I. The Rise of Cultural Nationalism
A. Virtuous Republic
- Govt. gets its authority from the citizens.
- A selfless, educated citizenry.
- Elections should be frequent.
- Govt. should guarantee individual rights & freedoms.
- Govt.’s power should be limited [checks & balances].
- The need for a written Constitution.
- “E Pluribus Unum.” [“Out of many, one”]
- An important role for women à raise good, virtuous citizens.
[“Republican Womanhood”].
B. Patterns of Education
n The Virtuous Citizen
n Central to Republican vision of America
n The goal à nationwide system of public schools
n The reality à schooling primarily the responsibility of private institutions
n Higher education remained very limited
n Republican Motherhood
n education should serve to make better wives & mothers
n Judith Sargent Murray pushed for women’s rights
n The “noble savage”
n Education would “civilize” and uplift Indians
C. Noah Webster
- Public schools embraced Webster’s blue-backed speller, which promoted patriotism
- Webster’s Dictionary described an “American” form of English
D. Establishing a National Culture
- Well-defined American literature began developing
- Parson Mason Weems’ fictionalized bio of Washington
- Washington Irving’s Legend of Sleepy Hallow and Rip van Winkle
E. Religious Skepticism
n Deism
n Originated among Enlightenment philosophers
n God existed but was not directly involved with the human race and its sins
n Thomas Jefferson & Ben Franklin followers
n Unitarianism
n Sometimes called “universalism”
n First emerged as dissenting views within Congregationalist Churches
n Rejected predestination & the Trinity
F. The 2nd Great Awakening
What was it?
n Religious revival that swept the U.S. in the early 1800s
n Reaction against rationalism & religious skepticism of the Enlightenment
Message?
n Individuals must readmit God and Christ into their daily lives
n Must embrace fervent, active, piety, and reject skeptical rationalism
G. Rev. Timothy Dwight
n Started 2nd Great Awakening
n President of Yale
n His campus revivals motivated young men to become evangelical preachers
H. Cane Ridge, 1801
n 1st “camp meeting” – attracted 25,000 people
n Revivals became ways to gain new members
I. Peter Cartwright
n Methodist circuit-riding preacher
Membership in churches embracing the revival flourished (Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterians
J. Charles G. Finney
- Presbyterian minister
- Started a series of revivals in New York
- Appealed to peoples’ emotion and fear of damnation – all were free to be saved by faith & hard work
- “Soul-shaking” conversions
K. Effects of the Awakening
n Will push reforms movements of antebellum era
n Very popular with women
n African Americans and Revival
n Many attended revivals and embraced new religious fervor – substantial group of black preachers emerged
n Stirred racial unrest – did egalitarian religious message mean equality in real life?
n Gabriel Prosser’s rebellion planned at revival meeting
n Indians and the 2nd Great Awakening
n Very strong but drew heavily from earlier tribal experiences
n Handsome Lake pushed for revival of traditional way – sort of
n “Freethinkers” influence diminished
II. Stirrings of Industrialism
A. Samuel Slater
n Built a spinning mill for Quaker merchant Moses Brown in Rhode Island
n 1st modern factory in America
B. Eli Whitney
Interchangeable parts mean tasks could be divided among several workers
Cotton gin revolutionized life in the South-Slavery is here to stay!
C. Improvements in Transportation
n 1807 – Robert Fulton sailed first ship powered by steam engine up the Hudson
n 1792 – construction on Lancaster Road began. Ran 60 miles fr. Lancaster to Philly. Began “turnpike era”
III. Jefferson’s Presidency
A. “Revolution” of 1800
n Much animosity and partisan feuding before and during the election
n Jefferson sought to calm Federalist fears
n Inaugural Address: “We are all Federalists, we are all Republicans”
n Maintained national debt & continued Hamilton’s debt-repayment plan
n Carried on neutrality policies of Jefferson & Adams.
B. Jefferson’s Republican Agenda
- Reduced the size of the military
- Built up due to Quasi-War
- Forced to increase size later b/c of Barbary Pirates
- Eliminated many federal jobs but dismissed few public servants for political reasons
- Repealed the excise taxes – including whiskey tax
- Whiskey Rebellion was free speech
- Lowered the national debt
C. Barbary Pirates
n 1st major challenge of Jefferson’s foreign policy
n We had been protected from them when we were part of British Empire
n Now, we’re too poor to bribe them & too weak to fight.
n To protect U.S. merchants, Washington & Adams had paid tribute to the Barbary governments.
n When Jefferson became president, the Pasha of Tripoli demanded more money.
n Rather than pay, Jefferson sent a small fleet of U.S. naval vessels.
D. Tripolian Wars, 1801-1805
n Sporadic fighting for 4 yrs.
n No decisive victory but we did gain some respect and it did offer some protection to U.S. vessels in the Med.
E. Conflict with the Courts
n Judiciary branch was the only one that remained largely in the hands of the federalists
n Who was John Marshall?
n Federalist appointed Chief Justice by Adams
n Exerted a strong influence
n Was a Federalist
n His decisions strengthened the national gov’t at the expense of states’ rights
F. Marbury v. Madison, 1803
First major case to be decided by Marshall
Puts him in direct conflict w/ Jefferson
Jefferson wanted to block the appointment of “midnight judges.”
n Ordered Sec. of State James Madison not to deliver the appointments.
n One of those midnight judges, William Marbury, sued
n Marshall knew his Jeffersonian rivals would never enforce a writ to deliver the commission to his fellow Federalist.
