CHAPTER 2, SECTION 2 The Growth of the Nation
Big Ideas: After the War of 1812, more Americans began to see themselves as members of a nation rather than only identifying themselves by a region or state. This is known as nationalism. The Supreme Court under Justice Marshall established the dominance of the federal government over state governments.
Economic Nationalism In order to protect domestic manufacturing, the government instituted a series of protective tariffs. Unlike revenue tariffs that were designed to raise money for the government, protective tariffs were used to drive up the prices of foreign goods. New England shippers and Southern farmers opposed the tariffs.
Judicial Nationalism: Chief Justice John Marshall continued to increase the scope of the Supreme Court through a broad interpretation of the Constitution.
In addition the court also ruled that the federal government was supreme in it s duties and states could not interfere with federal agencies.
The Court also ruled in Gibbons v. Ogden that states could only regulate commerce within their own borders. Gibbons operated a competing steamboat service between NJ and NY that was licensed by Congress. Ogden, who had an exclusive navigation license from NY sued to have Gibbons shut down.
Nationalist Diplomacy: The American government pitted native tribes against one another and forced them to surrender vast amounts of land to the United States. The US government would repeat this process of war and one-sided treaties as settlers continued to push west into Native American territory.
Spanish Florid was a constant problem for southerners as it encouraged slaves as a place in which they could escape to freedom. The Seminole Indians also clashed often with settlers in Georgia, and the territory was used as base for pirates. The US argued that Spain was not able to control the border, and therefore did not have a legitimate claim to the territory.
Secretary of State JQ Adams negotiated the Adams-Onis Treaty of 1819 which ceded Florida to the United States for a modest price and established a southern border. It helped that Andrew Jackson had already invaded and taken control of western Florida. (Thanks Andy)
While Spain was desperately trying to hold onto her possessions, Russia was laying claim to Alaska and portions of the Oregon territory. President Monroe responded by issuing a statement declaring that the American continents were off-limits to any future European colonization. He also advised Europe to respect the newly independent Latin American countries. This declaration became known as the Monroe Doctrine.
A Growing Nation Big Ideas: Industry in the North lead to an expansion of railroads, steamship transport, and an increase in immigration. Western expansion of farming due to the cotton gin Western expansion of farming due to the cotton gin led to an increase in the Southern slave population and a desire for new lands on which to grow cotton.
A Growing Nation Transportation Revolution: As Americans began to spread out across the land, they looked towards new ways to stay connected. State and local governments began building hundreds of miles of toll roads (aka turnpikes). Rivers were a cheap mode of transporting large quantities, but they could only transport downstream.
A Growing Nation The first successful steamboat, the Clermont, was developed by Robert Fulton and it revolutionized transportation. Cargo could now be transported upstream as well as downstream. The steam locomotive achieved on land, what the steamboat did on water.
A Growing Nation The Industrial Revolution: The Industrial Revolution began in Britain in the mid 17oos and spread to the US. US factories began building large-scale factories with complex machinery and an organized workforce. Property rights, low taxes, and a strong entrepreneurial spirit encouraged rapid industrial growth.
A Growing Nation The Rise of Labor Unions: Factory life was harsh and the workdays were long. As a result, worker began to organize into labor unions in order to improve their working conditions and pay. Initially, labor unions had little power and no government support.
A Growing Nation The Importance of Agriculture: Cash crops dominated southern farming with cotton being the king crop. Eli Whitney s cotton gin revolutionized the cotton industry by creating a device for removing the cotton from the seed pods bolls. Because they were focused primarily on farming, Southern industry did not develop as fast as in the North.
A Growing Nation Enslaved and Free Africans: The sharp rise in cotton crops increased the demand for slave labor. Between 1820 & 1850 the slave population of the south grew from 1.5 to 3.2 million (37% of the Southern population). Free African Americans held various occupations in the South, and a few even owned their owned slaves of their own. 200,000 free blacks lived in the North, but they were discriminated against there as well.