The Jacksonian Age

Thursday, 11/29. The rise of Jackson and mass democracy. Read pages 256-264.
1. What changes in American Democracy had occurred between 1800 and 1828?
2. What is Jacksonian Democracy?
3. Was Jackson in favor of a strong or weak central government?
4. Explain the nullification crisis.
5. How did Jackson change American politics and the presidency (why is he such a big deal in American history?
Know the significance of the following: Jacksonian democracy, silent ballot, extension of franchise, end of caucus, direct elections, John Quincy Adams, Daniel Webster, John Calhoun, Henry Clay, Martin Van Buren, National Republicans, Peggy Eaton affair, Maysville Road veto, Nullification Crisis, South Carolina Expositionand Protest, Force Bill, Tariff of 1833

Monday, 12/3. Jackson re-evaluated. Read pages 264-275.  Jackson Memorial Assignment due.

1. Understand the important Supreme Court cases leading to Cherokee removal.
2. Explain the removal of the Cherokees.
3. Explain the causes of the Panic of 1837. Who was to blame. Who was blamed.
Know the significance of the following: Indian Removal, “Five Civilized Tribes”, Cherokee Nation v. Georgia(1831), Worcester v. Georgia(1832), Treaty of New Echota (1835), Trail of Tears, National Bank veto, “pet banks”, Nicholas Biddle, election of 1832, Whigs, Democrats,

Wednesday, 12/5. Martin Van Buren and the rise of the Second Party System. Read pages 275-286.

1. What was Van Buren’s view of political parties?
2. Why and how did Americans come to settle in Texas? What was the result of the Texan revolution? Why did Texas not become part of the United States in 1837?
3. Who were the Whigs? How and why were they organized?
4. What was the long-term affect of Jackson amd Van Buren on American politics?
Know the significance of the following: election of 1836, Independent Treasury, election of 1840, William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, “Tippecanoe and Tyler too”.

Thursday, 12/6. Demographics of the new national economy. Read pages 287-297.
1. How did the demography of America change in the early 1800s? How did this affect our culture?
2. How did immigration change in the early 1800s? How did Americans reacty to these changes? What effect did this have on American culture and politics?

Friday, 12/7. Mechanics of the new national economy. Read pages 297-318.
1. What were the most important technological innovations in this period? How did technological innovations affect farming, the economy of the South and slavery?
2. Trace the development of industry from homes to factories. Trace the development of the form of business from the individual proprietor to the corporation.
3. What improvements in technology and changes in law enabled these developments? How did changes in transportation change the Mid-west, the Northeast, and the South?
4. Who were the first groups to work in these new industrial factories, and how were they recruited?
5. How effective were workers in controlling the conditions of their work?
6. How did the workplace, the lives of women and nature of families change due to working in industrial factories?
7. What is the significance of the Supreme Court cases Charles River Bridge v Warren Bridge (1837) and Commonwealth v. Hunt (1842)? (These will be covered in class)
Know the significance of the following: Nativism, “Know-Nothings”, Erie Canal, De Witt Clinton, Robert Fulton, Eli Whitney, general incorporation laws, Lowell system, Charles River Bridge v Warren Bridge (1837), Commonwealth v Hunt(1842)

Tuesday, 12/10. Religious revivalism and the reform movement. Read pages 320-332.
1. What was the Second Great Awakening? What caused it? What were the short and long-term results of the movement?
2. How is the Second Great Awakening related to Jacksonian Democracy?
3. Why were there so many reform movements in this era? What did they have in common?
4. Were these movements trying to make society more free or more controlled? What were the effects of this movement on the people it tried to help, on politics and society, and on women in particular?
5 How are these movements related to Jacksonian Democracy?
Know the significance of the following: Second Great Awakening, Charles G. Finney, Revivals, Unitarians, Mormons, Shakers, public school reform
Horace Mann, McGuffey Reader, penitentiary reform, asylum reform, Dorothea Dix, abolition, temperance , women’s rights, Margaret Fuller, Lucretia Mott, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, Seneca Falls Convention, “Declaration of Rights and Sentiments” (1848)


Wednesdat, 12/11. Arts and letters in Jacksonian America. Read pages 332-347.
1. What was Transcendentalism? Does it fit in the general culture of Jacksonian America? Did Transcendentalists challenge or celebrate American society and culture?
2. How did the art and literature of this period in general fit into Jacksonian America?
Know the significance of the following: Hudson River school
Thomas Cole, romanticism, Washington Irving, James Fenimore Cooper, transcendentalism, Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Self-Reliance”, Henry David Thoreau, Walden, “Civil Disobedience", Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass, Edgar Allen Poe, Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter, Herman Melville, Moby Dick


Thursday, 12/12. Manifest Destiny. Read pages 371-380.
1. What is Manifest Destiny? How did race and religion figure into the concept of Manifest Destiny? Was Manifest Destiny moral and/or proper?
2. Who owned Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, and California? What difficulties did they have settling and governing the area?
3. How did Americans first begin to immigrate to Texas? What problems did this create for Mexico and the American immigrants?
4. Why did the Texans rebel? How did the Texans win their independence?
5. Who owned the Oregon Territory? Why? Why were immigrants coming there?
6. Why was the United States able to obtain Oregon without going to war with Great Britain?
Know the significance of the following: Manifest Destiny, John L. O’Sullivan, Oregon & California, Transcontinental Treaty, Adams-Onis Treaty, “54°,40’ Or Fight”, Sutter’s Mill, ‘49ers


Friday, 12/13. The US-Mexico War. Review your pervious notes on Texas and read pages 381-389.

