full notes

The Constitution and the Search for Order

1. Overview

• 1776 - 1800: Turbulent times dominated by problems with foreign governments, political partisanship, domestic unrest, and courageous leadership

• Emergence of first two-party system (republican vs. federalists)

• Federalism 

• Creation of constitution 

• Corrected the problems of the articles

• More sound government 

2. Problems Under the articles of confederation

• No executive or federal courts

• Unicameral house with equal vote

• National government could not pay down best or collective revenue 

• Had no money 

• Trade with foreign markets suffered a severe downturn

• Plantation colonies lost slaves that had escaped

• British closed off trade with the caribbean islands 

• Britain and Spain retained forts on american soil

• Congress could not conduct foreign policy 

• Spain announced american good cold not be exported down the Mississippi river (hurting farmers) 

• Trade and currency problems 

• America was a loose confederation with 13 independent states 

• Legislators voted for things

• Could not collect its own revenue 

• Congress printed paper money (continentals) hitting rock bottom 

• Article of confederation conclude treaty of paris and got through the revolution 

• Merchants suffered as well 

• Erecting their own tariffs, britain traded with the colonies with the lowest tariffs 

• Major financial issues ( no national recognized currency) 

• Farmers were facing low crop prices and mounting debt 

• Gold and silver coins were scarce 

• Print paper money ( inflate the crops, make it eraser to pay back loans, and taxes)

• 7 colonies started printing money 

• 1781 - 1787 known as the critical period 

3. Shay’s rebellion

• 1786 - 1787

• Convinced many political leaders to strengthen the national government to provide stability and order

• Was on the brink of anarchy 

• Land and poll taxes fell mostly on the farmers and poor people 

• Massachusetts gov. 

• Daniel shay leads a armed revolt

• Judges were threaten with hanging and stopped from foreclosing farms 

• He demanded a paper currency, tax relief, and the abolishment of imprisonment for debt 

• 4400 militia men sent a single cannon into shay’s army 

• Impactful moment during the early republic 

• State legislature did provide some relief 

• Was a watershed moment ( striking fear into rich people) 

• Stability and order

4. James Madison: “father of the constitution”

• May 1787

• The constitutional convention in Philadelphia

• James Madison’s approach to government 

• Constitutional convention predicted on two main premises 

• The national government needed the authority to act directly on the people without the states acting as intermediaries

• The national government must derive its sovereignty from the people not from the state government 

- regulate foreign instate converse, regulate money, raise an army and a navy, make laws that were binding individual citizens 

• federalism

• Divided authoirty between state and feder government

• Framers created this 

• 55 delegate participates

• September 17, 1787

• 3 people refused to sign

• 42 was the avg. age of a delegate

• 8 signed declaration of independence ( 22 fought in the war)

• Ben franklin was 81

• Oldest provided common sense

• Most active in the debate was James Madison (political philosopher)

• Arrived with a trunk full of books in political philosophy 

• 130 lbs and 5ft tall 

• Most were planter, lawyers, judges, and bankers

• He was determined to create a document to insure the national authority

• Shaping the constitution

• He believed he diagnosed the faults 

• Effective national government

• Believes that the state legislatures have all the power 

• There was no executive or judiciary to help with law making

• Was very adamant on having a senate

• Insistent the government become of one of 3 branches 

• Does not want a consolidated republic (not all power in a centralized govenrmnt)

• No confederation 

5. Virginia and New Jersey Plans; Great Compromise 

• Virginia plan 

• Proposed by madison

• Structure of government we have today

• 3 branches of government

• A single executive

• Bicameral legislature 

• Both senate and house of reps to be portioned based on population           ( different from today) 

• National veto ( the central gov could veto any state law) 

• Senate would be elected by state legislatures

• House of reps elected by people

• New Jersey

• Unicameral

• All state voting equally 

• No national veto

• Plural executive 

Adopted virginia plan 

• The great compromise

• Concerns about representation were solved by this

• The government we have today

• House of reps based on population

• Each state would have 2 senators 

• Citizens government by national and state

• Separation of powers

• Checks and balances 

• House of reps designed to be closer to the people ( terms of 2 years)

• Senate more elite body elected by the state legislatures (terms of 6 years) to check the house and the president 

• Protect the minority against the majority 

• Most framers wanted congress to be the dominant branch 

• president

• 4 year term 

• No prohibition on serving unlimited terms

• Act in as commander in chief

• Chief diplomat would be in charge of executing the laws

• The president cannot declare war or declare peace ( only senate can do that)

• The president can be removed for treason, bribery, and for other crimes 

• Put on trial and impeachments (senate vote of ⅔ for conviction)

• Exercises a veto, but can be overridden by ⅔ vote in the house and senate

• Electoral college

• Was a compromise

• Electors of each state 

• Combine number of house and senate for each state 

• Supreme court

• Interpret the law 

• Make sure each citizen receives equal judgment 

6. Slavery

• ⅗ clause

• Southern states wanted their slaves counted

• ⅗ of the slaves in each state would be counted and proportion for representation

• To keep the transatlantic slave trade open for the next 30 years 

• ⅗ clause enhanced South’s power and representation

• Disproportionament 

• More power than it should have 

• 1868- 1848 all but four presidents were slave owners

• No formal discussion of women’s rights 

• Thretened to derail the convention 

7. Federalists and Anti- Federalists

• Federalists papers

• Written to convince the people that their rights and liberties will be protected under the constitution

• 50 by hamilton

• 30 by madison 

• 5 by john j 

• Federalist 10

• Written by madison

• Prevailing political thought

• Argued that factions could be checked 

• Anti-federalists (opposed the new constitution)

• Thought it placed too much power in a centralized gov

• Lacked a bill of rights that would protect individuals and states from federal power 

