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U.S. History
First Semester Outline
I.
Causes of the American Revolution
A.
Relations with Great Britain Deteriorate
1. Following the French and Indian War, Great Britain found itself deeply in debt after
fighting the French both in the Americas as well as in Europe.
2. Britain raised taxes throughout the empire as a way of raising money to fill the national
treasury. This included the colonies, who paid less in taxes than anywhere else in the
entire British empire.
3. In response to the taxes, the colonists boycotted goods that were taxed. They also
held peaceful demonstrations (Boston Tea Party) as well as not so peaceful
demonstrations (Boston Massacre).
4. The colonists’ largest objection to the taxes was simple, No Taxation Without
Representation. Parliament refused to allow the colonists to have a representative in
Parliament who would speak for them. Without representation, the colonists refused to
pay the taxes.
B.
The First Continental Congress
1. Most colonists still viewed themselves as British citizens whose rights had been
violated. Very few were willing to see themselves as Americans.
2. The First Continental Congress met in Philadelphia, PA. They agreed to boycott taxed
goods and to form militias.
3. They issued the Olive Branch Petition to King George III. Asking for compromise
and protection of their rights. George III refused to accept the petition and prepared to
send troops to fight the colonists, declaring the colonies were in open rebellion.
4. They agreed to meet again in Philadelphia one year later. In the meantime, the
Revolution began on Lexington green in Massachusetts.
C. Common Sense by Thomas Paine influenced the colonists to believe in independence by using
bold, clear language about the benefits of being independent. He included that Britain would drag
the colonies and prevent the colonies from trading with other beneficial countries.
D. The Declaration of Independence
1. The Second Continental Congress chose Thomas Jefferson to pen the declaration.
2. The Declaration has three parts:
a. Part I explained that people had a right to declare themselves
independent as well as the natural rights of all people.
b. Part II explained the reasons for declaring themselves independent.
c. Part III proclaimed the existence of the new nation.
3. The Declaration was approved on July 4, 1776. John Hancock was the first to sign the
document. He signed it large so that King George would be able to read it. By signing
the document, the men became traitors to the King.
a. The Declaration almost failed on the issue of slavery. The southern
colonies, led by South Carolina, refused to sign the document, which
called slavery evil and all men equal. The idea of ending slavery was
removed from the Declaration to keep the states together.
4. Copies of the Declaration went to the states and were read aloud. Washington had it
read to his troops as inspiration for the fight.
II.
The Articles of Confederation 1781-1789
A.
The First Constitution
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
B.
Created a “firm league of friendship” among the new states with a weak central
government.
Each state retained the power to tax, to regulate trade, and to force citizens into the
military. They could also issue their own currency.
The Congress had the power to conduct foreign affairs, maintain the army, borrow
money, and issue currency. If Congress needed money or troops, it had to ask the
states, which did not have to contribute.
Congress lacked a chief executive. All business was done through committees with
each state having one vote regardless of the number of delegates. Votes had to be 9
out of 13 states agreeing. Changes to the Articles required all 13 states agreeing.
Did not provide a government strong enough to handle the problems facing the U.S.A.
because Congress had limited authority; however, did provide the foundation for the
Constitution and governed the country successfully through the Revolution.
New Land Policies – Successes of the Articles of Confederation
1. The Land Ordinance of 1785 (created by Thomas Jefferson)
a. Established the procedure for surveying and selling the western
lands north of the Ohio River.
b. Divided the territory into townships 6 miles long and 6 miles wide.
Each township was divided into 36 sections of 640 acres each. One
section was set aside for public schools in a permanent grant. A
street named Section Street would divide the township in half along
the school grant property running north-south. Each section is 1 mile
long and 1 mile wide.
c. Each section would have a deed granted to the purchaser of the land
to protect land claims on the frontier.
