Period 4: Antebellum America

wins election of 1800
- Washington’s death in 1799 weakens popularity of Adams with Federalists
- Anti-French sentiment is high, despite Adams’ ending the Quasi-War
- Alien and Sedition Acts are extremely unpopular
election of 1800 was a peaceful transfer of power
- Adams doesn’t resist leaving the presidency
manifest destiny = US has God’s blessing to expand borders
- Jefferson buys Louisiana Purchase from France in 1803
  - Napolean needs money for his conquest of Europe
  - doubles size of US for $15 million
Spain sells FL to US and finalizes border with Adams-Onis Treaty in 1819

During Napoleonic War (1804–1815), UK and France raid US ships
- British impress Americans into their navy
British still maintain and operate forts in NW Territory (legally belongs to US)
- Battle of Tippecanoe in 1811 = British supply weapons to Shawnee and encourage attacks on IN settlers
- 4th POTUS James Madison responds by getting Congress to declare war on UK, spring 1812
Madison’s unsuccessful plan is to invade Canada because the British are weakest there
- Abandons plan because undisciplined American army are routinely repelled at border with Canada
- Canadians uninterested in joining US
- Naval battles in Great Lakes
Madison refocuses on navy, which is formidable after years of funding
- Napoleon’s exile in 1814 lets British reinforce North American forces
- Late summer of 1814 = British invade DC and burn Capitol building and White House
Treaty of Ghent signed Christmas Eve 1814, ending war
- UK agrees to withdraw from Midwest and won’t lobby for the creation of a sovereign, Amerindian country
- Word doesn’t reach Gen. Andrew Jackson, who fights in Louisiana
  - January 1815 Battle of New Orleans = surprise attack on remaining British troops to stop them taking port city
US loses War of 1812, but:
- Star Spangled Banner written
- Forges a national identity and inspires nationalism because of Battle of New Orleans

the exuberance Americans feel after War of 1812
- nationalism benefits the nation with unity
Speaker of the House Henry Clay (KY) harnesses unity to advance his policy positions like the American System
- tariffs to protect industries
- continuing national bank to foster commerce
- federal subsidies (financial aid) for transportation system
  - railroads and canals
  - Cornelius Vanderbilt
refuels manifest destiny
- SOS John Quincy Adams negotiates new land deals with Spain and UK
  - FL Purchase Treaty (1819)
  - Adams-Onis Treaty (1819)
  - Monroe Doctrine (1823)
Monroe Doctrine is Adams’ paranoia about British made manifest
- says that if Europe leaves the western hemisphere, then the US won’t meddle in Europen affairs
Latin Americans don’t believe Monroe’s pledge
- most of Caribbean is still under colonial rule, as are parts of Central and South America
- because Europe doesn’t take Monroe Doctrine seriously

strongly identifies with Jefferson’s Dem-Rep ideas
holds first campaign rallies in 1828 election, which he won
- lost in ‘24
first Democrat POTUS
pre-Civil War Democratic Party:
- anti-tariffs
- anti-elite
- anti-industrialization
- anti-immigrants
- pro-slavery
- pro-common man
Jackson’s political approach influence Dem Party until FDR:
- weak central gov
- strong states’ rights
  - until FDR
- anti-elites
- pro-common man
- anti-tariffs
- pro-slavery
  - replaced by pro-Jim Crow later
Jackson seeks to strengthen POTUS powers
- uses spoils system
- media calls his advisors his “kitchen cabinet”
- 1832 vetoes bill to renew Bank of US
  - saw it as an elitist institution that favored elites over common man
doesn’t believe Amerindians can assimilate → 1830 Indian Removal Act
- move southest tribes to west of Mississippi; “Indian Territory”
- → Worcester v Georgia
- → 1838 Trail of Tears under 8th POTUS van Buren
remaining Cherokee of GA escorted by army to Indian Territory, 800 miles away
- not all are removed (stay in Mts. or Eastern Cherokee Nation in SC)
- 25% die & belongings stolen

series of Protestant revivals
- evangelical, emphasizing a personal relationship with God but rejecting predestination
- actions & commitment to social responsibility
new denominations
- African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME)
  - backbone of abolitionist movement in the North
  - refuge place for escaped slaves
- Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS/Mormonism)
- Seventh-Day Adventists
new churches share two major themes:
1. adventism = second coming of Christ is imminent → preach social responsibility to not disappoint Jesus upon return
2. restoration = Christianity practiced as it was following the death of Jesus
reform movements originate in North
- central themes of poverty and crime
temperance (anti-alcohol) to protect women and children from domestic abuse and poverty caused by men drinking their wages
- 1835 American Temperance Society encourages less drinking but later advocates for abstinence

Following Texas Revolution, Sam Houston and the Anglos establish the independent Republic of Texas
- Houston is elected its first president
Texans expect to be annexed by the US, so no one is surprised when this happens in 1845
- However, when annexation was first proposed a year earlier, it was the key issue in the 1844 presidential election
- TX allows slavery and the expansion of slavery is a contentious issue in Congress
  - Problem solved: slaveholder James Polk (D) becomes POTUS
Mexico is furious with TX annexation because Polk supports TX’s land claims
- Texans legitimately (and wrongly) believe that they have more than twice the land they actually have, claiming all the way to Oregon and the Rio Grande
Mexico refuses Polk’s offer to buy the Mexican provinces of CA and NM
- Polk orders a blockade of the Rio Grande, where fighting has broken out between American Mexican troops
US invades Mexico 1846
- American forces are far superior; only lost one battle fought outside Los Angeles
Mexico signs the Treaty fo Guadalupe Hidalgo to end war
- Cedes CA and NM to US