• They had nothing to offer beside criticism 

• Badly organized 

• Older and did not operate in an effective group 

8. Ratifying the Constitution 

• Special state ratifying conventions to bypass state legislatures

• Constitution approved with New HAmpshire’s ratification on June 21, 1788

• Became the 9th state 

• But Virginia, New hampshire, and New York withheld signing until a bill of rights was written 

• The bill of rights 

• Maddison was opposed to this at first 

• Decided to draft a series of amendments

• By the end of 1791 ¾ approved and was set in place

• Freedom of speech, press and religion (1st amendment) 

The federalists era

1. Overview

• 1790s: era of intense ideological strife

• Rise of first two-party system 

• Differences in interpretation of the constitution:

• federalists : broad construction

• Democratic - Republicans: Strict construction

2. HAmilton’s economic program

• Vice president 

• Holding the country together 

• Free markets and competition would produce prosperity 

• Debt-assumption bill

• Pay down the national debt ( country was born in it)

• The federal gov would assume the debts of the states

• Al states benefited from the revolution

• National unity and long term prosperity ‘

• Maddison opposed 

• Compromise of 1790

• Allowed the debt assumption bill to pass

• Southerners voted on the bill in the promise that the national capital would be potomac river 

• Tariffs and taxes

• 5% tariff on variety of imported goods 

• 1751 excise tax on sugar, salt, carriages, and alcoholic beverages

• Tax on whiskey outraged frontiers farmers ( was their most profitable things for farmers) 

• Bank of United States 

• National bank 

• Madison and Jefferson argued that nothing in the constitution allowed for this 

• Hamilton argued that the power was implied in article one and section 8 (necessary and proper clause) 

• 1st bank of the united states was chartered for 20 years

3. Responsibilities

• Hold gov funds and make transfers to other nations

• Provide loans to the federal gov and other banks to provide economic development 

• Manage the nation's money supply ( could issue bank notes) regulate state banks 

3. Democratic-Republicans vs. Federalists ideologies

• Hamilton - fed

• Jefferson/Madison -Dem rep (pro france) - dominated by farmers with few cities 

• Feds: Based primarily in New York and New England

• Feds: favored centralized government and national bank

• Feds: support for urbanization, industry, and commerce; champions of order

• Feds: fear excessive democracy and common people 

• Dem-Reps: based in south and west

• Dem-Reps: Favored states’ rights and opposed bank

• Dem-Reps: support for decentralized agrarian republic (hated banks); champions of liberty, democracy, and equality; faith in common people 

4. The french revolution's effects

• Created tension and political partisanship 

• Jefferson wanted to aid the french in the revolution 

• Washington declared neutral 

• Raised tensions between Hamilton and Jefferson 

• Citizen genet 

• Fed supported british and dem-rep supported the french ( caused a divide in america)

5. Jay's treaty and pinckney's treaty

• Jay’s treaty (1794)  - with the british

• Evacuate 6 british forts by 1796

• Reimburse america for seized ships and cargo

• American merchants were allowed to trade with the british west indies

• Treaty favored britain rather than france 

• Pinckney’s treaty (1795)

•  with spain

• Boundaries with spanish florida 

• Spain promised america to bring their goods to the port of New orleans so they could export them 

6. The whiskey rebellion

• The whiskey rebellion ( 1794)

• Was meant to demonstrate the strength of government ( example of centralized government strength)

• Striking continuity in the contours of political debate between 1765 and 1790s 

7. Washington's achievement

• Prevented a new republic from coming apart

• Organization of a national government

• Recovery of territory from Spain and Britain

• Avoided war with france and britain 

• Stabilization of northwest

• Prosperous economy 

• Farewell address

• Set the template for american foreign policy 

• He warned against forming permanent entangling alliances with european powers 

8. The quasi war

• Election of 1796

• Was nasty

• Adams was addressed as a monarch

• Fed believes that jefferson was a french loving atheist 

• John Adams 

• Was stubborn 

• Opinionative

• Vice president to george washington

• Quasi-War with France 

• Undeclared naval war 

• French had plundered 300 american vessels 

• XYZ affair

• 3 french officials demanded a bribe of almost 300 million dollars 

• Convention of 1800

• Hostility seized 

9. The war at home and the election of 1800

• Naturalization Act

• Extended the residency requirement for citizenship from 5 to 14 years 

• Alien Act

• Allowed president to deport dangerous aliens 

• Alien Enemies Act

• Allowed president to imprison alien enemies at ease

• Sedition Act

• Outlawed writing, speaking, or publishing of a false thing against the government or anything against its officers

• 10 people were convicted (all were dem-rep)

• Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions 

• Passed in 1798

• States could nullify unconstitutional acts of congress

Election of 1800

• Jefferson was elected 

• Feds attacked jefferson 

Jeffersonian Republicanism

1. Overview (1790-1840)

• Market economy developed

• Americans became increasingly prosperous and geographically mobile as well as property owners

• Westward movement and “empire of Liberty”

• Over 40% of population were located west of the appalachian mountains 

• Population growth and intense political activity 

• Indians succumbed to federal government 

2. Jeffersonian Republicanism

• “Revolution of 1800”

• Was dicey 

• Jefferson failed to unite the people together 

• Had an intense hatred of the fed party 

• New democratic era

• Jefferson’s 10 year marked this 

• Jacksonian democracy 

• Exercise to vote ( property requirements were slashed lower)

• Common and ordinary men were elected to state legislatures

•  

• Jefferson’s character 

• He voiced his objections to the evil of slavery, but made profit from it 

• Extensive and varied interests 

• Not super fancy 

3. Marbury v. Madison

• Supreme court stuck down the Judiciary Act of 1789

• Judicial review (established this)

4. Jefferson’s Domestic Policies

• Left hamilton’s economic program in place

• Cut the military budget in half

• Repealed whiskey excise tax

• Reduced the price of government land in the west

• Ensured social mobility 

• Ohio becomes a state in 1803 (17 states now)