2. The Northwest Ordinance of 1787
a. Created a single Northwest Territory out of the lands north of the
Ohio River and east of the Mississippi River.
b. Territory was divided into five smaller territories (Michigan, Ohio,
Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin).
c. When the population of the territory reached 60,000 people it could
petition for statehood.
d. Each new state would have the same rights and privileges as the
original 13 states.
e. Ordinance included a bill of rights for the settlers, promising freedom
of religion and trial by jury. It also forbid slavery in the territories.
C. Financial Problems
1. The Congress, under the Articles of Confederation, did not have the power to deal with
problems that arose.
2. Money depreciated in value. There was no gold in the treasury to back up the money
printed in both Congress and the states.
3. Congress had borrowed money from foreign governments, the states, and private
individuals to pay for the War. Because Congress could not tax, it could not pay its
debts.
4. To raise money, a tariff was placed on imports, which harmed the farmers more than
anyone.
D. Foreign Policy Problems
1. Britain refused to withdraw its troops from lands east of the Mississippi River as it had
agreed to do at the end of the War.
2. Spain, which controlled Florida and lands west of the Mississippi River, closed the Port
of New Orleans denying western settlers access to the Mississippi for trade.
E.
Shays’s Rebellion
1.
2.
3.
4.
III.
Farmers suffered because they could not sell their goods. They could not pay their
own debts much less pay Revolutionary War debts. Their lands were seized to pay the
debts.
Farmers, led by Daniel Shays – hero of the Revolution, revolted against the
government. They forced the closing of courts and prevented repossession of farmers’
lands. Shays led more than 1000 farmers to the federal arsenal in Springfield. The
state militia was ordered to prevent them from reaching the arsenal. Four farmers were
killed in the skirmish.
Rebellion scared many Americans because it was proof that the Congress lacked the
power to run the country and solve the problems of the new nation.
Washington called for a Constitutional Convention to rewrite the Articles.
The Constitutional Convention
A.
A Convention is called to revise the Articles in May 1787.
1. Delegates met in Philadelphia in Independence Hall, where the Declaration had been
written.
a. It was the hottest summer of record.
b. 55 delegates from all 13 states attended. Called “a meeting of demigods.”
c. James Madison was nicknamed “Father of the Constitution” because
he arrived with a plan for creating a new governing document and
took careful notes documenting the Convention.
d. Washington was chosen as President of the Convention. Each state
would have one vote. Sessions were NOT open to the public so that
delegates would be able to talk freely.
B.
Issue 1: How will the states be represented?
1. A strong national government.
2. The Virginia Plan: bicameral legislature, chief executive chosen by the legislature,
and a court system. Number of representatives in the lower house would be elected by
the people. The upper house would be chosen by the lower house. Both houses would
have a number of representatives proportional to the size of the population.
3. The New Jersey Plan: unicameral legislature with one vote per states. Weak chief
executive chosen by the legislature. Representation in the legislature would be equal
among the states.
4. The Great Compromise: bicameral legislature. The lower house, the House of
Representatives, would have a number of representatives based on the state’s
population while the upper house, the Senate, would have an equal number of
representatives per state.
C. Issue 2: How will slaves be counted?
1. Southern states wanted slaves to count for purposes of representation in the House of
Representatives giving them more representatives. They should not be taxed as
property.
2. Northern states objected because slaves were considered property. If they were
considered people for purposes of representation, then they should be set free. If they
are property, they should be taxed as property.
3. The Three-Fifths Compromise: agreed to count three-fifths of the slaves in the state
for both representation and taxation. Agreed Congress could not interfere with the
slave trade until 1808, but at that time it would come to an end.
D. Issue 3: What type of chief executive?
1. Some wanted one strong chief executive. Others wanted three weak chief executives
who would have to agree on actions taken by the executive office.
2.
3.
E.
IV.
Agreed on one strong chief executive whose power is checked by both the legislative
branch and the judicial branch because they did not know who would be the second
chief executive after Washington.
