...Historiography: Louisiana Purchase In the beginning of the 17th century, the United States and France have been negotiating over a piece of land approximately 828,000,000 square miles that stretched from the Mississippi River in the east to the Rocky Mountains in the west and from the Gulf of Mexico in the south to the Canadian Border in the north. It wasn’t until 1803 when the United States was given an opportunity to purchase this piece of land, this historical event is known as the Louisiana Purchase. Although history can only be told in one way-by facts, many historians have different views and arguments towards the impact the Louisiana Purchase had on North America. One author that had a different view of this historical event...
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...Chapter 11 - The Triumphs and Travails of Jeffersonian Republic I. Federalist and Republican Mudslingers 1. In the election of 1800, the Federalists had a host of enemies stemming from the Alien and Sedition Acts. 2. The Federalists had been most damaged by John Adams’ not declaring war against France. * They had raised a bunch of taxes and built a good navy, and then had not gotten any reason to justify such spending, making them seem fraudulent as they had also swelled the public debt. * John Adams became known as “the Father of the American Navy.” * Federalists also launched attacks on Jefferson, saying that he had robbed a widow and her children of a trust fund, fathered numerous children with his slaves (which turned out to be true), called him an atheist (he was a Deist), and used other inflammatory remarks. II. The Jeffersonian “Revolution of 1800” 1. Thomas Jefferson won the election of 1800 by a majority of 73 electoral votes to 65, and even though Adams got more popular votes, Jefferson got New York. But, even though Jefferson triumphed, in a technicality he and Aaron Burr tied for presidency. * The vote, according to the Constitution, would now go to the Federalist-dominated House of Representatives. * Hateful of Jefferson, many wanted to vote for Burr, and the vote was deadlocked for months until Alexander Hamilton and John Adams persuaded a few House members to change their votes, knowing that if ...
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...economy. There were many factors and purchases that happened throughout that aided in the upbringing of the American economy we know today. We know some events of American history, for example, the finding of Native Americans already on America, slavery throughout history, wars, and inventions were all factors of shaping the economy for us. Before there was such a thing as the “New World,” there were millions of people living in America. The indigenous people of America had been there for thousands of years before the Europeans had arrived. Money was not an issue for these groups of people. They relied on the land and trade between the different tribes. The economy consisted of hunting, gathering and a complex agriculture system. They did not have the need for the money like the outside European world did. They relied on each other and the tribes around them. Different tribes were able to specialize in certain areas and then they could trade what they needed. While they did not have the sophisticated economy like the Europeans had, they were doing much better than after the Europeans arrived and started to try to change their way of life. Thomas Morton stated “, that the natives of the land lived so poorly in so rich a Country.” 1 There were so many things that the Native Americans did that Morton could not believe they did because all the travelers saw was vast land that could be sorted through. The Natives knew how to utilize the land and did not need 1. Eric Foner, Voices...
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...The purchase of the Louisiana Territory in 1803 opened the door to westward expansion. Thomas Jefferson purchased this extensive plot of land with the hopes of strengthening and expanding the Republic, unaware that it would have the opposite effect. Jefferson’s fateful decision to expand the United States nearly destroyed the Republic that Americans worked so hard to build. It triggered the rise of divisions amongst Americans. These small cracks continued to grow and tear at the seams of the nation. Although westward expansion between 1800 and 1848 granted many new opportunities to the American people, it also brought about tension that plagued the nation for years to come. Some historians may construe westward expansion as beneficial to the...
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...the Louisiana Purchase and the Lewis and Clark Expedition have an impact on westward expansion and how did Jefferson's message to Congress (1803) show his vision for the new republic? The reasons why the Louisiana Purchase and the Lewis Clark Expedition had an impact on the westward expansion, including the reasons why Thomas Jefferson arranged the journey, a summary of his vision for the new republic (Jefferson’s Secret Message) and the outcome of his vision as it relates to the Westward Expansion. “The portion of their country most important for us is exactly that which they do not inhabit. Their settlements are not on the Mississippi, but in the interior country. They have lately shown a desire to become agricultural; and this leads to the desire of buying implements and comforts. In the strengthening and gratifying of these wants, I see the only prospect of planting on the Mississippi itself, the means of its own safety. Duty has required me to submit these views to the judgment of the Legislature; but as their disclosure might embarrass and defeat their effect, they are committed to the special confidence of the two Houses.” (Jefferson, 1803) Taken from Thomas Jefferson’s Secret Message to Congress of 1803. This excerpt introduces the vision of Thomas...
