US History Lessons 2006-2007

US History Notes

Question: What geographic features led Andes to be where it is today?

1. Renaissance Europe
2. Curiosity rising + technology improving + trade increasing = EXPLORATION
3. Nations want to increase holdings to designate themselves as a world power
4. People are demanding rare and exotic goods from the far East
5. Better boat making and navigational techniques
6. Who was in America first?
7. 40,000 years ago 1st American came over land bridge
8. Hunting and gathering
9. Migrated South
10. 3,000 years ago civilizations began
11. Desert, Mississippi, Great Lakes, Gulf of Mexico, California
12. Later—more advanced with trade routes, religion, and kinship ties
13. 1492 Columbus comes—major impact felt in Americas
14. Natives fell pray to diseases – no immunity
15. Powerless to fight back
16. Africans brought to work on plantations – too many natives died
17. Europeans divided Western hemisphere
18. Columbian Exchange- global exchange of people, plants, animals, ideas and technology
19. Growth of American Colonies
20. Jamestown
21. Settlers main goal was finding gold (little work done)
22. Joint-Stock Company- business where investors pool their wealth----need a profit to be successful
23. Began growing tobacco

-Cash crop- crop grown for sale, not own use

-Slaves needed as labor

4. Inequalities between large land owners with slaves and small

land owners in the frontier- Rebellion occurs

1. Puritan New England

1. Religious persecution (discrimination and punishment) in England
2. Go to Plymouth in Massachusetts

Massachusetts Bay Colony

1. Planned out
2. No starving
3. Strict laws about church

1. Settlement of the Middle Colonies

1. Dutch- New Netherlands- New York

- Very Diverse- people from all over Europe

- Religious toleration

1. Quakers settle Pennsylvania

- Peace and Equality

- Good relations with Native Americans

*Native Americans Political Cartoon

England and Its Colonies

A.Mercantilism (Triangle Trade)

1.An economic system in which nations seek to increase their wealth and power by obtaining valuable goods

B.Navigation Acts

1.Colonies can only sell goods to England

2.Can only buy goods from England

C.Salutary Neglect

1.English Policy of relaxing the rules and not getting involved in American issues

V.French and Indian War

A.France vs. Great Britain

1.American colonies fight on the side of Britain

2.Britain Wins

B.Proclamation of 1763- Colonists can’t cross line set by Britain

*Colonial Rules

*Road to Revolution Guided Notes

Steps Leading to the American Revolution

1. Albany Plan of Union- 1754- Benjamin Franklin proposed that the colonies unite to form a united government---this plan was rejected
2. Committees of Correspondence- Started in 1773- Suggested by Thomas Jefferson as a way for the colonies to communicate with each other about British activities. Helped unify the colonies and shape public opinion
3. First Continental Congress- 1774- 55 delegates from 12 of the colonies met after the passage of the Intolerable Acts. Passed the Declaration of Rights and Grievances which said that they were loyal to the King but upset about the actions taken by the British government
4. Battles of Lexington and Concord- 1775- small battles near Boston, “shot heard ‘round the world”
5. Second Continental Congress- 1775- Named the militia around Boston the Continental Army, named George Washington Commander-in-Chief of the new army
6. Battle of Bunker Hill- 1775- Massachusetts Militia surrounded the British in the city of Boston, British army tried to escape, 1,000 British soldiers killed, “Don’t fire until you see the whites of their eyes”
7. Olive Branch Petition- 1775- Issued by the 2nd Continental Congress, stated that the colonies were still loyal to the King and asked for the British army to stop attacking---the King refused
8. Common Sense- 1776- Pamphlet written by Thomas Paine, urged the colonists to fight for their independence---changed many people’s opinion
9. Declaration of Independence- 1776