Executive is elected through the Electoral College. Each state has electors who cast
votes for the president. Each state has as many electoral votes as it does
representatives plus senators.
a. The people do not elect the president because the Framers were
afraid of the people, most of whom were ill-educated. Media was
limited at the time so people would have only voted for the candidate
from their state, not the best one.
b. The Electoral College is still in effect today and can affect the
outcome of an election.
Ratification of the Constitution
1. Federalists were in favor of the Constitution as it was written and pushed for
ratification.
2. Anti-Federalists were against the Constitution as it was written because it lacked a Bill
of Rights to protect the rights of the citizens.
3. It was approved by the states, but only after the promise of the addition of a Bill of
Rights was made.
4. Upon ratification, the U.S. Constitution became the highest law of the land.
The U.S. Constitution
A. The Preamble
1. Is the introduction to the U.S. Constitution
2. Sets out the goals and purposes of the Constitution.
3. The Constitution is the SUPREME LAW OF THE LAND
4. Creates Federalism – division of power between the state and federal governments.
B. Three Branches of Government
1. The Legislative Branch creates laws.
a. Made up of the House of Representatives (the lower house) and the
Senate (the upper house).
b. Had the power to create and pass laws as well as levy taxes on the
nation.
c. Largest power rests in the ability to create laws for the “general
welfare” of the nation.
d. How does a Bill become a Law?
i. A citizen contacts his Congressman who proposes the bill
to the House of Representatives.
ii. The bill goes to a special committee who holds hearings of
interested, knowledgeable people about the bill.
iii. The bill is voted on in committee. If it passes, the bill goes
to the House of Representatives. If it does not pass, the bill
dies in committee and cannot be re-proposed until the next
legislative session.
iv. In the House of Representatives, the bill is debated and
then voted on. If it passes the House, it moves on to the
Senate. If it does not pass the House, it dies and cannot be
brought back again.
v. In the Senate, the bill is debated and voted on. If it passes
the Senate, it is presented to the President through the
process of Presentment. If it does not pass the House, it
dies and cannot be brought back.
2.
3.
4.
vi. The bill is presented to the President through the process
of Presentment. The President may choose to:
1. Sign the bill and make it law OR
2. Veto the bill. Congress can over-ride his veto
with a 2/3 vote of both houses OR
3. Pocket veto the bill if there is less than 10 days
left to the Congressional session.
The Executive Branch enforces laws
a. Made up of the President, Vice President, Cabinet, and
Administrative Agencies.
b. Had the power to enforce laws, commander-in-chief of the military,
and create treaties with the Senate’s approval.
The Judicial Branch interprets laws
a. Made up of the United States Supreme Court and lower courts.
b. Determines the constitutionality of laws in the United States through
a process of judicial review
Chief Justice John Marshall presided over some very important cases, which
increased the power of the federal government.
a. Marbury v. Madison: Before leaving office, Adams approved judicial
appointments. When Jefferson took office, he ordered Secretary of
State Madison to not deliver the appointments, one of which was to
go to Marbury. Marbury sued to receive his appointment. The case
established the concept of judicial review. Judicial review says that
the Constitution is supreme law of the land. The Constitution must be
followed when there is a conflict between it and any other law. The
judicial branch must uphold the Constitution and nullify any
unconstitutional act.
C. The Bill of Rights
1. Influenced by James Madison
2. Purpose is to protect the rights of the people and limit the power of the Federal
Government
3. Made up of the first 10 amendments of the U.S. Constitution
1. Protects right to free speech (aka expression), right to freedom of religion, right
to freedom of the press, right to freedom of assembly, and right to freedom to
petition the government for a redress of grievances. These rights cannot violate
laws already in place.
a. Tinker v. Des Moines (aka Black armbands) – freedom of speech
may be limited within a school to protect the educational
environment; however, students do still have some level of free
speech in school so long as it doesn’t disrupt the educational
environment.
b. Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier (aka principal censored
school newspaper) – the school district may censor a schoolproduced newspaper where the publication disrupts the educational
environment.
c. Wallace v. Jaffree (kindergartner forced to pray in class) – public
schools that receive public funds may not force students to pray in
class.
