18001850

The US before the Civil War

Joseph Bile

1800-1850
Prompt :

To what extent did the social, political and

economic changes of 1800-1850 help define
exactly what the US was to be as a country,
contribute to its growing strength and stability,
while also exacerbating the domestic disconnect
that led to the civil war?

Political changes
Louisiana Purchase
Missouri Compromise
Manifest Destiny
Economic changes
Market Revolution
American system
Industrialization
Social changes
Woman’s rights/ Seneca Falls Convention
Abolition Movement
Indian Removal Act/Trail of Tears

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Louisiana Purchase

In 1800 Napoleon persuaded the Spanish to hand back

the Louisiana territory back to the French, He planned
to use the territory as a “breadbasket”. The Americans
were alarmed because they feared that if the French
had a strong presence in North America then it would
force the US into an alliance with Britain. In 1803
Napoleon abandoned his plan and offered to sell the
territory to the US. The purchase was $15M and more
than doubled the size of the US. After the purchase
Lewis and Clark led a group to explore the new
territory.

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Missouri Compromise

The Missouri Compromise was a compromise that was

needed because there was discussion and controversy
on whether to make Missouri a slave state or a free
state. Congress passed a series of agreements in 1820-
1821 to solve this issue. Maine was admitted as a free
state and Missouri as a slave state. A line was
established that split the country into two parts. All
territory south of the line allowed slavery and was
admitted as a slave state and land north of the line was
to be admitted as a free state (except Missouri).

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Manifest destiny

The phrase “Manifest Destiny” expressed the belief or

idea that Americans had that they were sent by god to
expand to the Pacific and into Native and Mexican
territory. Many Americans started moving west to
either seek new markets for their or goods or because
of personal economic problems that they had in the
east. An example of this is the panic of 1837, many
Americans believed that they would be better off in the
west with a fresh start.

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Political changes

The political changes in the US affected the country in a

great way during that time. Firstly, the country was
starting to grow rapidly and with that growth the US
had started to run into many problems. Some of
problems the US had were things like how to separate
the states and whether a state was to be admitted as a
slave state or a free state. With slavery already being a
controversial topic in the US every new state that was
to be admitted created a great disconnect between the

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north and the south eventually ending up with civil war
in 1861. In terms of positive changes, the growth in the
US also helped them gain a stronger economy. This is
seen later on when things like industrialization and the
market revolution happen in the US

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Market revolution

During this period people realized that it would be

easier and more profitable to make goods in a factory
and selling them instead of making your own things at
home for yourself. Entrepreneurs invested money in
industry with a risk of losing their money if a venture
failed. But they also gained a lot back if it succeeded.
During this time markets expanded throughout the
country quickly and transformed the nation this
increased the economy of America greatly.

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American system

As the North, South, East, and West developed

different economies, president Madison developed a
plan to move the US into economic independence from
European countries. In 1815 he presented a plan to
congress that consisted of 3 main points
 Establish a protective tariff
 Rechartering the national Bank
 Sponsoring the development of transportation
systems and other internal improvements in order
to make travel easier.
House speaker Henry Clay promoted this plan as the
“American System”

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Industrialization

In the US people started advancing in technology and

started inventing and using things to help better the
country in all aspects. Things like telegraph lines to
transport information quickly throughout the country
and Railroads and trains to get things around the
country more efficiently were used to better
communication and transport in the country. All these
new inventions helped America become a very strong
economic country.

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Economic changes

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Woman’s rights/ Seneca Falls Convention

Women in the US weren’t treated as the men in many

aspects. Women didn’t have the right to vote and
women didn’t get the same education as men did.
Women were taught how to cook and men learnt
normal subjects like math and science. These are some
of the reasons that the women in the US started a
movement so that they could have equal rights. The
first major events for the women’s rights movement
was the Seneca Falls convention. At the Seneca Falls
convention a declaration was signed by 62 women and
32 men saying and on that agreement the right for
women to vote was on it.

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Abolition Movement

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Indian Removal Act/Trail of Tears

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Social Changes

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Conclusion

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