AP US History Unit 4 Notes: 1800-1848

Barbary Pirates (Early 1800s)

• Pre-Jefferson administrations (like George Washington's) paid tribute for US protection.
• Jefferson ceased these payments, leading to attacks from the Barbary Pirates.
• The US Navy was weak at the time, causing tension.
• The solution was to decrease, rather than eliminate, the tribute payments.

Strict Constructionism

• Advocated by Democratic-Republicans like Thomas Jefferson.
• Belief that the government should only do what is explicitly stated in the Constitution.

Louisiana Purchase (1803)

• The US acquired the Louisiana territory from France for 15,000,000.
• Jefferson, despite being a strict constructionist, bought the territory, going against his own principles due to the opportunity it presented.

Lewis and Clark Expedition

• Government-funded expedition to explore the Louisiana Purchase.
• Lewis and Clark traveled from Missouri to the Pacific Ocean.
• Achievements:
  • Accurate mapping of the territory.
  • Established diplomatic relationships with Native American tribes.
  • Gained valuable knowledge about the region.

John Marshall and Judicial Review

• John Marshall was the Supreme Court Chief Justice.
• Marbury v. Madison established judicial review, which increased federal power.

War of 1812

• Fought between the US and Britain (while Britain was also at war with France).
• The US attempted to remain neutral, but France and Britain kept seizing US merchant ships.
• British impressment: The British captured US sailors and forced them to serve in the Royal Navy.
• Hartford Convention: Federalists opposed the war and called for its end; some even suggested New England secede from the Union.
• The US won, leading to increased nationalism (described as the "second war of independence").
• Federalists were seen as out of touch due to their opposition to the war, contributing to their decline.

Era of Good Feelings

• Followed the War of 1812; a period of national unity and reduced political strife.
• Weaknesses: Lack of a national bank to provide financial support for the war effort.

Henry Clay's American System

• Proposed federal funding for internal improvements (infrastructure).
• Advocated for protective tariffs to shield American industries from foreign competition.
• Sought to reestablish the Bank of the US.
• Madison vetoed the internal improvements component due to concerns about increasing federal power.
• Protective tariffs and the reestablished Bank of the US were implemented.

Missouri Compromise of 1820

• Missouri's application for statehood as a slave state threatened the balance between free and slave states.
• Compromise, brokered by Henry Clay, addressed the issue:
  • Missouri was admitted as a slave state.
  • Maine was admitted as a free state.
  • The 36°30' latitude line was established: slavery was prohibited in the remaining Louisiana Purchase territory north of this line, and permitted south of it.

James Monroe and Foreign Policy

• President James Monroe sent John Quincy Adams to address border issues.
• Established the Canadian border along the 49th parallel.
• Adam-Onís Treaty (with Spain):
  • The US acquired Florida.
  • Established the southern border between the US and Spanish territories.

Monroe Doctrine of 1823

• Declared that the Americas were free from European interference.
• The US asserted its dominance in the Western Hemisphere and warned European powers to respect its interests.

Market Revolution

• Linked Northern industries with Western and Southern agriculture.
• Key inventions and developments:
  • Cotton gin: Increased cotton production in the South.
  • Spinning machine: Revolutionized textile manufacturing.
  • Interchangeable parts: Enabled mass production.
  • Erie Canal: Facilitated trade and transportation.
  • Railroads: Eventually superseded canals as the primary mode of transportation; government loans supported railroad construction.
• Immigration: Increased, particularly from Germany and Ireland.
• Westward expansion: Continued as people sought new opportunities.
• Tenements: Overcrowded housing for urban workers.
• Religious freedom: Flourished, fostering diverse religious movements.
• Growth of the middle class.
• Cult of domesticity: Emphasized women's roles as wives and mothers, separate from men's public sphere (primarily for the middle and upper classes).

Democracy and the Electorate

• Voting rights were initially restricted to elites. Expansion of suffrage occurred over time.

Panic of 1819

• The first major economic recession in the US.
• Causes: Decreased demand for goods, irresponsible banking practices.

Election of 1824

• Contest between National Republicans and Democrats.
• National Republicans (e.g., John Quincy Adams, Henry Clay): Loose constructionists.
• Democrats (e.g., Andrew Jackson): Strict constructionists; Jackson won the popular vote but not a majority of electoral votes.
• The House of Representatives chose John Quincy Adams as president after Henry Clay threw his support behind Adams.
• "Corrupt bargain": Jackson supporters claimed that Adams and Clay had made a deal, with Adams appointing Clay as Secretary of State in exchange for his support.

Jacksonian Democracy

• Tariff of 1828 (Tariff of Abominations): Favored by farmers (protected domestic industries), opposed by Southerners.
• John C. Calhoun and the doctrine of nullification: States could nullify federal laws they deemed unconstitutional; South Carolina attempted to nullify the tariff.
• Force Bill: Authorized Jackson to use military force to enforce federal laws in South Carolina; South Carolina nullified the Force Bill.
• Jackson's veto of the Second Bank of the US:
  • Jackson opposed the National Bank, viewing it as an elitist institution.
  • He vetoed the bill to recharter the bank.
  • He believed the National Bank was benefiting a small elite rather than the majority.

Indian Removal Act of 1830

• Authorized the forced removal of Native American tribes from their ancestral lands.
• Cherokee Nation: Declared itself a sovereign nation but refused to relocate.
• Worcester v. Georgia: The Supreme Court ruled that Georgia did not have the right to impose state laws within Cherokee territory.
• Treaty of New Echota: Used to justify the forced removal of the Cherokee, leading to the Trail of Tears.

Intellectual and Social Movements

• Noah Webster: Promoted increased schooling and standardization of the American language with Webster's Dictionary.
• Transcendentalism: Celebrated spiritual renewal, human passion, and the mysteries of nature; key figures included:
  • Ralph Waldo Emerson
  • Henry David Thoreau (author of Walden)
• Hudson River School: Influential art movement that focused on landscapes.
• Oneida Community: Utopian community that practiced communal living and open marriage; belief in the second coming of Christ.
• Second Great Awakening: Religious revival characterized by evangelical preachers; emphasized social reform more than individual reform (unlike the First Great Awakening).
• Temperance movement: Advocated for moderation or abstinence from alcohol.
• Mormonism: Founded in New York; faced persecution due to the introduction of polygamy (plural marriage) and relocated to Utah.

Abolitionism

• William Lloyd Garrison: Prominent abolitionist.
• Northern abolitionists faced opposition due to fears of job losses and economic disruption if slaves were freed.
• Seneca Falls Convention: Focused on women's rights; Declaration of Sentiments called for legal rights, education, and other reforms.

Other Social Trends

• Many farmers moved westward due to soil depletion.
• Nat Turner's Rebellion: Slave revolt led by Nat Turner; increased restrictions on slaves.
• Yeoman farmers: Independent farmers who owned their land.