The USA's Expansion and Growth (1789-1838)
Overview
- The USA grew rapidly in the northwest between 1789 and 1838, partially due to the expansion of slavery.
- In 1790, the United States had thirteen states; by 1838, this number doubled to 26.
- The rest of the land was inhabited by American Indians or claimed by European powers.Original Thirteen States
- Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia.Reasons for Expansion
- Several vital factors contributed to the rapid expansion of the USA:
1. The Louisiana Purchase
- In 1803, President Jefferson bought New Orleans and the territory of Louisiana for $15 million.
- This acquisition added 530 million acres to the USA.
- Jefferson sent explorers, like Lewis and Clark, to explore this territory.
- Consequences:
- Lewis and Clark opened up the fur trade with the discovery of prime hunting grounds.
- Traders utilized the explorers' maps to engage in economic activities, leading to increased settlements despite conflicts in Indian territories.
2. Wars Against Natives
- The Battle of Fallen Timbers (1794) resulted in the Treaty of Greenville, expanding US control over the Northwest Territory.
- This result facilitated increased settlement by American pioneers, leading to the formation of new states, including Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Mississippi, and Alabama.
3. Opening up of Territories
- The government sold large portions of the Northwestern and Southwestern Territories in lots of 640 acres.
- Most farming families earned about $100 per year and could not afford such land.
- This fact ignited the ambitions of farmers hoping for land ownership, leading many to become squatters.
- Issue:
- This practice allowed a small number of individuals to acquire vast tracts of land and sparked outrage among many farmers.
- Example: 68 speculators amassed 500,000 acres in Illinois, forcing existing occupants to either vacate or pay exorbitant fees.
4. Land Speculators
- Land speculators purchased land cheaply from the government and sold it in smaller plots to farmers, fueling expansion.
- The government supported this initiative, seeking maximum profits by providing incentives like a 10% discount for cash purchases.
- Consequences:
- Displaced Indians were pushed further west, leading to conflicts among various tribes.
5. Other Factors Impacting Expansion
- The promise of land ownership inspired thousands; however, most families struggled financially.
- Tensions rose as fewer landowners existed, which concentrated land ownership among a few.
10.1.2 Growth of the Deep South: Cotton Plantations and Slavery (1793-1838)
Introduction
- Growth in the slave trade mirrored America's expansion due to increased land availability and cultivation of cash crops like cotton.
- Businesses invested significantly in slavery for profits, while new technologies sped up cotton processing.
- People saw opportunities in buying and selling slaves.By 1840, the USA was the largest cotton producer worldwide
- Prices of cotton decreased, necessitating more labor from slaves, leading to the introduction of the "pushing system," which punished slaves for not working rapidly enough.
- Northern states were alarmed by the treatment of slaves, noting the growing power and profits of the Southern states.
Reasons for the Expansion of Cotton Plantations
1. Land
- Acquiring the Louisiana Territory facilitated plantation growth in Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi, generating high labor demand and expanding slavery.
2. Businessmen
- Entrepreneurs and land speculators saw profitability in the new territories, purchasing land.
- Wealthy investors employed laborers for their plantations while remaining distanced from slavery's harsh realities.
3. Demand
- Cotton trading flourished, especially in regions like New Orleans, where bales were transported downriver for processing in Britain, heightening demand for an enslaved workforce.
4. Cotton Gin
- Eli Whitney's Cotton Gin (1793) revolutionized cotton processing by enhancing efficiency significantly, which resulted in soaring production demands, necessitating a larger enslaved labor force.
5. Banks
- President Andrew Jackson favored policies that enabled banks to lend more to cotton investors, further expanding the cotton industry and slavery's demand.
Tensions Arise
- A small group of abolitionists raised moral objections against slavery.
- By 1838, the Southern states held over 2 million slaves who had no voting rights, engendering worry in the North about Southern power.
- The Missouri Compromise was established to maintain a balance between slave and free states.
Reason 6: Missouri Compromise (1820)
- Allowed slavery in Missouri and southward areas but featured Maine's admission as a free state to balance Missouri's slave status.
- New states formed afterward were generally admitted in pairs: one slave state, one free state.
10.1.3 Securing Growth: Removal of Native Indians from the East (1830-38)
The Five Civilized Tribes
- Tribes such as the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole attempted to adapt to American society.
- The Cherokee established a government mimicking U.S. political structures, forming a capital, adopting currency, and even creating a written language.
- By the 1820s, they had established schools, churches, and newspapers.Demand from White Settlers for Land
- Settlers sought lands of the Five Civilized Tribes since the 1790s for plantations.Indian Removal Act (1830)
- Persuaded by President Andrew Jackson, Congress passed this act to incentivize tribes to relocate in exchange for financial compensation.
- Jackson designated permanent Indian territory west of the Mississippi, in modern-day Oklahoma.
- His rationale was aimed at aligning with what he deemed to be in the tribes' best interests.
