United States expansion between 1812 and 1854, including new states and territories.
Key acquisitions: Territory ceded by Great Britain (1818), territory ceded by Spain (1819), and the Gadsden Purchase (1853).
Missouri Compromise line (36°30') established.
War of 1812
The Madison administration's war against Britain had sectional divisions with the South and West supporting it and the Northeast opposing.
The conflict raised questions about the effectiveness of governing a large republic.
Highlighted US naval weakness and dire economic & military challenges partly due to the absence of a national bank.
British forces seized Washington D.C. and burned many buildings.
Hartford Convention and Federalist Decline
The Hartford Convention raised questions about sovereignty and regional rights and caused the Federalist party faced a landslide defeat in 1816, marking its end.
Era of Good Feelings and the American System
James Monroe elected in 1820 without opposition, leading to the perception that the party system was dead.
Monroe pursued a modified form of the "American System".
Henry Clay's American System aimed for national economic development with high tariffs, a national bank, and federal subsidies for internal improvements.
John Quincy Adams supported federal aid for transportation but foresaw civil war and emancipation.
Market Revolution and Sectionalism
The Market Revolution and infrastructure development did not keep pace with economic growth, causing America to remain largely agricultural and vulnerable to commodity price fluctuations.
This revolution polarized U.S. politics, particularly in a sectional manner.
The Market Revolution occurred mostly in the Northeast.
Missouri Compromise and Sectional Tensions
The Missouri Compromise of 1820 exposed tensions between slavery and republican politics, with growing sectional differences.
Split in house voting based on North (80-14) and South (2-64).
Latin American Influence
Mentions the Haitian Revolution (1791-1803) and Simon Bolívar's campaigns for liberation in South America.