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...Timeline Part I NOTE: Before starting the Timeline project please refer to the "Example Timeline Matrix" document. Instructions: Complete the matrix by providing the Time Period/Date(s) in column B, and the Description and Significance of the People/Event(s) to American History in column C. See complete instructions in the Syllabus for the Module 1 assignment entitled, “Timeline Part I.”NOTE: The timeline project does not need to be submitted to turnitin. NOTE:Please write your answers in a clear and concise manner. Limit your submission of the Timeline Part I up to 250 words per topic/subtopic. For example, if a topic is divided into 3 subtopics, you may write a maximum of 250 per subtopic listed. Be sure to cite all sources. Major Event/Epoch in American History | Time Period/Date(s) | Description and Significance of the People/Event(s) to American History | 1) Describe three different American Indian cultures prior to colonization. | 1200-1900 | The Anasazi, the Iroquois and the Algonkians all inhabited parts of the US prior to colonization. The Anasazi had much of the Southwest like Arizona and New Mexico. The Iroquois were very large and were actually divided into many different nations with different traditions and dialects. Lastly, the Algonkians were proficient in both hunting as well as other agricultural activities. | 2) The effects of British colonization on the Native Americans. | 17th Century | At first, the British were not a threat because they...
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...Ambrose published in 1996 is about the exploration of the new Louisiana territory in the beginning of the 1800’s. It goes over Lewis and Clark’s journey before, during, and after the exploration. This book comes from many first person accounts and includes even the smallest details. It is also written compellingly to keep the reader interested throughout the whole book. Anybody that has an interest in America's history would be impelled to read this book. For any who lives in the regions described it would be interesting learn about what it used to be like there. For me it was interesting learning about Missouri and especially St. Louis. Since I live in/near these areas, it taught me a lot about what it was like where I live in the 1800’s before it was inhabited by Americans. Someone else who may be interested in the this...
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...The History of the American Bottom Two of the nations largest rivers meet in the American Bottom. The Mississippi and Missouri Rivers served as channels of change to the area, bringing outside influences of many different peoples to an Indian-inhabited land. Like the constant flow of the rivers, there was a constant change in the American Bottom. The progress eventually developed the area into a center of economic activity and gateway to the west, but also excluded native and long-time residents. The Illinois Indians long dominated the American Bottom. They were a unique and special tribe, who were complex politically, religiously, and socially. They were also an independent people until French colonizers came to settle in the area. The French Creoles became the dominant population in the region, effecting trade and implementing French Creole culture in the region. The French would not be the last group trying to develop and profit from the American Bottom. When the United States gained control of the territory, it changed even further and eventually Americanized into an U.S. State. The importance of the region increased as the U.S. continued to grow westward. The American Bottoms location between the two great rivers made it the ideal location for a center of economic growth. Prior to the contact period, or the time when the Illinois first came into contact with Europeans, the Illinois were a great and influential tribe. They were a very interesting tribe who had a culture...
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...The History of the American Bottom Two of the nations largest rivers meet in the American Bottom. The Mississippi and Missouri Rivers served as channels of change to the area, bringing outside influences of many different peoples to an Indian-inhabited land. Like the constant flow of the rivers, there was a constant change in the American Bottom. The progress eventually developed the area into a center of economic activity and gateway to the west, but also excluded native and long-time residents. The Illinois Indians long dominated the American Bottom. They were a unique and special tribe, who were complex politically, religiously, and socially. They were also an independent people until French colonizers came to settle in the area. The French Creoles became the dominant population in the region, effecting trade and implementing French Creole culture in the region. The French would not be the last group trying to develop and profit from the American Bottom. When the United States gained control of the territory, it changed even further and eventually Americanized into an U.S. State. The importance of the region increased as the U.S. continued to grow westward. The American Bottoms location between the two great rivers made it the ideal location for a center of economic growth. Prior to the contact period, or the time when the Illinois first came into contact with Europeans, the Illinois were a great and influential tribe. They were a very interesting tribe who had a culture...
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...threat. Jefferson had a deal with Napoleon, which helped expand the size of the United States. Furthermore, it opened up another frontier for slaveholders south of the Mississippi Valley (Goldfield 226). b. How did their policies differ from those of the Federalists who came before them? Federalists wanted people to be in large public debt. Federalists tried to have a grip on federal offices; however Republicans managed to take over. Then the Federalists passed the Judiciary Act of 1801 (Goldfield 224). John Marshall, who was a Federalist, created a precedent of judicial reviews in the Marbury v. Madison case. c. What factors accounted for the Federalists’ inability to regain national power after they lost the election of 1800? Hamilton and his fellow Federalists wanted people to be in a large debt. They failed to keep hold of federal offices when Republicans simply used their Republican principles (Goldfield 224). Federalists attempted to keep up the Judiciary Act of 1801 they passed but Republicans fought back, making them frustrated. 2. d. Why were the Republicans so intent on expanding the boundaries of the United States? Republicans basically wanted to possess land and gain more control. We can understand this by how Jefferson’s main...
