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Period: 40,000 BCE to
Beginnings to Exploration
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2000 BCE
Maya
The Mayan civilization was the most prominent of the Mesoamerican civilizations. The priests developed a mathematical system, calendars, and solar years. They even continued bloodletting and ballgames. The Mayans grew a writing system contained of hieroglyphics. They recorded historical events, astronomical data, and religious/ mythical texts. A caste system was created to separate the people. It was split into 3 parts; upper, middle, and lower and ranged from nobles, soldiers, and slaves. -
1200 BCE
Olmecs
Native American societies included Mesoamerica which contained many diverse civilizations, one of them being the Olmecs. They were the very first advanced civilization and used bloodletting (a method for "medicine") which the Mayans would continue in their civilization. The Olmecs also built pyramids and the earliest known one is called La Venta which is in Tabasco. They basically invented chocolate since they were the first to roast cacao beans! Unfortunately, this civilization fell in 400 B.C. -
1347
The Black Death
The Black Death, also known as the Bubonic Plague, was one of the most destructive pandemics in history. It reached Europe in 1347 and eventually Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Believed to come from rats and fleas, it caused people to have a high fever, aching limbs, and fatigue. Next, swelling and color of lymph nodes turned black which is where the disease gets its name. Boils appeared on the body and victims even vomited blood. This killed a third of Europe's population and spread easily. -
1492
The Columbian Exchange
The Columbian Exchange was a transfer between the New World and the Old World thanks to Christopher Columbus. Due to the arrival of the Europeans, diseases such as smallpox, measles, typhus, and chicken pox killed many. The New World brought tobacco to the Old World which resulted in many dying. Imports of new animals to Americas included pigs, cows, and horses which introduced new foods like potatoes, beans, rice, and tomatoes. The New World crops led to a great growth in population and economy -
Oct 12, 1492
Columbus: The 4 Voyages
Christopher Columbus was an Italian navigator and explorer. He completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean. His goal was to sail west because he believed it was the quickest route to Asia. In doing this, he actually discovered the Americas. In the first voyage, he spotted land named San Salvador, Bahamas. On the second voyage, he returned with 1,000 Spaniards and the disease wiped out natives. The third voyage was a mismanaged colony while the 4th was when he thought he reached Asia. -
Jun 7, 1494
Treaty of Tordesillas
Once Columbus came back from his voyages, Spain and Portugal were in a rivalry for the new lands. The Treaty of Tordesillas was created in order to straighten out conflicts over the new lands that were discovered by Christopher Columbus. They met in Northwestern Spain to discuss the division. It was signed on June 7, 1494. Since the Pope had the power, he was the one to divide the land. The result came to be that Portugal gained Brazil while Spain obtained the lands of the west. -
1517
Martin Luther: 95 Theses
In 1517, the Catholic church made people believe that they could pay to have their sins forgiven. They thought they were paying their way to heaven, but the church was really just doing this for profit. These were called indulgences and provoked an outrage in Martin Luther. He writes a piece of paper called the 95 Theses that points out how he believes what Pope Leo X is doing is wrong. He also mentions that these indulgences are giving people false faith. This begins the Protestant Reformation. -
Virginia
Roanoke, also known as the "Lost Colony," was one of first colonies of Virginia. People believe colonists either caught a disease or abandoned it. After this came Jamestown which started off as a private charter from the English Crown in 1606. They exaggerated the gold and wealth. Out of the 105 settlers, only 32 survived the Winter. John Smith was able to introduce tobacco to Jamestown which practically saved their society. They also held the headright system which allowed 50 acres to anyone. -
Period: to
English Colonial Societies
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Maryland
George Calvert was also known as the Lord Baltimore. Calvert converted to Catholicism and later founded Maryland. He did this as a sanctuary for Roman Catholics to practice their religion. Maryland was in fact, named after the King's wife, Anne Mynne. Cecil Calvert later inherited his father's title and became the "new" Lord Baltimore. Cecil became a proprietor and required for settlers to have provisions. Tobacco was their main cash crop and indentured servants helped them thrive. -
New England Colonies
The New England Colonies included Plymouth, Massachusetts, & Connecticut. Plymouth contained Puritan settlers who sailed on the Mayflower. They landed 100s of miles North. The Mayflower Compact was then established in 1620 as a way of governing Plymouth. The Massachusetts Bay Colony had John Winthrop as their governor, but he managed it harshly selected married people to be settlers. In 1650, Quakers began in England and started off as a city of friendship. They QUAKED at the word of the lord. -
Nathaniel Bacon
At the end of the seventeenth century, there was a famous rebellion known as Bacon's Rebellion. Nathaniel Bacon the leader of this rebellion and wanted to remove all Indians. He organized this as an opposition to William Berkeley, Nathaniel had an issue with the way Virginia's government ran things. Since the government was not protecting colonists, he gathered followers of his and burned down Jamestown and Indian settlements. Before he died of a sudden fever, he tried to lower tobacco prices. -
Glorious Revolution
James II was the first Catholic monarch in the English throne in over a hundred years. He wanted a Spanish style colonial government and to ally England and France. Later, Parliament dissolved and his daughter, Mary and her husband overthrew James' throne in 1688. Mary and William of Orange changed and shifted power in England and were sent to invade it. The Glorious Revolution was bloodless and James had ousted himself. Mary was for a Protestant colony while her father wanted Catholicism. -
Salem Witch Trials