2. Protects the right to bear arms; however, the government can restrict assault
weapons and require a weapon’s permit.
3. Protects the right to not have to quarter soldiers in your house.
4. Protects the right to be free from illegal searches and seizures by the
government; requires a warrant.
a. New Jersey v. T.L.O. (smokin’ in the bathroom) – Schools may
search students’ and their property where there is reasonable
suspicion that contraband will be found. The locker belongs to the
school and may be searched at any time.
5. Protects the right to due process (notice, hearing, and appeal) as well as
against double jeopardy, and against having to testify against one’s self.
6. Provides a jury trial for criminal cases.
7. Provides a jury trial for civil cases.
8. Protects against cruel and unusual punishment.
9. Protects private rights that are not listed in the Constitution, like marriage and
the right to have kids.
10. Protects states’ rights (if the rights are not granted to the Federal government,
then they belong to the states).
V.
Political Developments of a New Nation
A. President Washington
1. Washington was chosen to be the first president under the Constitution. John Adams
was his Vice President.
2. As the first president, Washington created precedents, which later president would
follow. This was very important.
3. One precedent was the cabinet to advise the president on critical issues:
a. Thomas Jefferson – Secretary of State (foreign affairs)
b. Alexander Hamilton – Secretary of the Treasury (economic issues)
c. Henry Knox – Secretary of War (defense of the country)
d. Edmund Randolph – Attorney General (legal advisor to the country
and the president).
4. First challenge faced: a poor economy
a. Washington focused mostly on foreign affairs and the military. He left
the economic affairs to Hamilton
b. The national debt was the first financial problem Hamilton believed
needed to be solved to improve the U.S.’s financial reputation and
strengthen the nation on the world stage.
c. Hamilton’s plan:
i. The states pay off the money owed to foreign countries and
private citizens.
ii. The Southern states disagreed with the plan because they
had accumulated less debt than the Northern states and
would have to pay more than their fair share.
iii. In exchange for the Southern states paying off the debt, the
South would get to have the nation’s capital, Washington,
D.C., located within its region.
d. To help build a strong economy, Hamilton proposed the creation of
the Bank of the United States, which would allow for private
investment in stock as well as grant loans to citizens. Jefferson did
not support this move.
e. Hamilton proposed a tariff to protect new American industries from
foreign competition, which was strongly opposed by the agrarian
South. Taxes were also placed on whiskey distilled in the U.S.
Jefferson did not support this move.
5. The Whiskey Rebellion and Troubles in the West
a. Farmers in western Pennsylvania distilled whiskey and used it as a
currency. The tax placed on the whiskey forced prices down and the
farmers suffered.
i. The farmers revolted and attacked tax collectors.
ii. Washington responded to the revolt by ordering the militia
and U.S. Army to western Pennsylvania. This set the
precedent that the president could use military force when
6.
7.
B.
necessary to maintain order in the nation. It was a highly
controversial move that Hamilton supported and Jefferson
did not.
b. Native Americans and settlers on the western frontier were
skirmishing as more settlers moved into the Northwest Territory and
took land away from Native American tribes.
i. The Battle of Fallen Timbers crushed the Native American
resistance to white settlers in the Northwest Territories.
ii. The Treaty of Greenville took away all Native American
claims to the land in the Northwest Territories and forced
them to move west of the Mississippi River.
Foreign Policy Problems
a. The French Revolution was a bloody revolt against a king and
economic depression.
i. Hamilton argued that America should stay out of it because
the people might turn against the new government much as
the French had turned against their aristocrats.
ii. Jefferson argued that American should support the French
in their revolution because the French supported the U.S.
in her revolution to overthrow a tyrannical king.
iii. Washington chose to remain neutral in the fight.
b. France and Britain went to war with one another.
i. Hamilton argued that America should support the British
since we could trade with them and we were very similar to
the British.
ii. Jefferson argued that America should support the French
since they had supported us.
iii. Washington chose neutrality.
