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A difficult past
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Transcript of A difficult past
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Kelsey TaylorHistory 141
The Americas in the 19th Century
Into:
late 18th and early 19th centuries, almost all the lands of the Western Hemisphere won their independence from European colonial powers
the age of independence for the U.S., Canada, and Latin America was a contentious era characterized by continuous mass migration and explosive economic growth
American peoples struggled to build effective states, enjoy economic prosperity and attain cultural cohesion
The U.S.:
Americans entrusted themselves to a federal government
expansion westward was very rapid
ran into problems with the indigenous people, Mexico, and the republic
the end of the Civil War ensured the United States of America would remain politically united
The Americas in the 19th Century
Canada:
Canadian independence came gradually, not through war
originally colonized by trappers and settlers from both Britain and France
war of 1812 stimulated a sense of unity against an external threat instead of splintering Canada due to ethnic divisions and political differences
Canada developed as a culturally diverse yet politically unified society
Latin America:
solidarity was impossible to sustain
Creole elites pushed aside indigenous peoples and established Euro-American hegemony
terror was a common tool of the government
after the Mexican Revolution, the constitution addressed the concerns of the revolutionaries
instability and conflict plagued Latin America throughout the nineteenth century
The Little Ice Age14th-19th centuries were known as “the little ice age”
millions die from coldness
history’s most recent big hard chill
1653- in the French Alps, priest set off to try to confront a titanic river of ice-glaciers thought to have been possessed by the devil
devastated impact on much of the world
seasons so cold the year was known as the year without a summer
mystery as to what had caused it
many scientists believe that this can and will happen again
climatologists have noted that humans are vulnerable to even the smallest changes
rioting mobs in all areas of Europe demanded more food form the government because so many crops had been destroyed by the weather
weather pushed Americans towards the west
around 1850, the little ice age came to an abrupt end
global warming might cause another ice age
Frontiers of the Americas
The Louisiana Purchase
greatest real estate deal in American history- opened the west to expansion
April 30, 1803- nation doubled in size
bought for $15 million or 4 cents an acre
factors that helped the U.S. get the land: court intrigues of the Spanish court, the boundless ego of Napoleon, unexpected ice storms, and the uncertain fate of a small Caribbean island
economic importance of the Mississippi River drew Americans closer and closer so the planters could ship their goods
Spanish closed off the lower Mississippi which made the settlers almost revolt against national government and threatened to cede from the Union
Jefferson becomes president and Napoleon Bonaparte becomes leader of France
Frontiers of the Americas
Spain throne is weak and Napoleon looks to trade Louisiana area for a principality in Italy
French only wanted the area because Haiti was very important (economic reasons)
Jefferson thinks there is a way to negotiate with France and looks for a treaty, not war
Jefferson then communicates to Napoleon that if he takes Louisiana, it will be war
Haitian slave rebellion marked the beginning of the end for Napoleon
Congress wants to assemble the militia and take back Louisiana but Jefferson tries one last time for diplomacy
Since Napoleon needs funds for his war against Britain, he sells
made the U.S. a transcontinental nation and a world power
Crossroads of Freedom
Chapter 1- The Pendulum of War
McClellan took command of the Army of the Potomac after the Union defeat at Bull Run
McClellan was called the “little Napoleon”
he graduated second in the West Point class of 1846
He led the army to union victories that secured control of in between land
He privately expressed contempt for Lincoln and all abolitionists
stepped down after he got sick with typhoid fever, taken over by General Henry W. Halleck
Crossroads of Freedom
Chapter 2- Taking off the Kid Gloves
At the beginning of the war, Lincoln was only a restorationist, not an abolitionist because he didn’t want to loose support from border states and Democrats
Frederick Douglass called him out saying fighting against slaveholders without fighting against slavery is a half-hearted business
Lincoln came to acknowledge this point as the war rolled on and it eventually turned into a war for freedom
Crossroads of Freedom
Chapter 3- “The Federals Got a Very Complete Smashing”
Confederate Army won at Second Manassas
Lee chose to press his luck while he had it and go try another battle
Lee used his new stronghold in Maryland to propose the south’s independence and separate elections
Many thought that after this, the Union was hopelessly gone