Witch hunts had been going on in such places as France, Italy, Germany, and England for 300 years which is why it was familiar. This began with a slave practicing voodoo. In the small village of Salem, accusations of people casting spells of fraternizing with the devil grew. The bible did not condone witchcraft, but the trials were more political than religious. Fear was violent and when it was over, dozens were killed. We know of these trials because of personal diaries and other writings. -
The Enlightenment
The American Enlightenment was an eye opener for reason & science. They aimed for science & not superstitions because they were starting to question pre-conceived notions. John Locke was a famous philosopher & one of the biggest influences. Known as the father of liberalism, he said that natural rights should be "life, liberty, & property." Sir Isaac Newton's impact was great because he created calculus and explained universal gravitation. Benjamin Franklin and Adam Smith were important as well. -
Act of Union
In 1707, English and Scottish Parliaments passed the Act of Union. This united England and Scotland which developed into the establishment of the United Kingdom of Great Britain. They did this because of how poor Scotland's performance was so combining it with England would help. New Britain became an empire and Parliament was the head of it. The colonies still had local control, but there was a new federal system with central authority. This act brought changes in colonial government. -
Period: to
Colonial America
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Triangular Trade
In eighteenth century life, many people were blinded by luxury goods. Many colonist become Anglicized and there was an "imitation" of the English society. The Triangular Trade allowed for commerce to expand between the Americas, Europe, and Africa. Goods were shipped from Britain to Africa and West Africa would then send Britain slaves in exchange. Slaves were also shipped to the West Indies and traded for rum and sugar. The West Indies also supplied America with molasses, sugar, and slaves. -
The Great Awakening: John Edwards
The Great Awakening was an attempt to drive people to change their perception of religious beliefs and practices. John Edwards was an American minister and philosopher who participated in this revival. Edwards worried that people had lost their direction of God and thought many were blinded by luxury. He decided to preach a famous sermon in Massachusetts to a couple hundred people, but many were afraid of becoming religious. He said "people are like spiders hanging over a pit of domination." -
Upper and Lower South Slavery
In the lower south, Carolina, two thirds of their population included slaves. They evolved from frontier settlements and rice was their main staple crop. Slaves had the most knowledge of rice, but were worked very harshly. Although both the upper and lower had slaves, lower was more dominant with them. The upper south (Chesapeake Colonies) treated their workers better than the lower did. They replaced slaves with indentured servants divided into smaller groups. There were many slave rebellions. -
Colonial Economies
Most of the immigrants came from England and Wales, but others came from Northern Europe. Many of them could not afford the trans-Atlantic voyage (indentured servants). The North American markets comprised of fishing, ship building, Atlantic trade, and religious toleration in New England. In the Mid-Atlantic, they had European trade, agriculture, and a diverse society. The lower south was also religiously diverse, but had a large number of slaves with rice being their main crop. -
Seven-Years War/ French and Indian War
The French and Indian War was also known as the Seven Years war. England, France and Spain fought for territory. Britain and the colonies wanted more western land while France desired more land south. The British decided they wanted to settle the Ohio River Valley in order to see if France or Britain should be the dominance in North America. They ended up sending an army and militia to control the Ohio territory, but it went bad with many setbacks. The Treaty of Paris ended this war in 1763. -
Treaty of Paris -- 1763
The Treaty of Paris in 1763 ended the French and Indian War. This ended the French rule in North America and Britain would now control New France (Canada). The map was now altered and France only had Haiti and some small islands of Canada (Saint Pierre and Miquelon). This treaty was momentous because the British were now more powerful and could be a big threat to other countries. Although this was a big win for the British, the war was very costly and they were in debt. -
Period: to
The Revolutionary War
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Revenue Act/ Sugar Act
After the French and Indian War, Britain's financial situation was having a downfall. Parliament was near bankruptcy and there were new revenues that gave the British the idea to put taxes on sugar. This was called the Sugar Act or Revenue Act and made the colonists very upset. They resisted the taxes and voices their displeasure with petitions. Colonists believed they should not be responsible for the government's debt. Britain even had private property searches without warrants. -
Stamp Act
After the Revenue Act in 1764, the Stamp Act began in 1765. This was harsher and Parliament demanded direct taxes from the thirteen colonies. This tax was required on all papers and the most affected people were lawyers and printers. The Stamp Act Congress was a meeting that included nine of the thirteen colonies' representatives to discuss their disagreement with the Crown. After this, protests then erupted and the Stamp Act was repealed in 1766. This triggered many protests in the later acts. -
Boston Massacre
In 1770, a crowd of people in Boston harassed British soldiers with snowballs. They were so upset from seeing the soldiers and because of all the taxes they had to deal with, they decided to attack. The soldiers felt they needed to protect themselves, so they started firing at the crowd. The outcome of this massacre was the British Army killing 5 of the Bostonians. Paul Revere created a drawing of it which was America's first propaganda. After colonists saw this drawing, it made them outraged. -
Boston Tea Party
