Chapter 3: Territorial Expansion

during the Antebellum Period

Standard USHC-2: The student will demonstrate an understanding of how economic

developments and the westward movement impacted regional differences and democracy

in the early nineteenth century.

Enduring Understanding

Political conflict is often the result of competing social values and economic interests. To

understand how different perspectives based on differing interests and backgrounds led to

political conflict in the antebellum United States, the student will utilize the knowledge

and skills set forth in the following indicators:

Indicators

USHC-2.1 Summarize the impact of the westward movement on nationalism and

democracy, including the expansion of the franchise, the displacement of Native

Americans from the southeast and conflicts over states’ rights and federal power during the

era of Jacksonian democracy as the result of major land acquisitions such as the Louisiana

Purchase, the Oregon Treaty, and the Mexican Cession

USHC-2.2 Explain how the Monroe Doctrine and the concept of Manifest Destiny affected

the United States’ relationships with foreign powers, including the role of the United States

in the Texan Revolution and the Mexican War.

USHC-2.3 Compare the economic development in different regions (the South, the North,

and the West) of the United States during the early nineteenth century, including ways that

economic policy contributed to political controversies.

USHC-2.4 Compare the social and cultural characteristics of the North, the South, and the

West during the antebellum period, including the lives of African Americans and social

reform movements such as abolition and women’s rights.

.

Chapter 3 Terms

Northwest Ordinance

Louisiana Purchase

War of 1812

Andrew Jackson

Battle of New Orleans

Monroe Doctrine

Manifest Destiny

Missouri Compromise

Annexation of Texas

Oregon Territory

Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo

Gadsden Purchase

Compromise of 1850

Cherokee

Trail of Tears

Cotton gin

Sectionalism

Plantation system

Factory system

Tariffs

American System

Democracy

Jacksonian Democracy

Universal suffrage

Second National Bank

Temperance movement

Abolitionist movement

Women’s rights movement

Essential Questions

Describe the effects of the War of 1812. What was the Tail of Tears?

What impact did cotton have on western settlement? Describe Henry clay’s “American system”. What was Andrew Jackson’s view concerning suffrage? What was the Second-Great Awakening?

3.1 Territorial Expansion

With the victory over the French in the French

and Indian War, Britain took possession of the

Northeast Territory.

Following the American Revolution, Congress

passed the Northwest Ordinance which divided

the area into even smaller territories.

It also provided guidelines under which new

states could be admitted.

Under the ordinance, slavery was not permitted

in the new territories.

Once in office, President Jefferson wanted

to secure the U.S. trading on the

Mississippi River.

He sent representatives to France to

negotiate the purchase of New Orleans.

Napoleon was not interested, however

when Britain resumed its war with France

the French emperor surprised Jefferson by

offering to sell not only New Orleans but

the entire Louisiana region.

The Louisiana Purchase of 1803 was the

U.S. largest land purchase.

It roughly doubled the size of the country.

The Louisiana Purchase

President Jefferson chose Meriwether

Lewis to find a water route to the Pacific

Ocean.

Lewis chose William Clark to help him

lead the expedition.

They departed from St. Louis in May of

1804 and reached the Pacific Northwest

coast in November of 1805.

They returned to St. Louis in September of

1806 with valuable information about the

Oregon and Louisiana territories.

This exploration led to the rapid migration

of settlers to the Pacific Northwest.

The Lewis and Clark Expedition

As U.S. settlers attempted to move west,

they often confronted Native Americans

who resisted them.

Many settlers blamed the British for

wanting to protect their own interest.

They also felt threatened by the British

presence in Canada.

This combined with the British navy’s

policy of impressing U.S. sailors meant

that many in the U.S. wanted war.

On June 18, 1812, congress declared war

on Great Britain.

The War of 1812

The War of 1812 began with many in the U.S. hoping

to win land from the British in Canada and the

Spanish in Florida.

The British invaded and burned Washington DC in

august of 1814.

The U.S. won an inspiring victory at Fort McHenry

shortly after the DC burning.

