P05_HUS Progressive Era-A Time for Change

P05_Progressive Era- A Time for Change

The activity will cover a period of time from ~1877 (End of Reconstruction) to 1920 (advent of the ‘Roaring Twenties). Of course, there may be a few exceptions that reache to an earlier or later date.

The period marks another watershed period for the nation. The successes and failures of the Recontruction policy of the Federal government established the foundation for the succeeding era: The Gilded Age. The age is marked by an economic expansion partially energized by a developing Business-Government partnership. For more than a quarter-century that partnership witnessed the rise of national corporations with an economic dominance we’ve come to associate with trusts/ monopolies. This growing power over the economic engine of the nation creates an atmosphere where laws, or any semblance of ethical conduct, is set aside for increased profits. The Business-Government partnership is not conducive to a self-regulating economic system.

The accumulation of wealth into the hands of a small, economically elite, fraction of the population contributes to a ‘Have and Have Not’ social picture. Philanthropy becomes an increasingly benevolent product of this disparity, but it’s unable to level the playing field for the ‘Have Nots’. Civil unrest, peaceful and deadly, pushes the nation’s leadership to reconsider the Gilded Age partnership with ‘Business’. Those leaders, from the larger than life characters (Teddy Roosevelt) to unionizing coal miners who lost their lives in shoot-outs, were integral in asking for reforms and executing ‘Calls to Action’ that created “The Progressive Era.”

This era in our nation’s history is labeled ‘The Gilded Age *** Progressive Era’ in our United States History Research Primer.

Phase I

1. Please open the P05_The Progressive Era mindmap prepared for you by Mr.V.

2. The mindmap contains branches that provide guidance for the completion of the research project. One branch identifies the general topic areas to focus our research investigations. The list of topic areas appears below.

01 Labor
02 Environment
03 Law: US Constitution & Federal Statutes
04 Foreign Affairs
05 National Finance
06 Prohibition

3. Organize your groups.

A. Choose a group leader. That group leader will be given a score reflecting their ability to successfully guide the group to a successful completion of the project. Group leader positions are on a project-by-project basis with everyone serving in that role at least once.

B. Choose a speaker. That speaker will be given a score reflecting their speaking performance during the presentation. Speaker positions are on a project-by-project basis with everyone serving in that role at least once.

C. Setup a communication system so that group members can communicate outside of classroom.

D. Choose how your group will collect, organize, and keep track of data collection by group members. If you decide to use a mindmap, you must share the map with Mr.V (full access). If you decide to use Google, you must create a ‘Team Drive’ and share that with Mr.V (full access). This segment of the project is not normally evaluated since it is a practical application of skills previously taught and practiced. However, under certain conditions, it may impact the group’s grade when a member’s contributions must be assessed for other reasons: Attendance/ tardiness issues, erroneous content presented as facts, etc. 

Phase II

1. Begin collecting sources that may be of use in the researching of your assigned topic area. The sources, as before, are to come from the US History Research Primer and any additional source you verify with Mr.V. The History Research Primer: Sources and Guidance is also recommended for use.

2. Avoid the temptation to begin constructing the presentation. You are expected to conduct this phase of your research in-class to permit you the opportunity to ask Mr.V questions when you encounter a difficulty. The construction of the presentation file is primarily an administrative task that can, and should, be done out-of-class. You will have no more than 5 class periods to perform this phase. Any additional time will have to be out-of-class.

Phase III

1. Begin the analysis of your accumulated source documents.

2. The gathering of data has to come to an end or you run the risk of never finishing. The analysis phase requires that you read, listen to (audio source), or view (video source) the content you’ve amassed. Keep the relevant materials and discard what proves to be unhelpful materials.

As you do this, your computer monitor should be split into two windows that allow you to analyze your source and take notes on that source. The notes you create should be available for members of your group to see and comment on in Mindmeister/ Google Drive. It’s important that ‘your’ notes bear ‘your’ name (Mr.V needs to be able to trace the notes to its creator).

You are expected to conduct this phase of your research in-class to permit you the opportunity to ask Mr.V questions when you encounter a difficulty. You will have no more than 5 class periods to complete this phase. Any additional time will have to be out-of-class.

Phase IV

1. Mr.V will have distributed to all group leaders, by now, a rubric outlining how the project will be evaluated. Use that rubric, and the P05_Progressive Era project mindmap to guide your analysis of the sources.

2. Construct and submit the presentation file in accord with the guidance provided by Mr.V.

3. On the first class day after submitting your presentation file, Mr.V will allow you one final opportunity to edit the file after viewing it on the large screen. If the edits are substantial, submit a new file before 7PM that evening.

Consider the following as you prepare the presentation:

Be sure to…
-Control the balance between ‘text’ and imagery.

-Did you provide the content your research was intended to reveal? Was it delivered in a manner that the audience can understand?

-Consider the audience: How close will they be to your presentation (projection)? How long will the slide be visible for them to look at and assimilate it’s data?

-Time limit for the presentation.

–Sources properly credited/ cited.

P05_The Progressive Era Presentations

Below are the links to the presentations created by all the research groups within our US History course. Take advantage of the hard work your peers put into the research that supports their presentation.

01. Labor (Period 2, Period 9, Period 10)

02. Environment (Period 2, Period 9, Period 10)

03. Law: US Constitution & Federal Statutes (Period 2, Period 9, Period 10)

04. Foreign Affairs (Period 2, Period 9, Period 10)

05. National Finance (Period 2, Period 10)

06. Prohibition (Period 2, Period 9, Period 10)

P03_HUS-A New Birth

P03_A New Birth

The activity will cover a period of time from 1849 to 1877 (with a few exceptions that may reach beyond). The period marks a watershed period for the nation. The nation before this period IS NOT the nation after this period (which is the nation we are familiar with today). The period is overwhelmingly dominated by the moral question of slavery and the the Constitutional relationship between the federal government, States, and the people. The linking of the former with the latter creates a national crisis that the Civil War had to resolve.