In 1773, drunk Bostonians dressed up and disguised themselves as Indians. They tossed chests of tea that belonged to the East India Company as a protest. The Tea Act angered them so much that they believed doing something like this would make a difference. Three hundred forty chests were lost in the Boston Harbor. The colonists said "no taxation without representation." Because of this, Parliament eventually passed the Intolerable Acts in 1774 which closed part of Boston. -
1st Continental Congress
After all the different acts and taxes that Parliament passed, the colonial leaders were concerned. Twelve of the Thirteen Colonies sent delegates that met together in Pennsylvania, this meeting was also known as the First Continental Congress. The delegates discussed a plan and recommended that colonies should boycott British goods. They hoped the Crown would denounce the Intolerable Acts. Patrick Henry warned of a coming conflict and said "give me liberty or give me death." -
Common Sense
Thomas Paine in this time very much disagreed with the way Parliament was treating colonies. He writes a book called "Common Sense" which soon became widely popular and it was cheap. In this book, he argues for independence, attacks monarchy, and introduces a democratic representative government. After the release of "Common Sense," many American colonial views of monarchy had changed. His book influenced many people to question and finally realize they had enough of the British rule. -
The Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence was a document that finally declared the colonies united and independent states. This stated that all men are created equal with human rights. Thomas Jefferson wrote the draft which it would then be completed on July 2, 1776, but signed on July, 4 1776. The colonists saw that independence was not an option, the declaration was their only chance of finally being free. Although many wanted to get rid of British rule, there were some loyal people called loyalists. -
Battle of Saratoga
In 1777, the Battle of Saratoga was a climax and turning point in the Revolutionary War. The British surrendered themselves to America which gave America a major victory. The British denied the merging of armies. After the French saw this American victory, they thought maybe America had a chance of winning the war so they offered support. France then committed their troops and navy to aid American troops. They later signed a treaty and Spain decided to join the war. The Revolution became global. -
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The Constitution
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Articles of Confederation
In 1781, the Articles of Confederation was ratified. This document was the first constitution created and without it, we may not have the Constitution today. The AOC was so weak, it just was not working because the Articles did now allow for the government to have enough power over the states. They could not enforce laws, they were in debt, and the states were on the powerful side. Congress was constantly at a shortage of money. It was just a weak national government overall so they took it out. -
Shay's Rebellion
On August 31, 1786, Daniel Shay wanted to create a movement for a new Constitution since the Articles of Confederation was so weak. He was a leader of Revolutionary War veterans & news began to spread. The rebellion constructed a realization that it was urgent for change so leaders got on board. This rebellion was post-war recession & many people were struggling. Specifically, farmers were in a troubled situation since many of their farms were seized. The question would be if the U.S. survived. -
Northwest Ordinance
In 1787, the Northwest Ordinance was adopted and created a new system for admission to the Union. It also included a bill of rights, governors, and legislatures. There were three principles apart of this document: a division of Northwest territory, admitting new states into the Union, and a protection of the people for freedom. The Northwest Ordinance still rejected slavery and forbid it in the territory. The Ohio River in fact was in the middle of the free and slave states. -
Issues: Slavery
Slavery was still an issue and the south and north disagreed with how they should be dealt with. They did not know how slaves should be represented since the southern states were pro-slavery while northern states were anti-slavery. They then reaches a compromise called the Three-Fifths Compromise which was proposed by James James Wilson and Roger Sherman. It was to determine how many slaves would be counted when it came to population. This meant each slave would only count as 3/5 of a person. -
Three Branches
The federal government is divided into three groups known as the three branches. Theses branches include a judicial, legislative, and executive. The executive branch (white house) contains the president and vice president. This branch signs and vetoes laws. The judicial branch has a supreme court and decides if laws are constitutional. Lastly, the legislative branch includes a Congress, House of Representatives, and senate. They make laws and have two senators from each state. -
The Virginia Plan
Many people began to realize that the Articles of Confederation was not working. James Madison created the "Virginia Plan" and drafted it, but this plan was shown to the Constitutional Convention by Edmund Randolph. Virginia consisted of large states and they wanted to tear up the AOC. They proposed to have a two house legislature with a lower and upper house. The plan also wanted a national government with three branches, checks and balances, and representation based on the population. -
The Great Debate
Since a new Constitution was just made, there were two disagreeing groups, federalists and anti-federalists. This was known as the Great Debate which included many protests. Federalists supported the Constitution and a powerful central government, but they opposed the Bill of Rights. They wanted checks and balances to preserve the government and a famous leader of theirs was John Jay. Anti-federalists, however, supported the Bill of Rights, states' rights, and less government. -
Election of 1788
In 1788, under the new Constitution, we had our very first presidential election. This election lasted from December 15, 1788 to January 10, 1789. George Washing ran with no opponents and won since he was seen as a God-like figure. He was everyone's choice and became president easily, but we still needed a Vice President. John Adams was favored to win the position and came in second place with no running mates. Washington earned 69 electoral votes while John Adams earned 34. -
