Creating a Republican Society: 1800-1848 Flashcards
In 1802, Spain revoked the right of deposit, which allowed farmers tax free use of the port of New Orleans, and which had been granted in the Pinckney Treaty. How did President Jefferson respond?
Jefferson dispatched diplomats to France (which had resumed control of New Orleans) to offer Napoleon $10 million for New Orleans and a small strip of Florida.
How did Napoleon respond to the American offer to purchase New Orleans and parts of Florida for $10 million?
Desperate for funds to continue his war in Europe, and distracted by a slave revolution in Haiti, Napoleon and his ministers offered America the entirety of the Louisiana Territory for $15 million. Shocked at the fantastic bargain, the American diplomats made the deal, without seeking approval from Jefferson or the Congress.
What political development did the Electoral College system not anticipate?
The Electoral College system originally provided that the President would be the person who won the most votes in the College, and the person who won the second most votes would be Vice President.
The Electoral College system did not anticipate the development of political parties, which for a short time led to a President and Vice President being from different parties. The problem was resolved by having separate elections for President and Vice President.
Why did the Louisiana Purchase put Jefferson in a difficult political position?
Since its passage, Jefferson had argued that the President could only exercise those powers specifically enumerated in the Constitution. No Constitutional provision allowed the President to purchase territory. Nevertheless, the Louisiana Purchase was such an amazing deal, Jefferson ignored his qualms and supported the transaction.
Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederation were established during the Revolutionary War by the Continental Congress. Due to fears of concentrated power, the Articles intentionally established a weak central government.
What were the effects of the Louisiana Purchase?
The Louisiana Purchase doubled the size of the United States, and removed a potentially troubling foreign presence from the American frontier. Containing parts of what would eventually become 13 states, Jefferson hoped that this new land would strengthen the position of his cherished American farmer.
Thomas Jefferson dispatched _____ ___ _____ to explore the newly purchased Louisiana Territory.
Meriwether Lewis and William Clark
In a two-year expedition, Lewis and Clark (assisted by Sacagawea, a Shoshone Indian) explored vast swaths of territory, traveling from St. Louis to the Pacific Ocean, and providing descriptions of the newly acquired western lands.
The expedition also strengthened American claims to the Oregon Territory, and an eventual American outlet on the Pacific Ocean.
Jefferson’s fiercest opponent during his first term was Aaron Burr, his own Vice President. After the Democratic-Republicans decided not to renominate Burr for Vice President in 1804, how did Burr respond?
Burr attempted to run for Governor of New York, hoping to gain support from the Federalists. He planned to have New York and the New England states secede from the Union, and form a new nation under his rule. Alexander Hamilton foiled his plans by convincing Federalists not to vote for Burr.
Later, convinced that Hamilton had insulted him, Burr challenged him to a duel, and shot him. Burr fled west, and attempted to start a revolution in Mexico, unite it with Louisiana, and assume control. He failed, and was arrested for treason.
Between the President and Congress, the Constitution created three essential checks and balances, to prevent each from gaining too much power. What were they?
The three key checks and balances were:
- The President can exercise a veto over acts of Congress
- Congress can override a Presidential veto only with a 2/3 vote in each house
- Treaties negotiated by the President must be ratified by the Senate
After their resounding defeat in the 1800 election, the Federalists retained control only of the _____ branch of the federal government.
The Judicial Branch: The Constitution provided that federal judges had lifetime tenure, and could only be removed from office by impeachment. Chief Justice John Marshall, a Federalist, would retain that office for 34 years. Nominated by Adams, Marshall would serve until he died in a stagecoach accident during Andrew Jackson’s presidency.
midnight appointments
Shortly before he left office, President John Adams appointed a number of prominent Federalists to positions in the United States government, including appointing William Marbury as Justice of the Peace for Washington, D.C.
Thomas Jefferson ordered his Secretary of State, James Madison, not to deliver these midnight appointments, including that of William Marbury. In response, Marbury sued Madison.
What did the case of Marbury v. Madison (1803) establish?
Written by Thomas Jefferson’s cousin, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court John Marshall, Marbury v. Madison established the principle of judicial review.
Marbury held that William Marbury was entitled to his appointment as Justice of the Peace for Washington, D.C., but that the Judiciary Act of 1789, which gave him the right to appeal to the Supreme Court for redress, was unconstitutional, and therefore Marbury’s request was denied.
judicial review
Judicial review is a principle, established in Marbury v. Madison, 5 U.S. 137, (1803) that holds that the Supreme Court has the power to review acts of Congress and the President to determine whether they are allowed under the Constitution.