1. Declaration of Independence
2. Written by Thomas Jefferson
3. Inspired by enlightenment thinkers- Locke, Rousseau, Montesquieu
4. Key ideas
5. Everyone is entitled to life liberty and happiness
6. If the government does not meet those needs, people have the power to overthrow
7. The Revolution
8. Chronology
9. Defeat in NY (1776)- outnumbered and disorganized
10. Battle of Trenton- Hessians surprised, wins
11. Saratoga (1777)- plan: to isolate New England, Howe doesn’t come, victory
12. Turning point in War- can win, French give support
13. Valley Forge
14. Swamp Fox- guerrilla warfare
15. Yorktown
16. Treaty of Paris
17. Extended border to Mississippi river
18. fair treatment of loyalists
19. American merchants to repay British debts
20. Effects
21. equality- for white men

The Constitution

Article 1- Legislative Branch- Makes the laws

1. House of Representatives- Population

- Select the president if no candidate receives a majority of the electoral vote

- To bring impeachment charges

- To originate all money bills

1. Senate- 2 per state

- Select the VP if no candidate has a majority of the electoral vote

- To act as jury in cases of impeachment

- To ratify treaties

- To approve presidential appointments

- Originally elected by state legislatures- 17th amendment changed

Article 2- Executive Branch- President and Cabinet- enforce the laws

1. Presidential Roles and Powers

- Chief Executive- enforce laws

- Chief Diplomat- make treaties

- Commander in Chief- military powers

- Chief legislator- recommend legislation to Congress -Veto potential laws

- Chief of state- symbol of the US

- Judicial powers- pardons

- Head of party

1. Special Powers of the President

•Can grant pardons

•Can issue executive orders (A declaration issued by the president that has the force of law that does not need an action by Congress to become effective)

1. Electing the President

- Candidate

- Primaries

- National Conventions- delegates choose the nominee of each major party

- Election Day- people vote for electors

- Electoral College

• Winner take all
• Electors are not required to vote for the candidate who wins for the state

3. Impeachment

1. House of Representatives brings up charges (accuses person of crime---need a majority vote)
2. Senate conducts trial, Chief justice acts as Judge
3. 2/3 of senators must vote for conviction—only way that a person is removed
4. Impeached Presidents: Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton

4.Cabinet- the group of department heads who serve as the President’s chief advisors (not written in the Constitution)

-State, Treasury, Attorney General, War (now defense) were the first

Article 3: Judicial Branch (Interprets the laws)

- Supreme Court- Highest court in the nation

- Congress can create federal courts

- State courts

Jurisdiction (who hears which type of case)

- Federal courts- federal laws, treaties, maritime law, and interpretation of the Constitution

- Supreme Court---has appellate jurisdiction (hears cases that were already decided on in lower courts)

Judicial Review- Power of the SC to determine the constitutionality of acts of the legislative and executive branches of the government

Constitutional Clean Up:

1. Amending the constitution
2. Congress proposes an amendment by a 2/3 vote of each house
3. Proposed amendment goes to state legislatures and has to be approved by ¾ states
4. Very difficult to change
5. Unwritten constitution
6. Cabinet
7. Political Parties
8. 2 term presidency

Launching A New Nation

I.Washington’s Administration

A.1st President- unanimously elected

B.Duty: To set up a new gov’t

1.Judiciary Act of 1789

a.created structure in the judicial system

federal laws are “supreme law of the land”

2.Executive Branch

a.Departments and Cabinet

-Jefferson: Secretary of state

-Hamilton: secretary of Treasury

-Knox: Secretary of War

-Randolph: Attorney General

3.Hamilton’s economic plan

a.Pay off debt with foreign nations

-sell bonds (certificates that promise payment + interest)

-Buy up old bonds

b.Pay of states’ debt- Capital of nation moves to Washington D.C.

c.National Bank

-Part owned by national gov’t and investors

-Collect taxes and deposit gov’t money

-Provide paper currency

d.Whiskey Rebellion- tax on Whiskey, ease of transport, Washington sent in troops

C.Hamilton and Jefferson Disagree

*Loose interpretation- gov’t has the right to do anything necessary and proper to carry out the powers written in the Constitution

*Strict interpretation- Congress and the President can’t do anything that the is not written in the Constitution

D.Political Parties

1.Federalists (Hamilton, John Adams)- gov’t by the upper class, strong central gov’t, help business, pro-British

2.Republicans (Jefferson, Madison)- Middle class, small farmers, states’ power, agriculture, rule of the people (college educated), Pro-French