Period: to
New Republic
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Bill of Rights
In 1791, the Bill of Rights was created. The federalists opposed the bill of rights, but the anti-federalists supported it. It included amendments written by James Madison with rights that would protect citizens' alienable rights. This would give certain constraints on the government's power and guarantee people a sense of representation/ liberty. The very first ten amendments are what make up the Bill of Rights and include such rights as right to bear arms, freedom of speech, and others. -
Whiskey Rebellion
In 1794, Alexander Hamilton thought to put taxes on whiskey to help get rid of the national debt. This was the first major domestic test of the Constitution & affected many Pennsylvania and Kentucky farmers. The reason Alexander chose to put taxes on whiskey was because it was very important to their economy and earned a large profit. The farmers decide to revolt and six thousand of them threaten to attack Pittsburgh.This divides young Republic in two (east and west). Washington leads the army. -
Internal Conflicts
In 1795 a very important treaty between the United States and Great Britain was made. This treaty is called Jay's Treaty (John Jay) and cleared up issued from the Treaty of Paris 1783. British were to vacate forts and later a Republican outrage came. This was supposed to satisfy Britain and the U.S. In Spain, they had Pickney's Treaty which granted U.S. access to Mississippi and set a boundary with Florida. New Orleans also became a port. There were barbary pirates that interfered with trade. -
Election of 1796
Washington does not seek a third term after running 2. This would later set a "policy" that no president would go over two terms. We were in need of a new president, so Thomas Jefferson ran against John Adams. Adams was a federalist while Jefferson was a republican. The outcome of this election would be that John Adams would win and Thomas Jefferson would be the Vice President. There were no running mates and Vice President goes to second place. This led to Washington's Farewell Address. -
Washington's Farewell Address
After Washington's eight years running as President. His time was done and it was time for John Adams to be President so Washington writes a farewell address.This address was to advise Adams how to be a good president and in it, he says to avoid conflicts. He also says to not have permanent alliances, but temporary alliances would be fine. He said this so the conflicts would not be as bad. The urgency of Americans to avoid exaggerated political spirit was in his address to keep peace. -
Election of 1800
This was the end of the naval war. John Adams was seen as weak, so there was a divided party and republicans took over. Thomas Jefferson defeated Adams in this election, but tied with someone named Aaron Burr. Since they tied, it was up to the House of Representatives to decide who would win. Hamilton and Burr hated each other. Alexander Hamilton convinces the House to vote for Jefferson since he was the lesser of two evils. The 12th amendment will require separate ballots for VP and President. -
Jefferson Administration
The man who wrote the draft for the Constitution ran for President in 1800. After his victory in the election of 1800, Jefferson wanted a reduction of government. He encouraged agriculture & a nation of farmers, as well as embraced political conflict and dialogue. He was mocked by federalists because he was such a simple person and had a simple demeanor because he dressed very casually. He was personally attacked and owned an enslaved woman named Sally Hemmings. He put the U.S. in national debt. -
Period: to
The Age of Jefferson
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Louisiana Purchase
There was not enough room for people in America so they needed to move west. The Louisiana territory was controlled by France first, then given to Spain, but Spain later ceded the territory back to France. Jefferson will then send Robert Livingston and James Monroe to negotiate with the French for New Orleans. In 1803, the French give Jefferson a sudden offer to buy the Louisiana territory for 15 million dollars. This will be known as the Louisiana Purchase and doubles the size of their land. -
Hamilton vs. Burr
On July 11, 1804, Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr went up against each other in a duel. Duels at this time were illegal but Hamilton hated Burr. Burr was the Vice President because Hamilton made sure Jefferson won the presidency. They both go to New Jersey to hold this duel and Hamilton believed that Burr would not shoot because if he did, he would be held at murder. Two shots went off and Hamilton was hit and went into critical condition. He is then brought home, but dies the next day. -
Madison Presidency
In 1809, Jefferson's presidency ends and James Madison becomes the new President of America. He inherits the Embargo Act which became a big problem because of how much the economy was hurt. The South and Northeast were the most affected and this whole thing upset the British. The British would then give natives guns and supplies to attack America. Tecumseh was a symbol of native resistance with Shawnee as their leader. They raided American settlements with the supplies given by the British. -
War of 1812
Many wanted war with Britain and in 1812, America declares war with the British although they had the most powerful navy. They wanted war because the British were forcing Americans into the naval service and destroyed the U.S. Chesapeake. The Embargo Act of 1807 upset British and they gave natives guns and supplies to fight Americans. The act was repealed in 1809 due to its negative effects on the U.S. The British defeat America from Canada and the war ends with the Treaty of Ghent in 1815. -
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The American Industrial Revolution
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Changes in Transportation
Not only did the Industrial Revolution bring a change in agriculture, but also a change in transportation. The roads became more modern along with inventions like the steamboat, canals, and railroads. The National Road was created and extended from Maryland to the Ohio River. From the steam engine, John Fitch was able to present a steamboat that would carry passengers and cargo. Canals are man-made waterways and the most famous one is the Erie Canal. Good were transported faster and were cheaper -