G. Establishing Judicial Review
- Court ruled had a right to his appointment under Judiciary Act of 1801
- But also ruled that act was unconstitutional so Marbury really can’t have the appointment
- Verdict
- Marshall sacrificed a small Federalist victory for a more substantial victory for the judicial branch
- Supreme Court now had power over the executive and judicial branches to decides the constitutionality of laws
H. Judicial Impeachments
n One federal district court judge, John Pickering, found mentally unbalanced à impeached & removed
n The House impeached Supreme Court justice, Samuel Chase, but Senate acquitted
n Impeachment campaign largely a failure
n Threat of impeachment made judges less partisan
IV. The Louisiana Purchase
A. Napoleon in America
n 1800 – Napoleon forced Spain to give Louisiana and New Orleans back to France
n Wanted to restore the French Empire in the Americas
n Ran into problems
B. Spanish officials, who were still in charge of New Orleans, closed the port to Americans.
- Revoked our right of deposit granted by Pinckney Treaty
- No more tax-free use of port for Americans
- People on the frontier clamor for gov’t action!
- Jefferson knew so long as a foreign power controlled the Miss. at New Orleans the U.S. risked entanglement in European affairs.
C. The Negotiations
Jefferson sent ministers to France to offer up to $10 mil. for both New Orleans & a strip of land extending from New Orleans east to Florida.
If the American ministers failed, they were instructed to begin discussions with Britain for a U.S.-British alliance.
D. Napoleon’s ministers need money for their war against Britain
n They offer to sell not only New Orleans but the entire Louisiana Territory for $15 mil.
n Surprised American ministers exceed their authority & accept the deal!
E. Jefferson’s Dilemma
n Like most Americans, Jefferson approved of the Louisiana Purchase
n BUT, he was a strict constructionist
n Was the purchase constitutional?
n He thought not.
For the good of the country, he put his idealism aside and accepted the bargain
Doubled Size of U.S!
F. Impact of the Purchase
- Removed a foreign presence from the nation’s border
- Guaranteed the extension of western frontier beyond the Mississippi
n Acquisition of millions of acres of land strengthened Jefferson’s hopes that America would remain an agrarian society
n Increased Jefferson’s popularity
n Showed the Federalists to be a weak, sectionalist party
G. Exploring the West
n Lewis & Clark Expedition, 1803
n Incr. knowledge of the country (sci. & geog.)
n Strengthened U.S. claims to Oregon
n Improved relations w/Indians (Sacagawea)
n Developed maps & land routes for trappers & settlers
n Zebulon Pike Expedition, 1805
n Described the land between Missouri River and the Rockies as uninhabitable
H. Lewis and Clark, 1804-1806
n Increased knowledge of the country (science & geography)
n Strengthened U.S. claims to Oregon
n Improved relations with the Indians (Sacagawea)
n Developed maps & land routes for trappers & settlers.
V. Jefferson’s 2nd Term
n Jefferson was re-elected by an overwhelming margin in the Election of 1804 but he would face growing problems in his 2nd term.
A. The Burr Conspiracy
n Republicans decided not to nominate Burr for a 2nd term
n Essex Junto
n Group of extreme Federalists
n Angered by Louisiana Purchase
n Wanted New England to secede but need New York & New Jersey as well
n Hamilton would not support, they turned to Burr
n Burr ran for NY Governor
n Hamilton urged Federalists not to support Burr
n Burr lost
B. Hamilton-Burr Duel, 1804
Hamilton was killed and America lost one of its greatest leaders. Burr became a political outcast
C. Burr Trial for Treason, 1806
n Burr plotted to take Mexico from Sp. & unite it with Louisiana under his rule.
n Jefferson ordered Burr’s arrest & trial for treason
n Chief Justice John Marshall presided over trial
n Burr was acquitted b/c of Marshall’s narrow definition of treason and lack of witnesses to any “overt acts.”
D. Opposition from “Quids”
n Jefferson also faced opposition from Old Republicans (“Quids”) who accused him of abandoning his Republican principles
VI. War and Expansion
A. Challenges to U.S. Neutrality During the Napoleonic Wars
n Fr. & Br. used naval blockades
n Seized ships fr. neutral nations
n confiscated their cargoes
n U.S. perspective: Brits are worst offenders
n Had better navy
n Impressment
n White encroachment in West
n Indians allied selves w/Brits & Spanish
n Became interwined w/ European conflict on the seas
B. Chesapeake-Leopard Affair, 1807
n Aroused American anger and almost led to war
n Off coast of VA – Br. warship Leopard demanded Chesapeake captain hand over 4 alleged deserters.
n U.S. captain refused à Br. open fire
n 3 killed & 4 impressed
C. Embargo Act, 1807-1809
n Jefferson persuaded Congress to pass as an alternative to war
n Prohibited American merchant ships from sailing to any foreign port.
n Force Act passed to enforce embargo
n USA is Br.’s largest trading partner, hoped this act would force them to stop their aggressive actions.
n We underestimated British resolve. Napoleonic Wars were a life or death struggle for them.
n The embargo backfired, it brought much greater economic hardship to the USA than to Britain.
D. More on the Embargo
n The situation was especially bad in New England
n Hardest hit were the merchants and shipowners, who happened to be Federalists
n Political liability for Jefferson
n Federalists did better in elections of 1808
n Jefferson repealed embargo days before he left office in 1809.
n The only good thing was the embargo forced our infant industries to develop more quickly
AP U.S History Notes 