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Period: to
American Revolution to the Civil War
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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 -
Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence is the most important document in history. Richard Henry Lee proposed three resolutions which called for independence from Britain, obtaining foreign allies, and creating a form of government. The significance was that Americans were able to break away from English control and the people also gained their basic rights as human beings, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The Declaration of Independence belongs to the politics category. -
Ratifying the Constitution
The ratification process started in 1787 when Delaware had a 30-0 vote. After was Pennsylvania which had a 46-23 vote. From there on the states one by one were ratifying it. The whole country was split into two groups, Federalists who supported the new constitution and Anti-Federalists were those who opposed it. The significance was that it is one of the first written constitutions and set the systems of law and government. The Ratification of the Constitution belongs to the politics category -
King Cotton
The cotton gin was created by yale graduate Eli Whitney. Whitney wanted to find a way to make short-stape cotton profitable and with the encouragement of his employer he made the Cotton Gin.It is a machine that could separate the cotton fibers for their sticky seeds.The significance is that it led to the Industrial Revolution and it made it possible to farm short staple cotton in the southern part of the United States.The cotton gin belongs in the innovation category -
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. -
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. -
Women's Rights
Women were seen as hard-working and enthusiatic but were not allowed to speak in the American Anti-Slavery Society. Furious at this discrimination, they started to form their own anti-slavery societies. Hundreds of women met at Seneca Falls in New York and there it started the political movement of women's rights. The significance is that women were starting to be equal to men and not treate poorly. Women's Rights belongs in the innovation category -
Manifest Destiny
Manifest Destiny was the belief that the America's land should stretch from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean. This movement started from John Louis O'Sullivan, a journalist who wrote a discussion about the annexation of Texas in which it defended the United States' claim to new territories. Its significance was that it was an ideology that justified American expansion. Manifest Destiny belongs in the expansion category -
Mexican-American War
It first started when Mexico allowed Americans to settle in Texas but told them they could stay if they got rid of slaves. This caused tension between the two becuase America was greedy for land expansion. The Mexican-American war was a conflict between the United States and Mexico over the annexation of Texas. The significance is that America gained more land and it completed America's expansion from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean. The Mexican-American War belongs in the expansion category.