Florida
After the war and after the Rush-Bagot Treaty, the United States wanted Florida from Spain. The Adams-Onis Treaty was created to settle these claims and was signed on February 22, 1819, by John Quincy Adams. They also settled the western limitations of the Louisiana Purchase and Spain will then cede the Florida territory. Andrew Jackson "defends" this from Indians. To restore, the United States would give recognition to Spain on their dominance over Texas. This led to the Monroe Doctrine. -
Technological benefits of War of 1812
After the War of 1812, there were technological advances and innovations that took place. The Industrial Revolution begins and the Embargo during the war is what caused innovations. Firearms, steam engines, agriculture, and more production came out of the war and benefited the economy very well. The cotton gin was invented by Eli Whitney which easily removed seeds from cotton. Cotton production began exploding while slavery was at a downfall, but this is what brought its rates skyrocketing. -
Changes in Agriculture
In 1820, new advancements in technology were being created and this was known as the Industrial Revolution. Such things that were invented included the iron plow, crank churns, and the cotton gin. The iron plow was invented by John Deere and allowed for farmers to break through tough soil without getting it stuck to the plow. The crank churns improved how butter was made. Lastly, the cotton gin which was invented by Eli Whitney and brought back an increase in slavery and production. -
Second Great Awakening
The Second Great Awakening began around 1800 and picked up around 1820. This awakening was religious and especially emphasized religious romanticism. It was emotional and discussed supernatural things along with rejecting secularism and deism. Not only this, but they also wanted to bring attention to how morality was being taken over from economics and politics. This meant people were losing sight of what was right and what was wrong. Charles Grandison Finney believed in free will and preached. -
Slavery
In the 1820s, African Americans were getting closer to finally being able to be free. Abolitionists were freeing slaves gradually over to Africa and Liberia. Although many wanted to stop slavery, there were also many that wanted slavery to continue because they believed African Americans were inferior. They were called anti-abolitionists and they held rallies to denounce abolitionists. They even had bonfires to burn abolitionist literature. The Gag Rule: Congress forbidden to speak at abolition. -
Temperance Movement
In the 1820s, a movement began called the temperance movement. In this time, there were measures that needed to be taken so people would finally abstain themselves from alcohol. The popularity of alcohol was actually introduced by churches and spread rapidly. Alcohol consumption began to be so bad that people drank alcohol all day. Eventually consumption of alcohol was reduced and some states even went so far as to ban it. Many people from the war died from alcohol than the actual war. -
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Cultural Changes
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Election of 1824
In 1824, Andrew Jackson was known as the Common Man and ran in the election. This election had 4 candidates with no picked successor. The candidates were John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson, William Crawford, and Henry Clay. Jackson won the popular vote, but not the votes from the electoral college. In the end, John Adams won and this made Jackson very angry and bitter. Th House was persuaded to elect Adams as President with Clay as secretary. This as seen as the corrupt bargain. -
Texas
In 1824 Texas, also known as Tejas, received land grants in which Moses Austin secured. Stephen F. Austin was very important, but there were conditions to the settlement. People would have to become Catholic, Mexican citizenship, learn Spanish, and get rid of slaves. The whites had outnumbered the Hispanics. Many Texans disobeyed Mexican laws, but by the 1830s, there were about 30,000 settlers. Eventually Texas got their separation from Mexico. The Texas Revolution had the siege of Bexar (Alamo) -
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Age of Jackson
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Election of 1828
After the Election of 1824, came the Election of 1828. Jackson had a new strategy for his campaign, he would keep humble origins and have democratic values. Republicans would later fade and there would be a more modern democratic party. This was the first ever modern election because there were personal attack on Jackson, the candidates attacked each other as womanizers. They also came after Jackson's wife, Rachel, and became very brutal. Some said "let the people rule." -
Jackson Administration
Jackson wins the Election of 1828 overwhelmingly and becomes the "people's President." He was the first elected by Common Man and the inauguration was very rowdy. His wife Rachel dies before the inauguration and a spoils system was created. It replaces the bureaucracy system with its own supporters. Some scandals forced most of the cabinet to resign and later the Nullification Crisis comes. It includes Congress raising import taxes, Tariff Act of 1832, and textiles which affected South Carolina. -
Nature and Architecture
Within the new advancements, the nature and architecture were evolving. The idea to build parks was new and allowed for people to get away from their fast paced lives. From this, cemeteries began to follow this design along with a rural cemetery movement. As for the architecture, it was a revival for the Greek with new creations such as furniture. Towns were growing in design and the buildings of Greek culture. Some cities in Greece included Syracuse, Ithaca, and Troy. -
Nat Turner's Rebellion
There were some runaway slaves in this time and many fled North and to Indian territory or swamps. Many of them resisted and Nat Turner decided to lead a rebellion in 1831. It was the largest state rebellion with Northerners viewing the rebellion as heroic. Results of this were that slaves preaching were outlawed and assaults on whites were now a capital offense. Southern states made new laws known as the slave code. Some laws included limited travel for slaves and no reading or writing. -
Election of 1832
