The current week features a movie review assignment.
Assignment Details: Choose one of four designated movies to watch.
Viewing Schedule: Suggested to watch the movie over the weekend or Friday if time allows.
Questions to Answer: Five questions related to the movie.
First document to choose the movie and outline answers.
Must reference page numbers from the textbook for questions two and three.
Submission Guidelines: Individual reviews required; group work is not permissible.
Due Date: Suggested due date is Sunday. Extensions are available upon request.
Previous Discussions
Recap of topics discussed in the previous session regarding Andrew Jackson.
The PEGIITNA Fear: Context regarding its influence on presidential elections.
**Significant Topics: **
The NULLIFICATION Crisis
State Compact Theory vs. National Theory:
State Compact Theory: All power rests with the states.
National Theory: All power rests with the American people.
National Theory is preferred and accepted widely by Americans.
Indian Removal Act and its consequences.
Bank Controversy: Reflections on Jackson’s veto against the national bank arguing it only serves the wealthy.
Economic Instability: Noted cyclic nature of the economy with booms and crashes every 10-20 years due to the absence of a stable banking system.
Historical Crashes: Key years of economic downturns include 1819, 1837, 2008, and effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Historical Framework of Andrew Jackson’s Presidency
Bank Veto: Jackson argues against the national bank’s support of only the rich.
Economic Fluctuations: Continuation of manic ups and downs in the American economy.
Civil War Implications: Return of the National Bank after the Civil War.
Notable presence of historical figures on currency.
Greenback issues relate back to economic systems post-Civil War.
Political Developments Post-Jackson
Rise of Political Parties:
Transition from one-party to a two-party system.
Formation of the Democratic Party (supporters of Jackson) and the Whig Party (opposition).
Whigs’ Positioning: Associated Andrew Jackson with a monarchy, labeling him as "King Andrew."
Martin Van Buren's Presidency (1836): Predominance of the Democratic party during this period; economic issues leading to the Panic of 1837.
Economic Crisis: Resulting from supply/demand imbalances due to extensive cotton production and related financial borrowing from banks.
Economic Changes due to Regional Specialization
Emergence of a National Economy: Gradual integration of the economies across regions; states diverging into specialized economies.
Southern Economy: Predominantly agricultural focusing on cotton production.
Eli Whitney’s Cotton Gin: Key innovation that revolutionized cotton processing.
Significant increase in cotton as a cash crop from 7% of exports in 1800 to 58% by the Civil War.
Economic growth leads to extensive slavery for labor.
Western Economy: Shifts to large-scale farming facilitated by better machinery like the John Deere Steel Plow.
Northeast Economy: Development of mechanized labor through factories, notably the Lowell system.
Shift to Urbanization and Industrialization
From Farming to Factory Work: Shift in living and working conditions with the industrial awakening in the Northeast.
Factory Work: Focus shifted to factory settings which brought about challenging work hours (12-14 hours) with a formal schedule.
Women’s Labor in Factories: Initial recruitment focused on unmarried women due to lower wages compared to men.
Urban Growth: Cities like Chicago, San Francisco displayed rapid growth due to industry and immigration, contrasted by slow growth in established cities like Baltimore.
Transportation Networks and Economic Integration
Development of Roads and Canals: Required for efficient transport of goods.
Early challenges led to the creation of canals like the Erie Canal.
Limitations of Canals: Limited by geography and the cost involved in construction.
Introduction of the Steam Engine: Eliminating prior limitations and enhancing trade capabilities.
Railroads: Advanced transportation systems providing national reach, overcoming geographical barriers.
Railroads created time zones leading to synchronized travel schedules.
Funded privately leading to trails mostly between cities, limiting access to rural areas.
Innovations in Communication
Telegraph: Invention transforming communication across distances, enhancing coordination of economic activities.
Morse Code: Dots and dashes representing letters created by Samuel Morse; served as the basis for remote communication.