1. Why did Texas not become part of the United States rights away?
2. How did Tyler add Texas to the United States?
3. Why did the United States go to war with Mexico?
4. Did Polk force war with Mexico?
5. Was our war with Mexico a moral and/or wise war?
6. What were the results of the war?
Know the significance of the following: Stephen F. Austin, Sam Houston, Santa Anna, the Alamo, Goliad, San Jacinto, Lone Star Republic, Andrew Jackson, Stephen Tyler, James K. Polk, Nueces River, Rio Grande, Zachary Taylor, Winfield Scott, Santa Anna, Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo, Gadsden Purchase

Good Documentary on the US-Mexico War:


Below is a phenomenal song about the US-Mexico War, by the Irish band The Chieftans and a number of Mexican musicians. It is about the San Patricios, a group of Irish immigrants in the US Army who switched sides in the middle of the war and chose to fight for Mexico against the United States.



An article on the San Patricios can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Patricios

Jeffersonian Democracy

For Thursday, 11/ 15: Thomas Jefferson, Read 211-225
1. How was Thomas Jefferson different from the two previous presidents?
2. Jefferson has been described as a man of the people, an aristocratic hypocrite, a frenzied radical, a philosopher, a scientist, a pragmatic politician, and a high-minded idealist. Which was he?
3. What was Jefferson’s vision of what America should be? Was he successful in achieving his vision?
4. What was the significance of the Marbury v. Madison case.
5. Why were we able to purchase Louisiana? Did Jefferson violate his principles in purchasing Louisiana? Why did he do it?
Know the significance of the following: Election of 1800,Aaron Burr, James Madison, Monticello, University of Virginia, Albert Gallatin, Marbury v. Madison (1801), judicial review, Louisiana Purchase (1803), Toussant L’Ouverture, Napoleon Bonaparte, William Clark, Meriwether Lewis, Sacjawea


For Friday, 11/16: James Madison, Read 225-232
1. Why did the U.S. get into conflict with Great Britain and France?
2. How did Jefferson react to these abridgements of our sovereignty and our citizens’ rights? What were the results?
3. How did Madison react? What were the results?
4. Why did we go to war with England instead of France?
Know the significance of the following: James Madison, Rule of 1756, Impressment, Leopard v. Chesapeake, Embargo Act (1807), Non-Intercourse Act (1809), Orders in Council (1809), Milan Decree (1809), Macon’s Bill #2 (1810), “war hawks”, John Calhoun , Henry Clay


For Monday11/26: War of 1812, Read 233-240.
1. Who should have won the war? What were the most important battles?
2. Why did the war end? Who won?
3. What were the results of the war for the U.S.? What were the results of the war for American Indians? What were the results of the war for the Federalists?
Know the significance of the following: Tenskwatawa (The Prophet), Tecumseh, William Henry Harrison, Battle of Tippecanoe (1811), Battle of Put-In-Bay (1813), Battle of the Thames (1813), Battle of New Orleans (1815), Treaty of Ghent (1814), Hartford Convention (1814)

Interesting documentary that shows the conflict over the MidWest from the eyes of Tecumseh



For Wednesday11/20: Monroe, Sectionalism and Nationalism in Era of Good Feelings, Read 242-255
1. Why was this era called the Era of Good Feelings.
2. What caused the Panic of 1819? What effect did it have?
3. What did the Missouri Compromise decide? Why was it so important?
4. What effect did John Marshall have on the Supreme Court?
5. How did the United States acquire Florida?
6. What was the Monroe Doctrine? Why was it so important?
7. Was John Quincy Adams an able diplomat? Why?
Know the significance of the following: James Monroe, Panic of 1819, Missouri Compromise, John Quincy Adams, Adams-Onis Treaty, Monroe Doctrine, John Marshall, Marbury v. Madison (1801), Dartmouth College v.Woodward (1819), McCullough v. Maryland(1819)

Election Resources

A site that allows you to take a quiz that matches your views with the views of the candidates can be found here.

The website procon.org also has a great site that shows each candidates positions (through their own statements) on may different issues.

A good site that allows you to plot diffeernt election day scenarios is 270 to Win

The best, most up-to-date analysis of polls and election predictions is the blog Five Thirty Eight

The Federalists: Washington, Hamilton and Adams

For Tuesday: Topic - Washington & Hamilton: Read 190-201
1. Who was Alexander Hamilton?
2. What were Alexander Hamilton’s goals and plans?
3. Know the basic recommendations of the Reports on the Public Credit, Manufactures, and the Bank.
4. Why were they so controversial?
5. Explain the ideological and political differences between the Federalists and the Democratic Republicans (Jeffersonian Democrats).
6. Who were the leaders of each party? What groups supported each party?
7. Why was the Whiskey Rebellion significant? (Think about the recent rebellions.)
8. What threats were there to the nation from American Indians, the British, and the French? How did they resolve each threat? Were they successful in resolving each threat?
9. What were Washington’s feelings about the development of parties? Look to his “Farewell Address.” Do you agree with him?
10. Was Washington a good president? What were his achievements and precedents?

