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The American Dream: The Invention of the Steam Boat
With its first patent in 1729, the steam boat was a large turning point for transportation. It made the transport of both people and goods much faster and easier, making the process of money-making more efficient and faster for those involved. -
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The American Dream: The 2nd Great Awakening
The Second Great Awakening was a religious movement in the United States in the early and mid 1800s. It was during the Second Great Awakening, that people began to gather at large religious meetings called revivals. It led to two movements in reform, one of which was the Temperance Movement, which believed that drinking alcohol had a negative effect on society. The other was abolition, which sought to end slavery. -
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Conflict: The Whiskey Rebellion
The Whiskey Rebellion was a tax protest against the first tax imposed on a domestic product by the newly formed federal government. This tax on whiskey was intended to generate revenue to reduce the national debt. With strong opposition leading to a large-scale armed protest, military power was sent in to suppress the rebellion. This demonstrated the power of the national government and their ability to take down resistance to its laws. -
Leadership: Proclamation of Neutrality
The Proclamation of Neutrality declared the United States neutral in the conflict between France and Great Britain. Washington's cabinet members all agreed that neutrality was best for the state that the US was in at the time. The proclamation also threatened legal action against any US citizen providing anything to the war. This proclamation showed the true power of the federal government and its leader(s). -
Diplomacy: Jay's Treaty
Signed on November 19th, 1794 by British and American representatives, Jay's Treaty sought to settle issues between the two countries that had been present since the introduction of American independence. It allowed for increased trade with Britain in exchange for the British giving up their forts on the Great Lakes. The treaty proved to be unpopular among Americans but kept US neutrality in place. -
Diplomacy: The Treaty of Greenville
The Treaty of Greenville followed negotiations after the Native American loss at the Battle of Fallen Timbers a year earlier, and ended the Northeast Indian War. The treaty established the Greenville Treaty Line which was, for several years, a boundary between native territory and lands open for the use of Euro-American settlers (though settlers regularly disregarded said boundary). It also established the 'annuity' system which granted federal money and calico cloth to native tribes each year. -
Diplomacy: Pinckney's Treaty
Signed in Spain in 1795, Pinckney's Treaty established friendly relations between the United States and Spain. It defined the boundaries of the United States with the Spanish colonies and guaranteed the United States navigation rights on the Mississippi River. -
Leadership: George Washington's Farewell Address
George Washington wrote his Farewell Address near the end of his second term as President, having it published publicly in newspapers across the country. Stating that he was retiring from his presidency, he also warned against the political dangers that Americans can and must avoid if they were to remain true to their values. This set a precedent for a two-term limit on presidency, which carries on to this day. -
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Diplomacy: The XYZ Affair
The XYZ Affair occured after the impressment of American ships by the French began in 1797. President John Adams, wanting to avoid conflict and war with the French, sent officials to France to dicuss the rights of neutral nations. After refusing to speak on this issue, the French foreign minister sent three secret agents (X, Y, and Z) to insist that America give a loan to France and pay a bribe. President Adams refused, and these tensions led to the Quasi War (1798-1800). -
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Diplomacy: The Alien and Sedition Acts
The Alien and Sedition Acts were comprised of four acts. The first three regarded immigration, and required immigrants to have lived in the US for 14 years before becoming citizens and gaining the right to vote. These acts also allowed the government to deport immigrants back to their home country if they were seen as a threat. The fourth act made it illegal to express negative views on the government. Many felt as if these acts went against the 1st Amendment and turned against Adams. -
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Conflict: The Election of 1800
The Election of 1800 between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson was a tough and emotional race. After the resignation of Washington, Adams, another Federalist, was elected. In the 1800 election, Jefferson, a Democratic-Republican was elected. This started the process of America becoming more democratic. -
Diplomacy: The Louisiana Purchase
The Louisiana Purchase was a land purchase made by President Thomas Jefferson, who bought the Louisiana Territory from France in 1803. The purchase added 827,000 square miles to the United States, doubling the size of the country. The Louisiana Purchase also gave the US control of the Mississippi and the port city of New Orleans. -
Diplomacy: The Embargo Act
The Embargo Act, signed into law in December of 1807, imposed a general embargo that made any exports from the United States illegal. It was sponsored by President Jefferson and enacted by Congress. The goal was to force Britain and France to respect American rights during the Napoleonic Wars. On March 1, 1809, Congress passed a law that enabled the President, to declare the country sufficiently safe and to allow foreign trade with certain nations. -
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Conflict: The War of 1812
The War of 1812 was fought between the British and the United States. The main reason that the US declared war against the British was because the British had begun impressment of American ships. The British had also been sponsoring Native American territories to stop the US from expanding westward. Though neither the British nor the Americas gained/lost territory during the war, the establishment of the Canadian border and the end of British influence among the Native Americans were results. -
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Conflict: The Hartford Convention
The Hartford Convention was a series of meetings held in Hartford, Connecticut in which the New England Federalist Party met to discuss their concerns regarding the War of 1812 as well as the problems arising from the government's increasing power. The convention discussed such issues as the three-fifths compromise, the Louisiana Purchase, and the Embargo of 1807. The arguments discussed in this meeting would ultimately be repeated in the 1850s, leading to the Civil War. -
Diplomacy: The Treaty of Ghent
The Treaty of Ghent was the peace treaty that ended the War of 1812, fought between Great Britain and the United States. The treaty restored the borders of both countries to their pre-war state and also restored relations between Great Britain and the US. -
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The American Dream: The Era of Good Feelings
The Era of Good Feelings is closely associated with James Monroe's presidency (1817–1825) and his name and the era are virtually synonymous. It marked a period in the political history of the US that reflected a sense of national purpose and a desire for unity among American citizens. The era saw the decline of the Federalist Party. President James Monroe's ultimate goal was national unity and eliminating parties altogether from national politics. -
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The American Dream: Construction of Erie Canal
The Erie Canal and its construction was significant to the United States because it connected Lake Erie and the Great Lakes system to the Hudson River, giving the western states direct access to the Atlantic Ocean without shipping goods downstream on the Mississippi River. -
Conflict: The Missouri Compromise
The Missouri Compromise was an agreement between the pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions of the US Congress. It admitted Missouri as a slave state (to please the South) and Maine as a free state (to please the North). It kept balance in the Senate between free and slave states, and called for slavery to be banned beyond what is known as the "Missouri Compromise Line". -
Diplomacy: The Monroe Doctrine
The Monroe Doctrine was a U.S. foreign policy that stated that further efforts by European nations to interfere with North America was prohibited. It also stated that the US wouldn't interfere with existing European colonies or with the private concerns of European countries.