E.Foreign Affairs

1.French Revolution, then France vs. Britain---led to France asking for help under 1778 alliance

2.Proclamation of Neutrality 1793- be impartial

3.Jay’s Treaty 1794- attempt to solve problems with Britain (impressments of ships, border disputes, and western territories) kept the US out of war

4.Pickney’s Treaty 1795- Spain agreed to allow free use of the Mississippi River, area north of Florida

F.Farwell Address 1796

1.Warning about political parties

2.Avoid permanent entangling alliances

*Precedents set by Washington

- Cabinet

- 2 term presidency

John Adams’ Presidency

1. 1796 Election: Adams vs. Jefferson
2. Adams gets the majority of electoral votes, Jefferson comes in second
3. Adams is president (federalist), Jefferson is Vice President (republican)
4. Sectionalism- people from north voted for Adams, people from the South voted for Jefferson—placing the interests of one region over those of the nation as a whole

B.Adams tries to avoid war

1. XYZ affair- French demand a bribe to meet with American diplomats (Americans are mad that French are impressing sailors)----Diplomats refuse, Federalists want war

2.Adams prevents war, loses support from Federalists

C.Alien and Sedition Acts

1. Adams does not trust Republicans or immigrants
2. Alien and Sedition Acts

1. Raised residence requirement for citizenship
2. Deport alien considered undesirable
3. Set fines and jail terms for anyone who’s opinions were seen as damaging to the government
4. Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions
5. An act by the Republicans to protest the Alien and Sedition Acts
6. Virginia and Kentucky claimed the right to declare null and void the Alien and Sedition Acts because they violated the Bill of Rights
7. They also claimed the right to declare null and void federal laws going beyond powers granted by the Constitution to the central government (nullification)

Election of 1800: A “Peaceful Revolution”

1. Federalist: Adams vs. Republicans: Jefferson and Aaron Burr
2. Results: Jefferson and Burr get the same amount of electoral votes
3. What happens next? Vote in the House of Representatives
4. Who wins? 6 days of voting---35 ballots total, Hamilton gets involved and persuades federalists to vote for Jefferson---Jefferson wins by two votes------12th Amendment- electors cast ballots separately for President and Vice president

Jefferson’s first goal was to simplify the presidency.

He did this by doing the following:

1. Trying to be closer to the people (examples: clothing and inauguration)
2. Shrinking the size of government and trying to cut costs
3. Reducing the size of the army
4. Eliminating all internal taxes (taxes inside the nation such as the Whiskey Tax) and reducing the influence of the Bank of the US
5. Using free trade instead of tariffs (taxes on imports)

There was a Southern dominance of politics in the nation.

This was illustrated by the following:

1. Jefferson becomes the 1st president in Washington DC (the new capital of the nation)
2. Federalists become a party that only northerners belong to
3. As nation expands, more people become Republicans

John Adams’ got revenge on the Republicans before he left office.

First: Adams helped to get the Judiciary Act of 1801 passed through Congress.

- This allowed him to appoint many judges just before leaving office (Called Midnight Judges)

- All of the judges he appointed were Federalists (the same party as Adams)

- This is significant since federal judges serve a life-term

Second: One of the appointments was John Marshall to be Chief Justice of Supreme Court

*He is there for over 30 years!!! When Marshall died, the Federalist Party did not exist anymore

Problem: Some of appointments were signed by Adams but not delivered by the time Jefferson took office

*Jefferson said that the appointments were invalid

Marbury vs. Madison established the importance of the Supreme Court.

The case was brought to the Supreme Court because of Adams’ “Midnight” appointments.

Who was Marbury?

He was appointed by Adams to be the Justice of the Peace in Washington D.C.. His appointment was not delivered before Jefferson became president.

Who was Madison?

James Madison was part of Jefferson’s cabinet. He was ordered to not deliver any of the appointments that had not been delivered by Adams, thus, he did not deliver Marbury’s appointment.

What did the Supreme Court rule?

Chief Justice John Marshall ruled Jefferson was correct in not allowing Marbury’s appointment to be delivered since the Judiciary Act of 1789 was unconstitutional

Why is this important?

