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Proclamation of 1763
This act prohibited settlers from crossing Appalachian Mountains. This was so British could have more control of colonies. Colonists protested and started pressing westward since they had less land. -
Sugar Act
This act increased taxes on imports like sugar, rum, and molasses. This was attempt to improve tax revenues. This act brought great resentment to colonists and started protests. -
Currency Act
This act prohibited colonists from printing more paper money. They had to pay in gold and silver instead. This was to standardize Atlantic trade currency. Colonists were very angry about these regulations since there was usually lack of gold and silver, leading to low finances. -
Stamp Act
This act forced colonists to pay taxes represented from stamp on things like papers or documents. This was to help pay for British troops. Colonists petitioned king and Parliament in protest since they didn't want to pay extra tax. -
The Quartering Act
This act required colonists to provided food and housing for British soldiers. Parliament thought colonists should chip in to help soldiers that are helping them. Due to this, colonists protested in assemblies since they didn't want to care for them. -
Declaratory Act
This act declared that Parliament had the right to make laws for colonies. This was to keep colonies under same government. Colonists were outraged since Parliament could tax colonists without representation and implied more acts were coming. -
Townshend Revenue Act
This act placed duties on various consumer items. The revenue from these duties was to support British army and paid salary for people like judges or governors. The colonists decided to not import British goods since they were angry about increased duties. -
Boston Massacre
This event was in response to a series of acts like the Stamp Act and Townshend Act. This was when a fight broke out between the colonists and British troops, leading to many injured and killed colonists. This then caused several soldiers to be charged with murder and trials in response. -
The Tea Act
This act increased taxation on tea and gave control to East India Tea Company. This gave company monopoly on tea and gave parliament more money. Colonists decided to boycott tea since they didn't want to pay tax. -
The Boston Tea Party
In this event, the Sons of Liberty or the colonists dressed up as Native Americans. This way they were let on the ship and proceeded to throw major amounts of tea into the harbor. This was in response to the tax on tea even though the East India Company lowered the cost, the colonists were not happy. -
The Intolerable Acts
This was a series of 4 acts, Boston Port Act, Massachusetts Government Act, Administration of Justice Act, and Quartering Act. These were in response to The Boston Tea Party to punish colony of Massachusetts Bay. The colonists resented this because of things like closing the Boston harbor or removing ability to hold trials. -
The Battles of Lexington and Concord
The purpose of this battle was to defend and get the supplies back from the colonists to Britain so they didn't have any advantages. This resulted in the Americans winning and kick-started the Revolution. -
The Battle of Bunker Hill
This battle was to gain control of Bunker Hill so that you could see all of Boston Harbor and control all of it. Unfortunately, the colonists mistakenly picked Breeds Hill so British had gained control and General Howe was now leading the British. -
Declaration of Independence
This was a document written to free the colonists from British rule. It was to gain what they called "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." It expressed how King George lll wronged them and why the needed freedom. -
The Battle of Trenton
This was against the Hessians and the British vs. the Americans. The Americans ended up winning and got back control of New Jersey. This victory made both armies more united together. -
The Battle of Saratoga
This war was fought because General John Burgoyne was trying to invade England to isolate them. St. Leger held a truce with Peter Gansevoort offering safe conduct following a surrender but threatened a massacre. However, the Americans didn't surrender and the fight broke out. They then won after the British surrendered. -
Valley Forge
In Valley Forge, the army constructed breastwork, redoubts, and redans. It was the location of the winter encampment of the Continental Army. Even though it was not a battle, 2,000 people died from diseases and malnutrition. -
The Battle of Yorktown
In this battle Washington goes with 16,000 men and French allies to Yorktown. Cornwallis tries to escape but there isn't enough boats. America ends up winning and is a major part of getting their freedom. -
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Abolitionism
This was a movement against slavery and Atlantic trade for slaves in the U.S. This eventually lead other countries to try and eradicate slavery around the world as well. This connects to sectionalism because this movement sided more with what the northerns believed. They had always wanted slavery to be abolished and focused less on slaves than the south. The south section likely disagreed with this act, causing further conflict that made the north and south separate themselves. -
Treaty of Paris
This a document written by certain American politicians that established their freedom, boundaries, etc. It also forbid slaves. This brought the revolution to an end and brought peace. -
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Westward Expansion
Westward expansion was when the nation went through different wars, laws, or other events in order to gain land in the west. The concept of nationalism helped create the idea of Manifest Destiny, where everyone in the nation was striving for expansion. This benefited the entire country and all of its people from the rising advantages, therefore supporting the idea of togetherness throughout the country. There was not a part of the country that was against expansion. -
The 3/5 Compromise
The U.S. had a hard time figuring out whether or not to count slaves for representatives and votes. They made a law saying that slaves would count as 3/5 of a person for representatives, votes and taxes and said new slaves would not be allowed by 1808. This supports sectionalism because the act disrespected and disadvantaged the group of slaves, therefore treating some sections of the country well, but not all. This supports the idea of favoring one section, and separating them. -
