Study Guide on Louisiana and Early American History
LOUISIANA
Reasons Why Spain Gave Away Louisiana
Administrative Challenges: The territory was too expensive for Spain to administer effectively.
Strategic Buffer Zone: Spain hoped that France would establish a buffer zone between Spanish territories and the expanding United States.
Secret Treaty of San Ildefonso: This treaty played a crucial role in the transfer of Louisiana to France.
Closure of New Orleans: There was concern that New Orleans would be closed again, hindering trade and access to the Mississippi River.
Louisiana's Role in Napoleon’s Plans
Resurgence of French Empire: Napoleon aimed to rejuvenate the French empire in North America, using Louisiana as a key component of his strategy.
Jefferson’s Attempt to Purchase New Orleans
Reasons for Purchase Attempt: Jefferson wanted to buy New Orleans to alleviate the economic impact of its closure on the Western United States.
Napoleon’s Decision to Sell: Several reasons led Napoleon to sell the entire Louisiana territory:
The ongoing closure of New Orleans was detrimental to the interests of the United States.
Napoleon needed financial resources, particularly after the loss of Haiti, which influenced his decision and vision regarding French involvement in North America.
The land involved in the deal totals approximately 530 million acres, with the purchase price set at 15 million.
Lewis & Clark Expedition and Zebulon Pike Expeditions
Lewis and Clark (1804-1806)
Starting Point: Leverage from St. Louis, heading northwest.
Objectives:
Find an all-water route to the Pacific Ocean.
Collect natural specimens and mapping of the area, as existing maps were inaccurate.
Gather information about Native American tribes encountered.
Zebulon Pike
Expedition 1:
Map the Mississippi to its source.
Spy on British activities in Canada.
Create detailed cartographic documentation.
Expedition 2:
Travel outside the Louisiana Purchase region.
Similar goals as Lewis and Clark, including espionage against Spain.
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Key Legislative Acts
Embargo Act of 1807
Provisions:
Halt all sales to Europe.
Beneficial for sailors but detrimental to the economy.
Nonintercourse Act of 1809
Provisions:
Permitted trade with all nations except Britain and France.
Improved the economic situation but negatively affected sailors.
Macon’s Bill Number 2 (1810)
Provisions:
Offered a deal to Britain and France, asserting US neutrality.
If the nations acknowledged US neutrality, the US would cease trading with their enemies.
Tenskwatawa’s Appeal to Native Americans
Goal: Attempted to religiously unify Native Americans in the Mississippi Valley.
Vision: Prophesized that the earth would swallow the white man, linking it to the New Madrid earthquakes.
Events Leading to War with Great Britain
Battle of Tippecanoe: Conflicted between American forces and Tecumseh’s Native Americans.
British Support: Britain supplied arms to Native Americans, compounding tensions.
Terms and Definitions
Tecumseh: Native American leader advocating for a political confederation among tribes from the Great Lakes to the Mississippi Valley.
Battle of Tippecanoe: Conflict in which US soldiers confiscated weapons from natives, discovering they were armed with British rifles.
WAR OF 1812
Madison’s Battle Plan and Its Failures
Strategy: Madison's plan centered on attacking Canada.
Failure Reasons: Inadequate logistical infrastructure hampered troop movement and support across the nation.
Sectional Support Issues: Not all regions supported the war, indicating deep sectional divides.
British Battle Plan in 1814
Objectives:
Implement a blockade of the eastern coast.
Advance into the Great Lakes region.
Burn the US Capitol.
Seize control of the Mississippi River to cut off Louisiana territory from southern access.
Provisions of the Convention of 1818 and Rush-Bagot Agreement
Convention of 1818:
Established the border between the Louisiana Territory and Canada at the 49^{th} parallel.
Joint settlement of the Oregon Territory.
Rush-Bagot Agreement:
Prohibits warships in the Great Lakes.
Terms
Battle of New Orleans: Andrew Jackson’s victory at Horseshoe Bend followed by defense planning in New Orleans, where he utilized strategic positions along the river.
Treaty of Ghent: Official end to the war, with a return to pre-war conditions (Status Quo Ante Bellum).
FLORIDA
Monroe’s Actions in Florida
Mission: President Monroe dispatched Andrew Jackson to Florida due to the continued threat from Native American groups and cross-border conflicts.
Military Actions:
Initiated military operations against Native Americans (who were protected by Spanish authorities).
Captured two British citizens involved in supplying arms, both of whom faced courts-martial and subsequent executions.
Captured Pensacola and placed Americans in control.
