of European descent) had the
God-given right to conquer the West literally irrespective of the original people living in those lands for
thousands of years. Frederick Jackson Turner was a historian on the West who omitted the multicultural
nature of the frontier. The real truth is that the West wasn't just made up of settlers. The West back then
had black people, Native Americans, women, Asian Americans, Latino Americans, and other human beings
who lived in complex lives. Many markets were formed. Cultures merged. The modern West was created by
conflicts, migration, and cultural diversity. The first settlers of the West, other than the Native Americans,
were the Spanish in New Mexico. They were U.S. citizens by 1848. The Latinx population in California (or
Californios) was overwhelmed by over 100,000 gold rush miners. California grew explosively. San Francisco
by 1880 had become the economic hub of the entire Pacific Coast with a diverse population of a quarter
million. From the early 1830's to 1869, the Oregon Trail and its many offshoots were used by over 300,000
settlers. '49ers (in the California Gold Rush), ranchers, farmers, and entrepreneurs and their families
headed to California, Oregon, and other points in the far west. Wagon-trains took five or six months on
foot; after 1869, the trip took 6 days by rail.

A massive increase of immigration characterized the early 19th century too. By the 1840's, farmers and a
growing middle class developed in America. Also, the working class increasingly became composed of
immigrants. Before 1840, most white immigrants were Protestants from England and Scotland. After 1840,
things would be different. By the 1830's, 600,000 immigrants came into America and during the 1840's,
1,500,000 immigrants came into America. By the 1850's, 2,800,000 people came into America. By the
1840's, many immigrants came into America from Ireland and Germany. Ireland suffered the potato
famine. A fungus destroyed potato crops, so many Irish people left America. Thousands of Irish starved to
death. Corn, livestock, and other food were imported to England from Ireland. 1 million Irish people died of
starvation. 1 million traveled into North America, and Australia. Germans came into America because of
political revolution in Germany back then. Most Irish immigrants were Catholics while most German
immigrants were both Catholic and Protestant. Many of them came into the seaports of the Northeast.
Some Germans came into farmland. Very few came into the South. Other German and Irish immigrants
traveled into the Midwest into cities like Cleveland, Chicago, Detroit, and Cincinnati. New immigrants
experienced new social and economic realities. Some experienced poverty and lived in crowded
neighborhoods. Some experienced discrimination and prejudice. Others competed for jobs and housing
with free African Americans. Many racists in cities (including some but not all immigrants) attacked African
Americans and killed some black people plus burned other's homes. Catholic immigrants experienced
discrimination from some Protestants. Many Protestants back then viewed the Catholic Church as hostile to
republicanism since in Catholicism the Pope is the earthy head of that church. I am not a member of the
Roman Catholic church, but Catholics shouldn't be discriminated against unfairly. Protestant workers
competed with immigrants for jobs too. Riots between Catholics and Protestants happened in Philadelphia
in 1844 and in Baltimore in 1854. The movie Gangs of New York didn't lie. It was that violent out there back
then. Many Whigs exploited ethnic tensions to promote xenophobic policies (they being nativists) like
immigration restrictions. In response, many immigrants would join the Democratic party. As early as 1838,
Sarah Grimke wrote about women's right in her entitled, "Letters on the Equality of the Sexes and the
Condition of Women." Many abolitionists supported women's rights and some didn't. That is why there
were other abolitionists who after 1840's continued to advanced women's equality legitimately. Back then,
women couldn't vote, many women were denied educational opportunities. Some women couldn't own a
business or loan money without a man's permission. It was terrible for women back then. In 1849, there
was the Seneca Falls Conventions on women's rights. It was led by Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady
Stanton. It called for equality for women. Its Declaration of Sentiments paralleled the Declaration of
Independence in structure. It wanted voting rights, family law reforms, and greater access to education. It
also wanted women to have leadership positions in civil and church institutions.
African American Spirituals

African Americans over 150 years ago fought constantly for justice whether they
were enslaved or not. The spirituals were a combination of music, plans for freedom,
and hope for the future. Many spirituals used words to represent the North Star
(which was used to escape into the North). Some spiritual songs talked about
pharaoh (representing the slave-owner or the vicious white racist society), and Egypt
(which meant the American South or any place that had slavery in America). These
songs were influenced by biblical stories and other African musical traditions. Many
songs continue to this day. The banjo was a common instrument used by African
Americans during the 19th century too. We honor our black ancestors’ courage and
wisdom.

This song is one of the most famous of African American Spirituals. It is called Go Down
Moses. It talked about desiring freedom for black people from the injustice of slavery:

Go down, Moses,
Way down in Egypt land,
Tell ol’ Pharaoh,
Let my people go!

When Israel was in Egypt’s land,


Let my people go,
Oppressed so hard they could not stand,
Let my people go.