The principle of Judicial Review was created.

Judicial Review is the ability of the Supreme Court to declare an act of Congress unconstitutional

The United States expanded west by purchasing the Louisiana Territory.

The purchase was made because of the following events:

1. Spain first owned the territory, they gave it back to France
2. France later was at war with Britain under the rule of Napoleon.
3. President Jefferson then sent James Monroe to France to buy New Orleans and Western Florida from the French. Monroe was given permission to spend $10 million to buy them.
4. When Monroe arrived, he was given the offer to buy the entire Louisiana Territory for $15 million (Congress had not approved this. Congress must approve treaties with other nations)

Jefferson has a problem.

• Jefferson wanted the land but believed that he does not have the power in the Constitution. He believes this because he has a strict interpretation of the Constitution.
• The Louisiana Purchase was approved by Congress after the fact.

Results:

• The size of the nation was doubled
• The power of the national government grew
• Lewis and Clark Expedition- They explored and mapped the Louisiana Territory.

The War of 1812

There were many reasons why the United States went to war against Great Britain.

The War Hawks Demanded War

1. The war between Britain and France was continuing. As a result, Great Britain had a blockade which prevented goods from being sold to France. France also had a blockade against goods going to Britain.
2. The US wanted to remain neutral and trade with both Britain and France.
3. Britain was still is impressing US sailors

Jefferson convinced Congress to declare an embargo (Embargo act of 1807)

*Embargo-ban on exporting products to other countries

1. The embargo hurt American business badly, especially in the Northern states because trade was their main way to make money.
2. There was talk of secession (leaving) the United States in several states led by the Federalists
3. The embargo was lifted in 1809

Grievances against Native Americans

1. War Hawks (people who wanted war with Britain) wanted to move into the Indiana Territory
2. The war hawks were led by John C. Calhoun and Henry Clay
3. William Henry Harrison (Governor of Indiana) had already taken away much of the Indian land. The famous Battle of Tippencanoe made Harrison a national hero
4. The war cry was “On to Canada!!!”

The war brought mixed results

James Madison became President in 1808 and in 1812 declared war on Britain.

Problems: The US had a weak army and a weaker navy and the embargo and lack of a National

Bank made the American economy poor.

Exception: USS Constitution- Old Ironsides

Failures in Canada

1. Republican military cuts made invading Canada impossible
2. There were some victories on Lake Erie

The British burn the White House

1. In 1814 the British attacked Washington DC
2. Dolly Madison becomes famous for her save of George Washington
3. Francis Scott Key wrote the poem the Star Spangled Banner during the Battle of Baltimore

The Battle of New Orleans

1. Andrew Jackson led the Americans to a major victory over the British
2. But----the peace treaty had already been signed

Balancing Nationalism and Sectionalism

I.Sectionalism- the placing of the interests of one’s own region ahead of the

interests of the nation as a whole

A.The regions

1.North- industrial manufacturing, interchangeable parts

merchants, major ports, growth of cities, small farms

1. South- Plantation system, cotton is “king” (invention of the cotton gin and steel plow- John Deere, Mechanical reaper), slavery becomes a necessity, few cities---Not enough money to build factories--$ invested in land

3.West- frontier land, fertile land, good for agricultural, no cities, a place to go to start fresh, cheap land

II.Nationalism- belief that national interests should be placed ahead of regional

concerns

A.Protecting US interests

1.Tariffs- taxes on imports

2.Monroe Doctrine-

-President Monroe warned all European nations not to interfere with affairs in the Western Hemisphere

-not to create new colonies or to overthrow governments

-US will disapprove of any of these actions

-US will not interfere in European Affairs

B.Moving the nation forward

1.Renewed the Bank of the US (2nd BUS)

2.Internal improvements- roads, Erie Canal

3.Manifest Destiny- the belief that the US should expand

westward to the Pacific Ocean and into the Mexican

territory

4.Missouri Compromise (1820)-

-11 free states and 11 slave states

-Missouri about to be admitted as a state

-Compromise- bring Missouri in as a slave state,

Maine in as a free state