In Marbury, Justice Marshall and a unanimous Court held that the Judicial Act of 1789 was unconstitutional, as it gave the federal courts more power than the Constitution allowed.
What was the Chesapeake-Leopard Affair?
In 1807, a few miles off the coast of Virginia, the British ship HMS Leopard attacked and boarded the American ship USS Chesapeake, looking for British navy deserters. Four sailors were taken from the Chesapeake, one of whom was hung.
Outraged, Americans once more clamored for war against Great Britain.
Thomas Jefferson thought war with Britain was unwise given the small size of the American navy. How did he respond to the Chesapeake-Leopard Affair, as well as continued British impressment of American sailors?
Jefferson convinced Congress to pass the Embargo Act in 1807, which barred American ships from sailing to any non-American port.
Jefferson hoped that Britain, cut off from American supplies, would cease violating American rights. Britain simply began importing more goods from South America, and continued her activities.
What was the result of the Embargo Act (1807) on the American economy?
With overseas markets closed, a massive depression followed the Embargo Act, especially in New England, where the economy was heavily dependent on shipping and trade.
Jefferson, recognizing the failure, supported Madison’s push for repeal in 1809. Even after the repeal of the Embargo Act, Americans were forbidden to trade with the two major warring European powers, Britain and France, by the Non-Intercourse Act.
Who were the Barbary Pirates?
The Barbary Pirates were a group of small city-states on the north coast of Africa that demanded tribute from the American government to refrain from attacking American ships. Although Washington and Adams paid the tribute reluctantly, Jefferson dispatched a naval expedition (and a few Marines) to deal with the Barbary Pirates.
Although there was no decisive end to the war, a force of Marines achieved the first U.S. victory on foreign soil at the Battle of Derna. Their feat is commemorated in the Marines Hymn (“…to the shores of Tripoli…”).
The Non-Intercourse Act (1809) repealed the Embargo Act (1807), but still disallowed U.S. trade with _____ and _____.
Britain; France
Passed at the beginning of Madison’s first term, the Non-Intercourse Act was Madison’s attempt to ease the economic hardship caused by the Embargo Act, while still maintaining U.S. neutrality in the war between France and Britain. However, the American economy continued to suffer.
What offer did Macon’s Bill No. 2 (1810) make to Britain and France?
Macon’s Bill No. 2 (1810) stated that if either France or Britain agreed to respect American rights of neutrality and freedom of the seas, trade would resume with that nation, while the United States would ban trade with that nation’s foe.
As a side note, Macon’s Bill No. 1, which barred French and British ships from American harbors, never passed the entire Congress. Nathaniel Macon, after whom it was named, neither proposed nor voted for Macon’s Bill No. 2.
How did France and Britain react to Macon’s Bill No. 2 (1810)?
Napoleonic France agreed to respect American rights. Madison’s suspicions that Napoleon had no intention of actually doing so turned out to be correct.
The British were offended by the bill, increasing tensions between the two countries which had already been on the brink of war a number of times since the Revolution. The British strengthened their naval blockade of the American coast.
Who were the War Hawks?
The War Hawks were Congressmen who favored war with Great Britain. Led by Henry Clay and John C. Calhoun, most War Hawks came from the new states of the American West, such as Tennessee and Kentucky.
The War Hawks contended that war with Britain was a matter of national honor, and the only way to ensure freedom of the seas and to stop British aid to Indian tribes of the West. They also argued that in the event of war, Canada could be taken by the United States.
Why did Madison ask Congress for a declaration of war against Britain in 1812?
Throughout his first term, Madison had done his best to stay neutral in the decades-long conflict between France and Britain. Continued impressment by the British Navy, the blockade of the American coast, and the pressure of the War Hawks led to Madison’s request that Congress declare war.
Ironically, after war was declared, Madison received word that the British had agreed to stop their blockade.
How did Federalists react to the declaration of war against Britain?
Centered in New England, New York, and New Jersey, Federalists denounced the war as an attempt by the Democratic-Republicans to conquer Canada and Florida in an effort to increase the number of Democratic-Republican voters.
In addition to the Federalists, New England merchants (many of whom were Federalists) opposed the War of 1812 for different reasons. Why?
