America: From New Nation To Divided Union, 1783-1877
Overview
In 1783 the United States was thirteen quarrelling states held together by a treaty and a war debt. By 1877 it was a continent-spanning nation that had abolished slavery, rewritten its own constitution three times over, and fought the bloodiest war in its history against itself. Ninety-four years, and almost nothing about the country at the end would have been recognisable to the men who signed the peace in Paris.
This is a breadth study, so the examiner is not asking you to recite the story year by year. The questions are about pace and cause: why the union held for seventy years and then broke, why expansion westwards kept forcing the slavery question back onto the table, and why a war that ended slavery did not end inequality.
Objectives
- Building a new nation, 1783-1809: tensions between large and small states, Shays' Rebellion, the Connecticut Compromise, the Constitutional Convention, the Founding Fathers, Federalists versus Anti-federalists, the Bill of Rights, Jefferson's presidency
- Westward expansion and Native American removal, 1803-49: opposition to expansion, the Louisiana Purchase, the annexation of Texas, the Missouri Compromise, the Indian Removal Act, the Trail of Tears, Manifest Destiny, the California Gold Rush
- Slavery, the South and the causes of secession, 1850-61: the Compromise of 1850, the Kansas-Nebraska Act, Bleeding Kansas, the Dred Scott case, John Brown, Abraham Lincoln, Fort Sumter, the secession of South Carolina
- Civil War and the end of slavery, 1861-65: reasons for Union victory, military leadership, the Union naval blockade, political leadership of Lincoln and Davis, the Emancipation Proclamation, the Battles of Gettysburg and Vicksburg, the March Through Georgia
- A More Perfect Union, 1865-77: the Reconstruction Act, the Freedman's Bureau, the Black Codes, the Civil Rights Acts, the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments, Grant's Peace Policy towards Native Americans, Custer's Last Stand
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Flashcards
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Lesson Note
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Lesson Evaluation
Congratulations on completing the lesson on America: From New Nation To Divided Union, 1783-1877. Now that youve explored the key concepts and ideas, its time to put your knowledge to the test. This section offers a variety of practice questions designed to reinforce your understanding and help you gauge your grasp of the material.
You will encounter a mix of question types, including multiple-choice questions, short answer questions, and essay questions. Each question is thoughtfully crafted to assess different aspects of your knowledge and critical thinking skills.
Use this evaluation section as an opportunity to reinforce your understanding of the topic and to identify any areas where you may need additional study. Don't be discouraged by any challenges you encounter; instead, view them as opportunities for growth and improvement.
- Which compromise at the 1787 Constitutional Convention settled the dispute between large and small states over representation? A) The Missouri Compromise B) The Connecticut Compromise C) The Compromise of 1850 D) The Kansas-Nebraska Act Answer: B
- In which year was the Louisiana Purchase completed? A) 1787 B) 1803 C) 1820 D) 1848 Answer: B
- The 1857 Dred Scott decision ruled that: A) Slavery was abolished in all federal territories B) Congress had no power to prohibit slavery in the federal territories C) Escaped slaves could not be recaptured in free states D) Native Americans were citizens of the United States Answer: B
- Which amendment abolished slavery in the United States? A) The 13th Amendment B) The 14th Amendment C) The 15th Amendment D) The First Amendment Answer: A
- What happened in 1877 that is usually taken to mark the end of Reconstruction? A) The assassination of Lincoln B) The ratification of the 15th Amendment C) The withdrawal of federal troops from the South D) Custer's defeat at the Little Bighorn Answer: C
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