Unit 2: Early America

Ratifying the Constitution
  1. The Convention 1787 - Philadelphia

    1. To decide what to do about the government 2. Revise or replace the articles 3. Delegates were most lawyers, generally wealthy, white, males 4. Most had experience in government 5. George Washington named presiding officer based on his military leadership credentials 6. Virginia Plan - favored by large states 7. Get rid of articles, three branches of government, congress divided into two houses, representatives based on population 8. New Jersey Plan - favored by small states 9. Keep and try and fix articles, stronger central government, keep one-house congress, representation equal for every state

  1. Great Compromise
  2. the Virginia plan was chosen w/ compromise that house of Representatives would be based on population and the Senate would be equal for every state
  3. Three-fifths compromise
  4. States would get one representative per 40k people
  5. Southern states wanted to count their slave population (more people = more reps)
  6. The compromise was that states could count ⅗ of their slaves
  7. Congress couldn’t ban slave trade until 1808
  8. Federalism
  9. Federalist vs Anti-Federalists
George Washington Farewell Address Main points
  1. Doesn’t want division in America that will be caused by political parties
  2. Cautioned people over changing the constitution
  3. Religion and morality are necessary springs for popular government
  4. Be fair with all nations and create peace with them, don’t favor one over another
Election of 1800
  1. 1796 Washington steps down John Adams was elected

   

  1. Who Washington wanted the people to vote for

    1. John Adams

   

  1. Most of presidential actions were blunders

  2. XYZ affair- opening up trade with France and Britain during the French Revolution

  3. Scandal that Adams’ administration was accepting bribes from the British to open up trade

  4. Alien and Sedition Acts 1798

  5. Powers are given to president that sounded unamerican

  6. Took away rights and freedoms for immigrants and freedom of speech

  7. You have to be in America for 14 years to be a citizens

  8. Jefferson gets rid of these Acts

    1. The election of 1800

   

  1. One of the most important elections in American history
  2. Would the party in power willingly give up their power?
  3. 2 candidates:
John AdamsThomas Jefferson
FederalistsStrong central governmentRule by the wealthy classI’m gonna do what’s best for youJeffersonian republicansStates governmentsDemocratic reformsI’m gonna do what you want me to do

     d. Jefferson wins and there was a peaceful passing of power

The War of 1812
  1. America’s most ridiculous war
  2. Historical context

    1. During Napoleonic War 2. the US stays neutral but wants to trade with both sides 3. British capture American ships, and impress (force someone to sail with you) American soldiers 4. Americans place an embargo (stopping trade) on the British 5. Doesn’t work 6. War hawks- Americans, mostly southern and western, who want war with England 7. 1812 the US declared war on England and attacked Canada 8. Unsuccessful 9. 1814 Britain defeated Napoleon and sends 14k soldiers to America (7k soldiers)

  1. Burning of Washington

  2. In December US and Britain sign a peace treaty and go back to normal

    1. January of 1815- Battle of New Orleans

   

  1. New Orleans was defended by a new commander Andrew Jackson against the British (who didn’t know the war was over)
  2. In defending the fort Britain suffered 2k casualties to America’s 62
  3. Both sides found out the war was over and it ended
  4. Victory sparks new nationalism throughout America, and Andrew Jackson gained national fame
Andrew Jackson
  1. First of the new generation of American leaders
  2. President from 1828-1836
  3. Election of 1824

   

  1. 4 candidates (JQ Adams, Jackson, Crawford, Clay) with a split vote

  2. Jackson was supposed to win this election, he didn’t because he doesn’t get more than half of the votes

  3. Congress gives the presidency to JQ because of what Jackson called the corrupt bargain (Clay gives JQ supporters if he is made secretary of state)

    1. 4 years later Jackson has been campaigning against the corruption of Washington and “insider” bargains and power

   

  1. Wins by a landslide

    1. He’s known as the “people’s president”
    2. He saw the president as the most democratic figure and congress as less democratic
    3. As such he wielded his presidential power more than any president before

   

  1. Ignores some Supreme Court decisions, such as the stopping of the Trail of Tears

  2. Prevented states from avoiding federal laws

  3. Vetoed more laws than all previous presidents combined

  4. He started what would be called the Spoil System, giving federal jobs to supporters

    1. The Bank war

   

  1. Fought to close the federal bank, sought as an evil institution
Intro to the Marshall Court
  1. Basic info- the constitution is vague about what the Supreme county can do

   

  1. Judicial review- decide which laws are constitutional and which are not

    1. The Marshall Court

   

  1. John Marshall was chief justice who led the early supreme court to strengthen the power of the federal government
  2. Established judicial review
Mexican American War
  1. Historical context

   

  1. 1830s & 40s Americans traveled to what is now Texas, then Mexico, to ranch

  2. Texans didn't want to follow Mexico’s anti-slavery laws so they revolted against Mexico

  3. They won their freedom and then wanted to join the US

  4. The US accepted them which caused the beginning of the Mexican American war

    1. 1 st American war fought against a non-European country
    2. The Matchup

   

  1. American armies were outnumbered, Mexican home soil yet US won every major battle
  2. Reason #1- better technology

       1. Better artillery such as industrial cannons

  1. Reason #2- better officers

       1. Trained at west point

  1. Reason #3- more resources

       1. Industrial power provided better military resources than Mexico 2. Guns, uniforms, food, horses

  1. Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo

   

  1. 1848 when the war ends

  2. US got all CA, UT, NV, and parts of NM, AZ, WY, CO (lots of territories)

    1. Lasting Impact

   

  1. Territory gained

  2. CA + 1849 gold rush

  3. Training grounds for US military before the civil war, especially southern officers

  4. Adds to debate of slavery

  5. Training grounds for new industrial weapons

    1. Manifest destiny

   

  1. The belief that it was God's will for Americans to move west no matter who stood in the way