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Louisiana Purchase
America purchased over 530,000,000 acres of land from Napoleon Bonaparte in 1803 for the small price of $15 million. Area included is in between Mississippi River and Rocky Mountains, about 15 modern-day states. Made the US very wealthy because of richness in resources, expansion of size, and transportation on the Mississippi River -
Annexation of Texas
In 1836 Texas declared independence from Mexico and formed its own Republic. Due to lack of funds in treasury and threat of invasion from Mexico, Texas had a shaky existence until 1845, when they asked to be annexed into the US Because Texas was annexed, it allowed the US to expand west and later on, Texas became an oil producer and cattle industry state. -
Gadsden Purchase
In 1854, Mexican president Antonia de Santa Anna sold present day southern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico (29670 square miles) to negotiator and minister James Gadsden for $10 million. This allowed for southern transcontinental railroads, the manifest destiny and resolved conflicts from the Mexican-American war. -
Labor in the North vs Labor in the South
The North underwent industrialization before the South and by 1860, 90% of manufacturing output came from the North. The North was also very mechanized. The South depended on slave labor and cotton for their source of income as well as crops instead of manufactured goods. Their industrialization was very lacking and farming was done by hand instead of by machines. There were also less railroads and factories in the South than in the North. -
The Election of Abraham Lincoln
In 1860, the republican party chose Abraham Lincoln as their representative for office. Abraham Lincoln won the election through the electoral college and this separated the North and the South, creating the Union and the Confederacy. -
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The Civil War
America's bloodiest war, with over 700,00 Americans dying. The Union (North) was anti-slavery while the Confederates (South) were pro-slavery. The Union argued that slaves were human beings and that it was inappropriate for them to be exploited and the Confederates argued that slaves were a huge part of their economy. The war ended in the Spring of 1865 when General Robert E. Lee of the Confederates surrendered his army at Appomattox Courthouse. -
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Transcontinental railroad
The transcontinental railroad made travel from East to West much more safer as well as faster. Once gold was discovered in California and Oregon, a safe and cheap way was needed for transportation. Through two companies competing for who would finish the transcontinental railroad first, Irish and Chinese workers flocked to the United States for work. In the end, when the railroad was finished, the cost of traveling across the country dropped from $1,000 to $150. -
Economy of the New US
Known as the "Gilded Age" and considered as the peak of the US Industrial Revolution. During this time, there was rapid economy and technological growth. However, corrupt monopolies took advantage of the lower classes to earn a ton of money. Trade flourished, monopolies had a ton of power, urbanization and inequalities became apparent, and Labor Unions and Progressive movements arose because of this time period. -
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Immigration to the United States from other Countries
Many immigrants came to the US for greater economic opportunities and religious freedom. However, they were viewed as inferior and were also viewed as competition for jobs. This lead to such things as the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act. These immigrants came by the numbers and set up home in slums. These living conditions were poor and many people died from the spread of disease. In big cities, rival gangs clashed and tycoons saw the opportunity to exploit immigrants for hard work with little pay -
Dreyfus affair
Dreyfus was a Jewish Artillery Officer in the French Army that was wrongly accused of passing military secrets to the Germans. He was sentenced for life. A few years later, evidence proved that he was innocent and in fact, a different military officer was passing information to the Germans. Dreyfus was pardoned and eventually exonerated and reinstated in the army. Through Dreyfus, we can see the where the term "innocent until proven guilty" is first used. This influenced the US Court System. -
Roosevelt Corollary
The Roosevelt Corollary was an addition to the Monroe Doctrine that allowed the United States to station military forces in Southern America to establish internal stability, expanding relations with Southern America, and to prevent Europe from invading the Americas. -
21st Amendment
The 21st Amendment repealed the 18th Amendment, the Amendment that banned the selling of alcohol. This was the first amendment to ever repeal another amendment before it and from it came Liquor Licenses, the rise of the US Economy, the rise of moral standards, and the end of social disruption through the form of gangs.