Conditions for US Withdrawal from Florida
Negotiation Requirement: Spain needed to station troops in Florida to control Native American groups that threatened US interests.
Provisions of the Adams-Onis Treaty
Purchase of Florida: The US acquired Florida for 5 million.
Spanish Claims: Spain renounced all claims to the Oregon country.
US Claims: The US abandoned all claims to Texas.
Outcome: Followed four years after the collapse of the Spanish Empire, leading to the Monroe Doctrine's formulation.
TRANSPORTATION
Definition of Autarky
Definition: An autarky is a self-sufficient nation, economically independent from international trade.
Elements of the American System
Transportation Development: Government investment in roads, bridges, and infrastructure.
Sound Financial Framework: Reestablishment of a national bank to stabilize money supply.
Support Measures:
Mild tariffs to protect domestic industries.
Infrastructure investment fostering economic interdependence.
Aimed to achieve self-sufficiency through enhanced domestic production.
Revolutions Driving Growth
Print Revolution: Increased availability of printed materials, enhancing literacy and national literature.
Transportation Revolution: Marked improvements made travel more efficient.
In 1813, traveling from Massachusetts to South Carolina took about 75 days to cover 1000 miles.
Problems with River Transport
Challenges: Rivers were often one-way routes, making return trips costly and economically unfeasible due to the current.
Advancements: Introduction of the steamboat by Robert Fulton in 1807, showcased in New York and subsequently along major rivers like the Mississippi.
Steamboat count increased from 1 in 1815 to 100 by 1820.
Lowered transportation costs dramatically, such as a 90\% reduction for shipping goods from Albany to Buffalo via canal systems.
Economic Impact of Transportation Improvements
Agricultural Changes: Enabled farmers to grow cash crops for market, significantly impacting the Western economy.
Farmers could now afford to purchase manufactured goods due to reduced transport costs.
Growth of Cotton as a Dominant Crop in the South
High Demand: Significant increases in cotton demand from textile industries both domestically and overseas.
Proportion of cotton produced by the US soared from 9\% in 1801 to 65\% by 1861.
Technological Assistance: The cotton gin simplified processing, drastically lowering production costs.
Favorable Environment: The rich soil of the Black Belt supported extensive cotton cultivation.
Slave Labor: Utilization of slave labor for the labor-intensive cotton industry.
Revenue: Cotton profits in 1840 reached around 70 million, crucial for funding the industrial revolution.
The Erie Canal
Overview: A 364-mile-long canal significantly contributing to trade and transportation efficiency in the region.
POLITICS
Decline of the Federalist Party Post-War of 1812
Loss of Distinct Identity: Republican Party co-opted Federalist ideas, diminishing their political leverage.
Single Party Dominance: From 1816 to 1824, the Republican Party dominated the political landscape, reflecting a temporary era of one-party governance known as the "Era of Good Feelings."
Monopoly over Presidential Candidate: By 1820, James Monroe was the only presidential candidate.
Admission of Missouri and the Missouri Compromise
Controversial Statehood: Missouri's bid for statehood in 1817 raised issues over whether it would be a slave state.
Compromise Provisions (1820):
Missouri admitted as a slave state.
Maine entered as a free state to maintain balance.
Established the 36^\circ 30' line, prohibiting slavery north of this line while permitting it southwards.
Fragmentation of the Republican Party after 1820
Internal Conflicts: Divergent ideological perspectives regarding the nation's future, leading to disunity within the party.
Candidates in the Election of 1824
John Quincy Adams: Secretary of State, represented New England and New York; in favor of the American System.
William Crawford: Represented the coastal southeast; pro-slavery and opposed the American System.
Henry Clay: Speaker of the House; represented the Northwest; supported the American System.
Andrew Jackson: Representing the southwest; opposed the American System; received the most votes without achieving a majority, leading to heightened sectionalism.
JACKSON PRESIDENCY
Functions of the National Bank
Roles:
Involved in accepting government deposits, printing currency, and extending credit.
Criticism:
Viewed by Jackson as a central threat to democratic governance.
Accusations of favoritism towards New England interests.
Jackson vetoed the bank's charter in 1832.
Replaced by state banks, introducing multiple currencies into circulation and leading to inflation.
Definition of Nullification
Concept: The principle that a state can disregard federal laws it deems unconstitutional to protect citizens' liberties or state interests.
Nullification Crisis of 1832
Background: Raised tariffs prompted backlash in the South, with South Carolina advocating for nullification.
Jackson's Response: Prepared military action to suppress potential secession by South Carolina.
Concerns over Slavery: Southern states feared that federal intervention could threaten the institution of slavery, using nullification as a means of resistance.
