US History

• The Market Revolution led to the development of a domestic and international market, marking the beginning of a new economic system
• New States added during this period include Louisiana (1812), Indiana (1816), Mississippi (1817), Illinois (1818), Alabama (1819), and Missouri (1821)
• Federal policies required for the "American System" included:

  • Currency and National Bank: The Bank of the United States was established in Philadelphia, issuing currency in banknotes and gold and silver coins
  • Internal Improvements: Improving roads, bridges, canals, and transportation, leading to the construction of a national highway from Cumberland, Maryland, into Washington, D.C.
  • Tariffs: Implemented to protect small industries by inflating the price of international goods
• Technological advances during the First Industrial Revolution included the cotton gin, interchangeable parts, new roads (turnpikes), canals like the Erie Canal, and the introduction of steam engines and steamboats
• The Lowell Cloth Factory in Massachusetts, established by Francis Cabot Lowell and Paul Moody, was supported by the Boston Associates, investing in the creation of a company focused on cloth production
• In the factory, workers were usually skilled laborers or managers, with women also having job opportunities
• New immigrants replaced workers when wages decreased, as they were willing to work for lower wages; women who demanded higher wages were then replaced
• Wages in the era were reasonable, with expectations for women including attending church on Sundays and living onsite with a curfew
• Working conditions in the factory included working with candlelight and daylight since electricity wasn't invented yet, with a six-day work week common
• The evolution of the factory system included the first step being shoemaking and earlier cloth mills before Lowell's mill, and the second step being centralized factories where everything happens in the factory
• The American System introduced by Eli Whitney included interchangeable parts like the cotton gin and muskets, leading to improvements in production speed
• Interchangeable parts helped grow the economy, with immigration to the US increasing significantly in the 1820s and 1830s to 1840s
• Irish immigrants faced anti-Irish sentiment like "No Irish Need Apply" and anti-Catholic feelings, while German migration increased in the 1850s
• Labor movements by textile workers, mainly women, led to the formation of labor unions aiming for better working conditions and wages
• National Trades Union and General Trade Union were successful for a limited time, with Commonwealth v. Hunt ruling that union activity is not criminal
• The Democratic Party was popular, with Tammany Hall courting the Irish vote and political gangs ensuring votes
• Transportation Changes during the First Industrial Revolution:

  • Wilderness Road facilitated goods transport from the west to the east, forged by Daniel Boone in Kentucky
  • New Roads (Turnpikes) like the Philadelphia-Lancaster road were constructed, with most being toll roads to allow easier transport, although overland travel remained expensive
  • Steamboats, pioneered by Robert Fulton, revolutionized transportation with two-way traffic and access to transcontinental markets
• Railroads experienced massive expansion from 1820 to 1860, dominating the Northeast during this period
• Clipper ships improved ocean transportation speed across the Atlantic
• Communication Changes:

  • Mail delivery improvements included relay riders for efficient mail delivery and the emergence of "Penny Press" Newspapers
  • Samuel Morse's Telegraph System introduced Morse Code for telegrams, enabling instantaneous communication between major cities
• Development of Professions:

  • New towns necessitated professionals like doctors, dentists, lawyers, preachers, and teachers
  • Apprenticeship programs were crucial for training in various professions, including law, medicine, and engineering
• Urbanization:

  • Urban life before 1860 saw most people living in the countryside or small villages, with urban growth notably in northern cities like New York, Philadelphia, Boston, and Baltimore
  • Western cities like Cincinnati, St. Louis, Cleveland, Detroit, and Chicago grew due to industries like meat-packing and transportation hubs
• Urban Growth:

  • Population density increased with the influx of immigrants, leading to changes in land laws in 1820 to regulate land purchases
  • Expansion westward was supported by new technologies like the McCormick Reaper, aiding the growth of farming shifting out west
• Jacksonian democracy aimed to push for a more democratic means for more people to vote, not just the feat of one man like Andrew Jackson
• Problems with voting laws during the Jacksonian era included:

  • Property ownership requirements in most states to vote
  • Viva Voce voting, which received pushback as it lacked a secret ballot
  • Poll taxes, varying in amount from state to state
  • Women and free African-American men had no voting rights
• Western states like Kentucky, Tennessee, and Ohio led the way in promoting states' rights and electoral college changes
• Changes in voting laws during the Jacksonian era included:

  • Universal white male suffrage for men over 21, regardless of property ownership or poll tax payment
  • Limitations on property requirements, with laws varying by state
  • Influence of "new" religious thinking and the market revolution on voting rights
• Electoral College changes during the Jacksonian era:

  • Past system: state legislatures voted for electors
  • New system: electors chosen through the voting of the people themselves
  • South Carolina was the last to adopt new elector laws in 1832
• The end of the Virginia Dynasty marked the end of presidents from Virginia, with James Monroe being the last Virginian president
• The Presidential Election of 1824 was consequential, with candidates like John Quincy Adams, William H. Crawford, Henry Clay, and Andrew Jackson
• In the 1824 Election, no candidate had a majority in the Electoral College, leading to the decision being made in the House of Representatives between Adams and Jackson
• In the 1824 election, no majority in the Electoral College led to the decision being made in the House of Representatives between Adams and Jackson
• The 12th Amendment added the provision to take the decision to the House of Representatives if there is no clear majority in the Electoral College
• Henry Clay played a significant role in promoting John Quincy Adams for the presidency, using his political power to influence representatives in the House to vote for Adams over Jackson
• John Quincy Adams, from 1824 to 1828, was seen as learned and cosmopolitan, similar to his father, but was considered the wrong man for the era, being more suited to a previous period
• Adams promoted internal improvements focusing on the academic side, including a national university, observatory, and other ideas that were eventually shot down in Congress, upsetting states in the North and South
• Adams lacked the "common man" touch seen in other politicians like Andrew Jackson, and like his father, he only served one term as president
• In the 1828 election, Martin van Buren played a key role in pushing Andrew Jackson into the presidency, aiming to gain political power for himself as well
• Van Buren changed the idea of the political party, emphasizing it as the voice of the people and utilizing media such as newspapers, magazines, spokespeople, and gimmicks for campaigns
• The 1828 election marked a shift towards mass political participation in the national arena, focusing on national issues and creating a more difficult atmosphere for campaigning due to the diverse regions involved