Effects of the Indian Removal Act
Five Civilized Tribes' Responses
Seminole
- Some agreed to move, while others resisted, leading to conflict.
- A war ensued (1835-1842), the U.S. lost militarily but captured and killed chief Osceola during peace talks.Creek
- Refused significant land agreements.
- Civil strife erupted from raids on settlers by the Creek; the army was dispatched to forcibly remove over 15,000 Creek.Cherokee
- Legally contested their removal in the Supreme Court, winning a favorable ruling; however, it was ignored by Georgia.
- By 1838 only 2,000 Cherokee relocated, and federal troops forcibly marched the remaining 16,000 in a tragic event known as "The Trail of Tears," leading to thousands of deaths.
10.1.4 Lives and Culture of the Plains Indians (Including the Lakota Sioux)
Geography Overview
- The Great Plains are expansive grasslands between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains with limited resources and extreme temperature variations.Lakota Adaptations
- The Lakota Sioux lived nomadically, effectively utilizing horses to follow buffalo herds.
- New trade experiences provided guns to enhance their hunting.
Cultural Organization
Lakota Sioux
Organization
- Formed into bands and tribes, led by powerful warriors.
- Nomadic lifestyle revolving around buffalo hunts.Food
- Primarily buffalo-based diets.Cheyenne
- Similar structure to the Sioux, partially nomadic, with some engaging in trade.Warfare
- Emphasized horseback combat and the importance of warrior societies.Beliefs
- Revered the Great Spirit, Wakan Tanka, viewing land ownership negatively.Relations with White Americans
- Hostile interactions led to conflicts over land rights, including treaties.
10.1.5 Migration to Oregon and California; Settlement of Utah
Manifest Destiny
- The belief that it was God’s will for white Americans to settle all of North America.
Migration Patterns
Westward Movement
- Large-scale migration began in the 1840s, floating west to California, Oregon, and Washington.
- Factors influencing this mobility included economic downturns and the promise of better opportunities.Preemption Act (1841)
- Allowed settlers to claim land they had improved, disrupting land speculation schemes.
Stages of Migration Journey
Preparation
- Deciding routes and forming wagon trains for travel.Settling In
- Families packed possessions into covered wagons to travel via either the Oregon or California trails.
Challenges During Migration
Limited travel speed of around twenty miles a day across diverse terrain.
Issues arose from equipment failures and sickness.
Migrants required proper supplies for the journey's difficulties and faced dangers, including conflicts with native populations.
10.1.6 Mormons and Their Westward Migration
Introduction
- The Mormons, a religious group known as the Church of the Latter Day Saints, have unique beliefs differing from mainstream Christianity.
Key Beliefs
Shared ownership, opposition to slavery, aggressive conversion efforts, and polygamy.
Westward Movement
After facing hostility in Illinois, Mormons relocated to the Great Salt Lake, establishing Salt Lake City in 1847.
Community Structure
- No individual land ownership; allocation was determined by church needs.
- Irrigation initiatives led to successful agriculture despite the arid environment.Conflicts and Governance
- Utah became a territory under federal jurisdiction, with Brigham Young as governor, but tensions with the federal government remained.
10.1.7 Gold Rushes of California and Pike's Peak
California Gold Rush
- Gold found at Sutter’s Mill (1848) led to a rapid influx of miners and settlers.
- California’s swift application for statehood followed the population boom.
Events Timeline
1849: Over 50,000 individuals migrated to California.
1850: California attained statehood.
Social Dynamics in Mining Settlements
Miners lived in male-dominated, rough environments fraught with violence.
- Women contributed to the economy through various means, including selling food.
Impact on Native Peoples and the Environment
Mining directly led to displacement and violence against indigenous populations.
- Environmental degradation was noted due to destructive mining practices, leading to floods and ecosystem damage.
Pike's Peak Gold Rush
- Following California's boom, this rush attracted over 100,000 individuals between 1858 and 1859.
- The emergence of town promoters exacerbated risks for newcomers.
- Shift in relationships between white settlers and Native Americans due to land competition.
10.1.8 Causes of the Civil War (1861-1865)
Introduction
- The Civil War erupted between Northern and Southern states, mainly over issues related to slavery and state rights.
Key Factors Leading to Conflict
By 1850, the North's growing population yielded more political power, contrasting Southern values.
Important Legislation:
- 1850 Compromise increased Southern power at the expense of the North.
- Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854) permitted slavery's expansion into newer territories, fuelling tensions.
- Supreme Court rulings favored slaveholders, further inflaming hostility.Republican Party Emergence:
- Formed in 1854, it aimed to limit slavery's spread.Election of Lincoln:
- His election in 1860 triggered several Southern states to secede from the Union, citing threats against their slaveholding rights.
Timeline of Major Events
- November 1860: Lincoln's election prompts South Carolina's secession.