Despite Britain’s blockades, the Embargo Act (1807), and the Non-Intercourse Act (1809), New England merchants made substantial profits off of both sides in the Napoleonic Wars, and were reluctant to sever trading with Britain.
What was the target of the initial American attack during the War of 1812?
American forces launched a three-prong attack into Canada. Poorly equipped and poorly led, American troops were defeated, achieving only one notable success by burning York (modern-day Toronto).
Who was Tecumseh?
Tecumseh was a Shawnee, who tried to unite the Indian tribes east of the Mississippi River in a confederacy to resist white expansion.
Tecumseh’s army was defeated by William Henry Harrison at the Battle of Tippecanoe in 1811. Since they provided aid to the Indians, the British were blamed by Americans for Tecumseh’s activities, leading to further difficulties between the United States and Britain.
Under Oliver Hazard Perry, American naval forces achieved a resounding victory during which battle?
The Battle of Lake Erie
Due to Perry’s victory, General William Henry Harrison was able to deploy more sizable forces to protect Detroit, and to win a notable victory over the remainder of Tecumseh’s forces at the Battle of the Thames River in Canada.
In 1814, after Napoleon’s first surrender, the British launched a counterattack with their freshly available forces. Where did this attack take place?
The British campaign was centered on the Chesapeake region. They captured and burned Washington, and then attempted to take Baltimore and Fort McHenry.
Fort McHenry withstood the British attack, and Francis Scott Key, who’d observed the bombardment of the fort, was inspired to write the “Star Spangled Banner.”
Who led American troops in the South during the War of 1812?
Andrew Jackson fought a successful campaign against Britain’s allies, the Creek Indians (opening Alabama for settlement), then withstood a British attack at New Orleans.
The Battle of New Orleans took place on January 8, 1815. A stirring American victory, it actually took place two weeks after a peace treaty had been signed between the British and Americans at Ghent, in Belgium.
What were the terms of the Treaty of Ghent?
The Treaty of Ghent restored the status quo antebellum (a Latin phrase meaning: the state in which things were before the war), and formalized the American/Canadian boundary. Neither side had achieved decisive victory in the War of 1812.
What was the Hartford Convention?
The Hartford Convention was a meeting of New England Federalists opposed to the War of 1812, many of whom supported secession. Although a vote for secession failed, the Hartford Convention urged opposition to the War and amendment to the Constitution to stop the growth of Democratic-Republican power.
After the War and Jackson’s victory at the Battle of New Orleans, the Federalists were castigated as unpatriotic, and by 1820, the Federalists had disintegrated as a national political force.
As established in the Constitution, how did the Electoral College work?
- The President would be elected by an Electoral College
- Each state was given the same number of votes as they had Representatives and Senators
- The person with the most votes in the Electoral College would be elected President
- The person with the second most votes in the Electoral College would be elected Vice President
_____ _____ invented the steamboat, revolutionizing travel on the nation’s waterways.
Robert Fulton
Fulton’s invention made it possible for farmers in the West to get their products to Eastern ports inexpensively and quickly, and for manufacturers to get their goods to the West.
Eli Whitney’s invention of the _____ _____ made it economical to use cotton to manufacture clothes.
cotton gin
Short for “engine,” the gin automatically separated cotton fibers from cotton seed, and greatly sped up the production of cotton. The gin made slavery more profitable, allowed cotton to replace wool as the dominant material in clothing, and revolutionized the Southern economy.
What was the major source of power for the earliest American factories?
water power
Early factories were located by rivers and water power was used to operate the mills. Water mills were especially useful in early textile mills.
What change in business law in the early 1820s revolutionized the way in which companies raised capital?
In the early 1820s, New York permitted the formation of corporations. A corporation allows many individuals to purchase a percentage of ownership (known as a share).
By allowing companies to issue stock to raise funds, corporations were able to invest capital in property, plants, and equipment, speeding the growth of manufacturing.
The earliest factories were labor intensive, and consequently suffered from severe manpower shortages. How did they make up for these shortfalls?
Several factories hired women, some of whom worked in the Lowell System, where workers lived and labored at the factory. Children as young as seven were employed throughout the Northeast.
Both groups were later supplanted by the influx of immigrants in the 1830s and 1840s, most of whom were German and Irish.
How did new farming innovations such as Cyrus McCormick’s reaper and John Deere’s plow fuel the growth of urban centers?
