Heimlich's History: AP U.S. History Unit 4 Review

Overview

• Time Period: 1800 to 1848
• Main Themes:
  • Expanding U.S. role in world affairs
  • Transformation of society and economy in the early republic
  • Growth of democratic impulses

Political Developments

Jefferson's Presidency

• Election of 1800: Thomas Jefferson elected; debates between Democratic Republicans and Federalists continue.
• Foreign Relations:
  • Barbary Pirates: Jefferson opposed paying bribes; ceased payments leading to naval conflict, eventually negotiated lower payments.
• Federal Power:
  • Democratic Republicans: Advocated for strict constitutional interpretation.
  • Federalists: Supported loose interpretation of the Constitution.

Key Events

• Louisiana Purchase (1803):

  • Diplomatic purchase from France for $15 million, doubling U.S. territory.
  • Led by Monroe; Jefferson's constitutional dilemma; justified for expansion.
  • Exploration by Lewis and Clark, Zebulun Pike.

• Supreme Court Decisions:

  • Marbury v. Madison (1803): Established judicial review.
  • McCulloch v. Maryland (1819): Federal law prevails over state law.

War of 1812

• Causes:
  • Neutrality violations by Britain and France; British impressment.
  • Westward expansion tensions; belief in British incitement of Indian resistance.
• Consequences:
  • Rise of American nationalism.
  • Demise of the Federalist Party.
  • Highlighted weaknesses prompting the American System proposals.

American System

• Henry Clay's Economic Plan:
  • Federally funded internal improvements.
  • Protective tariffs to support U.S. manufacturing.
  • Reestablishment of the National Bank.

Missouri Compromise (1820)

• Balance of power between free and slave states maintained.
• Introduced 36°30' line to limit slavery's expansion westward.

Foreign Policies

• Adams-Onis Treaty (1819): U.S. acquired Florida from Spain.
• Monroe Doctrine (1823): Declared Western Hemisphere off-limits to European interference.

Economic and Social Developments

Market Revolution

• Linking of northern industries with southern and western agriculture.
• Technological Advancements:
  • Cotton gin, spinning machine, interchangeable parts, steamboats.
• Transportation:
  • Canals (Erie Canal), railroads expanded trade.
• Growth of cities, immigrants from Germany and Ireland.

Society Changes

• Labor Class:
  • Immigrants contributing to labor pool; harsh living conditions.
• Middle Class:
  • Increased disposable income, leisure activities.
• Women's Roles:
  • Cult of domesticity; separate spheres ideology.

Democratic Expansion

• Panic of 1819: Led to demands for voting rights by affected working men.
• Voting Rights: Expansion of franchise; decline of property qualifications.

Cultural and Reform Movements

Distinct American Culture

• Transcendentalism: Emerson, Thoreau; emphasized nature, human perfectability.
• Hudson River School: Romanticized American landscapes.
• Second Great Awakening: Evangelical movement, societal moral reform.
  • Spread of temperance and other social reform movements.

Abolitionism and Women's Rights

• Abolition Movement:
  • Led by figures like William Lloyd Garrison and the American Anti-Slavery Society.
• Women's Rights Movement:
  • Seneca Falls Convention (1848); Declaration of Sentiments.

Southern Society

• Expansion of plantations westward, increased slaveholding aristocracy.
• Nat Turner's Rebellion (1831): Heightened fear of slave revolts.
• Most southerners were non-slaveholding yeoman farmers.

Conclusion

• This unit covers significant developments in U.S. political, social, and economic landscapes from 1800 to 1848. Understanding these key events and concepts is crucial for mastering the period's history.