- February 1861: Six additional states follow suit, forming the Confederacy.
- April 1861: Hostilities begin at Fort Sumter, marking the Civil War's onset.
10.1.9 Black Americans During the Civil War (1861-1865)
Context
- Limited rights existed for black Americans in both the North and South, with pervasive racism and economic hardship.
Changes Occurring
In the North:
- Some jobs were available, but equality in employment was rare.
- Limited housing resources led to poor living conditions.
- Education was limited, with segregated schools, generally less accessible for black students.In the South:
- The end of slavery provided opportunities, although conditions remained dire.
- The fact that the Emancipation Proclamation didn’t apply to all states limited its effectiveness.
Roles during the War
Black soldiers joined the Union Army, significantly contributing to the war efforts.
Women often worked in support roles as nurses or cooks.
10.1.10 Reconstruction’s Impact on Black Americans (1863-1877)
Lincoln's Vision:
- Promoted the Emancipation Proclamation and established the Freedman's Bureau to assist ex-slaves, pushing for citizenship rights.Transition to Radical Reconstruction:
- Congressional actions during Johnson's presidency aimed to redefine citizenship and rights for African Americans.
- Key amendments:
- 14th Amendment ensured citizenship for those born in the USA.
- 15th Amendment granted voting rights, with over 2000 black Americans elected to office by November 1870.
Opponents of Reconstruction
- Many in the South viewed Reconstruction negatively, with legislation like literacy tests aimed to suppress black voting.
Emerging Factions
- Redeemer governments sought to restore pre-war social order, perpetuating systems of injustice.
10.1.11 Railroads, Ranches, and Cow Towns
Transcontinental Railroad Development
- Authorized in 1862, combining efforts from companies in the East and West to build a railroad system, significantly impacting movement and commerce.
Cattle Industry Growth
Post-Civil War, ranchers took advantage of grazing cattle, leading to the economic boom of long cattle drives to railroad stations.
- Cow Towns emerged as central hubs for cattle trading.
Economic Impact
Railroad expansion transformed the landscape of commerce and settlement, allowing swift transportation but at the expense of native lands.
10.1.12 Life on the Plains and Homesteading
Push and Pull Factors
- The Homestead Act (1862) promised 160 acres of land to those who farmed it for five years, attracting settlers.
- Railroads facilitated movement and trade on the Plains, where homesteaders faced numerous hardships.
Challenges Faced
Keeping Healthy:
- Disease and unsanitary conditions prevailed due to inadequate infrastructure.Water Scarcity:
- Droughts and lack of accessible water triggered irrigation technologies and 'dry farming' techniques.Isolation:
- Homesteaders frequently lived in remote conditions, often prompting community development once populations rose.Housing and Fuel:
- Constructing sod houses proved tough but became the standard, while alternative heating sources were used due to wood scarcity.Fencing:
- Invention of barbed wire helped establish property lines and safeguard crops.Natural Hazards:
- Fires and locust plagues posed immense threats, leading to devastating impacts on communities.
10.1.13 Indian Wars (1860s - 1900)
Growing Tension
- Settlement encouraged conflicts over land and resources, culminating in a reservation policy intended to manage Indian tribes.
Key Wars and Events
Little Crow's War:
- Triggered by starvation and subsequent attacks on settlers by the Santee Sioux led to brutal government retribution.Red Cloud's War:
- Direct conflict between the Lakota Sioux and US Government over land and treaties, ultimately leading to government concessions.The Great Sioux War:
- Tensions surrounding gold discoveries on Sioux lands triggered warfare, significant losses for Native Americans, and forced relocations.
10.1.14 Changing Lives of Plains Indians (1877-1900)
Reservation Life
- Government policies post-Great Sioux War saw an escalation in Native American displacement to reservations.
Conditions on Reservations
Poor supplies led to starvation and suffering, aggressively compounded by the railroad-induced slaughter of buffalo.
Cultural Disruption
Attempts to convert Native Americans to Christianity and dismantle tribal structures disrupted indigenous cultures.
Education policies stripped children of cultural ties and imposed new identities.
Ghost Dance Movement
A significant spiritual push rooted in a return to traditional practices; brutal response by the military marked the end of a pivotal cultural resistance movement.
10.1.15 Changing Lives of Black Americans (1877-1900)
Economic Struggles
Post-Reconstruction poverty and low-wage jobs characterized the lives of Black Americans in both the South and North, with systemic discrimination being rampant.
Black Aspirations
Opportunities for homesteading emerged as a potential avenue for Black Americans with migration to areas like Kansas.
- Educational advancements and community-building initiatives provided some hope amid widespread segregation and oppression.
Racial Violence and Segregation
The rise of Jim Crow laws codified systemic inequity, diminishing rights and perpetuating racial division.
- Organizations like the Ku Klux Klan fostered a climate of fear and violence targeted against Black individuals in the South.