The Young Republic1816-1848

“Era of Good Feelings” A strong sense of national pride swept the country

after the War of 1812 Period named the “Era of Good Feelings” Through Monroe’s presidency In the last 2 years, many programs were launched

to bind the nation together Only 1 political party remained – the Republicans,

so there was less arguing and disagreement

National Bank Republicans had previously opposed it No national bank to regulate currency Was a problem during the war Republicans changed their minds Bill introduced proposing a Second bank of the

United States Bill passed in 1816 Would issue notes that would serve as national

currency and regulate state banks.

Economy after War of 1812 British goods flowed in and it hurt American

manufacturers Tariff of 1816

Protective tariff Taxed imports to drive up their prices

Road and canal construction also began (despite Monroe vetoing a bill about it) Funded by states and private businesses Increased trade

Judicial Nationalism Continued to establish dominance of federal

government over states McCulloch v. Maryland

Maryland attempted to tax the national bank SC first ruled on if bank was constitutional, SC said “Yes!” “Necessary and proper clause” made it constitutional MD could not tax federal bank

Gibbons v. Ogden Company had monopoly over steamboat traffic in NY,

tried to expand to NJ Gave federal government control over interstate

commerce

Diplomacy “The art and practice of conducting negotiations

between nations” Spain and Florida

Jackson invaded Florida due to Seminole raids Took care of Seminoles and then removed Spanish

governor from power Spain mad and demanded that Jackson be punished We justified it by saying the Spain was not controlling

Florida so someone had to do it Adams-Onis Treaty – Spain gave us Florida

Diplomacy – Monroe Doctrine Many European countries has a growing

presence in North America/Latin America and there were problems (rebellions, etc.)

Monroe declared that: The North American continent…“Henceforth not

to be considered as subjects for future colonization by any European power.”

Transportation Revolution Erie Canal (New York) National Road (east-to-west road) Steamboats

Rivers were more efficient and faster than roads (remember – there were no cars yet)

But upstream travel hard, especially for heavy boats Steamboat invented by Robert Fulton in 1807 changed

everything Railroad developed on early 1800s

Dangerous, uncomfortable, dirty and ugly at first and NOT popular

But advantages became apparent – faster than wagons and stagecoaches and they could go wherever track was laid

Industry and Free Enterprise Industry: systematic labor especially for some

useful purpose or the creation of something of value

Industrial Revolution began (in Europe first) Growth of factories Free enterprise system

freedom of private business to organize and operate for profit in a competitive system without interference by government beyond regulation necessary to protect public interest and keep the national economy in balance

Industry and Free Enterprise Free enterprise encouraged industry Companies in competition with each other always

tried to have the upper hand, and developed new technologies to produce cheaper goods that they could transport more quickly

States began to encourage industrialization Industrialization started in the Northeast Could not use British ideas (illegal), but some

took a chance and stole it anyway!

Industry and Textiles Francis C. Lowell opened a series of mills

that took raw cotton fiber into cotton thread (idea stolen from England)

Mass production of cotton Soon there were mills all over New England Thousands of workers

Mostly women and children Low wages

Whitney and the Cotton Gin and more! Forever changes the South and industry Invented the cotton gin

A machine that separates the seeds, hulls, and foreign material from cotton

Interchangeable parts These are parts which are designed to fit in any device of

the same type, rather than being designed for a specific device

Revolutionized industry and paved the way for the assembly line

Communication and Morse Samuel F.B. Morse Telegraph Way to send messages Taped a code to communicate Newspapers began to use it for speedy

transmission of the news

Urbanization Urban = city People began to move to cities Spurred by industrialization

Factories and other jobs were in the city So…people began to move to where the jobs

were

Birth of Unions As factories grew, # of factory workers grew

1.3 million by 1860 Low wages, horrid conditions Labor unions started Employers refused to recognize them Strikes began – made employers take notice At first courts ruled against them, saying that it

interfered with free enterprise But support would change – we will get to this

later!

Cotton, Slavery and the South The cotton gin made cotton the important crop in the South

and increased dependency on slave labor Made the plantation owner rich, but strengthened the

institution of slavery Cotton plantations popped up everywhere and more slaves

were more needed than ever Slave trade illegal by 1808, but they were reproducing in the

US 1820-1850, 1.5 millions slaves to 4 million slaves South did not industrialize nearly as much Concerns about slavery began and the anti-slavery

movement began (we will definitely get to this in more detail later)

Nat Turner 1831 First slave uprising Nat Turner believed that he

was chosen by God to bring his people from slavery

Armed uprising Killed 50 white Americans

Sectionalism Each are of the country was very different These differences began to cause problems (i.e. slavery) Missouri Compromise 1819: 22 states, 11 slave, 11 free Missouri wanted to be a state and wanted to be a slave state

House said okay, but can’t bring new slaves in or slaves had to be freed at age 25. Senate said no.

Solution – Maine (which had been a part of Massachusetts) asked to become a state – a free state

Temporary solution? Elections of 1824 and 1828 demonstrated growth of

sectionalism

Expanded Voting Rights Early 1800s, property ownership was

removed as a requirement to vote Suffrage was expanded

Right to vote

More and more people turned out to vote Still not women or slaves (African-

Americans)

Spoils System Under President Jackson Giving people jobs in the government based on

political party loyalty He fired people who worked under J.Q. Adams

and replaced them with his own supporters He defended it saying it was more democratic

Put an end to permanent, nonelected office-holding

Nullification Crisis SC and the growing divide between North

and South SC’s economy had started to decline

They blamed it on tariffs They paid high costs for manufactured goods from

the North

Tariff of Abominations – new tariff in 1828 SC threatened to secede from the Union

Nullification Crisis Continued Idea of nullification was proposed, to avoid

secession States could declare a federal law null (void) Claimed they had this right because states had

created the country Union or states? Jackson finally stated that the union must be

preserved 1832 – a new tariff Things exploded!

