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Pleased by negotiation with other countries, America enjoyed nationalism, feelings of pride and loyalty to the U.S. Henry Clay supported this unity.
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In 1817, Americans built the erie canal, encouragin gbuilding of these canals throughout the country. This made transportation much more efficient. From 1815 to 1825, the U.S. emjoyed the Era of Good Feelings.
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During the Era of Good Feelings, disagreements between nations called sectionalism threatned the union. One disagreement happened in 1819 when congress considered adding missouri as a slave state, tipping the balance in favor of those states.
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Jackson didn't always support federal power; he oposed the 2nd bank of the U.S., founded by congress. The bank was given a charter to act as the government's financial aid, but 80% of it was privately owned. Southern states opposed the bank and thought it only helped businessmen. maryland passed a tax to control the bank, but James Mcculloch refused to pay. At the trial, Mcculoch v. Maryland, the court ruled that the bank was unconstitutional.
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The seminole helped slaves amd attacked American settlemetns. In April 1818, Jackson invaded Florida and began Seminole War. He took over Spanish military posts and overthrew the governor. In 1819, both countries signed this treaty. Spain gave up parts of Florida in exchange for America to drop its claim to Texas.
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To protect free states, the house declared that Missouri was a slave state, but importing slaves there would be illegal. Southern states opposed this compromise. Henry Clay convinced congress to agree to the Missouri compromise, stating missouri could be a state if slaver was prohibited in new territories above the southern Missouri border.
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The Sante Fe trail was another path to the west, from Independence, Missouri to Sante Fe, New Mexico. It followed a trading route first used by the Native Americans. Traders transported manufactured goods in exchange for horses or silver. It was dangerous, but the trip was rewarding.
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Britain wanted to stop other countries from influencing countries in the Americas because it had trading ties. Britain wanted to issue a warnining, but President Monroes created the Monroe doctrine to warn other countries not to interfere.
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To manage Indian relocation to the west, congress apporved a new government agency, the Bureau of Indian Affaris. This agency was reposnsible for all matters relating to the Indians.
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The British could manufacture goods more cheaply than the Americans and were driving them out of business, so they wanted tariffs. However, southern states thought it would hurt the economy. Before Jackson, congress planned a tariff on imports, causing southerners to call it the Tariff of Abominations.
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Callhoun's States' Rights Doctrine was controversial. Northern States thought Americans, not states, made the Union. Conflict between supporters and opponents became known as the nullification crisis.
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In reponse to Tariff of Abominations, Callhoun drafted South Carolina Exposition and Protest, stating that congress shouldn't favor states. This advanced the States' rights doctrine, stating the since states form the government, their power should be greater than federal power.
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During Jackson's popularity, democratic reforms were made. States changed voting qualifications, lowered requirement to own property, and political parties had nominating conventions. This period in the 1820s and 1830s was known as the Jacksonian Democracy.
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As President, Jackson offered his supporters government jobs. This spoild system-practice of giving jobs to political backers-comes from the saying "to the victor belong the spoils of the enemy"
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Jackson and Political leaders wanted wanted to open up Indian land from Georgia to Mississippi to the settlers. Congress passed the Indian Reomval Act in 1830, authorizing the removal of Indians east of the Mississippi River.
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After the Indian Removal Act, congress established Indian territory, land in Oklahoma where Indians were moved to. Supporters, like Callhoun, agreed this would protect Indians from conflict.
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In 1834, a new party opposed Jackson. They were called the Whigs, after an english political party that opposed monarchy, suggesting Jackson was like a King. They favored a strong congress and weak president.
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On March 2, 1836 Texas declared independence from Mexico. Delegates to the Texas government chose politician David Burner as President. Sam Houston was made head of the Texas Army. Then, Stephen Austin, who had started a colony on the Colorado River, went to the U.S. to seek troops and money. This angered Mexican President Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna and he created a force to stop them. Then, an army of Texas volunteers under Colonel William Francis took over Alamo, a mission near San Antonio.
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The Cherokee refused to leave and the Georgia militia attacked their towns. The Indians sued the state and the court ruled that only the federal government had power over the Indians. Jackson didn't enforce this though and in 1838, U.S. troops removed the Cherokee to Indian territory. The 800 mile journey became known as the Trail of Tears because the Indians suffered from disease and hunger.
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By the 1840s, American fur trading in the pacifiic northwest was near an end. Too much trapping greatly reduced the beaver population and the demand decreased. As a result, many settlers moved west along the 2,100 mile Oregon Trail, stretching from Independence, Missouri or Channel Bluffs, Iowa to west Oregon. After the Rocky Mountains, the trail split.
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By the 1840s, the U.S. had a booming economy and population. America looked west for land for farms, ranches, and businesses. Some thought it was America's manifest destiny, or fate, to settle all land to the Pacific in order to spread democracy. O' Sullivan coined the term in 1845, saying it was God's will. This manifest destiny became tied up with whether slavery should be allowed in this new land.
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As more people moved west as a result of the California Gold Rush, one group of travelers were stranded in the Sierra Nevada Mountains during the Winter. The party began its journey west in Spring of 1846, but become lost when they left the trail to find a shortcut. A resucue party found them in February, 1847, but 42 of the 87 travelers died.
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In the 1830s and 1840s, Americans moved up the Oregon Trail to California. Although many Americans took the California Trail, most merchants just wanted to trade manufactured goods rather than establish a settlement. These merchants traded for gold, silver, and hides from Mexico. After the war, more Americans moved west in search of gold.
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The Mexican-American war ended when Mexico City was taken. In February 1848, the U.S. and Mexico signed the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, forcing Mexico to give up its northern territory. This land, which included much of the southwest, became known as the Mexican cession.
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News of the discovery of gold in California spread around the country and began the California Gold Rush. In 1849, about 80,000 gold-seekers went to California. These migrants were called forty-niners. Some migrants also came from other countries. As a result of this migration, the population of San Francisco increased from 800 in 1848 to 25,000 by 1850.
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After the war, Americans wanted to ensure a railroad to California would be built on American land. James Gadsden, U.S. minister to Mexico, negotiated the Gadsden purchase. The U.S. paid Mexico $10 million for south Arizona and New Mexico, firmly establishing the border.