Know the significance of the following: John Jay, Henry Knox, Report on the Public Credit, Report on Manufactures , Bank of the United States, strict interpretation/construction, loose interpretation/construction, Elastic Clause (Art. I, Sec. 8), Whiskey Rebellion, Citizen Genet, Gen. “Mad” Anthony Wayne, Battle of Fallen Timbers (1795), Treaty of Greenville (1795), Jay’s Treaty (1795), Pinckney’s Treaty (1796), Federalists, Democratic Republicans, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison

The Essential Debate Between Fedralists and Democratic-Republicans:


For Thursday: Topic - John Adams: Read 201-209
1. What was Adams like? Was he a good politician? Was he a good president?
2. Why was Jefferson his vice president? Was this a good situation?
3. Evaluate Adams’ presidency. Pay particular attention to the Alien and Sedition Acts, the XYZ Affair, and the Quasi-War with France.
4. Why was the election of 1800 so important?
Know the significance of the following: XYZ Affair, Quasi-War (1798-1800), Alien Act (1798), Alien Enemies Act (1798), Sedition Act (1798), Naturalization Act (1798)

John Adams at his best and worst in the two videos below:

Constitution Assignments

For Wednesday: Using your textbook and the resources found in the Study Guides and Resources page, learn the followingthe following:
1. What is federalism?
2. What does separation of powers mean?
3. Who has the power to declare war?
4. Who controls the military?
5. Who negotiates treaties?
6. Who approves treaties?
7. Who decides the constitutionality of laws?
8. How are federal judges chosen?
9. How are cabinet members chosen?
10. What is the process by which laws are made?
11. What is the process by which amendments are made?
12. What is the Electoral College?
13. How are judges and executive officials removed from office?
14. How are Senators selected and how long are they in office?
15. How are members of the House of Representatives selected and how long are they in office?




For Thursday Read 190-192 and Bill of Rights. Prepare for Chunky Monkey Case (found in the Study Guides and Resources page . Bring copy of Constitution to class for use during class. The Constitution can be found in your textbook or you can bring it in another form.
As you read pages 190-192, consider the follwoing questions

1. Who wrote the Bill of Rights?
2. Why was it written?
3. What basic rights does it protect?




For Friday: Chunky Monkey Assignment due

The Creation of Our National Government

for Monday: Read pages 164-176. Consider the following questions as you read:
1. How did the revolution change society? Were the changes radical?
2. How did the revolution change the lives of African-Americans, women, and American Indians? Were these changes substantial or incremental?
3. In the new governments, what was kept of English traditions and what was new?
4. What two groups or forces struggled over the form and direction of the new state governments?
5. How was the government under the Articles of Confederation different from our government under the Constitution?
6. What were the Articles of Confederation’s weaknesses?

Know the Significance of the following: Land Ordinance of 1785; Northwest Ordinance of 1787; Shays’s Rebellion.


For Tuesday: Read pages 177-189. Consider the following questions as you read:
1. Why did the writers of the Constitution want a new form of government?
2. What role did Shay’s Rebellion play in this decision?
3. How was the new Constitution different from the Articles of Confederation?
4. What groups opposed the Constitution and what groups supported it?
5. Why did it gain ratification?

Know the significance of the following: Philadelphia Convention; James Madison; Virginia Plan; William Patterson; New Jersey Plan; Roger Sherman; Connecticut Compromise; bicameral legislature; separation of powers; federalism; Senate; House of Representatives; Supreme Court; 3/5 Compromise; democratic; republican; Federalists; Anti-Federalists; Alexander Hamilton; John Jay; The Federalist Papers.

The War for Independence

for Tuesday: Read pages 150-156. Consider the following questions as you read:
1. Who should have won the Revolution and why?
2. What were the most significant events and battles that enabled the Americans to win?
3. Was Washington a great general?
for Friday: Read pages 156-163. Consider the following questions as you read:
1. Why did the Americans win their independence?
2. What were the most significant events and battles that enabled the Americans to win?
3. Was the Peace of Paris a good treaty for the United States? Why?
By Wednesday, know the significance of the following:
Thomas Paine;“Common Sense"; Battles of Lexington & Concord, 1775; Battle of Bunker Hill, 1775; Benedict Arnold; George Washington; Whigs; Tories; Continental Army; militias; Hessians; Henry Knox; Battle of New York, 1776 ; Battle of Trenton, 1776; Battle of Saratoga, 1777; Gen. Howe; Gen. Burgoyne; Gen. Cornwallis; Joseph Brant; Valley Forge; Friedrich von Stueben; George Rogers Clark; Marquis de Lafayette; Battle of Yorktown, 1781