The Whiskey Rebellion
This was when a tax to various spirits was added. Pennsylvania and other main producers were outraged and rebelled. After much conflict, Washington ultimately decided to send soldiers to take care of this. -
The 10th Amendment - States Rights
This amendment was made when people realized that the U.S. Constitution never included laws about whether or not slavery was allowed, so they gave the right for the states to decide. This could support sectionalism because this law let the south choose to have slaves for their agriculture and economic benefits, and could show they were more focused on the south. This right let all the states make decisions for their own benefit, rather than the country as a whole. -
The XYZ Affair
This was when the French were attacking American ships. The Americans wanted to negotiate with the French representatives and they referred to them as X, Y, and Z. Federalists wanted a war with France after they disrespected the Americans. -
The Alien and Sedition Acts
To protect themselves, the Americans passed these 2 acts. The Alien Act stated that the president could imprison anyone who was 'dangerous' and not a US citizen. The Sedition Act stated that it was a crime to say anything bad about the government. This was said to be tyrannical since it was contradicting the Constitution. -
Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions
This said that the Alien and Sedition Acts were too powerful, so the states could try and get rid of laws that were unconstitutional due to interference with Constitutional rights. This was supported by the democratic-republicans. This also set a precedent to show that the states could do this. -
The Embargo Act
This was an act that stated that trade would be stopped between foreign nations. It prohibited any American ships from leaving the ports to go to foreign places. Its goal was to damage the economy of the British and the French, however it also ended up hurting America's economy. Because of this, America backed out first. -
The War of 1812
This was in result of the British shooting down ships, kidnapping people, and disrespecting the US. Even though the US had their freedom, this was to prove that they really did not need the king anymore, nor did they need the British harassing the people, trade, and economy. -
McCulloch v. Maryland
This was when McCulloch and Maryland fought over if you were actually allowed to make a bank according to The Constitution. McCulloch argued that it was implied that you could but Maryland said it was never expressed. They unanimously decided that it was allowed since you needed a bank to decide taxes and handle money for the nation, which was a law expressed in The Constitution. -
The Missouri Compromise of 1820
This law said that there would be a compromise line to separate free states, and states that would vote for slavery. This separated both disputed groups at 36' 30'N. This served as a way to lower conflict between both sections by providing them each with states like Missouri, a slave state and Maine, a free state. This contributed to the idea of sectionalism when separating the main sections in the nation, and likely exaggerated their disagreements and differences with each other about slavery. -
The Monroe Doctrine
This was a policy stated by James Monroe saying that the the US was no longer allowing European colonization. It also said that the US would view this as a hostile act and that they would leave the Europeans alone if they left the Americans alone. -
Nat Tuner's Rebellion
This was when Nat Turner and other slaves from Virginia decided to revolt from being slaves. They killed approximately 50-60 white people as protest. It then resulted in Virginia adding more laws to restrict the rights of slaves. This connects to sectionalism because there is separation between slaves and free people by the increased amount of conflict. The slaves terrorized the free, and caused both sides to be upset, making them more likely to fight for what each side wants. -
Harriet Tubman
Harriet Tubman was a large contributor to ending slavery. After she escaped, she lead many other slaves to safety through the Underground Railroad. She was labeled one of the "conductors" for the railroad after her heroic acts. This connects to sectionalism because she was only concerned for her side of slaves, specifically African American people. She supported emancipation as appose to slavery and the south, further supporting sectionalism, and the need to fight for her personal section. -
The Compromise of 1850
This law stated that because the U.S. would be adding the Mexican Cession and Oregon Territory, the people of Utah and New Mexico would vote on whether or not slavery should be allowed in these states. It also said Texas would be given 10 million dollars to end the border dispute, and California would be a free state. This connects to sectionalism because the nation classified the north and south has two different sections and each wanted land or money to benefit themselves. -
Fugitive Slave Law
This law stated that slaves would be forced back to their previous states regardless of whether or not they were in a state that had abolished slavery. This connects to sectionalism because it was favoring the south by giving them their slaves for agriculture while disregarding the beliefs of the north and making them outraged. This also provides more conflict between the sections from their lack of agreements and further separated them. -
Secession
This was when multiple states across the southern part of the United States withdrew from the country and declared that they were becoming part of a new nation in an attempt to protect their own rights. This connects to sectionalism because the south was only concerned about their part of the nation and separated themselves. This most likely formed even more conflict between the north and the south, separating them further, and being a main cause for conflict and separation in the Civil War. -
The Emancipation Proclamation
This was a law passed by Abraham Lincoln saying that the states that were seceded or withdrawn from the Union would free the slaves working there. It did not free all slaves as many states were still under Union control. This connects to sectionalism because it would be focusing on mainly the south because that was the section with the most slaves. It also only applied to states that withdrew from a union. Therefore, this favors the north and what their beliefs were.