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Period: to
1776 to 1861
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Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederation was writting to help govern the newly-united 13 colonies. There were 12 articles in the Articles of Confederation. Congress were given many powers such as powers over, war, peace, and diplomacy. The significance of the Articles of Confederation is that it was America's first attempt of having a government. It did not become successful in the long run and was later on replaced with the Constitution. The Articles of Confederation belongs to the politics category -
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. -
Constitution ratified
The "supreme law of the land," the U.S. Constitution was drafted by legislators in Phildelphia, Pennsylvania between July and September 1787. The delegates had originally met to revise the Articles of Confederation but decided instead to discard the articles and create an entirely new form of government. The delegates worked to achieve a delicate balance by establishing a government powerful enough to be effective but not oppressive. The resulting document established the country's republican pr -
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 -
Bill of Rights
The first 10
Amendments to the
Constitution were adopted to protect
W
e the People from excesses of
government.
At this time,
W
e the
People meant only white males who
owned property and were over 21
years old.
The states decided how
much property must be owned to
qualify to vote or run for of
fice.
(New Jersey white women who met
property and residency requirements
could vote when the Constitution was
ratified, but the state revoked that
right in 1807. -
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 -
Marbury v. Madison
This case established the concept of judicial review
.
The Supreme Court ruled that they were supreme,
and Congress did not contest it.
This gave them the
power to make law -
Louisiana Purchase
Napoleon Bonparte decided to sell the Louisana Territory in order to fund for the wars in Europe and it would be difficult for him to defend the territory from invaders. Bonaparte offered the 828,000 square miles of vast land for $15 million. Jefferson seeing it as a great deal, agreed to buy the land. The significance was that America's land increased in size The Louisiana Purchase belongs to the expansion category. -
Dartmouth College v.Woodward
This decision turned a corporate charter from a government-
granted privilege into a contract that can not be altered by
government.
The word “corporation” does not appear in
the Constitution, and this ruling gave the corporation
standing in the Constitution. It also made it dif
ficult for
the government to control corporations, so states began to
write controls into the charters they granted.
The Supreme
Court had “found” the corporation in the Constitution -
Utopias
The first utopian community was introduced in New Harmony, Indiana. The idea came from the cooperative living theories of social reformer Rovert Dale Owen. He thought humankind's salvation came from rational thinking. cooperation, and free education. The significance of utopias is that it showed people that it is impossible to live in a society that is perfect and flawless. Utopias belong in the innovation category. -
Transcontinental Railroad
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
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.PBS -
Refugee Home 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.ABC-CLIO -
Platform of the American Anti-Slavery Society and its Auxiliaries
ABC-CLIO.comThis 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. -
Dred Scott v. Sanford
Supreme Court decides that slaves are property
and Congress cannot deprive citizens of their
property
. Slaves are “not citizens of any state”
and “have no rights a court must respect.”
This decision is the functional opposite of
Somersett’
s Case