A new election came around the corner, the Election of 1832. It included a democratic party (Jackson) and national republicans (Henry Clay). Clay was anti-Jackson and was also up against William Wirt. He started nomination conventions and had a party platform. Jackson hated the Bank of the United States and Clay thought the bank was the issue to win the election. Nicholas Biddle was the President of the 2nd Bank of the U.S., but Congress petitioned him. Jackson vetoes the bank renewal and wins. -
Election of 1836
In 1836, Martin Van Buren went against some Whig Party candidates. Buren was also known as the Old Kinderhook and barely won the election against the Whigs which were led by William Harrison. From Buren's nickname, is where we got "ok" from. Martin inherited a bad economy and later finance became such a big problem that it was known as the Panic of 1837. The United States was experiencing this crisis under Martin Van Buren's presidency so his name became popular as "Martin Van Ruin." -
Transcendentalism
Transcendentalism was a movement that was both philosophical and social. It advanced in New England around 1836 as a response to rationalism. It said that society interfered with the morals of people. In other words people wanted to believe in the goodness of others & nature, but organizations have corrupted humankind. Important people that participated are Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Nathaniel Hawthorn. Emerson was a philosopher with a well known essay called "Self-Reliance." -
Changes in Communication
In 1837, Samuel Morse created the telegraph. This allowed for long distance communication and it could do this because it was transmitted through electrical signals over wires between stations. From this, new was able to spread more quickly and impacted people's lives with industry, government, and social parts. Printing became very popular and raised a popularity in advertising as well. It created a sense of communication in the societies and things became more modern. This allowed for -
Trail of Tears
Where Cherokees lived, there was a sudden find of gold. Andrew Jackson decided he wanted to remove all the Indians and this was called the Indian Removal Act of 1830. This gave him presidential power to exchange the Indian land. Cherokees will go legal and it was the nation vs Georgia. SCOTUS gets involved and dismisses the case. Jackson forces the Cherokees out of their home and thousands will die while relocating to Indian Territory (Oklahoma). This became known as the Trail of Tears. -
Labor Changes
In 1840, there were many undergoing changes since the start of the Industrial Revolution. We went from having a majority of agriculture to industrial. Mostly coming in north and the south could not keep up. Artisans would go out of business and women got more involved in the industry. Lowell Mills was a factory in Massachusetts with a working system called the Waltham System. This system meant that the factory would be worked by young girls. They earned more money, but worked in bad conditions. -
Southern Society
The southern society around the 1840s was split into 3 classes. These 3 groups included the planters, Yeoman farmers, and tenant farmers. The majority of planters did not own slaves and if they did, then it would only be about one to nine. They were the ruling class of the South while Yeoman farmers came under them. 75 percent of Yeoman farmers did not own slaves and they were the middle class. They also relied on not only planters, but also each other. The tenant farmers were the lowest class. -
Slavery
Slavery was at a decline, but once the cotton gin was invented by Eli Whitney, it started increasing again. More cotton would now be processed since the cotton gin sped up the process of taking seeds out. More clothing would be made which meant field slaves would work from sunrise to sunset. Cotton would be half of the U.S. exports. In the lower south, they had dark, rich soil and cotton cultivation spread west. A lot of money was made, but the cotton exhausted nutrients in the soil. -
Millennialism
Millenialism is a religion and they believed Christ was coming for Judgement Day. Some of them had the day of return picked already and William Miller told many about a day he believed Christ was coming, but it was all false. Shakers were celibate and believed in no relation. They were also communistic and believed in equality among the sexes. Mormons came from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Joseph Smith found Golden Tablets in 1823 and appealed to farmers and traders. -
Manifest Destiny
Manifest Destiny is the belief that the expansion of the United States west would happen. By the 1820s, Americans were dominating with huge profits from fur trade. Beavers eventually decline because they were almost hunted to extinction. Because of this, fashion changes and trappers disappeared by the 1840s. Trappers' expedition brings information about western lands. Jacksonian Democracy were for whites in the west because they believed in Native Americans' extinction. -
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Westward Expansion
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Great Migration
Many were migrating and Oregon gave them a new opportunity. This was known to be the Oregon Trail. The Great Migration consisted if white people in the 1840s and was an overland trail. This took five to six months. As for the Mormon Migration, they were victims and this migration included different communities in the Midwest. It required members to deed property to church. Joseph Smith was killed by an angry mob while he was in jail. Brigham Young brings Mormons out of the Midwest to get away. -
Election of 1844
Texas came back to debate over slavery and annexation. For the Election of 1844, the candidates were John Tyler & James K. Polk. Tyler was a Whig and Polk was a Democrat. Polk was also known as the young Hickory & he had 3 goals. He wanted to annex Texas, settle the Oregon border with British, and settle the Mexican border. Texas ended up being annexed before Polk's inauguration and he sends a diplomat to discuss buying SW from Mexico (Rio Grande and Nueces River). James K. Polk defeated Tyler. -
Wilmot-Proviso
The Wilmot Proviso was a political firestorm and proposed by David Wilmot in 1846 to the House of Representatives (Pennsylvania). This proposed a stop to the spreading of slavery into states acquired from the Mexican American War, but it stated that slavery can stay where it was. This proposal was not approved. Democrats and Whigs would later both split into pro-slavery and free soil factions. Popular sovereignty allowed for states to choose their own path of being a slave state or free state. -
