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National Period
The nature of the national period shifted over time. At the beginning, America was cheifly concerned with presenting a strong, independent, unified country to the world. With several wars going on, America wanted to seem strong and United. However, the nation was struggling to knit its various peoples together. As time moved on, and fewer threats faced the new country, the US turned its attention to genuinly unifying and connecting the country at a domestic level. -
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Confederation to Constitution
The Articles of Confederation loosley connected the various states, allowing them to act like fifedoms. The constitution created a powerful federal government, centralizing and unifying the country. This is similar to the National period, because at the beginning we were a country in theory ( Presenting ourselves as a country to the world, while struggling to build the nation up), but America progressed into becoming an actual nation on a domestic level by the end of the National Period. -
George Washington elected President
George Washington became the first president of the United States. George was very popular from the Revolutionary War. He was unanimously elected by the public, effectively uniting the country into one single unit. -
Bill of Rights
Bill of Rights made the ratification of the Constitution possible. It created a strong government that united all of the colonies. It included all of the citizens of the United States in its bill insuring that all Americans would be granted freedom. -
Proclamation of Neutrality
A statement issued by George Washington to keep America out of the war between Britain and France. It was a formal announcement declaring that the nation would be neutral. It helped dissolve many of our ties with Europe and enforce America's new found independence. -
XYZ Affiar/ Quasi-War
During the war between Britain and France, American officials refused to negotiate with France because France demanded a bribe. As a result diplomatic relations deteriorated and we engaged in an undeclared naval war with France. This affair enraged the whole American country against the French and pushed the American government into the naval war. America wanted to declare the open war, however President Adams kept the war undeclared. This united the nation under a common cause. -
Louisiana Purchase
A major Purchase from the French which doubled the size of our country. This was national because it supported the idea of Manifest Destiny and allowed our nation to grow and prosper. -
Chesapeake-Leopard Affair
This was an incident where the British ship, the Chesapeake attacked, invaded and captured American sailors from the Leopard, forcing them to impressment. During the Napolianic wars, British impressment was not uncommon.This incident managed to inflame American citizens into an anti-British ferver. -
War of 1812
America declared war on Britian because of Impressment and trading restrictions that the British imposed on Americans during the Napoleanic wars. This was the first formal war of the new country, and the majority of the American public supported and encouraged the war in the beginning. -
Treaty of Ghent
Ended the war of 1812 between America and Great Britian. It returned the two countries to status quo antebellum relations -
Burning of Washington/ Star spangled Banner
During the war of 1812, Britian invaded DC and burned the city. Also during this time, Francis Scott key witnessed the bombing of Fort McHenry and wrote the Star spangled Banner. the burning of Washington rekindled America's commitment to the war, and the Star Spangled Banner gave Americans a sense of pride for their country. -
Missouri Compromise
An agreement to prohibit slavery above the 30'36 parallel. This highlighted Americans commitment to keeping the Union together. It showed that America was dedicated to the nation, and willing to compromise in order to do so. -
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Sectionalism, the Civil War, and Reconstruction
By the end of the National Period, the nation was able to focus on domestic issues more that ever. Before, America had almost alsways been engaged in foreign conflict. In the early 1800's, sectionalism first made its appearance. These sectional differences increased, and led to the Civil War and then Reconstruction. -
Monroe Doctrine
The Monroe Doctrine was a document stating that further attempts to colonize or control any country in the Americas by Europe would be viewed as an act of aggression. It also stated America would go to war with the interfering countries. By doing so, America established its dominance over the Western Hemisphere. This consolidated the countries power and esteem. -
Baltimore-Ohio Railroad
This was the first common carrier railroad in the United States. It was created to compete with the Erie canal. The Railroad linked the country physically, and economically. -
Invention of Telegraph
The invention of the Telegraph let news and ideas travel across the country instantaneously. While the railroads connected the country with goods and people, the telegraph connected the country in a way that kept everyone on the same page. News from one part could reach anotherpart overnight. This way, citizens could know what was going on all over the country and become more involved.