• Louisiana purchase (1803)

• Doubles the size of america 

• The greatest single achievement of jefferson’s presidency 

• From mississippi river to the rocky mountains

• Purchased from napoleon for $15 million  

• Fed opposed this purchase because they did not want people to move 

• Southern planter moving west would increase dems resulting in more dems than feds 

5. Essex Junto and Burr conspiracy

• Essex junto

• Group of feds planned to form a confederacy to secede from the nation (New york and NE) 

• Burr-Hamilton Duel

• Hamilton opposes Burr 

• Burr loses the governmental race and Essex Junto foils

• Blames Hamilton and challenges him to a duel

• July 11th 1804 in NJ

• Hamilton deliberately missed Burr (demonstration of his moral principles)

• Burr shot Hamilton in his hip and killed Hamilton the next day

• Burr fled to Virginia 

• Burr conspiracy 

• Buddy named Wilkinson (in army paid as a spy) 

• Plotted to hatch a revolt with the army to get section of the louisiana purchase as Burr being the ruler of this new independent republic

• Burr was arrested and put on trial for treason 

• Jefferson was pushing hard for a conviction

• But there was no concrete evidence  

• Burr moved to france and moved back in 1812 in NY as a lawyer

6. Jefferson Foreign policy

• Banned the importation of African Slaves (1807)

• All states except for carolina had already done this 

• Slave auctions increased in america 

• Barbary pirates

• Islamic rulers 

• Seizing american and european ships 

• Demanded tribute or ransom for the release of some sailors 

• Captured the ship Philadelphia and its crew 

• British “impressment” 

• British blocked the french ports 

• Created trouble for america 

• Difficult to trade with either one of those countries 

• Embargo act (1807)

• Banned all ships from leaving american ports

• Banned all trade with europe 

• America was blockading itself

• Not successful 

• Devastated the new england economy 

• Population of port cities began to disappear 

• Unemployed sailors 

• Ideological role reversal

• Feds start complaining about a violation of state rights 

• Farmers could not export grain, cotton, or tobacco 

• In 1808 James madison became the next president 

The war of 1812 

1. Origins of the war 

• James Maddison: weak and indecisive president

• Free trade

• Nothing to strengthen the navy

• Non-intercourse Act (1809)

• Repealed Jeffereson’s embargo

• Opened up trade amongst other countries

• Had no effect on the british 

• Economic recession 

• British shipping raids and “impressment”

• Federalists in the north east did not want this war

• Dem reps wanted this to bring the country together 

• Were indian attacks in the Ohio Valley that were instigated by the british

• Expansion (wanted to be in florida and part of canada)

• Honor 

• In the south, there is an idea that the country needed to be respected by the british

• A second war of independence 

• Economic issues ( farmers and planters were concerned about the british raiding ships)

• New England stood against the war

• In 1814 the mass gov. Asked british if they succeeded from the union 

• Lust for land

• Some Americans wanted to extend America into Canada and Spanish Florida 

• Slaves from georgia and carolina were fleeing to florida 

• America unprepared militarily ( and financially) 

• Bank of united states expire

• 3,287 men were in the military 

• Led by enet officers

• Tried to build an army of 30,000, but only 18,000 volunteered

• Did not allow free slaves or slaves to fight in the war

• America only won one war (war naval)

British-Allied Indian Attacks

• Tecumseh’s Indian Confederacy (the profit)

• Purge all elements of the england culture

• Including clothing, alcohol, and religion

• In 1811, he wants to forge this confederacy

• William Howard Harrison attacked them  

• Battle of Tippecanoe 

• Put an end to the profit confederacy 

2. The War in three regions

• Invasion of Canada in three pronged assault

- one invaded montreal, another in upper east of canada, and one on a river 

• General William Hull’s surrender

• He was there to free them from british tereny 

• But then got pushed back into detroit  

• Greatest humiliation

• Surrendered his army after the british general threatened to release the indian tribe on him 

• Battle of Queenston Heights (1812)

• Steven van 

• 925 americans surrendered 

• A small alliance of british troops continued invaded attemps

Battle of Lake Erie (1813)

• America won 

• Forcing the british to evacuate to canada

• We got detroit 

Battle of the Thames (1813)

• October 5th

• Involved the death of tucomsom 

• America gained michigan 

• Upper creek (red sticks) - loyal to british

• Lower creek (sticks) - loyal to america 

• Red sticks attacked and killed people scalping half of them 

Battle of Horseshoe Bend

• Took 2500 volunteers to confront the red sticks 

• March 27, 1814

• Jackson’s men rounded the red sticks on the river in alabama

• 900 indians were killed

• 300 drowned while trying to escape 

• Only 50 of jackson’s men died

• A terrible defeat for the native americans 

Treaty of Fort Jackson

• Giving of 23 million acres of land in Georgia and Alabama (Indians were forced)

• Jackson was named a major general in the army by Madison

Battle of Lake Champlain (1814)

• British failed attack

• America won the battle 

• British forces abandoned the effort to invade amerca from the north and retreated back to canada

British burned Washington D.C.