Washington served two terms and then resigned from office. This created the
precedent of only two terms in office. In his Farewell Address, he urged America to
avoid the creation of political parties and to remain neutral in foreign conflicts.
The First Political Parties
1. Washington disapproved of political parties and believed that they would divide the
nation.
2. Hamilton was the leader of the Federalist Party. Federalists were people who had
supported the Constitution for ratification and were supporters of Washington.
a. Strong federal government.
b. Admired Britain because of its stability and distrusted France
because of the violence during its revolution.
c. Favored the national bank and manufacturing.
d. Believed the federal government had implied powers not specifically
stated in the Constitution.
e. Did not believe the citizens had a role in the government other than
electing representatives. Public office should only be held by those
with an education and property.
3. Jefferson was the leader of the Democratic-Republican Party. Republicans were
generally people who had been against ratification of the Constitution unless a Bill of
Rights was added.
a. Strong state government and limited federal government.
b. Feared a strong federal government would endanger the civil rights
of the citizens.
c. Supported the French because they took down a strong aristocratic
class.
d. Favored farming and agrarian lifestyle.
e.
f.
Believed in a strict interpretation of the Constitution. Only believed
the government had implied powers that were absolutely necessary
to carry out the expressed powers.
Believed ordinary people should participate fully in government
instead of just a small group of individuals.
C. The Presidency of John Adams
1. John Adams (a Federalist) won the presidency, while Thomas Jefferson (a
Republican) won the vice presidency.
2. The XYZ Affair
a. France seized ships carrying American cargo enroute to Britain.
b. Adams sent delegates to France to negotiate a treaty with the
French. French Foreign Minister Charles de Tallyrand refused to
mean with the delegates and sent three agents, X, Y, and Z, instead.
X,Y, and Z demanded a bribe.
c. Adams refused to pay the bribe.
3. The Alien and Sedition Acts
a. Americans were suspicious of immigrants living in the country,
especially those who had come from France, wondering if those
immigrants would remain loyal to the country if there were a war.
Adams’s administration came under heavy criticism in the
newspapers.
b. The Alien Act allowed the government to imprison any immigrant or
expel any immigrant from the country who was considered
dangerous to the nation.
c. The Sedition Act allowed the government to imprison any newspaper
reporter who published negative comments about Adams’s
administration arguing that negative comments weakened the
country and incited rebellion.
d. The acts were supported by the Federalist party while the Republican
party viewed them as an attack on free speech and the freedom of
the press.
4. The Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions
a. Republican response to the passage of the Alien and Sedition acts.
b. Claimed the acts violated the Constitution and could not be put into
action. The Constitution is the highest law of the land.
c. Suggested that states could nullify federal laws that violate the
Constitution based on the idea of states’ rights.
D. The Election of 1800
1. Federalists nominated Adams for president and Pinckney for vice president.
Republicans nominated Jefferson for president and Burr for vice president.
2. Bitter campaign with lots of mud-slinging back and forth between the two parties.
3. Electoral deadlock between Jefferson and Burr. Because of the deadlock, the House
of Representatives had to decide the election. Jefferson won because Hamilton urged
a supporter to vote for him, not Burr.
4. To prevent another tie from happening, the Twelfth Amendment was passed. Now
the president and vice president candidates run together, instead of against one
another.
VI.
Foreign Policy Issues of a New Nation
A. Policy of Neutrality
1. Washington created the policy instead of getting involved in the conflict between
Britain and France as well as the French Revolution.
2.
B.
The United States will remain neutral and not take sides in foreign conflicts, nor will the
United States ally itself with foreign nations.
The Louisiana Purchase – President Thomas Jefferson
1. The French controlled a large portion of the North American continent west of the
Mississippi River as well as the key port of New Orleans.
2. Jefferson offered $10 million to purchase the port of New Orleans. Emperor Napolean
Bonaparte offered to sell all of Louisiana and the port of New Orleans to the U.S. for
$15 million. Jefferson accepted.