New farming implements (and larger farms in the American West) meant that for the first time, farmers were able to produce surplus goods, beyond merely what they needed to sustain themselves and their families.
These surplus goods were shipped to the new urban centers that were springing up along canals and railroads.
Why did the new states of Mississippi, Alabama, and Arkansas experience an influx of Southerners from other states?
Much of the farmland in areas such as Georgia and South Carolina had been exhausted by years of cotton farming and poor crop management. The lands in these new states proved fertile and ideal for cotton growing.
The new arrivals typically brought their slaves with them, and the price for field slaves doubled between 1825 and 1845.
sectionalism
Sectionalism is having excessive interest in one’s own local region over the country as a whole.
Beginning in the 1820s, the interests of the sections of the country began to diverge. For example, the South resented the Tariff of Abominations, which was being used to fund improvements such as roads and canals in the West. Meanwhile, Westerners did not like the Bank of the United States, which they felt was being used by Northern merchants to enhance their wealth.
Roughly speaking, what were the three main sections of the country during the Antebellum Period?
The three main sections of the country were the North, the South, and the West. The West was generally considered anything beyond the Mississippi River.
In Antebellum America, which section of the country saw the largest influx of immigrants?
Most immigrants settled in the American North.
While Irish immigrants remained in many of the urban centers on the Eastern seaboard, Germans took up residence in the Old Northwest (the states that made up the Northwestern Territories), starting farms in locations such as Minnesota, Ohio, and Indiana.
Besides immigrants, what other group migrated in significant numbers to the Old Northwest?
The Old Northwest became the new home of many migrants who left New England. Their migration was the first of many that would continue to push the frontier ever farther westward, and they brought with them much of the culture of the New England colonies.
What was the role of unions in the rapidly growing urban manufacturing areas during the Antebellum Period?
To the extent that they existed, unions focused on efforts to limit the workday to 10 hours. Any pressure that unions were able to exert was limited by the depression that followed the Panic of 1837 and led to a surplus of labor, as well as the constant influx of immigrants, who provided an inexpensive pool of non-union labor.
In 1800 approximately 5% of the population of the North was urban. What percentage was urban by 1850?
About 15% of the population was urban by 1850. This rapid urbanization brought with it many problems, from the growth of slums and disease, to crime and inadequate sanitation.
Between 1845 and 1852, a million immigrants fled Ireland due to what cause?
the Irish Potato Famine
Most of the immigration between 1845 and 1852 can be attributed to the Irish Potato Famine. The potato was an Irish dietary staple, and another million inhabitants of Ireland died of starvation.
In 1820, only 8,000 immigrants arrived from Europe, but by the mid-1850s, hundreds of thousands were arriving each year. Besides the potato famine in Ireland, what other factors contributed to this substantial increase?
In 1848, revolutions broke out throughout Europe. Germany was particularly troubled, and many Germans came to the United States for refuge. The United States had a growing reputation as a place where hard work would be rewarded.
In addition, ocean transport was improving, both in speed and comfort, and several shipping lines specialized in transporting immigrants across the Atlantic.
Antebellum nativists
Antebellum nativists were suspicious of the new German and Irish immigrants. Most of the German immigrants, and almost all of the Irish ones, were Catholic. Protestant nativists feared that both groups could undermine American culture and take American jobs.
Anti-immigrant fervor would reach its height in the 1850s, with the formation of the Know-Nothing Party.
Only a limited number of blacks lived in the North. How were they treated generally?
Blacks in the North had limited property, voting, and legal rights, and received lower wages than whites.
Much like the Irish in the South, many of the Northern Irish resented blacks as the only inferior group in the social heirarchy.
Why did the South see little immigration?
Since the South had a small manufacturing base, most low-level jobs were agricultural, and centered on the plantation economy. These jobs were held by slaves, and there simply were not enough free labor jobs to support large-scale immigration to the region.
Cotton was the South’s largest product, but the South did grow other agricultural products, including ____ and ______.
tobacco; rice
Both tobacco and rice also required large amounts of slave labor. Cotton, however, took precedent over both.
Which group was on top of the Southern class structure?
Plantation Owners
To be considered in the upper echelon of the South’s plantation economy, one needed 1,000 acres of land and 100 slaves.
Although plantation owners had large tracts of land, who was responsible for most cotton production?
Most cotton was produced by smaller farmers, who worked the fields along with their slaves. Many small farmers had two or three slaves and landholdings of 40 acres.