• On August 24

• British burned many buildings 

• Burned the whitehouse, the capitol, and library of congress

• Then turned attention to BAltimore

Fort McHenry

• Francis scott key was trying to get an imprisoned america back

• Francis scott key wrote the star spangled banner

• Was a failure 

• About 3,000 slaves joined the british side inorder for freedom 

3. Treaty of Ghent and Battle of New Orleans

• The battle of Ghent (1814)

• December 24th

• The america and british sign this treaty

• An exchange of prisoners, arresteration of boundaries, and an end to the war

• These were the terms

• No clear victor

• British did stop indian attacks

• America did succeed in gaining land in the south

• Took 6 weeks of news of the treaty to reach the states 

• Battle of New Orleans (1815)

• Britain wanted to capture New orleans 

• 47 year old andrew jackson took pensacola from spain and moved to New Orleans 

• On January 8th 

• Packaham attacked with british troops were mowed down

• Lasted 25 min

• Packaham was killed along with 2100 of his men 

• America only lost 71 

• Looked like a sea of blood (the red coats covered the battle scene) 

• Looms large in the american imagination

2 major outcomes 

1. A psychological victory for americans ( believed they won the war decisively) 

2. It makes Jackson a national hero and paves the way for his presidency in the future  

4. Hartford Convention

• Hartford convention (dec. 15)

• Proposed 6 constitutional amendments

• Designed to minimize the dem reps

1. Slaves could no longer be counted for purposes of representation

2. ⅔ majority vote in the senate would be required for a declaration of war rather than majority

3. Trade embargos could not last more than 60 days

4. A one term presidency 

5. A bar on excessive presidents from the same state 

6. Excluding foreign born people from holding federal office 

• If this was not met, then they would succeed 

• Death of the federalists party

• Never recovers

• Whig party 

5. Legacies

• No clear victor 

• Fostered intense american nationalism: survived a “Second War of Independence” against a more powerful british foe

• Secure from european threats

• Spurred domestic manufacturing 

• Major parties exchanged ideological platforms 

- madison created the second bank of the us 

- realized we needed a stronger army 

- comes to the realization of centralized banking

- and raised tariffs 

The feds wanted states rights and strict construction

• Native Americans position weakened 

The us would have 200 treaties between indians over land in america 

The war paved the way for westward expansion 

The Market Revolution

1. Overview

• Domestic manufacturing 

• Westward movement

• America became a transcontinental nation

• Immigration and nativism 

•  germany and Ireland

• Cotton and spread plantation agriculture ( wheat, corn and pigs)

• Industrial revolution in New england 

        -Primarily young women were first workers

          - created a middle class 

• Growing cities (by 1850 had the fastest growing economy in the world) 

• Transportation and communication revolution 

2. Improvements in Transportation and communications

• Shift from household economy to market economy 

• Roads ( 4,000 miles of turnpike built by 1821) 

• steam boats, flatboats, and canal barges ( carried people and good far and wide)

• Erie canal (1825) - running from New york city to buffalo connecting the great lakes / ties the east to the west

• New york became the busiest port

• Railroads - outpacing the mileage of the erie canal / in 1830 had 23 miles but increased to 20,000 miles 20 years later was mostly in the north/ became the nation's largest employer / national market/ could operate year round 

• Emergence of a national market

• Clipper ships - fastest ships around/ used for demand in chinese tea  

• steam ships take over after civil war 

• Communications improved 

• Mail deliver also improved - increasing in post offices 

• Newspapers - steampowered presses 

• Telegraph - most important invention involving the 19th century/ Samuel P. Morse 

3. New inventions 

• Industrialization and mass production 

• More quantities were sold at lower prices (more profit)

• Steam engine was the most important invention in human history since agriculture (made clothing, shoes, clocks, watches, firearms, and furniture)

• Few skilled people making these things ink shops thanks to the steam engine 

• By the 1850s were approving more than 28,000 patons every year 

• Vulcanized rubber

• Charles goodyear 

• Made rubber more elastic, stronger, and waterproof

• Used in making shoes, boots, seals, gaskets, and tires

• Sewing machine

• Merit singer improved the sewing machine 

• Howles made it in 1876

- technological advances made things more affordable 

• City sewage system 

• Machine-made clothing

• Out of cotton 

• Better heated and lighted homes 

• Cotton gin

• In 1793  ( eli whitney)

• Ignited an economic revolution in the south

• Before this people had difficult from separating the seeds from the cotton fiber 

• This contraption was 50 times more productive than a hand laborer 

• America's most profitable crop 

• Implication for politics, race based slavery, and 

• Was called white gold 

• Also helped the north as well

• By 1812 the wide use of cotton gins reduced the price of cotton yarn by 90%

• England was interest in buying cotton from america 

• In 1860 british textile mills were processing 1 billion pounds per year 92% originated in america

• The drive for america's feverish economy 

• Spread plantation agriculture across the deep south ( old southwest) 

• 835 slaves were sold south 

• Slaves were so valuable thieves often stole them 

Westward Movement and Rural life

•  Preemption act of 1830

• Squatters could get 160 acres at a 1.25 per acre

• People who sat on government land

• Graduation act of 1854

• Where unused land price would be reduced in stages over a 30 year period 

• Iron and steel plows

• Agriculture was increased 

• Wood introduced the iron plow

• John deere made the steel plow 

• McCormick Reaper 

• Could be used to harvest wheat 

• Could work 12 acres a day with the reaper 

• Rural life 

• Farmers living near villages made the most out of schools, taverns, and churches

• Main focal point was the church for rural families ( served as a place of worship and social gatherings ( planned by women) ) 

• Ex. wedding, baptisms, and funerals brought the communities together

• Barn raisings and helping with harvesting

• Women went to each other houses to help each other 

• Enjoyed autonomy 

• Leisure time

• Rare except for the wealthy people 

• 4th of July celebrations were elaborate 

• Had little time of bc working 6 times a week

• Sunday was for worship/rest

• In cities men gathered in taverns to drink, talk, and play games

• Women (cities)  went to each other's houses went to play cards and talk

• Reading, magazines and newspaper were popular

• People of all classes went to the theater 

• Saw plays based on novels, myths, shakespeare plays 

• Urban white working class loved the menstrual phase ( made fun of people)

• Horse races, boxing matches, cock fights, or circus 

• Baseball was growing popular in public parks 

• People liked to see sights that amazed or frighten then PT Barnum shows ( dwarfs, ventriloquist, twins, and magic) 

• People went to lectures for fun

• Free blacks 

• Fairly large numbers living in most urban cities 

• Some had been free for generations 

• Others were former slaves that had run away from freedom 

• Not much better than the south

• Worked for low pay

• Could not vote, attend public school, or access public services that were available to whites 

