Chapter 3

Developing a National Identity

• James Monroe- President, 1st to give diplomatic recognition to new nations

• Monroe Doctrine- declared the Americas off limits to European colonization.

National Interest Grows• Nationalism- belief

that the interests of the nation as a whole are more important than regional interests or the interests of other countries.

• McCulloch v. Maryland- National interests placed above states, approved national bank

Missouri Compromise

• Missouri was admitted to Union as slave state, Maine as a free state. Balance of free states versus slave states was preserved.

• Sectionalism- belief that ones section, or region, is more important than the whole.

• Indian Removal Act- 1830, President Jackson: relocation of 5 Indian nations to an area west of the Mississippi River

Trail of Tears

• Symbolizes the suffering of all Indian nations and recognized those that suffered and died during their journey following the Indian Removal Act.

What problems could arise from placing many different nations in

one confined area?

• Second Bank of the United States- National Bank overseen by the Federal Government established 1816 giving it a 20 year charter. Regulate state banks.

• Industrial Revolution- Birth of modern industry and the social changes that came from it, during the mid-1700’s.

(questions)

Second Great Awakening• 1820-1830’s religious

movement of Protestants. Led to reform due to less strict church rules. People told to live well and work hard and the responsibility to do God’s work on earth.

Dorothea Dix• Campaigned for Prison reform. In

March of 1841 she entered the East Cambridge Jail. Upon entering the jail she witnessed horrible images. The inmates, including some mentally ill, were all housed together in unheated, unfurnished, and unsanitary quarters.

• She campaigned in Massachusetts to have the mentally ill housed and treated separately in state-supported institutions

• Transcendentalism- Knowledge is not found in observing but also through reason, intuition and spirituality. Led by Emerson and Thoreau

• Know-Nothings- Secret fraternal organization turned into a political party, The American Party, founded on anti-immigrant ideals

Seneca Falls Convention

• July 1848, 1st women’s rights convention in US. In upstate NY, drew 100 men and women who signed the Seneca Falls Declaration that stated “all men and women are created equal”. It was widely ridiculed but marked the beginning of the struggle for equality of American women.

Early Feminists• Lucretia Mott-

Organized Seneca Falls. Leading abolitionist (fought against slavery)

• Elizabeth Cady Stanton- Organized Seneca Falls, wrote Declaration of Sentiments: echoed the Declaration of Independence, “we hold these truths to be self evident…all men and women are created equal”

Underground Railroad• Informal, changing

network of escape routes. No formal organization but sympathetic whites and free men provided escapees with food, shelter and directions to next destination

Important people in Anti-Slavery Movement

• Harriet Tubman- Conductor of “railroad”. Escaped slave who helped others

• Frederick Douglass- Escaped slave who supported women’s rights movement, spoke at Seneca Falls. Wrote autobiography, was a leading abolitionist.

(questions)

Westward Movement

• Manifest Destiny- America’s God-given right to settle land all the way to the Pacific

• Gold Rush- Mass migration to California in search of gold in 1848. The migration eventually led to mining towns and cities to spring up to support the incoming gold rushers.

Oregon Treaty• Signed by President

Polk with Great Britain to set boundary between United States and British Canada at 49th parallel

Texas Revolution• Stephen F. Austin-

1823 established colony in Texas and built new town called San Felipe de Austin which was the center of the colony. Led to the migration of Americans into Texas.

• Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna- New Mexican president, tried to centralize government , suspended some powers of Texas and in 1836, Texas declared independence

The Alamo• Mission converted to

military use after San Antonio was captured by Ben Milam during the Texas Revolution. Santa Anna sent 6000 soldiers to siege the Alamo killing almost all 200 defenders. “Remember the Alamo” became the revolution’s battle cry.

• Sam Houston- 1st president of Texas, led Texas to victory at the Battle of San Jacinto where the Texans captured Santa Anna and forced him to recognize Texan independence with a treaty.

• Mexican-American War- Boundary dispute between United States and Mexico 1846-1848. US wanted Mexico to recognize the Rio Grande as the boundary and purchase New Mexico and California for up to $30 million. Mexico refused to meet with US diplomat John Slidell. US declared war on Mexico on May 13, 1846

• Bear Flag Revolt- Small group of American citizens revolted against Mexican government and defeated Mexican forces in Sonoma. Forced a treaty turning California over to the rebels. Their flag was a picture of a bear for their country – still the state flag of California

• Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo- 1848, ended Mexican-American War. Mexico gave up claims to Texas and in the Mexican Cession, gave up present day New Mexico, California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and Wyoming. The US in return paid Mexico $15 million.