This era in our nation’s history is labeled ‘The Civil War’ in our United States History Research Primer. Our current understanding of the American government and its relationship to the creed described in the Declaration of Independence is formulated at this time. 

Guidance:
Phase I

1. Please open the P03_A New Birth mindmap prepared for you by Mr.V.

2. The mindmap contains six branches labeled for the topic areas being explored. The list of topic area appears below.

01 The Civil War
02 Slavery
03 Expansion/ Movement
04 “Words Matter”
05 Constitutional Matters
06 Reform Movements

3. Open the branch that is assigned to your group. You’ll see that focus statements, meant to surgically dissect the issue, have been incorporated. The events, places, or circumstances that your group will explore will pave our path to understanding the nation’s milestones as it struggles to define and implement its creed. In essence, each branch of the mindmap is a contributory factor to the tumult of the period. 

4. Organize your groups.

A. Assign tasks to group members.

B. Choose how your group will collect, organize, and keep track of data collection by group members. If you decide to use a mindmap, you must share the map with Mr.V as before. If you decide to use a different application to keep your group’s research task organized, it must have ‘Can-Edit’ sharing capabilities with Mr.V.

C. Begin collecting sources that may be of use in deciphering the focus statements. The sources, as before, are to come from the US History Research Primer and any additional source you verify with Mr.V.

5. Phase II of the project will introduce the product of our findings: An Audio/ Visual Presentation. When the initial research phase (Phase I) ends, consider the following as you prepare the presentation:

A. Use the focus statements provided in the P03 Mindmap to analyze the data gathered. These focus statements will be of particular importance in addressing the questions that Mr.V will ask at the end of each presentation.

B. Consider the construction of your presentation. Be sure to…
-Control the balance between ‘text’ and imagery.
-Consider the audience: How close will they be to your presentation (projection)? How long will the slide be visible for them to look at?
-Time limit for the presentation (15 – 20 minutes)

C. Choose a group member to act as the speaker during the presentation with a ‘tech’ assistant to advance the slides in the presentation. The person you choose to speak MUST NOT HAVE PREVIOUSLY SPOKEN for your group. You can access a copy of the rubric Mr.V will use to evaluate your work here.

D. Looking Ahead

In the final project, we will attempt to mesh all the skills we’ve practiced plus a couple of new ones. In P04 we will add 1. Audience Interaction, 2. An MLA citation slide within the presentation file, and 3. Questions/ Answers from the general audience.

The Results of P03_A New Birth

I will make accessible the P03 presentations created by all the research groups within our US History course. Take advantage of the hard work your peers put into the research that supports their presentation.

Below each presentation link is a compilation of questions Mr.V may ask presenters after they have spoken.

To be updated…

01 The Civil War

P03 01_Civil War-Pd09 Grp06

P03 01_Civil War-Pd10 Grp01

Q. How did the huge death tolls from battles impact the communities and nation at whole?

Q. How does the development of the camera impact the way the nation experiences the war?

Q. In what way were the battles of Antietam and Gettysburg similar in a military and philosophical way?

Q. Describe the ‘Grand Strategy’ of the Union to defeat the Confederacy. What did this strategy target to bring an end to the Confederate war effort?

Q. How did immigrants groups, like the Irish, view the war especially as it related to their future aspirations?

02 Slavery

P03 02_Slavery-Pd09 Grp01

P03 02_Slavery-Pd10 Grp06

Q. Despite the widespread knowledge of the physical, emotional, and moral degradation imposed by the institution of slavery, the enslaved population did not uniformly labor on the same tasks. What forms of slave labor did the South States (and Northern States) entertain?

Q. The Civil War split the nation in several ways. The split was as visible in political party platforms as it was geographically. Where did the dominant political parties of that day stand on the issue of Slavery?

Q. Who were the leaders in fighting the institution of slavery and by what vehicle did they do it?

Q. What evidence is there that the constitutional mandate to end the international slave trade did little to damage the slave institution in the United States?

03 Expansion/ Movement

P03 03_Expansion-Pd09 Grp05

P03 03_Expansion-Pd10 Grp04

Q. How were Native Americans impacted by the Westward migration of American citizens during this era?

Q. What did treaties, like the Treaty of Ft. Laramie, promise Native Americans and the US Government? What is the track record for keeping the promises made in these treaties?

Q. While westward movement of Americans has been occurring since the colonial era, what could cause a spike in the numbers traveling West?

Q. How was the view that ‘The West” held the key to a better future  impact a group like the Mormons?

Q. Expansion during this era was not always West and not always on the continent proper. To what extent is this era witnessing the birth of future imperial aspirations?

04 “Words Matter”

P03 04_Words Matter-Pd09 Grp03

P03 04_Words Matter-Pd10 Grp02

Q. How did President Lincoln’s goals evolve between March 1861 and April 1865?

Q. How did the battles of Antietam (1862) and Gettysburg (1863) offer President Lincoln an opportunity to reorient the nation’s goals in the war?

Q. Where did President Lincoln believe that the core beliefs of the American nation were revealed to the world? How did the Gettysburg Address make this known to the nations?

Q. How did ‘religion’ drive the ‘pro-’ and ‘anti-‘ slavery sides of the nation further apart in the years before the Civil War? How did the Methodist Church of the United States a victim of this divide? How did John Brown justify violence in the cause to end the slave institution?

Q. How does Frederick Douglass demonstrate the pride, hypocrisy, and future hope of the American creed in his speech “What to a Slave is the 4th of July?”?