The Mexican-American War
The Mexican-American War was over the border of Texas. Zachary Taylor was an important person who was seen as a hero in the war. A Mexican dispatch attacked Taylor & later Polk asks for declaration of war. America then declares war & has a march from Kansas to California. There was a Bear Flag Revolt which made California gain independence from Mexico. The War would be over after two years, ending in 1848. Mexico was overwhelmed and occupied by the U.S. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ended it. -
Seneca Falls Convention
Women began to desire more rights so they could be as equals with men. Everyone had to work to make it and industrialization changed everything. Women were now working in cities outside of their home. This led to The Seneca Falls Convention in 1848. It happened in New York with three hundred men and women with organizers, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott. The media influenced and made mostly negative coverage for women, but the convention would be a cornerstone for future suffrage. -
Election of 1848
For the Election of 1848, Lewis Cass & Zachary Taylor participated as candidates. Cass was a Democrat & Taylor was apart of the Whigs. He was also a Mexican-American War General & slave owner. Taylor was also not a man of parties & his views were mostly unknown. His campaign in the South was pro-slavery, but in the North, he was for Wilmot-Proviso. The Free-Soil Party was formed with Martin Van Buren. They supported Wilmot-Proviso & resented Southern influence. Zachary wins the election easily. -
California Gold Rush
In 1848, there were new territories and slavery was still an ongoing question. In California, gold was found and this came to be known as the California Gold Rush. After hearing of this news, thousands migrate and California became a territory in 1848. It then became a statehood in 1850 and very wealthy. The gold was easy to find so mining began in 1852 with supporting industries. The Chinese also migrated over to find opportunities, but they worked in the worst mines: they faced racism. -
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Sectionalism
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Underground Railroad
After the Fugitive Slave Act got into action, runaway slaves could be brought back to their owners. The Underground Railroad reached a high point around 1850 and was a way for fugitive slaves to escape. Abolitionists helped these slaves escape from the south and into safe houses. Harriet Tubman was a famous African American known to help many slaves escape. Between 1830 and 1860, about one hundred thousand slaves were freed. These slaves went to Canada because the border allowed for them to stay -
Compromise of 1850
Henry Clay wanted to make California free, divide New Mexico, settle the Texas border, and have a stronger slave law. Zachary Taylor dies and afterwards the Compromise of 1850 is established with 5 parts to it. It stated that California would enter as a free state, New Mexico and Utah would later decide on slavery, and Texas would relinquish disputed western lands. It also said slave trade would be banned in Washington D.C. and the Fugitive Slave Act was made (the returning of runaway slaves). -
Election of 1852
In the Election of 1852, Franklin Pierce & Winfield Scott ran against each other for realignment. Pierce was a Democrat while Scott was a part of the Whig Party, Scott allied with anti-slavery Whigs, but the Whig Party began to fall. As a result of this election, Franklin Pierce won. This election was the Whig's last go at it, they would not participate in any more. Pierce won two hundred fifty four electoral votes while Scott only won forty two. The Whig party was not able to appeal to voters. -
Industrialization vs. Agriculture
The North began to increase their industrialization & had things such as steam engines. The immigrants provided cheap labor for them and their economy grew exponentially. They also had railroads which connected the Northeast and Midwest along with waterways that connected the North and South. This also helped a lot with transporting food, but the South mainly relied on cotton. 4 million slaves still worked in the South. They resented North's progress and couldn't keep up with industrialization. -
Election of 1860
John Breckinridge & John Bell were Democrats. Bell was apart of the Constitutional Union Party & a former Know-Nothing. They were up against Abraham Lincoln who was a Republican & had few political enemies. He had a moderate approach to slavery which is why the South was so upset with Lincoln. The Democrats ended up dividing which is why Lincoln won the election. There were secessionist rallies held across the South. South Carolina was the first to leave in 1860 with many more states following. -
North
The North's population contained twenty two million people. With their industrialization, they had one hundred ten thousand factories and a 1.5 billion industry. Ninety seven percent of the north included weapons and manufacturing, but also ninety four percent was clothing. They also had ninety percent shoes and boots. They had been technologically advancing so much that the north even had thirty thousand miles of track for railroads. They believed in upholding the Constitution and fought for it -
South
The south's population and technological advancements were not as high. The population only included nine million people and out of those, 3.5 to four million were slaves. Now for their industrialization, they had eighteen thousand factories and a one hundred fifty five million dollar industry. Compared to the north, the south had barely any weaponry/ manufacturing, only three percent. As for the railroads, the south had nine thousand miles of track, but their military leadership was competent. -
Battle of Bull Run
The Civil War was the bloodiest war in American history with the Battle of Bull Run being the first major battle. It happened in 1861 in Virginia with 30,000 Union troops from the Army of the Potomac marching South. Both sides of this war thought it would end quickly so they both had rapid military strikes at each other. It resulted in being a humiliating defeat for the Union with their troops fleeing to D.C. After this, Lincoln decided he was going to authorize an enlistment of 1 million men. -
