Baltimore Polytechnic Institute November 14, 2011 A.P. U.S. History Mr. Green
Objectives: Describe the growth and movement of America’s population in the early nineteenth century. Describe the largely German and Irish wave of immigration beginning in the 1830s and the reactions it provoked among native Americans. AP Focus Arriving in huge numbers in the antebellum period, Irish and German immigrants coalesced into voting blocks, allowing them to play a significant role in the nation’s municipal, state, and federal elections. Concurrently, organizations and political parties, such as the Know- Nothings, formed to fight what they considered a weakening of American culture because of immigration.
CHAPTER THEME In the era of Jacksonian democracy, the American population grew rapidly and changed in character. More people lived in the raw West and in the expanding cities, and immigrant groups, like the Irish and Germans, added their labor power to America’s economy, sometimes arousing hostility from native-born Americans in the process.
Quiz on Thursday/Friday covering Chapter 14
William Henry Harrison-Whig General during the War of 1812 Issueless/No platform Martin Van Buren-Democrat blamed for the economy out of touch with Americans Whigs expand and stimulate the economy Democrats retrenchment end banks/end aggressive corporations
1. Triumph of a populist democratic style 2. Formation of a vigorous/durable 2-party system Democrats-states’ rights/federal restraint in social and economic affairs, more humble Whigs-use government to reach agenda, supported the bank, protective tariffs, internal improvements, public schools, temperance, abolition, more properous Both-mass based, mobilize as many voters as possible
By ½ of Americans were under the age of 30 Moving west was difficult-poorly fed, ill-clad, poor housing, disease Self Reliance-Ralph Waldo Emerson Isolated figures in literature James Fenimore Cooper
Population doubling every 25 years 4 th populous nation in the Western World 43 cities with 20,000 or more by 1860 What are the implications for large population increases?
60,000/year to ’s 180,000/year 1850’s 240,000/year Mainly Irish and German Not all émigrés left for the U.S. Nearly half went somewhere other than the U.S. Reasons? Europe running out of room Freedom and opportunity Quick trip
NINA No Irish Need Apply came with nothing Ancient Order of Hibernians Molly Maguires Politics Tammany Hall-NYC Police Departments Washington support
Germans crop failures liberal political refugees-small amount Many possessed modest materials Middle West/Wisconsin-farms Less politically strong than Irish-more scattered Supported schools
Nativists Roman Catholics-schools Know-nothing party Several acts of anti-Catholic violence
Re-read chapter 14 Quiz on Thursday/Friday