The bravery of the U.S. soldiers inspired Francis

Scott Key to write the initial draft of the Star

Spangled Banner.

U.S. commander Andrew Jackson won major

victories at Horseshoe Bend and at New Orleans.

The U.S. won the war and signed the Treaty of Ghent

but it did not grant any official land to the U.S., but it

did keep the Mississippi river and the frontier open.

The War of 1812 cont.

The War of 1812 led to a rise in U.S. nationalism.

U.S. manufacturers proved capable of supplying the country with goods and this boosted

the morale and the economy.

Nationalism

The Monroe Doctrine With the end of the War of 1812 and the federalist party, the U.S. entered a period of

national pride and political unity known as the Era of Good Feelings.

President James Monroe issued the Monroe Doctrine in 1823.

The Monroe Doctrine stated that the U.S. would not tolerate European intervention in the

affairs of any independent nation in the Americas.

He also made it clear the U.S. was no longer open to any European colonization and any

future attempts would be considered an act of war.

During the middle of the 19th century or the 1800s , many wanted to add to the U.S.

territory.

Many leaders and citizens believed it was the country’s destiny to expand and possess

territory all the way to the Pacific Ocean.

Those who shared this conviction referred to it as “Manifest Destiny”.

Manifest Destiny

As the U.S. expanded west the main political issue

was slavery.

Free northern states opposed the addition of new

slave states.

Southern states fear the addition of free states

would leave them at a political disadvantage.

In 1819, a debate raged in congress over

Missouri’s application for statehood.

Slave states and free states were equally

represented in the Senate.

Missouri’s admission would disrupt the balance of

power.

A proposed bill called for the admission of

Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state.

The Missouri Compromise

In addition, the southern boundary of Missouri 36º30’N, would become a dividing line for

any new states admitted to the union.

All new states North of the line would be free states, all new states South of the line would

be slave states.

President Monroe signed it into law in 1820, It became know as the Missouri Compromise.

The Missouri Compromise

In 1821, Mexico gained independence from

Spain and gained control of Texas, which

include a large number of U.S. settlers.

In 1834 General Antonio Santa Anna assumed

power of the Mexican government and

tightened his control over Texas.

In response, Texans under the leadership of

Sam Houston launched a rebellion.

On March 6, a small group of Texans took

their stand against the Mexican leader at an

old mission called the Alamo.

Texas: Independence and Annexation

Despite their bravery every Texan who fought

at the Alamo perished.

Texas remained an independent nation until

1845.

The annexation of Texas was a critical issue in

the election of 1844.

James Polk became the first dark horse

presidential nominee in U.S. history.

Polk won the election and Congress admitted

Texas to the Union as a slave state in 1845.

Texas: Independence and Annexation cont.

In 1827, the U.S. and Great Britain had

reaffirmed their agreement to occupy the

Oregon territory jointly.

In 1843, thousands of U.S. settlers moved to

Oregon seeking a better life.

President Polk approached Britain arguing that

the U.S. had a rightful claim to the territory up

to 54º40N.

This started the slogan 54-40 or fight.

Britain agreed to give up Oregon and the U.S.

accepted a treaty declaring the 49 parallel the

official boundary.

In 1846 Oregon became a U.S. territory.

Oregon

Mexico considered the U.S. annexation of Texas to be an act of aggression. In June 1845,

Polk ordered General Zachary Taylor to lead his troops to the border to settle disputes over

the Mexico-U.S. border.

He also sent John Sidell to assist and negotiate for the purchase of California.

When Mexican troops crossed the border an attacked Taylor, Polk demanded that congress

declare war on Mexico.

The war was a series of U.S. victories leading up to September 14, 1847, when General

Winfield Scott marched his troops into Mexico City and forced Mexico to surrender.

After months of negotiations, the U.S. and Mexico finally ended the war with the Treaty of

Guadalupe-Hidalgo on February 2, 1848.

The treaty required Mexico to surrender the New Mexico and California territories to the

U.S. in 1853, the Gadsden Purchase gave the U.S. parts of present day New Mexico and

Arizona for 10 million dollars.