• But preferred this over slavery 

Industrialization and Immigration

1. Early textile manufactures

• Industrial revolution

• Allowed america to compete with powerhouse economies

• In 1800 america’s output only amounted to ⅙ of britain 

•  Producing thread, cloth and clothing

• In 1880 producing ⅔ of british output 

• Tariffs 

• Tariffs on british cloth to make american cloth more attractive 

• Backfired on the consumers 

• American industries took advantage to raise prices of their own goods 

• Tariffs become a major point of controversy during the jacksonian era

• Southerners were against tariffs ( didn't want other countries to put tariffs on cotton or tobacco) 

• In 1816 a federal tariffs goes into place on cloth

2. The lowell system

• The “lowell girls”

• 1813 in massachusetts 

• Set the template for this system 

• Placed the mills in the country side next to rivers

• Women became the first factory workers in america 

• Low wages

• Women earned 2.50 an hour, highest wage for women in the entire west 

• The owners assured the parent the daughters would be well provided for 

• Worked 13 hour days and 5 and a half days a week 

• House mothers ruled over the dormitories ( mandated church attendance, enforced curfews, limited men talk)

• Male owners got greedy 

• Over produced, causing wages to be cut

• Women went on strike, but lost this strike 

• In 1850 the lowell system was replaced by irish immigrants ( desperate for jobs) 

3. Irish and german immigrants

• 2.4 million people immigrated to America between 1845 and 1854

• By 1860 about 1 out of 8 americans were immigrant 

• Scandinavian tended to settle in wisconsin, minnesota ( reminded them of homeland)

• China migrated to california ( gold rush)

• Majority of the arrival were from Germany and Irish 

• Irish potato famine

• ⅓ of irish farmers grew potatoes 

• Began in 1845 

• Clamming the lives of over 1 million people

• A fungus destroyed the potatoes 

• Fled for canada and the united states 

• Irish mostly settled along the eastern seaboard

• Made up more than half of the population of boston and NY

• Lived in crowded houses

• Known for crime, filth, disease, and alcoholism

• Street gangs 

• Discriminated against 

• But were racists as well 

• Alex T. Stewart - owned a real estate and largest department store

• Victor - composer

• Michael - developed a method for curing meat with refrigeration

• Established catholicism  ( loyal to the church) 

• Germans: skilled workers and professionals

• Doctors, lawyers, teachers, and engineers

• Most were luthers, some were catholics, and few were jewish

• Steinway – pianos

• Levi - invented worker pants ( the jeans)

• Germans tended to arrive in family groups ( maintain culture and language) 

• This immigration established a nativists backlash 

• Mounted a movement to restrict immigration 

• Protists were worried about the catholic germans and irish 

• Ended up in wisconsin 

• Nativism and the “Know Nothing” party 

• Nativists formed the american party pledged to never vote for a catholic or an immigrant 

• In 1854 the party swept 

• In penn they won 40% of the legislator 

• Voted for catholics and immigrants to be expelled from office

• Issue of slavery was the divisive issue ( party ended at the start of the civil war) 

• Congress did not restrict immigration during this period   

4. Nativism

5. New professions

• Teaching

• Fastest growing

• Horace mann

• Biggest proponents of free public educations

• Schools exploded in growth especially in the north 

• Preferred male teachers than women 

• Preferred this over farming

• Young men used teaching as a stepping stone to become a lawyer

• Lawyers

• Would train as an apprentice under an established lawyer

• No requirements to become a lawyer

• A lot fo them

• Physicians

• Had little formal training 

• By 1860 there were over 60,000 physicians

• Many of them were frauds or “quaks” 

• Americans had little confidence in the medical profession 

• Engineers 

• Largest american profession by the time of the civil war

• Needed for the industrial revolution

• Need to design bridges, canals, river, roads, and factories 

6. Women in the professional workforce

• Midwifery, nursing, and teaching

• Were confined to the home or farm 

• College did not open doors to women until 1837

• Were not pushed to get an education passed primary schools

• “Cult of domesticity”

• Men were breadwinners

• Women were in charge of keeping the home clean, entertaining guests,and dressing in the latest fashion

• Primarily middle and upper class 

• Were cutoff from the public world 

• Work became the preserve for working and lower class women 

• Elizabeth Blackwell

• Entered medical school in 1849

• Top of her class

• Founded the New York infirmary for women and children

• Enjoyed a career as a professor at the school for women 

7. Stratification

• Massive income gap between rich and poor

• NYC high society

• Lavish social club

• Central park 

• “Paupers” 

• Poor urban class 

• Many were immigrants, widows, or orphans

• Lots of alcoholics and impaired people 

8. Rising middle class 

• Large and elaborate homes

• Working class rented 

• Middle class women were contained to the household 

• Often hired immigrant servant girls to help them with household activities ( mostly irish women) 

• Cast-iron stoves

• By 1840s

• Gave more flexibility for cooking 

• Changes in diet

• People had more access to grains, meats, and dairy products

• Bc of growing railroads

• Wealthy had ice boxes to store meat

• Diets were starchier than they are today

• Well-ordered gender roles

• Men - responsible and structured

• Women - kind and devoted to their families 

• Limits to family size 

• In mid 1800s 

• Came about because people were relocating from farms to urban areas 

• The birth rate declined from an average of 7 children in 1800 to 5 in 1860 per woman 

• Few people used contraception

• Practiced the rhythm method, abstinence 

• Married middle class women ( abortions)

• 1 out of every 4 pregnancies was aborted 

• 20 states outlawed this by 1860 

• Appealing to moral natures

Nationalism and Sectionalism

1. Overview

• Movements from agricultural nation to sprawling commercial nation

• Sectional tensions between Northeast, West, and South

• Divergent interests 

• Slavery as most intense sectional division

2. Economic Nationalism

• Democratic- Republicans become “federalized”