O let us all from bondage flee,


Let my people go.
And let us all in Christ be free, BLACK LOVE IS BEAUTIFUL
Let my people go.
Always remember the courage of our ancestors.
The Old West

New Mexico was the oldest colony Mexico had independence Jedidiah Smith was born in 1798 in
along New Spain’s northwestern from Spain in the year of 1821. Bainbridge, New York. He travelled across the
frontier in 1598. 9,600 colonists lived in The Afro-Mexican Vicente Great Basin and the Sierra Nevada to reach
New Mexico by 1765. Roman Guerrero Saldana California in 1826. He was a hunter, a trapper,
fought for the independence of an author, and a cartographer. He survived a
Mexico too. bear attack and other events.
For centuries, the West has been a part of American history. Its cultures have existed for thousands
of years too. From its history to its dynamic occurrences, you must study the Old West in order to
comprehensively understand America.

In 1847, Brigham Young led Mormons American forces entered On September 9, 1850, California entered the
across the Great Plains and the Rockies Mexico City by September of Union as a free state. California has a diversity
to form the colony of New Zion. This 1847. The Mexican-American of people among many backgrounds who
was found in the eastern shore of the war was a bloody conflict that represent excellence, strength, and human
Great Salt Lake (in Utah). The Mormons changed the borders in North creativity. California would be one of the most
created a larger community by 1860 America forevermore. Many progressive states in the nation by the early
with 40,000 people. leaders of the U.S. Civil War 21st century.
were heavily involved in the
Mexican-American War.
War and Tensions
Manifest Destiny was rejected by settlers came into Texas later border. The U.S. wanted the
modernizers like many Whigs (which back then, Texas was part territories of Alta California and
(including Henry Clay and of Mexico). Many of these white Nuevo Mexico. Mexico didn't
Abraham Lincoln) who wanted settlers had slaves with them. War want U.S. diplomats. Near the
to build cities and factories not existed in part because of the border, the war started between
more farms. Democrats strongly dispute over the border between Mexico and America. Author
favored the expansion of slavery Texas and Mexico. Mexicans Henry David Thoreau was placed
(and the inclusion of Texas), and believed that the border was at into jail for a night for refusing to
won the key election of 1844. the Neuces River while the Texas pay for taxes in opposition to
After a bitter debate in Congress settlers considered the Rio slavery and the Mexican-
the Republic of Texas was Grande to be the border of American War. In 1846, he gave
annexed in 1845, leading to war Mexico. The Mexican–American speeches in favor of civil
with Mexico, who considered War (1846–48) broke out with disobedience which is about
Texas to be a part of Mexico due the Whigs opposed to the war, opposing unjust governmental
to the large numbers of Mexican and the Democrats supporting policies via peaceful social
settlers. Mexico was freed from the war. This was the second time resistance. Congressman David
Spanish imperialism and became when Congress declared war. Wilmot offered the Wilmot
an independent country. White Mexico has a dispute about its Proviso which would ban slavery
in New Mexico in exchange for mainly of multiracial heritage, existed by 1848 and they wanted
peace. Wilmot tried to send the would undermine the United to end slavery in territories.
policy to the treaty in ending the States since many Democrats Simultaneously, gold was
war, but he was unsuccessful. wanted America to be an discovered in California in 1849,
President Polk attracting over
feared Whig 100,000 men to
power. In 1848, northern
the new California in a
President matter of
would be months in the
Zachary Taylor. California Gold
Rush. The gold
Abraham rush involved
Lincoln was a long travel, racial
known critic of tensions (as
the war. back many Latinos
then in 1847, and Asians
Abraham Americans
Lincoln was a suffered racism
Whig. The U.S. and violence at
army, using This map shows the electoral college that allowed Zachary the hands of
regulars and Taylor to win the 1848 U.S. Presidential election. He racists during
large numbers defeated Lewis Cass of the Democratic Party, Martin Van that time
of volunteers, Buren of the Free Soil party, and Gerrit Smith of the Liberty period). A
defeated the Party. peaceful
Mexican compromise
armies, invaded at several points, exclusively white republic (back with Britain gave the U.S.
captured Mexico City and won then, many white politicians were ownership of the Oregon
decisively. The Treaty of very overtly racist. Obviously, Country, which was renamed the
Guadalupe Hidalgo ended the America was never exclusively Oregon Territory. That area
war in 1848. the treaty also the white back then and today. would evolve into Oregon. 1849
United States to gain the areas of Human beings, of many colors, was a beginning of the end of the
the Mexican Cessian, which living in America is a blessing). early era of America. Tensions
includes 7 new states and an Instead, the U.S. took Texas and among the North and the South
expansion of the Texas border. the lightly settled northern parts would evolve into the Civil War.
Many Democrats wanted to (California and New Mexico). After 1849, there was no turning
annex all of Mexico, but that idea The Latinx residents were given back. The disagreements between
was rejected by southerners who full citizenship and the Mexican the North and the South would
argued that by incorporating Native Americans became Native carry over into the bloodiest war
millions of Mexican people, Americans. The Free Soil Party on American soil.
By Timothy

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