War with Mexico and

The Gadsden Purchase

Territorial expansion greatly affected Native

Americans. One tribe that was prominent in

western North Carolina and Georgia was the

Cherokee.

The Cherokee had assisted Andrew Jackson

in his victory at Horseshoe Bend during the

war of 1812.

When gold was discovered on the Cherokee

land in Georgia, the U.S. government took

action to move the tribe.

In 1830, congress passed the Indian Removal

Act, This law authorized the removal of the

Cherokee and other tribes from the southeast

U.S.

The Cherokee and The Trail of Tears

The Supreme court ruled that the Cherokee

had the right to remain on their land and

could not be forcibly removed.

President Andrew Jackson disregarded the

Court’s decision. In 1838 after Jackson left

office, the U.S. government forcibly removed

the Cherokee.

They were forced to march eight hundred

miles to reservations in Oklahoma.

Over one quarter of the Cherokee people died

from disease, starvation and exposure to the

bitter cold during the journey. Their march

became know as “The Trail of Tears”

The Cherokee and The Trail of Tears

In 1848, gold was discovered just north of Sacramento,

California.

The following year gold seekers came from all over the

world as part of the California Gold Rush of 1849.

These people became know as 49ers. This great increased

California's population.

This growth produced a need for a stable government

overnight.

The debate over slavery prevented congress from

organizing the territory.

Californians took matters into their own hands by drafting

a approving a state Constitution.

The Compromise of 1850 allowed congress to admit

California as a free state on September 9, 1850.

California Becomes A State

3.2 Sectional Differences

Settlers had different motivations for moving west, for

some it was religious faith.

The Mormons moved west to escape religious

persecution.

Under the leadership of Brigham Young, the Mormons

journeyed west and settled in present day Utah.

Gold was another reason people went west, Ten years later

in 1859, large numbers of people rushed to the western

region of Nevada after the discovery of the Comstock

Lode.

It was the richest discovery of precious ores in history.

As cotton became more and more profitable, many

southerners pushed west to grow cotton.

Western settlers grew to value independence and did not

want intrusion from a strong national government.

The West

By the 1800s, slavery was a major part of the nation’s

economy. In 1793, Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin.

The cotton gin was a machine that separated the seeds

from cotton. The gin made cotton the most profitable crop

in the south.

This resulted in the region becoming known as the

“Cotton Kingdom”.

In the north, however it was another of Whitney’s

innovations that helped shaped the economy.

Whitney implemented the concept of interchangeable

parts. Instead of making muskets one at a time it could

now mass produced individual parts that could be used on

any muskets.

Economic Differences between

The North and South

Major differences arose between the different regions politically.

Southerners and westerners believed the federal government should restrict itself to powers

specifically stated in the Constitution.

Southerners did not trust northern politicians whom they believed were out to end slavery.

Many westerners resented eastern politicians and business leaders who they felt favored big

business over small independent landowners.

Northerners were more prone to support a strong central government.

Political Differences

Sparked by Sectionalism

The American system was a plan designed to

unite the nation and make it more economically

independent following the War of 1812.

It called for a tariff, internal improvements and a

strong national bank.

Clay underestimated the nation’s growing

sectionalism.

While many Northerners supported the plan,

Southerners tended to oppose it because they saw

the tariffs as benefitting northern businesses at the

expense of the southern farmer.

Meanwhile people in the West also felt that the

plan was designed to help eastern business at the

expense of other regions of the country.

Henry Clay’s American System

As more and more people moved west to settle, the cry for democracy increased.

The U.S. Constitution established the national government as a republic.

Only members of an elite ruling class tended to win election to high offices.

Only white men who owned property could vote.

Most westerners were small landowners and pioneers.

Some did not own enough property to qualify to vote.

These people did not trust eastern elites to protect their interests.

3.3 Democracy

Westerners and poorer Americans

eventually found their leader in Andrew

Jackson. Jackson was viewed as a

“common man”

He was not born into the rich upper class

but instead achieved his success despite

growing up poor.