• Madison supported a larger navy, national banks, and tariffs 

• Second Bank of the United States (1816)

• Madison pressed congress

• Supported by powerful politicians by clay and calhoun

• Was to stabilize the national currency and to promote economic growth

• In philly 

• 20 year charter(1836)  

• Opened branches in every state

• Handling gov fund

• Lending gov 5mill on demand 

• Payed government a 1.5 mil bonus 

• Tariff of 1816

• Placed a 20-25% tax on a long list of imported goods 

• Tariffs dominate political debate

• Benefited northeast more than the south

• Internal improvements  

• Roads, bridges, canals, and harbors 

• John calhoun had gov fund internal improvements

• Lot of support came from west

• Northern states did not like this 

• The cumberland road (from maryland to illinois) 

3. Judicial Nationalism

• Martin V/ Hunter’s Lessee (1816)

• Martial to maintain the constitution the court would have to look over state laws

• Cohens V Virginia (1821)

• Martial to maintain the constitution the court would have to look over state laws

• Dartmouth College V Woodward (1819)

• Tried to convert dartmouth into a public college

• Supreme court was limiting the states gov power over private corps  

• McCulloch V. Maryland (1819)

• Maryland Attempted to tax the baltimore branch of the bank of the United states 

1. Upheld implied powers of the constitution

2. Emphasized the supremacy of federal law 

• Congress had the right for any action as long as the law was in scope of the constitution 

• Favoring a broad construction of the constitution, emphasizing the necessary and proper clause

• Gibbons V. ogden (1824)

• The supreme court affirms the right for federal gov to regulate interstate commerce 

4. Debates over the “American System”

• Henry Clay

• Speaker of the house

• Senator from kentucky 

• Advocated for the american system

•  struggles over tariffs, national banks, and internal improvements 

• slavery 

• Most explosive issue

• 1st fully federal funded highway in 1916

5. “Era of good feelings

• Era of prosperity, peace, and goodwill 

• Era does not last long

• James Monroe

• Part of virginia dynasty

• Fought with george washington 

• Served as secretary of war and state under madison

• Ambassador to paris, madrid, and london

• Senator and governor from virginia  

• Panic of 1819

• Major economic downturn 

• Ensued when british demand for cotton dropped off ( turned to colonies in egypt to meet its needs)

• Domestic manufactures struggled to compete with industrialists

• Settlers and land speculators lost a lot of money when land prices failed 

• Banking is also in disarray 

• Continues for 3 years

6. Missouri Compromise ( 11 free states) (1820)

• Tallmadge Amendment (fails)

• Balance of power politics over slavery

• Missouri admitted as slave state

• Talmond Jr. proposed that no more slaves could be brought into Missouri 

• Southerners were concerned about them being a free state because it would give them more power 

• Senate was consumed of mostly free states 

• Main admitted as free state

• Parallel at 36 degrees 30

• Banning slavery at a certain point in Louisiana

• Below the line missouri and Arkansas would be able to be slave states 

• No slavery above it 

Equal number of slave and free states 

The Rise of Andrew Jackson

1. Trade in Far West

• William Becknell

• Displaced mexican merchants with his cheap things in New mexico 

• John and Jacob Astor and the American Fur company

• Moved the the far west as well 

• In the rocky mountains

• Traded beaver pelts with Native Americans 

• Rocky Mountain fur company

• Mountain men lived in isolated areas 

2. Diplomatic Nationalism 

• Rush-Bagot Agreement

• Designed to lessen tensions between britain and america 

• Limited amount of ships on the great lakes ( both countries) 

• Convention of 1818

• Adams settled the northern purchase of the louisiana purchase

• Settled on the 49th parallel 

• Jointly occupy the Oregon territory 

• John quincy would gain florida from spain 

• First Seminole War

• Jackson attacked a spanish fort 

• He also destroyed indian villages in the area as well ( captured british citizens as well) 

• Jackson then captured pensacola 

• Transcontinental Treaty (1819)

• America gains florida ( pays spain 5 mil) 

• Florida does not become a state until 1845 

3. The Monroe Doctrine ( the 4 declarations) 

• American continents were not to be considered as subjects for future colonization by european powers

• The US would oppose any attempt by european powers to impose their political system in the Western Hemisphere

• The US would not interfere with remaining european colonies

• The US would keep out of european internal affairs and wars 

4. Election of 1824

• “The corrupt Bargain”

• Pits democratic republicans against each other 

• William H. Crawford for states rights and strict constitution

• Clay was for internal improvements (american system)

• John adams similar to the american system less on tariff

• Andrew jackson was banking on his popularity as a war hero 

• None got majority of electoral votes

• Election was thrown into the house of reps  

• Choose from top 3 candidates ( henry clay was not in the running)

• Crawford drops out after suffering a stroke

• Adams v jackson for election of 1824

• Jackson was popular 

• Speaker of the house was Henry clay; did not like Jackson ( predicted would be a great misfortune)

• Did not like quincy either but had the same value beliefs ( adams would reward him with secretary of state) 

• Corrupt bargain - known as Henry clay using his power to get JOhn quincy adams to be president in order for clay to get secretary of state 

• Taints John quincy adams presidency (bargain) 

5. John Quincy Adams

• Proposed national university, scientific exploration of the west, astronomical observatory, and department of the interior

• Advocated for more federal power

• Achieved little in foreign and political domestacy 

• Roads, bridges, and canals

• People not ready for activist government

• Came off as stiff and cold

• Did not want to compromise

• Was groomed by his father John adams

• But lacked the politicalness of his father

• Personality was molded by tragedy 

6. Jacksonian Democracy 

• Campaign of 1828

• Most ferocious in history

• Pitted the nation republicans against the jacksonian democrats

• Jackson and his wife rachel had lived in adultery; couple was unaware that the divorce with rachel's first husband was not finalized (believed henry clay was spreading these rumors)