Slaves During the War
During the Civil War, many slaves fled to the North for liberalism, but some slaves were taken for contraband. With Lincoln as president, he said the War was to preserve the Union & he also became about the freeing of slaves. In 1862, free blacks were allowed to fight as soldiers. After the Battle of Antietam, the Emancipation Proclamation was when Lincoln declared slaves to be free. The proclamation also stopped Britain from entering the war & border states were allowed to keep their slaves. -
Fort Sumter
In 1861, the first battle of the Civil War began. It was called the Battle of Fort Sumter which South Carolina was the first to fire. Lincoln told South Carolina of ships that would be resupplying the fort. After this, South decided they needed a show of force so they thought they needed to attack before the ships arrived. P.G.T. Beauregard assaulted Fort Sumter which led to the surrender of Garrison. Lincoln declared the South in a state of insurrection. 75,000 men called to put down rebellion. -
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The Civil War
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Sherman's March to the Sea
Near the end of the Civil War, William Sherman led about 60,000 soldiers on a march. He was a Union General leading them from Atlanta to Georgia and they decided to take Atlanta. The marches to Savannah, Georgia cut the Confederacy into thirds. He thought of the method of scorching Earth as in destroying everything along the way in their march. This also brought war to the civilian populace and would issue special field order #15. 400K acres of land owned by planters will divide into 40 plots. -
Election of 1864
For the Election of 1864, Abraham was running for his second term and was very afraid he would lose the election. The Northerners were weary of the war. Northern Democrats attacked Lincoln's wartime setbacks and some Democrats nominated George McClellan who hated Lincoln. McClellan was the leader of the Army of Potomac and had the army well trained relatively quickly. Sherman's March to the Sea and capture of Atlanta gave Lincoln a boost in the election. He ended up winning fairly easily. -
Reconstruction Plans
After the Civil War, there were two plans for the South for reconstruction. Abraham Lincoln had a 10% plan (Amnesty and Reconstruction Plan) in 1863. It pardoned all southerners, but not officers/officials. People had to take an oath of loyalty, apply for federal recognition with a new state government. There was also a Wade-Davis Bill which punished Confederate leaders, destroyed slave society, & some made an oath declaring they never helped the Confederacy. They wanted commitment to the Union. -
Andrew Johnson Administration
Andrew Johnson was the vice president to Abraham Lincoln & became the President after his assassination. In order to implement reconstruction, he had a plan. He opposed secession, but he was blatantly racist. Johnson promoted a lenient readmission policy which required an oath, return of all property, & renouncing secession. He also was going to ratify the thirteenth amendment in this policy. High ranking Confederates were pardoned & property was restored. Most states failed to live up to terms. -
Freedom Amendments
In 1865, the 13th amendment was passed followed by the 14th & 15th years later. The 13th amendment abolished slavery which Lincoln & radical Republicans passed before the end of the Civil War. The 14th amendment granted citizenship to those who were born in the United States. As a result, former slaves were allowed to be citizens. Now with the 15th amendment, it granted universal male suffrage for African Americans and it was necessary to protect the black votes. Women wanted suffrage as well. -
Life for Whites Reconstruction South
During the Reconstruction Era, whites' lives in the South were different. Southern Republicans included former slaves, white southerners, & carpetbaggers. Some wanted to steal from Southerners & others were opportunistic. They believed the party was the quickest way to improve. Carpetbaggers/Northerners, moved South for economic opportunities. Scalawags were whites who were considered traitors by other Southerners. They were from poor regions, but got wealthy by manipulating black voters. -
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Reconstruction
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Lincoln's Assassination
On April 14, 1865, Abraham Lincoln attended a play at Ford's theater which was in Washington D.C. This happened five days after the Appomattox Courthouse. Lincoln was sitting at the top enjoying the show and suddenly a man named John Wilkes Booth comes behind Lincoln & shoots him. Lincoln resulted in dying the next day which left the country in hopelessness. The funeral procession attracted many millions on the railroad tracks to see Lincoln's funeral. The hunt for John Wilkes Booth was insane. -
Black Codes
Black Codes were laws that not only limited economic opportunity for African Americans, but also civil rights. It applied across the South and African Americans experienced an exploitable workforce which meant they were treated very unfairly. They even outlawed interracial marriage and serving on juries. Vagrancy meant that African Americans were arrested for wandering or not having a home. They were forced to work on plantations to pay off a fine they couldn't pay off which continued slavery. -
Election of 1868
The candidates in the Election of 1868 were Ulysses S. Grant & Horatio Seymour. Seymour was a Democrat while Grant was a Republican who wanted political moderation and peace. This election showed that there were whites in the North and South who were racist. The votes coming from black became very important. There was violence & intimidation of the whites because they did not think black votes should be valuable. This was the first election during the Reconstruction Era with Grant as the winner. -
Election of 1876
For the Election of 1876, Samuel Tiden (Democrat) and Rutherford Hayes (Republican) ran against each other. During this time, there were issues of corruption, reconstruction, & the economy. Tiden won the popular vote, but the electoral vote was unclear. After this came the Compromise of 1877 which Rutherford Hayes was then given all the electoral votes. Hayes then agreed to end Reconstruction so he removed federal troops from the South. This was the beginning of suppression for southern blacks.