3. The purchase of Louisiana was controversial and the Federalists opposed the idea
because it was unconstitutional. The Constitution did not grant the president the power
to spend the U.S.’s money or to expand the nation.
4. Jefferson commissioned the Corps of Discovery, led by Merriwether Lewis and William
Clark, to explore the Louisiana Territory.
a. Three Goals:
i. Map and record the territory (Did it!),
ii. Make friendly contact with the Native Americans (Did it,
especially the Nez Perce and Shoshone), and
iii. Find the Northwest Passage (There isn’t one).
b. Sacagawea, a Shoshone guide, assisted the Corps of Discovery.
C. The Barbary Pirates – President Thomas Jefferson
1. Trading in the Mediterranean was very dangerous because of the Barbary Pirates who
attacked ships and demanded tribute to allow ships to pass peacefully.
a. Presidents prior to Jefferson paid tribute to the Barbary Pirates to
allow trading to continue peacefully believing it was less expensive to
pay the tribute than to go to war.
2. In 1801, the leader of the Pirates demanded more tribute and Jefferson refused to pay
the higher amount leading Tripoli to declare war on the U.S.
a. U.S. ships blockaded Tripoli.
b. Pirates seized the U.S. ship Philadelphia, which was set afire by the
crew.
c. War ended when Tripoli stopped demanding the payment of tribute.
d. Jefferson ultimately paid the tribute.
D. Impressment of American Sailors – President Thomas Jefferson
1. Britain and France were fighting one another while the U.S. traded with both countries.
Britain and France lost patience with the U.S.’s neutrality.
a. Britain blockaded France’s coast and threatened any ships
attempting to trade with France. Britain began impressing American
sailors captured by the navy into service of the British navy
proclaiming they were British deserters.
2. Jefferson banned trade with Britain and all foreign countries under the Embargo Act
as a means of avoiding war with Britain.
a. Act was a failure because it wiped out American commerce.
E.
Threats on the American Frontier – President James Madison
1. Settlers moving west into Native American lands created conflicts with the tribes.
a. Tribes began trading and communicating with British settlers in
Canada and Michigan. Tecumseh created a confederacy with British
support to defeat the white threat to Native American land claims.
b. Following the Battle of Tippecanoe, Tecumseh and his followers
joined forces with the British.
2. The War Hawks (Henry Clay and John C. Calhoun) wanted war with Britain – for land
and national power. Madison asked for a declaration of war in 1812.
F.
The War of 1812 – President James Madison
1. America was unprepared for war because of a lack of support in the nation, a lack of
military leadership and a small regular army.
2. Lake Erie came under American control forcing the win of the Battle of the Thames at
Detroit.
3. The U.S. had large battle frigates like the U.S.S. Constitution and privateers who
captured British ships.
4. Andrew Jackson defeated the Creeks at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend.
5. The British burned Washington, D.C. and then headed to Baltimore.
a. D.C. held no strategic value other than psychological defeat.
b. Battle of Fort McHenry inspired Francis Scott Key to write “The Star
Spangled Banner.”
c. Navy defeated the British at Lake Champlain forcing the end of the
war because the British saw war as too costly and unnecessary to
maintain.
6. The Treaty of Ghent ended the war but changed nothing between the U.S. and Britain.
7. The Battle of New Orleans occurred after the signing of the Treaty but before word
reached the U.S. Andrew Jackson became the Hero of the Battle of New Orleans after
a decisive victory against the British.
8. Patriotism surged through the U.S. following the end of the war. The U.S. gained the
respect of other countries around the world.
G. Making America’s Mark in the World – President James Monroe
1. The War of 1812 created a sense of national unity and patriotism while helping to
establish the U.S. as a super power in the world.
2. Spain lost control of its North American colonies (Mexico, Florida, and South American
countries).