• Going into the election jackson had the advantage

• West supported because he was an indian fighter

• South supported because he was a planter

• Jackson favored states rights, white supremacy, individual liberty, and an expanded military    

• By 1840, more than 90% of white males could vote 

• Before 1800s only property owners/ taxpayers could vote 

• Free black men could vote in 5 new england states

• Maine, rhode island, massachusetts 

• Free blacks barred from migrating to midwest

• Could not migrate to wisconsin, oregon, indiana, illinois, or michigan 

• Women of all races could not vote 

• Abigail adams and dolly madison sounding boards for their husbands

• Participating in campaigns, attending rallies

• Limits to liberalism of era 

• No where else in the world the right to vote were so widespread

Election of 1828 - Jackson wins 

The Jacksonian Era I

1. Jackson’s background and Inauguration

• Jackson’s background

• First to be from west

• Suffered setbacks as a child and a man

• Father died before he was born 

• Mother died of cholera and his brother died in the war

• Was captured by the british at the age of 14 

• Started as an attorney in tennessee

• Elected to the house of reps and senate representing tennessee

• Went to become a judge in tennessee

• Became a planter in tennessee (hermitage)  

• Jackson’s inauguration

• 1828 election was a watershed 

• Inauguration on march 4th 1829

• Dressed in all black 

• People’s president

• Invited his admires into the whitehouse for his celebration

• A drunken crowd began destroying furniture and glasses

• Jackson was over 6ft tall and 140 lbs 

• Was called “old hickory”

• Jackson shaped and created the democratic party 

• No figure was more widely loved and despised 

2. Jacksonian democracy

• Jackson claimed to rule in the name of the common man, not the political and economic elite 

• Promised to protect the poor and humble from wealth and power

• Equal rights and equal laws

• White male citizens given equal status without regard to wealth or background

• Politics became a form of mass entertainment 

• Indians, blacks, and women fell outside the new paradigm  

• Was not specified on how people were supposed to governor themselves

• We the people were meant for those who work with their hands ( farmers, mechanics)

• Ordinary people involved in politics

• Was enhanced by the press

• Tract society first powered the steam powered press ( to produce newspapers, books, and bibles) 

• Often published by the political parties themselves 

• Planters were worried about growing democratic spirit 

• Jackson enhanced the power and prestige of the presidency 

• Used the veto the most 

• The people were the government (what Jackson believed)

3. Spoils System and Eaton Affair

• Spoils system

• Replaces about ⅕ of office federal holders with his friends and supports

• Not all of these people were qualified 

• The Eaton affair

• John calhoun and varbeanh were both wanting to be in the president's cabinet

• Jackson becomes increasingly suspicious of John Calhoun

• Peggy eaton, John eaton, John C calhoun, Floreed ( 4 major people)

• Peggy was flirtatious women, John timberlake her husband died of a heart attack (1828)

• Peggy became known of John eaton 

• John and peggy got married in January of 1829

• Rumors began to swirl that her original husband had committed suicide after he learned of her alleged affair with John eaton

•  Floured objected to their past

• Jackson suspected that calhoun and peggy were spreading vicious rumors 

• Jackson was upset because it reminded him of all the accusations that were thrown on his wife 

• Jackson announced peggy as pure as a virgin 

•  Jackson clears his house in the cabinet 

• Relied on a group of close friends for his advisors 

4. Internal Improvements

• Jackson vetoed the Maysville Road

• Opposed federal funding of internal improvements

• Jackson said that roads were a state matter 

5. Bank War

• Jackson vetoed the recharter of the Bank on July 10, 1832

• The bank was unconstitutional 

• He thought it made the rich richer and the potnet more powerful

• The farmer mechanic and the laborer were being discriminated against

• Congress was unable to overule the veto  

• Jackson, Southerners, and Westerners opposed Bank of the United States

• Complained that local banks were not giving out local loans

• Jackson thought printing currency caused inflation

• He wanted gold and silver coins to be used for all economic transactions

• He referred to bankers as vipers and thieves 

• Nicholas Bidle

• Wanted to recharter the bank before 1836

6. Dorr Rebellion  

• Dorr Rebellion in Rhode Island 

• Only half of the adult males could vote in rhode island

• The lawyer Thomas L. Dorr formed a people's party and formed a new constitution

• Was overwhelmingly approved

• The existing state government did not recognize this constitution

• The Dorr rights set of their own gov 

• In 1842, 2 separate gov were forming in rhode island

The Jackson Era

1. The Nullification Crisis (Calhoun and the tariff) 

• Jefferson Day dinner

• Tariff of 1832

• Lowers the duties on some items 

• Although textiles and iron remain high for tariffs

• Did not nullify calhoun and his followers if northern congressmen could enforce this tariff then this would stop slavery 

• South Carolina convention nullified tariffs of 1828 and 1832; nullification: “laws were null, void, and no law” 

• Calhoun resigned as president and became a senator 

• Jackson: nullification favored disunion and disunion was treason 

• Force bill 

• In 1833, jackson received a force bill from congress

• Gave him authority to use the military in order to collect the revenue and enforce the tariff in south carolina 

• Tariff lowered the incrementally

• A bill was passed

• Designed to take the wind out of calhoun sails 

• Both sides claim victory, erged the nullifiers to give in 

• South carolina got what it wanted, and jackson felt like he upheld the supremecy 

• John Calhoun was the antagonist to Jackson

• Cotton depleted the soil, so people fled west to find more fertile soil 

• “Tariff of Abominations” (1828)

• Raised duties on english textiles coming into america 

• Rose prices on important goods that southerners needed

• Also england purchased less southern cotton 

• Benefited northern textile companies in the expense of southerners crop sales

• Nullification 

• Calhoun wanted to veto/ nullify an unconstitutional law

• Defended states rights 

• Calhoun championed the 10th amendments ( reserved to the states) 