05 Constitutional Matters

P03 05_Constitutional Matters-Pd09 Grp04

P03 05_Constitutional Matters-Pd10 Grp03

Q. To what extent was ‘Secession’ a disputed Constitutional issue in the period prior to the Civil War? 

Q. To what extent is the Constitution reinforcing the view that Slaves are not citizens and, in fact, are ‘property’?

Q. How was the Missouri Compromise undermined and in so doing open the West to Slavery and violence?

Q. What was necessary to ensure that any rights/ liberties gained by former slaves from were not lost in the post-war era?

06 Reform Movements

P03 06_Reform Movements-Pd09 Grp02

P03 06_Reform Movements-Pd10 Grp05

Q. How did the war effort encourage economic activity?

Q. Why were women increasingly appearing in ‘industrial settings’ Outside the home?

Q. How does Henry David Thoreau, and other Transcendentalists, expose new challenges presented by an increasingly industrial society?

Q. How would you prove that certain reform movements, like Abolitionism, was diverse in its membership and methods of protest?

Q. How did the Freedmens’ Bureau attempt to address the limitations and restrictions that marked the institution of slavery in the United States?

P02_HUS-The Young Nation’s Growing Pains

P02_The Young Nation’s Growing Pains

The activity will cover a period of time from 1789 to 1850 (with a few exceptions that may reach beyond). The period marks the initial phase of the American experiment in governance. The challenges, debates, conflicts, etc. that bookmark portions of the period act to redirect the nation’s developmental course.

This era in our nation’s history is labeled ‘The Young Nation’ in our United States History Research Primer. The nation of today is a product of the trials and tribulations of the nation that George Washington introduced to the world in 1789.

This period is marked by an endless series of ‘firsts’. It’s as if minor legal issues, immigrant rights, and Native American relations impact the nation’s development disproportionate to the scale of the event. Since they are ‘firsts’, they carry the gravitas of precedent for a nation that still has more than a century and a half to reach our present time. If we wish to explore the origins of core tenets in United States democratic philosophy, we have to venture into this period of time.

Guidance:
Phase I

1. Please open the P02_The Young Nation’s Growing Pains mindmap prepared for you by Mr.V.

2. The mindmap contains six branches labeled for the topic areas being explored. The list of topic area appears below.

01 Developing Divisions
02 Finance and Economy
03 Military Conflict
04 Technology, Innovation, Exploration
05 The National Government Evolves
06 Africans, Native Americans, Immigrants

3. Open the branch that is assigned to your group. You’ll see that questions, meant to surgically dissect the issue, have been incorporated. The events, places, or circumstances that your group will explore will pave our path to understanding the nation’s milestones as it matures. In essence, each branch of the mindmap is an example of the ‘growing pains’ the United States experiences. Each crisis shapes the nation into what we see today. But, it’ll take more than a century of crisis to do it.

4. Organize your groups.

A. Assign tasks to group members.

B. Choose how your group will collect, organize, and keep track of data collection by group members. If you decide to use a mindmap, you must share the map with Mr.V as before. If you decide to use a different application to keep your group’s research task organized, it must have ‘Can-Edit’ sharing capabilities with Mr.V.

C. Begin collecting sources that may be of use in responding to the questions. The sources, as before, are to come from the US History Research Primer and any additional source you verify with Mr.V.

5. Phase II of the project will introduce the product of our findings: An Audio/ Visual Presentation. When the initial research phase (Phase I) ends, consider the following as you prepare the presentation:

A. Use the focus statements provided in the P02 Mindmap to analyze the data gathered. These focus statements will be of particular importance in addressing the questions that Mr.V will ask at the end of each presentation.

B. Consider the construction of your presentation. Be sure to…
-Control the balance between ‘text’ and imagery.
-Consider the audience: How close will they be to your presentation (projection)? How long will the slide be visible for them to look at?
-Time limit for the presentation (10 – 15 minutes)

C. Choose a group member to act as the speaker during the presentation with a ‘tech’ assistant to advance the slides in the presentation. The person you choose to speak MUST NOT HAVE PREVIOUSLY SPOKEN for your group.

The Results of P02_The Young Nation’s Growing Pains

I have made the P02 presentations created by the students of Mr.V’s US History course available for review by everyone. To see the presentations of Period 9 students, click on the link ‘Pd 09’. For Period 10 students, click ‘Pd 10’.

A compilation of questions that Mr.V asked each presenter appears below the associated topic heading.

01 Developing Divisions (Pd 09, Pd 10)

Q. Why were compromises made during the Constitutional Convention necessary if the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union didn’t require them?

Q. Why is the Bill of Rights critically important for the ratification of the US Constitution?

Q. How did the ‘slavery’ debate, which predated the US Constitution, become adapted to fit the Federalist v. Anti-Federalist debate?

02 Finance and Economy (Pd 09, Pd 10)

Q. Why is the nation’s growth making it difficult to to form a ‘national’ economy?

Q. Why is the the First Bank of the United States a solution and a problem for the young federal government?

Q. To what extent is the ‘America Plan’ a recognition of the nation’s “sectionalism”? How did the War of 1812 make these regional differences a ‘national’ issue?

03 Military Conflict (Pd 09, Pd 10)

Q. How is the 1811 Battle of Tippecanoe a portent for future Westward expansion by the United States?

Q. What evidence exists that Shay’s Rebellion (1786-1787) and the Whiskey Rebellion (1791-1794) were ‘symptoms’ of other issues the central government is grappling with?

Q. Aside from quelling the uprising, what was at stake for the young nation in addressing Shay’s and The Whiskey Rebellions?

Q. How did President George Washington’s warning, during his farewell speech, prove true in the developments leading to the War of 1812?

04 Technology, Innovation, Exploration (Pd 09, Pd 10)

Q. To what extent was the Cotton Gin a catalyst for Westward expansion?

Q. With respect to the Federal System (Federalism), what role did the 1792 Militia Act play in making the nation ‘One’?

Q. How does Eli Whitney’s technological and innovative qualities/ skills entangle him in Westward expansion, expansion of slavery, and the 1792 Militia Act?