3. The Monroe Doctrine was issued stating the U.S. would not interfere with existing
European colonies in the Western Hemisphere; however, future colonization by
European countries would be seen as a direct threat to the U.S. and the U.S. would
respond with military force to defend the hemisphere. It is still part of American foreign
policy.
VII.
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The Worlds of the North and South
The Industrial Revolution was the change from hand-made goods to machine-made goods. It started in Great
Britain with the textile industry and spread to the United States.
The North
o The North’s economy was based on manufacturing. The textile industry was mechanized. Francis
Cabot Lowell founded a series of textile mills in Massachusetts. He hired young women to work in
his mills. The young women lived in his factory towns and used their earnings to buy food, shelter,
and other necessities. Some young women ended up owing money to the company. It was very
dangerous work. Some of the people lived on small family farms, growing food for the North.
o Northern cities were dirty and crowded. Many people left their farms to move to the cities to take
jobs in factories. Immigrants and African Americans suffered severe discrimination in the cities.
They were only able to get jobs in factories or doing the jobs no one else would do (like the police).
Immigrants and African American settled in their own ethnic neighborhoods to make the
adjustments to life in the U.S. easier. These neighborhoods preserved cultures, languages, and
religions. It also led to increased discrimination by Nativists. Nativists had their own political party –
The American Party.
 The Irish flooded the U.S. following the potato famine.
 The Germans settled in the U.S. after a failed political revolt in their own country.
o In the North, all children attended public schools until the 8th grade. Girls were finished at that point
and returned home to learn from their mothers how to run a household or went to work in the
factories. Some boys moved on to secondary school if their parents could afford to send them and
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I.
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

they showed aptitude for it. Most boys however were done in the 8th grade. They went to work or
were apprenticed to learn a trade.
The South
o COTTON IS KING!
o The South’s economy was based on agriculture and slavery. Following the creation of the cotton
gin by Eli Whitney, cotton became the most profitable of all cash crops grown on plantations in the
south. It increased the need for slaves. There was very little industry in the South. They were
forced to import from Europe or purchase from the North items needed for survival, such as food.
o Southern society centered around life on the plantation. Only 10% of the population actually lived
on plantations; however, the planters were the wealthiest individuals in the south so they dictated
society. Yeoman farmers owned no slaves and ran small, family farms. The wives of the planters
ran the plantations.
o Life under slavery was harsh. They developed extended families on the plantations because they
feared being sold and separated from family members. Slave codes were passed by the Southern
states to restrict the movement of slaves and prevent slave rebellion. They also made it illegal for
slaves to read and write. Plantation owners feared the rebellion of their slaves. Nat Turner led a
rebellion that killed 55 whites. Many slaves escaped slavery on their own, simply running away (or
in one case, mailing themselves north). Other slaves escaped along the Underground Railroad.
Manifest Destiny
The belief that the United States was pre-ordained to control the North American continent from sea-toshining-sea.
Six factors led to people moving west: knowledge of the trails west; new economic opportunities; population
growth; availability of cheap, fertile land; belief in Manifest Destiny; knowledge of overland trails; and cheaper
and faster transportation.
The Indian Removal Act
o In the 1830s, the USA was expanding west. Many Native American tribes still lived in the east.
President Andrew Jackson and Congress wanted to relocate the Native American tribes to west of
the Mississippi River to land that was deemed unsuitable for farming so that farmers could use the
land in the east for growing cotton.
o Jackson also believed moving the Native Americans west would end conflicts between white
settlers and Native Americans, bringing peace to the country.
o Jackson pushed the Indian Removal Act through Congress. The act allowed the president to trade
Native Americans for land west of the Mississippi.
o The Cherokee Nation refused to move because they had been granted their land in Georgia
through the New Eochota Treaty. Georgia refused to recognize the Cherokee law. The Cherokee
Nation sued the state of Georgia twice. The U.S. Supreme Court said the Cherokee did not have a
right to sue because they were not citizens of the U.S.; however, they also said the Cherokee had
the right to hold onto their tribal lands.
o Jackson ignored the Supreme Court’s ruling.
o In 1838, under President Martin Van Buren, 17,000 Cherokee were forced to walk west on the Trail
of Tears, led by General Winfield Scott. They were held in concentration camps during the long
summer before the move during the worst winter of record. 5000 died along the Trail before their
arrival in Indian Territory (Oklahoma).
o The Potowatomi Tribe (local to Edwardsburg) were also removed to Oklahoma under the Indian
Removal Act.
o Many Americans supported the Indian Removal Act because it allowed whites to settle quality land
and moved Native Americans out of the way of white settlers. Many Americans did not support the
way the Cherokee were moved.