Native American Policy Under Jackson
Removal vs. Reform Argument:
Removal became the predominant policy under Jackson's leadership, with Congress aligning with his position.
Reform efforts were sidelined by the insistence on removal.
Lewis Cass's Views: Argued against reforming Native Americans due to their lifestyles and the linguistic barriers.
Conflict with Native Americans and Gold Discovery
Gold Rush Tensions: The discovery of gold on Cherokee land led to pressures for the removal of Native Americans from their territories.
Jackson’s Reasoning Behind the Indian Removal Act (1830)
Structured to push Native Americans to accept state laws and relocate to designated lands, promising fertile new territories in Oklahoma.
Key Terms
Cherokee Nation v. Georgia: Court case ruling that Natives were subject to federal law, not state statutes.
Worcester v. Georgia: Ruled Georgia's laws on Native Americans as unconstitutional.
Trail of Tears: Refers to the harrowing migration of the Cherokee, where thousands died en route to Oklahoma.
ABOLITION
Decision Theology and Perfectionism
Decision Theology: Humans are empowered to choose their salvation rather than being predestined.
Perfectionism: Advocated by a minority, encouraging Christians to strive toward holiness and moral perfection, influencing social reform movements.
Second Great Awakening Emphasis
Focus in Northern States: The North became a hotbed for social reforms, including public education, dietary reforms, and the establishment of utopian communities.
Shakers
Utopian Movement: The Shaker community strived to withdraw from mainstream society and experiment with alternative lifestyles, focusing on communal living and spiritualism.
Joseph Smith and the Mormons
Foundational Claims: Mormons believed that Jesus visited Native Americans, as detailed in the Book of Mormon.
Controversies: Polygamy practices led to widespread persecution, driving Mormons to migration after Smith's death.
American Colonization Society
Primary Goals: Gradual emancipation and the relocation of all Blacks from America, reflecting the antebellum attitudes toward slavery.
Influence of the Second Great Awakening: The societal view shifted towards the perspective that slavery is inherently sinful.
Moral Suasion
Definition: The strategy of challenging the justifications for slavery using similar arguments, typically biblical or scientific, that supported abolitionism.
Key Figures: William Lloyd Garrison leveraged moral suasion in his abolitionist advocacy.
Shifts in Slavery Defense
Emergence of Planner Paternalism: A narrative that portrayed enslaved individuals as dependents needing guidance akin to children.
Democratic Party Stance: Confronted with the rise of abolitionist sentiments, the party leaned towards pro-slavery policies to secure votes and maintain a weaker national government to protect slavery.
Third Political Parties Arising from the Slavery Crisis
Liberty Party, Free Soil Party, Republican Party: These parties emerged to address issues related to slavery and played catalytic roles in political discourse.
Key Terms Related to Slavery
Mudsill Theory: Propounded by James Hammond, suggesting a societal structure requires unskilled laborers for cultural and technological advancement.
Frederick Douglass: A former slave who became a prominent abolitionist, authoring an autobiography and advocating for anti-slavery through personal narrative.
Nat Turner’s Revolt: A major slave uprising in 1831 led by Turner, who cited biblical inspiration for his revolt.
MANIFEST DESTINY
Definition of Manifest Destiny
Concept: The belief that the United States was preordained to expand across the North American continent.
Key Themes:
American Exceptionalism: The idea that the U.S. embodies the pinnacle of political and economic systems.
Divine Mandate: Expansion is seen as a moral duty to spread American values and systems.
Resolution of Oregon Territory Ownership
Agreement: Ownership determined by running the demarcation line along the 49^{th} parallel.
Texas Border Dispute After Independence
Disputed Areas: Both Texas and Mexico claimed parts of western Texas, specifically the region surrounding the Nueces River versus the Rio Grande.
Polk’s Justification for War with Mexico
Military Provocation: In early 1846, President Polk stationed troops along the Rio Grande, leading to confrontations with Mexican forces.
Casualty Incident: The killing of American soldiers initiated a war declaration following heightened tensions.
Provisions of the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo
Border Establishment: Defined the border at the Rio Grande River.
Territorial Acquisition: The United States purchased the Southwest and California for about 15 million.
Property Rights Protection: Ensured the protection of Mexican property rights in the U.S.
Northern Perspective on the War
Perception of Slavery Expansion: Many in the North viewed the war as a means to expand slavery into new territories.
Wilmot Proviso
Proposal: Legislation aimed at banning slavery in any territory acquired from Mexico, reflecting Northern opposition to slavery expansion.