05 The National Government Evolves (Pd 09, Pd 10)

Q. How does the inscription (below) reflect Chief Justice Marshall’s view of the judiciary’s powers?

“It is Emphatically the Province and Duty of the Judicial Department to say what the Law is.” – Marbury v. Madison, 1803.

Q. In the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798, what were the criteria for identifying who is ‘alien’ and who is ‘citizen’?

Q. How did the Nullification Crisis (1832 – 1837) challenged Federalism and test the authority of the President of the United States?

06 Africans, Native Americans, Immigrants (Pd 09, Pd 10)

Q. The 3/5 Compromise was ostensibly a way to include African slaves in the population numbers of a State. Thus, increasing representation within the House of Representatives for slaveholding States. However, what did the article within the US Constitution state (directly or indirectly) about the status of Native peoples?

Q. The Amistad slave ship and its human cargo was a problem for the young nation. The appearance of the ship and the subsequent Supreme Court case (1839-1841) challenged the nation’s founding principles and the law forbidding international slave trade (1808). How did a slaveholding society (millions of slaves were in bondage in the US at the time) justify freeing the Africans on the ship and still keep millions enslaved?

Q. Is the Carlisle School eradicating Native cultures or Americanizing Native peoples?

Q. How did the plight of Wong Kim Ark, and the subsequent Supreme Court case (1873-1898), help refine who is a citizen?

Was Abraham Lincoln a Racist? (A Podcast Comment)

Message to Phil Lanides 22 July 2017. Host and Creator of ‘History Personified’ Podcast
Re: Episode posted 21 July 2017- The Lincoln-Douglas Debates – Author Harold Holzer

Below is a minimally edited comment I wrote on Mr. Phil Lanides’s Patreon webpage for the episode listed above. I recommend this podcast to the serious and casual History buff equally. Mr. Lanides is taking a break during August (2017), so that would be a great time to delve into his library of past episodes. Pertinent links are provided at the end of this post.

——————————————————————————————————————————–

Hi Phil:

As soon as I heard your announcement of an upcoming Lincoln-Douglas Debate episode, I became impatient for it’s eventual posting. Your wording of the announcement on Patreon parallels topics and arguments I’ve encountered, listened to, and debated over decades. In each of those instances President Abraham Lincoln’s status as “The Great Emancipator”, “Father Abraham”, or the US’s secular saint was being targeted. These arguments are fine if they take place within an academic setting or similar scenario where truth is the ultimate prize. At times, however, the effort is to besmirch the 16th President’s reputation and standing in the public’s eye.

The Charleston debate on 18 September 1858 is the encounter when Mr. Lincoln professes views about African slaves that, while shocking today, was the minimally accepted stance regarding the ‘White’ and ‘Black’ races. It’s the issue of historical context that throw’s many ‘for a loop’. As a thought experiment, I’ve asked my students to think of thoughts they’ve had regarding people, neighborhoods, schools, etc. you were taught to avoid. Consider the substance and nature of those advisories given by friends and loved ones. Would any of those thoughts be ‘shocking’ if made public? Another exercise would be to time travel with our generic thoughts of ‘equality among all races’ from our 21st Century perch to mid-19th C. Baltimore, MD (or Washington, DC; Charleston, SC; Richmond, VA; New York City, NY; etc.). Would you keep your thoughts and views to yourself or publicly profess them?

President Lincoln’s views regarding a personal equality between him and a slave (intellect, politically), in my estimation, is nearly identical to ‘hidden’ biases many Americans bear. Additionally, his views on the nature-based equality that all people’s have, by virtue of their birth, to enjoy the “…fruits of their labor”, is a view many Americans historically (secretly today) question regarding certain groups (immigrants). Evidence of Mr. Lincoln’s moral and political growth is laid bare in the 7 years that follow those ‘shocking’ words in Charleston, Illinois. He would build on and expand his thoughts of ‘equality’ to consider, and then forcefully endorse, a constitutional change abolishing slavery and extending citizenship to African slaves. That is as radical an American thought as any American has ever entertained. You can argue that it was such efforts that led to his assassination. Imagine if he had uttered those views 7 years before in the Charleston debate? Speculation might suggest that he would have been assaulted, if not assassinated, at the time.

Finally, a little bit of geography. If you look at a map of the US and focus on the lower-half of the State of Illinois, you would notice that it lies South of the Mason-Dixon Line if it were extended that far West. Additionally, that portion of the State is bordered by Arkansas, Kentucky, and Missouri- all ‘Southern’ States whose 19th C. sensibilities regarding Slavery permeated Southern Illinois. Charleston falls within that area.

…

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Further Research

1. Episode: The Lincoln-Douglas Debates – Author Harold Holzer [https://overcast.fm/+GRSIwkMwo]

2. History Research Primer: A Mindmap Portal to Online Resources [https://worldhistoryreview.org/resources/online-resources-mindmap/]

3. Mr.V’s YouTube Channel of History Topics. Within this catalogue you’ll find Prof. Allen Guelzo’s lecture on ‘The Lincoln-Douglas Debates of 1858’ within the “Civil War and Reconstruction Era” category. [http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfMrlSPwbE55OiVZMee89DA]

4. Mr. Harold Holtzer. [http://www.haroldholzer.com]

Act.03_Document Analysis- EmancipationProclamation and the Gettysburg Address

Act.03_Document Analysis
The Emancipation Proclamation vs. The Gettysburg Address

Where necessary, take targeted notes and keep the notes organized in your notebook. Sources are listed separately at the end of this document.