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...Revolution was not a radical transformation like the French or Russian revolutions, but it produced political innovations and some social change in the direction of greater equality and democracy. The American Revolution did not overturn the social order, but it did produce substantial changes in social customs, political institutions, and ideas about society and government. Among the changes were the separation of church and state in some places, the abolition of slavery in the North, written political constitutions, and a shift in political power from the eastern seaboard toward the frontier. The first weak government, the Articles of Confederation, was unable to exercise real authority, although it did successfully deal with the western lands issue. The Confederation’s weakness in handling foreign policy, commerce and the Shays Rebellion spurred the movement to alter the Articles. Instead of revising the Articles, the well-off delegates to the Constitutional Convention created a charter for a whole new government. In a series of compromises, the convention produced a plan that provided for a vigorous central government, a strong executive, the protection for property, while still upholding republican principles and states’ rights. The Federalists met strong opposition from Anti-Federalists, especially in Virginia and New York, but through effective organization and argument, they succeeded in getting the Constitution ratified. By establishing the new national government...
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...Timeline Part I NOTE: Before starting the Timeline project please refer to the "Example Timeline Matrix" document. Instructions: Complete the matrix by providing the Time Period/Date(s) in column B, and the Description and Significance of the People/Event(s) to American History in column C. See complete instructions in the Syllabus for the Module 1 assignment entitled, “Timeline Part I.” NOTE: The timeline project does not need to be submitted to turnitin. NOTE: Please write your answers in a clear and concise manner. Limit your submission of the Timeline Part I up to 250 words per topic/subtopic. For example, if a topic is divided into 3 subtopics, you may write a maximum of 250 per subtopic listed. Be sure to cite all sources. Major Event/Epoch in American History | Time Period/Date(s) | Description and Significance of the People/Event(s) to American History | 1) Describe three different American Indian cultures prior to colonization. | 1200-1900 C.E. | The Algonquian were the first to encounter the Europeans. They lived on the Atlantic coast and hunted and fished for their foods and lived in wigwams in the summer but lived in closer areas in the winter and basically relied on what was stocked up to live on. The Anasazi lived in the Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico area and were great at trading between the tribes. They made fabrics, baskets and art made of stone. They were farmers and grew crops and lived off the land with livestock plus they were astronomers...
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...Chapter 1 Handicapped by History Brief Summary As the first chapter in this long analytical book, chapter one serves as the foundation for the rest of the novel, with a basic premise that “history textbooks make fool out of the students.” It shows how portrayal of historical figures and events in the best light for the reputation of United States leads to biased and distorted historical education. Author’s Viewpoint Loewen uses two examples—Helen Keller and Woodrow Wilson—in order to illustrate his point, and I would like to focus on the latter for this analysis. Loewen states that while Woodrow Wilson is often presented as the founder of League of Nations following World War I and the leader of progressive causes like women’s suffrage, textbooks rarely make any reference to racial segregation of federal government and his military interventions in foreign nations (22). Wilson intervened in countries like Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Nicaragua, and, which set up dictatorship in those nations, but surprisingly documentary evidences only emphasize his role in withdrawing the troops, which sounds ironic considering that he “wasn’t” the one who put the troops in at the first place (25). Instead, textbooks portray his intentions as building up friendship or take a step further and blame the invaded nations themselves (24). Next argument that Loewen makes is that Wilson was a racist who effectively closed the Democratic Party to African Americans, a fact that...
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...Major Event/Epoch in American History Time Period/Date(s) Description and Significance of the People/Event(s) to American History 1) Describe three different American Indian cultures prior to colonization. 1200-1900 C.E. Great Indian societies such as the Aztec, Mayan, Inca, and Toltec would emerge. They had complex structures of government and built large cities. These cities would even be seen as impressive to the Europeans when they later arrived on the continent (Brands, Breen, Williams, Gross, 2012). The Aztecs were the most powerful of the Indians and expanded their empire as they conquered many other tribes all throughout what is now Mexico. The groups along the Atlantic coast were smaller in numbers and not as agriculturally advanced. These cultures were more peaceful and even had some democratic type qualities to them. Many of the Europeans first contact would be with these communities. 2) The effects of British colonization on the Native Americans. 1600’s Despite Columbus and other explorers going off to the New World, the British did not show any major interest until the late 1500’s. The most immediate effect of the arrival of British settlers was the issue of land. They were taking land and resources that were not their own. However with peaceful relations there was plenty of land for both early settlers and the Native Americans. Early contact between English settlers and Native Americans was not filled with hostility but was rather peaceful. Both parties were interested...
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...extend and enhance its political, social, and economic influences. (Dictionary .com). Manifest destiny was substantial in the U.S. to justify an imperialistic grab of Mexican land in California, Texas, and New Mexico. Expansion into the western frontiers offered opportunities for self-advancement....
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