Chapter 12 - Immigration, Westward Expansion, and the Mexican War, 1825-1848 Flashcards
What was the popsulation growth rate between 1800-1860?
It doubled every twenty-three years.
Why was the population growth rate in the United States so high?
1) High Birth Rates
2) Low Mortality Rates
3) Long Life Expectancies
Why was the population growth rate especially large after the 1840s?
European Immigration.
How much of the population of free white males did European immigrants comprise in 1860?
25%.
What were the factors that led to high amounts of European Immigration into the United States?
1) Economic Distress
2) Political Pressure
3) A Shortage of Land
4) Cheap Land in the United States
5) Low taxes.
6) No Draft
7) No censorship
8) No legalized class distinctions
9) A plethora of jobs within the Untied States
10) Cheap Passage to America
How did the United States keep the price of land low?
By lowering the price of land per-acre and requiring lower amounts of land in a purchase.
How much cheaper was it for the Untied States to operate their government than Britain?
One-tenth of the British Cost.
Where were most European Immigrants Coming From?
Ireland.
What was one of the main causes of immigrants coming from Ireland?
The Potato Famine.
How much of Ireland’s population moved from Ireland from 1800-1860?
1/3
How much wealth did most Irish immigrants posses?
Most were poor.
Where did most Irish immigrants reside?
In or near the port cities where they landed.
What jobs did Irish immigrants take?
Low paying and back breaking menial jobs.
Were Irish Immigrants treated better than slaves?
Worse. Slaves probably had better diets, living conditions, and medical care.
What three things did the Irish do that nurtured anti-Irish sentiment in the United States?
1) Frequenting Taverns
2) Enjoying Alcoholic Beverages
3) Bare Knuckle Brawling
4) Gambling
5) The Roman Catholic Church
What was the American stereo type of the Irish?
As constantly getting into drunk bar room fights.
What were the large wagons police officers used to take street fighters to jail?
Paddy wagons
Why did Americans think Catholics could not be loyal citizens?
Because Catholics swore their first allegiance to the pope and not the United States,
Why did a riot occur in Massachusetts in 1834 against Catholics?
Cause there was a rumor that a Protestant girl was being detained against her will in a Catholic convent.
How long did an anti-catholic riot in Pennsylvania in 1844 last?
Two months.
What party was fueled by rising anti-Catholic sentiment in the years before 1800?
The Know-Nothing Party.
What was another name for the Know-Nothing Party?
The American Party.
How did the Know-Nothings acquire their name?
By being a quasi-secretive society that responded to questions about their activities with the phrase “I know nothing”
What was the Know-Nothings national platform?
1) Not Foreign Born Voters Or Office Holders
2) A Twenty-One Year Residency Requirement for Citizenship
What policy did Anti-Catholic sentiment endorse in regards to education?
The Public School System of Horace Mann
What was the purpose of the public school system?
To at least somewhat Protestantize Catholic Children
How did Catholic immigrants respond to the Mann schools in the long run?
Donated money to fund their own catholic patriarchal schools.
Describe Mann Schools structure.
1) Seven Moth Long School Year
2) Only Went Up To Eight Grade
In what region were the Mann School reforms most successful?
The North Rather Than the South.
Who was the second largest immigrant group in the United States?
Germany.
What kind of reception did German immigrants receive in the United States?
A positive one.
Why did German immigrants receive such good treatment?
1) Highly Educated and Trained
2) Middle Class
3) Protestants
4) Sought Assimilation
What cultural practice brought by German immigrants remains?
The Celebration of Christmas and the use of Christmas Trees, the Kindergarten, and the athletic gymnasium.
What three foreign authors record their experiences in the United States?
1) Charles Dickens
2) Frances Trollope
3) Alexis De Tocqueville
What was the title of the work of De Tocqueville?
Democracy in America.
What impressed De Tocqueville about America?
The equality among the people and the void of classes and privilege.
How did De Tocqueville view American Christianity?
With awe since it was the opposite of how religion was in France. Religion was a crucial element of people’s lives and led to freedom and justice.
Why were Americans constantly moving west?
Because of the population explosion in the East and the lack of land in that direction.
How much movement existed in the 1850s westward?
1/4 of the population of New England had re-located to other states.
Where were American settlers in 1830?
Only as far west as Texas, Arkansas, Illinois and Missouri.
How far were American settlers in 1850?
The Great American Desert, Oregon Trail, Santa Fe Trail, and the California Trail
What areas did U.S. settlers go and settle even though the land was not technically theirs?
Oregon, California, Texas.
How did the United States justify their westward expansion?
Manifest Destiny.