• Frequently invoking the principles of 98 ( virginia and kentucky resolutions) 

2. Madison on nullification 

• Madison believed the nullifiers were trying to throw the nation into disorder a second time like the anti-federalists before them 

• The tariff was constitutional 

3. Webster-Hayne Debate

• Robert Hayne (SC): states had created the union; states could ignore or jettison laws they did not like

• Dnaiel Webster(MA): the people had created the union; union as inseparable 

• States could not nullify federal laws 

4. Andrew Jackson and Indians 

• Indian removal act (1830)

• Jackson saw indians as an impediment to western expansion 

• Wanted them moved to the great desert (west of the mississippi river)

• Indians were considered simple savages 

• Alabama, georgia, and mississippi had already abolished tribes 

• Passed the senate by a single vote 

• The indians home would be in oklahoma 

• Elias Boudinot and the new echota (1835)

• Signed the document 

• Other indians resisted but were in a weakened position

• By 1845 46,000 indians had already been relocated 

• Blackhawk War of 1832

• Cherokee Nation v. Georgia (1831)

• When gold was found settlers pushed the indians out of those states 

• The court ruled that the cherokee had an unquestionable right to their land

• Worcester v. Georgia (1832)

• The supreme court does not have enforcemnt powers 

• Jackson famous declared john marshall made his decision 

• Cherokee were forced out 

• Trail of tears (1838)

• 17,000 cherokees made this trek

• 4,000 perished along the way 

The Jacksonian Era III

1. Asassiniation attempt on jackson

• President thought that his political opponenets were trying to kill him

• Lawrence became the first presidential assasin orcustrated by john calhoun (conspiracy)

2. Anti-masonic party

• Set three precedents 

1. First third party

2. First to have a national nominating convention

3. First to declare a platform outlining specific policies 

Andrew Jackson and henry clay were a mason 

3. Election of 1832

• Both parties held conventions 

• Jackson was democratic ticket and clay was republican 

4. The bank war

• Jackson slayed the Bank by removing the federal government deposits and putting them in state banks 

• Pet banks primarily in the west ran by his supporters ( state banks) 23

• This action was illegal 

• On march 8, henry clay centered the president 

• Bidle tries to bring on a depression

• Jackson won the bank war, as the federal bank closed down in 1841 

• No central banking oversight 

• National debt completely eliminated in 1835

• Only time where debt was completely eliminated

• Distribution act (1836)

• Took federal surpluses and distributed them to 81 state banks to use those funds go to infrastructure projects

• Specie Circular (1836) 

• That all land sales must be conducted in gold or silver coinage for land

• Banks cut back for lending 

• Not enough gold and silver on hand 

•  Southern states censored the mail, removing anti-slavery materials 

• To reduce the amount of slavery

• Congress did not want to discuss the issue with slavery  

5. Whig vs. democratic party ideology (anti jackson coalition) 

• Made from democrats who left the jacksonian and republicans 

• Referred to jackson as King Andrew the 1st 

• Linked to the american patriots during the revolution

• Whigs vs democrats

• Whigs resembles the federalists party 

• Supported centralized government and expansive federal power

• Supported commercial and industrial development; emphasized importance of entrepreneurs and those driving economic growth 

• Opposed rapid westward expansion

• Argued that it promoted central instability 

• Native-born protestants who championed temperance and abolition of slavery

• Baptists, federalists

• Valued order; believed immigrants had to be assimilated 

• Adopt american way of life and be disciplined 

• Supported temperance (ban of alcohol) 

• Supported internal improvements, high tariffs, and national bank

• Whig farmers in the west also liked internal improvements as well 

• Bankers, entrepreneurs, wealthier planters 

6. Democratic Party Ideology

• Favored states rights and limited government

• Championed farmers and workers

• Opposed aristocracy and entrenched wealth

• Favored western expansion and economic opportunity

• Locofocos in Northeast ( thought they were at war with the rich)

• Irish and German catholics 

• Demos seemed to support their cultural heritage 

7. Election of 1836

• Martin van buren became the democratic nominee (jackson vice president

• 3 whigs represented 3 different regions (harrison, white, and webster)

• Van Buren won the election

8. Martin Van buren presidency

• Was an able professional politician

• Little magician 

• Secretary of state, governor of new york and vice president 

• Many people thought he was self serving 

• The panic of 1837

• Economic downturn 

• Largest depression in american history up to that point

• Origins in britain

• Bank of england worried about depleted gold and silver cut back on their loans 

• Britain businesses cut back on demand for american cotton

• Causing the price of cotton to decrease

• Banks in the us called in loans from farmers and businesses

• Many foreclosures since they could not pay

• 250 business in NY failed

• Banks were also failing as well 

• Jackson party was at fault

• Since ending the national bank, which would've helped the situation

• Resulted in fewer federal land sales 

• No surplus of gold and silver to be supplied to the states

• Federal government was on the verge of bankruptcy 

• Up to ⅓ of laborers were unemployed 

• Blamed van buren (insult of Martin van ruin) 

• Wages were cut 

• Democrats offered no government assistance 

9. Election of 1840

• Whigs nominated Harrison (gov of Indiana, senator from Ohio) ( won the battle of tippecanoe) 

• Whigs also put a southerner on the ballet (john tyler) (known as cotton whigs)

•  Harrison won the election (234 to 60) 

• Largest voter turnout up to that time (80% of white men voted)

10. Jackson legacy

• Transformational president during transformational time

• Forged a Democratic coalition made up by the poor, farmers, working class, laborers, and German and Irish immigrants

• Carved out a new space in politics for ordinary men

• Brought Nullification crisis to successful and non-violent conclusion

• Paid off the national debt in 1835

• Presided over a growing “white man’s democracy”