The Emancipation Proclamation
Please read a background summary of this document at https://www.archives.gov/exhibits/featured-documents/emancipation-proclamation

Begin an analysis of the document by considering the questions below. The document is found at http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/featured_documents/emancipation_proclamation/transcript.html

1. By what presidential authority does the president issue this proclamation?
2. What is the president’s goal with this proclamation?
3. How does he intend on accomplishing this goal according to the proclamation?

The Gilder-Lehrman Institute of American History poses this question:

Why is it so bland? Surely, the author of the Second Inaugural and the Gettysburg Address could make an Emancipation Proclamation the occasion for the most stirring and sublime prose in American political history. Instead, the Emancipation Proclamation is written in the flat legal language of “whereas and therefore and military necessity.” As historian Richard Hofstadter said, “The Emancipation Proclamation of January 1, 1863, had all the moral grandeur of a bill of lading.”**

1. Why would Richard Hofstadter say this and do you agree?
2. Why would the style of this proclamation differ so much from President Lincoln’s other great writings?

The Gettysburg Address
Please read a background summary of this document at http://www.abrahamlincolnonline.org/lincoln/speeches/gettysburg.htm

Begin an analysis of the document by considering the questions below. The document is found on the same webpage as the background summary above.

1. What is the purpose of the speech? (Paraphrase, rather than repeat the words used)
2. There are no persons or places mentioned in the speech. In addition, references to slavery and the battle/ war are similarly missing. Why? A dedicatory speech without a reference is weird. What is he doing?
3. Mr.V may provide a WORDLE analysis for your dissection.

 

Resources: Accessed 7 Dec. 2014
The Emancipation Proclamation: http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/featured_documents/emancipation_proclamation/transcript.html

‘Bliss Copy’ of the Gettysburg Address: http://www.abrahamlincolnonline.org/lincoln/speeches/gettysburg.htm

Gilder-Lehrman Inst. of American History: https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-by-era/african-americans-and-emancipation/essays/emancipation-proclamation-bill-lading-or-ti

Note: “Bill of lading” is a document issued by a carrier which details a shipment of merchandise and gives title of that shipment to a specified party. Bills of lading are one of three important documents used in international trade to help guarantee that exporters receive payment and importers receive merchandise.

AN03c_An Era of Growth and Disunion: The Civil War Begins

Timeline: 1860 – 1865
FQ: How did North & South settle into their roles as combatants?

I. The 1860 Election and Aftermath

A. The Election

1. The Democratic Party was split between Stephen Douglas (Senator, Illinois, Northern Democrats) and John C. Breckinridge (sitting Vice-President, Kentucky, Southern Democrats).
2. The Republican Party (made up of Democrats & Whigs who supported the restriction of the spread of Slavery) chose Abraham Lincoln in a convention that pitted the Illinois lawyer against ‘seasoned’ politicians from the East (William Seward, Governor & Senator from NY).
3. The Constitutional Union Party selects John Bell (slaveholder, Tennessee) as their candidate.
4. Abraham Lincoln wins 40% of the popular vote (60% voted for someone else!)

B. The Electoral College

1. Elector votes are divided amongst the four party candidates.
2. Abraham Lincoln wins 180 out of the possible 303 votes (Just short of 60%).

C. Secession

1. South Carolina convenes a Secession Convention. Declares it’s independence from the Union on 20 Dec. 1860.
2. By Feb. 1861, 7 States have voted to secede.
3. “The Tea has been thrown overboard, the revolution of 1860 has been initiated.”- The Charleston Mercury
4. Feb. 1861, The Confederate States of America is formed with Jefferson Davis (Mississippi) as President. A new constitution is drawn among the seceded States.
5. Pres. James Buchanan believed that military action was illegal, so he watched has the nation disintegrated.
6. Last Ditch Efforts:

a. Crittenden Amendment (Extend Missouri Compromise 36.30 latitude to Pacific Coast).
b. Corwin (Ghost) Amendment: Protecting Slavery in perpetuity.

II. The War Commences

A. Fort Sumter

1. Pres. Lincoln takes office in March, 1861.
2. Supply ship and fort fired upon (12 April 1861; Charleston, S. Carolina). Major Anderson, fort commander, surrenders as supplies dwindled.
3. 4 additional States secede afterwards (W. Virginia breaks away from Virginia in 1863 to join Union).
4. Both sides believe the contest will be over in weeks, maybe months.

B. Strengths & Weaknesses

1. South’s Strengths

a. Experience of Officer Corp. Most military colleges were in the South.

b. The nation’s wealthiest States were in the South.

c. The South could feed itself.

d. Fighting a defensive war to maintain it’s borders. Familiar with it’s terrain. The North had to fight an offensive war to get the South to capitulate.

2. North’s Strengths

a. Massive advantage in population.

b. Huge Industrial advantage.

c. Most of the railroad tracks resided in Northern States.

d. Most of the shipyards were in the North, thus the Navy was largely a Northern force.

III. Challenges

A. Gearing Up to ‘Man’ and Supply the War Effort

B. Foreign Intervention.

C. Funding the War

D. Mounting Casualties

IV. Shortening the War => Finding a Commander for Northern Army

A. Winfield Scott (General -in- Chief, retires)

B. George McClellan (General -in- Chief, demoted to Commander, Dept. of the East [Army of the Potomac])

Revolving door of Generals…

1. Ambrose Burnside
2. Joseph Hooker
3. George Meade

C. John Fremont (Commander, Dept. of Appalachia)

D. Henry Halleck (Commander, Dept. of the West, promoted to General -in- Chief, but assigned to Wash., D.C., relieved of General -in- Chief).

