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Period: to
American Revolution to the Civil War
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The Federalist Papers (Politics)
During the debate between Anti-Federalists and Federalists over the ratification of the Constitution, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay wrote 85 essays together to convince readers to join the Federalists and accept the ideas of a new government, new laws, and protective rights. The Anti-federalists accepted ratification after the Bill of Rights was added. ABC-CLIO -
Manifest Destiny (Society)
In 1790-1850, the idea of Manifest Destiny arose. Manifest Destiny was the belief that God had given the Americans a duty to inhabit the whole continent. Americans also wanted to ensure the security of their country by having it border both oceans without other countries being apart of their God-given land. Manifest Desitny captured the whole nation and became a part of society. ABC-CLIO -
The First Fugitive Slave Act (Slavery)
Congress passed the first Fugitive Slave Act requiring all states, even anti-slave states, to return all runaway slaves with force if necessary. Also there were harsh punishments on those who aided slaves in attaining their freedom and or interfered with the capturing of the slaves. The Second Fugitive Slave act was passed in 1850. History.com -
The Cotton Gin (Innovation)
Eli Whitney created the cotton gin in 1793, patented officially a year later. The cotton gin was a small machine that removed seeds from cotton, a laborous work if done manually, which in fact encouraged slave trade when slavery was starting to die out.
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George Washington's Farewell Address (Politics)
As Washington left his second term as president, he wrote his Farewell Address warning of the consequences of permanent alliances and foreign entanglements as well as dangers to political parties within American. This was because political parties would divide the U.S. within itself and foreign alliances would drag the U.S, into unwanted foreign wars and conflicts. href='http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=true&doc=15' >Our Documents</a> -
Election of 1796 (Politics)
The Election of 1796's top two candidates with the most votes were Thomas Jefferson, Democratic-Republican and John Adams, Federalist. The candidate's supporters relfected the candidate they supported and began to be distincly different in political views showing signs of early political parties. When Adams won it was significant because it showed how the losing party accepted defeat
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The Louisiana Purchase (Expansion)
The Louisiana territory was purchased by the U.S. from Napoleon of France for $15 million. Approximately 827,000 square miles was added to the original thirteen colonies more than doubling the size of America. Jefferson bought the land because it was so cheap and its immense size. Monticello (Louisiana Purchase) -
Indian Removal Act (Expansion)
Andrew Jackson signed for the Indian Removal Act in 1830 to force Native Americans out of American territory onto lands west of the Mississippi. Those who did not leave U.S. land peacefully were forced out and trekked many miles in harsh conditions. The Cherokee, Choctaw, Seminole, Chickasaw, and Creek tribes were some of the tribes forced on this "Trail of Tears" and 4,000 of just Cherokee indians died. Library of Congress -
The Underground Railroad (Slavery)
Slavery was a controversy in the developing America and strong anti-slavery supporters, like Harriet Tubman, began to guide slaves from the South up to the North and Canada to their freedom. One estimate says that between 1810 and 1850, the South lost 100,000 slaves. In 1831 the secret passage to freedom was nicknamed, the Underground Railroad. PBS -
American Anti-Slavery Society (Society)
William Lloyd Garrison and Arthur and Lewis Tappan formed the American Anti-Slavery Society, a slavery abolition group. This society was an attempts at an organized group of various slavery rebellious groups. They spread ideas of emancipation and slave abolition through sermons, lectures, campaigns, newspapers, pamphlets, petitions, and first hand accounts of slavery. ABC-CLIO -
America's Intro into Photography (Innovation)
Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre introduced his invention of daguerreotype photography in Paris, 1839. Matthew Brady studied this concept and opened his own photography studio in New Yok in 1844 and him and his team documented the American Civil War. This innovation changed society as it brought the reality of war back to the people. History -
Transcontinental Railroad (Innovation)
Asa Whitney makes the talk of a transcontinental railroad reality and takes his team to survey the land for the railroad. The locomotive connected the quickly expanding territory of America and provides work for many Americans as well. The railroad made trade efficient and replaced horse travel and canals for transportation. First Transcontinental Railroad -
Mexican-American War, addition of California and New Mexico (Expansion)
President James K. Polk wanted to expand U.S. territory even more and attempted to buy the land of California and New Mexico from Mexico for $30 million. When he was refused he sent American troops to intice warfare and after Mexico shot first, the official war began until Mexico City was captured. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo marked America's victory and signed over the land.
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Refugee Home Society (Society)
Henry Bibb and his wife Mary Elizabeth Bibb founded the Refugee Home Society, an African-American self help group to fight slavery aided by other abolitionists. This group sheltered fugitive blacks, provided homes and food for them and began to create one of the most influential anti-slavery societies in America.
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Platform of the American Anti-Slavery Society and its Auxiliaries (Slavery)
ABC-CLIO.com This is a publication by the American Anti-Slavery Society in New York in 1855. The Anti-Slavery Society in New York sent a platform for a slavery free, African tolerant society. Slavery was one of the issues that caused the American Civil War which divided the North and South.