As a result he was very popular with

western frontier settlers and common folk.

In 1824, he took advantage of his

popularity and ran for president.

Andrew Jackson

The presidential election of 1824 was

evidence of the sectional differences in the

U.S.

The election came down to John Quincy

Adams and Andrew Jackson and was so

close that the House of Representatives had

to decide a winner.

When Henry clay threw his support to

Adams it was enough to give Adams the

victory.

When Clay was named secretary of state,

Jackson and his supporters denounced it as

a “corrupt bargain”.

Four years later Jackson defeated Adams to

become the nation’s president.

A Corrupt Bargain

Jackson’s brand of politics came to be called

Jacksonian Democracy.

Jackson believed strongly in western expansion

and the rights of the white frontier.

Jackson favored universal suffrage. He believed

all white men should be free to vote, not just

those that owned property.

With the support of men like Jackson almost all

of the states dropped property requirements for

voting.

Expanding suffrage made the nation more

democratic.

Even Jackson did not attempt to extend the right

to vote to women, blacks, or Native Americans.

Universal (White Male) Suffrage

Once in office Jackson instituted a policy of rewarding

his political supporters with governmental positions.

This policy became known as the spoils system.

This led to corruption and a call for reform in later

administrations.

Jackson and his followers favored laissez-faire

economics. They believed the government should not

regulate business.

Jackson also had a strict interpretation of the

Constitution.

Jackson believed the president should have more

power than Congress.

He opposed policies that rewarded the rich or big

business. (cont.)

The “Spoils System” (Strict interpretation and Laissez-Faire Economics)

This conviction led to a huge battle between Jackson

and the Second-National Bank in 1832.

He saw it as a violation of the constitution.

His opponents favored the bank.

Jackson’s opponents thought the presidents opposition

to the banks would cost him the election.

They were wrong, Jackson won the election and the

bank lost its charter.

Now the money was placed in state banks and this

system worked poorly, and soon the nation faced an

economic crisis.

The “Spoils System” (Strict interpretation and Laissez-Faire Economics

Eventually, sharp differences between Jackson and

men like Henry Clay, Daniel Webster, and John C.

Calhoun led to a break in the Democratic-Republican

Party.

Jackson’s wing took the name Democrats.

His opponents adopted the name National Republics.

Eventually many of the National-Republicans formed a

new party, the Whigs.

They chose the name because it was the name of the

British Party that opposed King George III. During the

Revolutionary War.

They chose this for their dislike of the President. After

an “era of good feelings” the two-party returned to

national politics with a vengeance.

Return of the Two-Party System

A number of social reforms movements began during

the 1800’s.

These movements aimed to transform society in

beneficial ways.

Many who participated were inspired by religious

movements.

The Second Great awakening had many zealous

Christian preachers that traveled from revival to

revival. They called on believers to become socially

active and impact society through good works.

As a result religion motivated many to become social

reformers.

Others just simply wanted to improve the world they

live in.

3.4 Social Reforms

During the early 19th century, the temperance

movement began gaining popularity.

Members of this movement wanted to moderate the

use of alcohol.

Later they advocated total abstinence form alcohol and

convinced many states to pass laws prohibiting its sale.

The temperance movement owed much of its success

to the efforts of women and church leaders in the U.S.

Temperance

In the 1830’s, the abolitionist movement gained

momentum, despite being seen as a movement by fanatics.

As always slavery remained a hot topic in the nation.

The South found itself dependent on the practice for

economic support.

Meanwhile in the north, a movement to abolish slavery

was growing.

White members of this movement were mostly middle

class, educated, church people from New England (many

were Quakers).

Black abolitionists were mostly former slaves. Eventually

the movement gained support .

It gave birth to a a new political party and changed the

course of the nation.

The Abolitionist Movement

Women had participated in the

abolitionist and temperance movements,

only to face discrimination from the

men who they had served.

The offense the women suffered led to

the birth of the women’s rights

movement.

This movement eventually made

women’s suffrage (the right to vote) its

main cause.

Women’s Rights Movements