E. U.S. Grant (Commander, Dept. of the West, promoted to General of the Army)

V. Shortening the War => War of Attrition IS NOT an Option

A. Offense is Best Defense

1. 1st Invasion of the North => Union’s Chesapeake Campaign, Battle of Antietam
2. 2nd Invasion of the North => Battle of Gettysburg

B. Fight for a Stalemate, hope for foreign Intervention.

VI. Pivotal Engagements (See Naming Conventions)

A. 1st Bull Run, Va. (1st Manassas)

B. Antietam, MD.

C. Vicksburg, Miss.

D. Gettysburg, Pa.

VII. Pivotal Documents

A. The Emancipation Proclamation

B. The Gettysburg Address

C. President Lincoln’s 2nd Inaugural Address

D. The 13th Amendment

E. The 14th Amendment

F. The 15th Amendment

Resources
The Americans, Ch.11. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Co., 2012.
Mindmap of The Civil War
USHistory.org: Section 32- From Uneasy Peace to Bitter Conflict
USHistory.org: Section 33- A House Divided
USHistory.org: Section 34- The War Behind the Lines
1860 Election Map
1860–1861 Electoral College results
Naming Conventions: Civil War battles are often named after a nearby town or structure in the Southern tradition; nearby rivers or natural formation in the Northern tradition

AN03b_An Era of Growth and Disunion: Compromise to the Rescue.

Timeline: 1850 – 1861
FS: Compromise holds the nation together once again- barely.

I. North & South Develop Differences
A. North
1. Industrialized Quickly (“The Business of America is Business”)
2. Adopted Technology, Employed Innovations
a. Telegraph
b. Vulcanization of Rubber (Goodyear)
c. Sewing Machine (Singer)

3. Expanded Railroads
4. Population, via Immigration, grows.
a. Irish
b. Generally anti-slave in views.

B. South
1. Rural.
2. Agricultural: Cash Crop (Cotton) dependent.
3. Slow to adopt technology/ innovations.
4. 5 Southern States, out of the 11 that will form the Confederacy in 1861, had a slave population of 50% or more.

II. New Territories – New Disputes
A. Wilmot Proviso: Prohibits Slave Institution in the New Territories => Debate on Federal Representation Reopened
1. New territories gained via the Mexican Cession opened the debate about slavery in new territories. This issue harks back to the Northwest Ordinance under the Articles of Confederation.
2. Constitutional Issues: Is property, which is protected in the Constitution, transportable by it’s very nature? (See the Dred Scott case for another view).

B. California Statehood
1. Gold Rush => Rapid population growth allows the former Spanish colony to bypass the ‘Territorial’ phase of the process to join the Union.
2. California’s constitution forbade slavery, but most of the future state fell south of the latitude line established by the 1820 Missouri Compromise (36.30).

3. 1849: Zachary Taylor, President of the US.
a. Favors a ‘Free’ California.
b. To appease Southern States, offers “Popular Sovereignty” as an option regarding the Slave question in the new territories.

C. Everyone Contributes to the Squabble => Southern States Threaten Secession.
1. Southern States want California as a ‘Slave’ State.
2. Texas claims a portion of New Mexico Territory, but Northern States Oppose.
3. Northern States want Slavery abolished in Washington, DC.
4. Southern States want 1793 Fugitive Slave Act enforced thoroughly by Northern States.

III. Henry Clay comes to the Rescue- Again!
A. Compromise of 1850
1. California is admitted to the Union as a ‘Free’ State.
2. “Popular Sovereignty” becomes the method to address issue of Slavery in the new territories.
3. Federal Government pays Texas for it’s claim on New Mexico territory: $10 million.
4. Slave Trade is abolished in Washington, DC. Owning slaves is still permitted.
5. The Fugitive Slave Act is re-enforced as the law of the land (Constitutionally mandated).

B. Deaths & Changes make compromise possible.
1. Senator John C. Calhoun and Pres. Zachary Taylor die.
2. Millard Fillmore becomes President of the US => Supports Compromise.
3. Senator Stephen Douglas of Illinois pushes Compromise through Congress. He accomplishes this by dividing the legislation into many smaller bills, rather than one, large, bill that could be easily voted down.

Additional Materials:
* The Americans, Ch.10

AN03a_Expanding Markets and Moving West

AN03a_An Era of Growth and Disunion- Expanding Markets and Moving West

Timeline: 1825 – 1847
FQ: How did Westward Expansion Impact Economic Growth?

I. Markets Change
A. US Markets Expand
1. Entrepreneurialism (“The Business of America is Business”)
a. Capitalism: Economic system where private businesses and individuals own the means of production.
b. Entrepreneurs: “To undertake”. Investors willing to take financial risk in return for economic success.

2. New Inventions/ Innovations
a. Telegraph
b. Vulcanization of Rubber (Goodyear)
c. Sewing Machine (Singer)

3. (Rural & Urban) Household Economics
a. Farm mechanization to meet demand for food.
b. Farm equipment bolsters manufacturing.
c. Economies of scale forces prices down. Consumerism rises for work/ pleasure.

B. An Economic Revolution
1. Communication: Telegraph, 1837. Instant contact. (Simultaneity achieved).
2. Transportation:
a. Steamships (Rivers), Canals (Coast => Interior. Shipping costs fall)
b. Railroads (very fast, economy of scale, cargo & passenger) Time standardization, 1840’s, makes Synchronicity possible today- as in Daylight Savings Time clock changes.

C. Markets Connect Regions (Sections)
1. Industrial/ Carrying Trade- North
a. Factory Capital
b. Machinery Capital

2. Agricultural (Cash Crop)- South
a. Land Capital
b. Slave Capital

3. Agricultural (Food Stuffs)- West
a. Land Capital
b. Machinery Capital (John Deere & Steel Plow, Cyrus McCormick & Reaper)

4. Economies of Scale- Efficiency rises, Prices fall.

II. “Manifest Destiny”
A. An Attractive Frontier
1. Manifest Destiny: Ordained by God to expand across the West to the Pacific.
2. Opportunity: Expanse, cost, trade benefits.