Oregon
o Great Britain, Spain, Russia, and the United States all laid claim to the Oregon Territory. The U.S.
claim was based on Lewis and Clark’s trip west.
o The first Americans to go to Oregon were fur traders, who traded with the Native Americans. They
were known as mountain men. When the beaver ran out, they settled and began farming. They
recorded their lives in diaries and letters that went back east encouraging others to move west.
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Narcissa Whitman was the first woman to travel west to Oregon.
Oregon Fever spread through the east and people headed west on the Oregon Trail. They faced a
difficult 6 month journey overland or 9 month journey by sea. The majority of people who set out for
Oregon either died along the journey from injury or cholera OR they turned back due to the
difficulty of the journey.
American Stephen Austin founded a colony in Texas, promising to learn Spanish, become a
Mexican citizen, convert to Catholicism, and obey Mexican laws. He didn’t do it; and, neither did his
colonists, which annoyed the Tejanos (Texas-born Mexican citizens).
Texas asked for independence, but it was denied, which led to violence.
Texas organized an army to fight for its independence against Mexico and its leader, Santa Anna.
Santa Anna and the Mexican army laid siege to the Alamo mission in San Antonio, Texas. After 12
days, Mexico broke through the walls of the Alamo with cannon fire. All of the defenders were killed
in the battle. The defeat at the Alamo was used as a rallying call for Texas and its war for
independence.
Texas declared its self independent and named itself the Republic of Texas, or the Lone Star
Republic.
Texas defeated Mexico at the Battle of San Jacinto. Santa Anna gave Texas its independence in
exchange for his freedom.
Texas was annexed by the U.S., but only after much debate. Northerners were against annexation
because Texas allowed slavery. Southerners were in favor of annexation because Texas as a
cotton-producing state with slavery.
California
o California was the home to Spanish missionaries and Native Americans. Californios were
California-born Mexican citizens. American traders and settlers followed the Santa Fe Trail west to
California in search of GOLD, which was discovered in 1849. It led to a population boom as people
rushed west. Cities flourished with the influx of new citizens. Most 49ers had no experience mining
and failed miserably. They turned to selling goods and providing services to the miners instead.
Levi Strauss was a failed miner who made lots of money by selling durable denim to miners.
The War with Mexico
o Both Mexico and the United States claimed Texas. They disagreed about the location of the border
between Texas and Mexico, which led to war.
o California declared its self independent of Mexico, naming itself the Bear Flag Republic.
o The Military Academy at West Point, New York was founded following the War of 1812 to train a
professional fighting force. The graduating class of 1846 were the first graduates to see actual
action in the War with Mexico. This class included Ulysses S. Grant, Thomas Stonewall Jackson,
George McClellan, George Pickett, George Meade, PGT Beauregard.
o Zach Taylor (aka Old Rough and Ready) led troops in an assault on Mexico and forced Santa
Anna to retreat. General Winfield Scott (aka Old Fuss and Feathers) led the assault on the capital.
With the capture of the capital, Mexico surrendered.
o The Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo set out the conditions of the surrender. It set the border between
Texas and Mexico at the Rio Grande, ceded the Mexican Cession to the U.S., and settled the
rebuilding of Mexico for $15 million.
The Gadsden Purchase: The U.S. purchased a small strip of land along the southern edge of Arizona and
New Mexico for $10 million for the purpose of connecting California to Texas by rail.