Day 49: Rise of a Mass Democracy/Forging the Nat’l Economy

Baltimore Polytechnic InstituteNovember 14, 2011

A.P. U.S. HistoryMr. Green

Objectives: Describe the growth and movement of America’s

population in the early nineteenth century.Describe the largely German and Irish wave of

immigration beginning in the 1830s and the reactions it provoked among native Americans.

AP FocusArriving in huge numbers in the antebellum period, Irish

and German immigrants coalesced into voting blocks, allowing them to play a significant role in the nation’s municipal, state, and federal elections. Concurrently, organizations and political parties, such as the Know-Nothings, formed to fight what they considered a weakening of American culture because of immigration.

Rise of a Mass Democracy

CHAPTER THEMEIn the era of Jacksonian democracy,

the American population grew rapidly and changed in character. More people lived in the raw West and in the expanding cities, and immigrant groups, like the Irish and Germans, added their labor power to America’s economy, sometimes arousing hostility from native-born Americans in the process.

Chapter Focus

Quiz on Thursday/Friday covering Chapter 14

Announcements

William Henry Harrison-WhigGeneral during the War of 1812Issueless/No platform

Martin Van Buren-Democratblamed for the economyout of touch with Americans

Whigsexpand and stimulate the economy

Democratsretrenchmentend banks/end aggressive corporations

Election of 1840

1. Triumph of a populist democratic style2. Formation of a vigorous/durable 2-party

systemDemocrats-states’ rights/federal restraint in

social and economic affairs, more humbleWhigs-use government to reach agenda,

supported the bank, protective tariffs, internal improvements, public schools, temperance, abolition, more properous

Both-mass based, mobilize as many voters as possible

Outcome of the 1840 Election

By 1850- ½ of Americans were under the age of 30

Moving west was difficult-poorly fed, ill-clad, poor housing, disease

Self Reliance-Ralph Waldo EmersonIsolated figures in literature

James Fenimore Cooper

Westward Movement

Population doubling every 25 years4th populous nation in the Western World43 cities with 20,000 or more by 1860What are the implications for large population

increases?

March of the Millions

Immigration-What are the implications for the U.S. ?

60,000/year to 18401840’s 180,000/year1850’s 240,000/yearMainly Irish and GermanNot all émigrés left for the U.S. Nearly half

went somewhere other than the U.S. Reasons?

Europe running out of roomFreedom and opportunityQuick trip

Immigration

NINANo Irish Need Applycame with nothingAncient Order of HiberniansMolly Maguires

Politics Tammany Hall-NYCPolice DepartmentsWashington support

Impact of Immmigration

Germanscrop failuresliberal political refugees-small amountMany possessed modest materialsMiddle West/Wisconsin-farmsLess politically strong than Irish-more scatteredSupported schools

Impact of Immigration

NativistsRoman Catholics-schoolsKnow-nothing partySeveral acts of anti-Catholic violence

Impact of Immigration

How were immigrants depicted in the media?

Re-read chapter 14Quiz on Thursday/Friday

Homework