Nullification Crisis Continued Tariffs were cut significantly, but SC was still not happy November 1832, SC state convention declared the

tariffs of 1828 and 1832 unconstitutional and nullified them

Jackson declared it treason and sent warships Force Bill (1833) – authorized the president to use

military force to enforce acts of Congress Henry Clay pushed through a bill to lower tariffs

gradually until 1842 and SC repealed its nullification. A temporary solution? (Again)

Native Americans Jackson planned to move all Native Americans to the

Great Plains Most Americans believed the great plains to be a

wasteland that we would never need nor would it be settled

Moving them there would end the conflicts Indian Removal Act – 1830 – Congress provided money

for relocating Native Americans The Cherokee (who has assimilated) sued and won Jackson ignored the SC decision and violence erupted They were moved anyway – “Trail of Tears”

Trail of Tears

Jackson and the National Bank Jackson purposely destroyed the national bank Paper money that could be turned in for “hard money” – gold

or silver But banks were lending more than they had in “hard money” Bank of the US collected bank notes and asked states to

redeem them for gold or silver So…it limited how much state banks were willing to loan,

which hurt western settlers who relied on the banks for credit Congress passed a bill to extend the charter of the national

bank Jackson vetoed it – no more national bank – he deemed it

unconstitutional

Immigration New wave of immigrants to the US Germans and Irish Nativism was born

Discrimination against immigrants Nativism was hostility towards the newcomers New political party – “Know-Nothings”

Like “Fight Club” Membership requirements were secret and when

asked they were to answer that they knew nothing

Reform! Reform! Reform! Spurred by Second Great Awakening Reform movement was born Tried to tackle problems in American society – from work

conditions, alcohol, prison, education, women’s rights and slavery Dorothea Dix – care of the mentally ill Temperance Movement – alcohol caused too many problems –

get rid of it Horace Mann – education reforms Seneca Falls – women’s suffrage – “Declaration of Sentiments

and Resolutions.” Abolition movement grew – by leaps and bounds

Abolition! Demand for an immediate end to slavery Several ideas on how to do it

Gradualism – end it gradually, compensate slaveholders for their losses, give Southern economy time to adjust

Colonization – ending slavery would not end racism, send them back to Africa, lots of support but not very realistic due to cost

Abolition – free them immediately without gradual measures or compensation

Slavery was evil and a sin and the country needed to repent for it

Abolition Continued People and terms to know:

William Lloyd Garrison: anti-slavery newspaper, The Liberator

Frederick Douglas: escaped slave, published a newspaper

Sojourner Truth: Freed when NY abolished slavery in 1827, delivered speeches

Manifest Destiny The idea that is was

the destiny of the US to “go west.”

God gave us the entire continent and we needed to move into it!

So…Americans started to move west

Opening Texas Mexico owned Texas They invited Americans to settle there as

long as they adopted local customs, obey laws, and become Catholics

Mexico offered free land to Americans who came to settle there

Assumed Americans would accept their conditions, but they did not

Darned Americans Americans rejected the Mexican ways In turn, Mexicans distrusted Americans Rebellions and disputes began Mexicans believed there was an American plot to

acquire TX Borders were closed, Americans were banned

from importing slaves, and imports were taxed Settlers were MAD!

Texas Goes to War! Two conventions attempted to solve the issues Negotiations stalled Stephen Austin went to Mexico City and got them

to agree to most things On way home, he was arrested for treason,

imprisoned without trial Change in Mexican leadership Austin released and returned home Texans quickly organized an army

TX War TX declared independence on March 2,

1836 Won most of the beginning battles Mexican army had serious problems Drew up Constitution based on US

Constitution and protected slavery TX – Sam Houston took command

The Alamo Santa Anna organized a

force of 6000 Texas rebels were held up

in an old abandoned Catholic mission – the Alamo

180 rebels tried to delay Mexico’s army to give Houston more time

Rebels held of Santa Ana and his army for 13 days

Way outmanned and running out of ammunition

The Alamo and More March 6 – Santa Anna’s army stormed the Alamo Rebels fought for 6 hours, killed 600 of them

before being overrun More battles – Goliad and San Jacinto

San Jacinto major victory for rebels September 1836 – Republic of Texas voted and

Sam Houston was voted first president Assumed the US would annex them, but concern

about them being a slave state and risk of war with Mexico

And….War with Mexico. Inevitable? Tensions existed between the US and Mexico Bedate over new states TX became a state when Oregon did (one free

and one slave…again) Fierce battle in the election of 1844 over slavery

and annexation of TX TX eventually annexed and Mexico was mad! We had intentions about California too and that

just added fuel to the fire

Mexican-American War Invaded Mexico Mexico fired on Americans We twisted it and pointed out that they fired first 3 prong military approach Won many battles, marched to Mexico City They refused to surrender America gained control of Mexico City, they

surrendered

Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo Peace treaty Mexico gave up 500,000

sq miles of land in US Rio Grande accepted as

the southern border of TX US paid Mexico 15 million

and took over 3.25 if debts that Americans owed to Mexico

Manifest Destiny Realized…But We had acquired…

All the land we got from Mexico Oregon

We stretched from sea to shining sea! But slavery issue still loomed…