B. Settlers and Native Peoples
1. Black Hawk War: Repetition of past/ future conflict brought about be US encroachment (Remember the ‘Miami and Little Turtle’?).

2. Laramie Treaty: “Oft heard refrain”.
a. Settlers Encroach on Native land
b. Conflict
c. Military responds, defeats Natives
d. Natives forced to move West and a monetary (annual payments to Natives)/ territorial (land east of Rocky Mountains) settlement imposed.

C. Trails West
1. Sante Fe & Oregon Trails:
a. Into “New Mexico” territory, Oregon Territory respectively
b. Previously well-traveled paths westward from the Mississippi.
c. Trade, then later settlements, were motivating factors.

2. Mormon Migration: Webquest
a. Pivotal Figures?
b. Unique Belief?
c. Why Move?

3. Territorial Disputes
a. Britain: Eastern-Northern Canadian border settled, but continued expansion westward brings border issues to North-West (Oregon Territory).
b. James K. Polk: “Fifty-Four Forty or Fight”
c. Fur trade declines, little arable land north of 49th parallel=> Treaty to extend previously negotiated border with Canada from the East toward the Pacific. This is the current border to today.

III. ‘Texas’ Available for Business
A. Spanish ‘Mission’ System
1. Win Natives as allies
2. Convert to Roman Catholicism
3. Create strongholds in isolated expanse (Presidios => Forts)

B. Mexican Independence, 1821
1. Mexican-Native Relationship turns sour. Prior goals of the ‘mission’ are replaced by economic enterprise.

2. Economic Enticements by Mexico
a. Expands trade w/ US flowing along Sante Fe/ Oregon Trails
b. Encourage US settlers to populate lands (New Mexico, Texas) in return for loyalty.
c. Stephen Austin: 297 Land grants totaling 52,569 acres + 10 yrs of tax exemptions.

Ponder: Why would Mexico offer such incredible terms?

-Populate lands
-Make land productive and generate wealth
-Control Native American Raiders

IV. Mexican – US Tensions Escalate
A. Texas (Tejas) Independence
1. Non-Mexicans vastly outnumber Mexican (“Tejanos” => Mexican Texans)

2. Culture/ Political Clash
a. Spanish vs. English
b. Protestant vs. Roman Catholic
c. Settlers bring slaves, Mexico outlawed slavery 1824.
d. Texas far from Mexico City => Desire for greater ‘local’ control

3. Tensions Rise
a. Mexico restricts US settlements in Texas
b. Mexico restricts trade with US
c. Mexican President (Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, aka Santa Anna) suspends constitution, becomes dictator. Revokes local rule of northern provinces (New Mexico, Texas, California, etc.)

4. Rebellions & Independence
a. “Remember the Alamo”, 1835 (San Antonio, Tx). All 187 US defenders died (Jim Bowie, Davy Crockett). Martyrdom. Hundreds of Mexicans also in the mission perished.
b. Sam Houston: Defeats Santa’s forces and capture him, 1836.
c. Texas becomes Independent Republic.

B. Statehood
1. Annexation, 1838?
a. Slavery Issue
b. Political Influence Issue

2. 1844 Presidential Election
a. Westward Expansion a Hot topic
b. Slaveholder Wins Election- James K. Polk
c. 1845: Texas is admitted as 28th State. Mexico recalls its US ambassador.

V. The Mexican War
A. Pres. Polk Urges War (1845)
1. Territorial Aspirations: Texas, New Mexico, California
2. Endorses Texas’ border claim (Rio Grande vs. Neuces River => 100 miles difference).
3. Attempts to purchase territory fails.
4. Z. Taylor sent with troops to block Rio Grande
5. Public Opinion Split (on slave question, NOT expansion) Sectionally.

B. The War Plays Out (1846)
1. Ignition: War is declared as US Troops, on Mexican soil, are killed in a skirmish. *Rep. Abraham Lincoln protests.
2. High population #s of US settlers in New Mexico & California helps US cause.
3. Poor Leadership/ unstable Gov’t of Mexico vs. US officers that will eventually lead the Union/ Confederate forces of the Civil War. (Grant, Lee)
4. Invasion of Mexico (Gen. Zachary Taylor, Gen. Winfield Scott); Capital Captured, No Contest.

C. The Spoils of War (for the victor)
1. The Good: US increases size by 33%
2. The Bad: 37,000+ dead, most by disease.
3. The Ugly: Souring of Mexican – American Relations to the present day.

4. Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, 1848.
a. Present States of California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah for $15 million.
b. Add 1853 Gadsden Purchase ($10 million) & Oregon border settlement=> modern US borders set (lower 48).

5. Z. Taylor, Whig, wins 1848 Presidential Elections despite “Free Soil” Democrats.

D. California Gold-Rush
1. 1848, Gold Discovered at Sutter’s Mill, Califonia
2. Gold, Gold, Gold! Yelled the “Forty-Niners” in 1849.
3. Practically all work, other than manufacturing shovels and pickaxes, cease in California.
4. Over-night (diverse) population explosion (1848 – 1850: overland migration 400 – 44,000; SanFrancisco 1,000 – 35,000).
5. Everything glitters until California requests admission to the Union. Then things go bad.

Additional Materials:
* Political Map of 1830 US
* The Americans, Ch.09
*R02_Indian Prophets, Pan-Indianism, and The Battle of Tippecanoe
http://worldhistoryreview.org/fall-hus/unit-03_an-era-of-growth-and-disunion/activities/r02_indian-prophets-pan-indianism-and-the-battle-of-tippecanoe/
* Europe’s Time Zones are a Mess
http://www.citylab.com/work/2015/10/europes-time-zones-are-a-mess/412690/?utm_source=nl__link2_102815
Accessed 3 Nov. 2015

AN02d_Reforming the Nation’s thoughts on Exceptionalism

Timeline: 19th C.
F.Q.: From where does the nation’s exceptional nature originate and in what way are we exceptional?

