The United States A whirlwind history of our country up to the Civil War!

Independence for the colonies The American colonies gained their independence from Britain after the Revolutionary War. At that point (1783), the US was only made up of the land from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River.

Louisiana Purchase The Louisiana Purchase was made in 1803 while Thomas Jefferson was president. It was purchased from the French (Napoleon was emperor) and doubled the size of the US. –Now the boundary stretched to the Rocky Mountains!

Other Land Acquisitions Florida –Spain gave up Florida to the US in Oregon territories –Britain gave the US part of the Oregon territory in a treaty in –This gave the US land that stretched from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. Mexico still controlled California and other southwestern states, but the US had access to both oceans.

Manifest Destiny Manifest Destiny- idea that the US has the right to rule North America from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. –This will be the rationale for removing natives from their lands. Indian Removal Act of law that enabled the federal government to force Native Americans living in the East to move to the West.

Trail of Tears Cherokees in Georgia challenged the Indian Removal Act in front of the Supreme Court. –The Supreme Court ruled that the suit was invalid and that they must move West. They (along with many other tribes) were forced to march all the way to Oklahoma and to live on reservations. –About 25% of them died of starvation or disease on the way.

Primary Account “The day was bright and beautiful but a gloomy thoughtfulness was depicted in the lineaments of every face…At this very moment a low sound of distant thunder fell on my ear… and sent forth a murmur, I almost thought a voice of divine indignation for the wrong of my poor and unhappy countrymen, driven by brutal power from all they loved and cherished in the land of their fathers.” –William Shorey Coodey quoted in The Trail of Tears

Texas Joins the US Mexico gained its independence from Spain in They controlled the lands west of the Louisiana Purchase (including Texas). Mexico gave US settlers permission to settle in the territory that is today called Texas. –Mexico eventually tightened control of those settlers and they revolted. Texas gained its independence in –Nine years later (1845), the US annexed Texas. Mexico saw this as an act of war!

Mexican-American War May 1846-February 1848 Famous battles: –Alamo –San Jacinto Mexico surrendered and ceded California the US. The US would later buy the land between Texas and California from Mexico. –Known as the Gadsden Purchase

“Quick Review” 1.What was the cause of the Mexican- American War? 2.Was the Louisiana Purchase constitutional? 3.What is your opinion on manifest destiny? 4.How do you think that people were able to rationalize the Indian Removal Act and the Trail of Tears?

North vs. South North –Industrial –Many immigrants –Very little need for slave labor –Needs a strong central government –Supports tariffs To protect their young businesses South –Agrarian –Few immigrants –Economy based on free or slave labor –Favors states’ rights –Does NOT want tariffs Has to import many things These differences will lead to trouble!!!

Civil War When a war breaks out between people of the same country it is called a civil war. The idea of war started over the expansion of slavery. –The South thought that it was their right to move anywhere in the nation and continue slavery, but the North thought that slavery should be restricted. During the presidential election of 1860, Lincoln promised to stop the spread of slavery if he was elected. –South Carolina promised that if he was elected they would secede from the union!

Fort Sumter Starts the War On April 12, 1861 the US Civil War began when Confederate soldiers fired on Fort Sumter (located in South Carolina) when Lincoln tried to re-supply it. The fighting would continue for the next four years and lead to more than 600,000 American deaths. the South surrendered at Appomattox Courthouse, Virginia in 1865.

Emancipation Lincoln did not intend to end slavery when the Civil War started. He found later that it would benefit the Union’s cause if he freed the slaves in the South. –This is known as Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. Following the Civil War, all slaves were given freedom with the 13 th amendment. –14 th amendment made them citizens. –15 th amendment allowed males the right to vote.

Life After War A period of reconstruction lasted from 1865 to 1877 in the South. –There were Union troops monitoring actions in the south. –White southerners limited the rights of African Americans in every way possible. Especially when it came to voting

“Quick Review” 1.What was the Emancipation Proclamation? 2.Where were the first shots of the Civil War fired? 3.Who do you think had the advantage going into the war? North or South?