Main Idea
The first half of the 19th C. witnessed the effects of a 2nd Great Awakening. Revivals, the social experiments of Transcendentalists, and fiery sermons doled out at Sunday services all converged on one national issue: Slavery. That institution was either attacked or praised depending on the ‘section’ of the nation in which the discussion was held. Fervently, the opposing sides on the matter would tap into their interpretation of American Exceptionalism to defend their stance. At stake, the special place the United States holds by divine providence as “the city upon a hill”.

Activity:
What could John Winthrop have meant when he delivered his City Upon a Hill speech to his Puritan brethren at the start of their ordeal as Plymouth colonists? (1)

I. What does it mean to be Exceptional?
Let’s look at what President JFK said in 1961 (R03_American Exceptionalism- JFK 1961) (2)

• What does JFK think has been Massachusetts’ role, and his new role, for the nation?
• What, if anything, is similar between Winthrop’s and JFK’s ‘City Upon a Hill’ reference?

II. American Exceptionalism vs. American Slavery: The 1844 AME National Election

Activity:

First 15 minutes of “God in America: A Nation Reborn”

• What is the problem plaguing the American Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church as the 1844 national election approaches?
• How does this problem reflect the wider, national, divisions of that time?
• Can we be exceptional with or without slavery?

Footnotes
1-http://www.ushistory.org/us/3c.asp Accessed 15 Dec. 2016
2-http://millercenter.org/president/speeches/speech-3364 Accessed 15 Dec. 2016. Edited for classroom use.

Resources
-God in America: A Nation Reborn.  Part 3 of a five hour, joint, Frontline and American Experience presentation on PBS, 2010. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1651080/
– http://www.ushistory.org/us/3c.asp

R03bc_President Lincoln’s 1st Inaugural Address- Instructions

Where necessary, take targeted notes and keep the notes organized in your notebook. Sources are listed separately at the end of this document.

Our previous discussions since the development of the British colonies, but most recently since the War of 1812, we’ve witnessed the increasing sectional divisions on political and economic issues. But, the leaders of seceding southern states were certain that this Republican president was hostile to their prized institutions. The 1860 election revealed the divisiveness among the electorate as well. Abraham Lincoln won a plurality of the popular vote, but not a majority. The election had to be settled in the Electoral College where Mr. Lincoln became President Lincoln.

What To Do!? What happened?
Imagine, you just won an election to the Presidency of the United States. The major slave-holding states have now severed their relationship with the Union because of your election (States like Kentucky, Maryland, and Delaware did not ‘officially’ secede). Those same (seceded) states then form a new and independent state: The Confederate States of America (CSA).

This is an awful position to be in. Though the Civil War begins officially with the bombardment of Ft. Sumter, off the coast of Charleston, SC., we begin in Washington, D.C. and the 1st Inaugural Address of President Abraham Lincoln in March 1861.

Let’s see what President Lincoln has to say.

President Abraham Lincoln’s 1st Inaugural Address: A Wordle Analysis.

1. Mr.V will provide you a full transcript of the speech via the link below. However, in order to employ an analysis tool, we’ll need to to do something a bit different.

2. Copy and paste the text of President Lincoln’s 1st Inaugural Address onto a plain text editor (“Notepad” on Windows PC, “TextEdit” on Macs). Remove the paragraph numbers from the text.

3. Select and copy the entire text as it appears in your text editor. Navigate to Wordle (see link below) and paste the text you copied into a blank Wordle page for analysis. If you never used this online tool, read the introductory instructions on the site’s home page.

4. Run the analysis. Take a screen capture of the results of your Wordle analysis for your records. In your digital notebook, identify the frequently used words (they appear largest) and intermediate used words (they appear mid-sized). Disregard the smallest as well as connective words like ‘the’, ‘and’, ‘it’, etc.

5. Based on your analysis of the words, what do they reveal about the speech’s emphasis?

6. Go to a pdf copy of the 1st Inaugural Address embedded just below the text version I provided on the course website (just scroll down). This is a PDF copy of an image of the original printed speech found on the Gilder-Lehrman website (see link below).

a. Read page 1 until the end of the paragraph at the top of page 2.
b. Read paragraph starting at the bottom of page 7 and spilling onto page 8. Just the paragraph, not the page.
c. Read paragraph starting at the bottom of page 8 and spilling onto page 9. Just the paragraph, not the page.
d. Read paragraph starting at the bottom of page 9 and continuing through to the end of page 10.

From these selections, consider the following as you analyze:

A. What is President Lincoln attempting to express in each of these selections?
B. Do any of the sentiments expressed, as interpreted by you, parallel your analysis of the Wordle speech tool results?
C. Do any of the sentiments expressed in these selections support or contradict what you have come to understand as Abraham Lincoln’s stance on these issues? (Think back to assigned readings, your own knowledge of the subject, and classroom discussions).

Resources
President Abraham Lincoln’s 1st Inaugural Address https://worldhistoryreview.org/2016/12/22/r03bc\_hus-5/

Wordle http://www.wordle.net

Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln. Edited by Roy P. Basler et al.
Accessed 20 Dec. 2016 from http://quod.lib.umich.edu/l/lincoln/

Terms of Use found at http://quod.lib.umich.edu/l/lincoln/conditions.htm

President Lincoln’s First Inaugural Address (1861). Gilder-Lehrman Institute of American History. http://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-by-era/failure-compromise/resources/president-lincoln’s-first-inaugural-address-1861 [you will need to login to your free, affiliate school, student account. Take the time to create a free account if you don’t have one already.]

Note: Paragraph numbers were inserted by Mr.V into the original text to aid in student analysis.