Extending Rights

1. Extending Rights How New States and new “citizens” obtained rights

2. Land and the Vote In 1619, the Virginia Company (founder of the Virginia colony) sent George Yeardley to Virginia as governor. Yeardley was authorized to create a GENERAL ASSEMBLY to advise him on how to govern. The BURGESSES (representatives) in the Assembly would be elected by “all male inhabitants” who owned land. Most colonies copied this plan – tying land ownership to the right to vote.

3. New States In 1786, the U.S. government passed a law stating that lands west of the original 13 states would be divided in TERRITORIES that could join the Federal government. New states were guaranteed the SAMR RIGHTS as the original 13, and MUST create a state constitution with a representative form of government

4. Jedidiah Morse Jedidiah Morse not only was a pioneering geographer of North America, he was also a premier spokesman for the ascendancy of the United States in the Western Hemisphere. He believed that it was the “inevitable destiny” of the US to “gain mastery” over the North American continent. He also advocated a program for teaching Native Americans to develop “our ways” of life.

5. Noah Webster Noah Webster’s work on “American” English was the product of nationalism. He believed the nation should have its own rules for the language.

6. An American Education Uniting nation that (even in 1787) was larger than most of Europe, worried many. In 1788, Benjamin Rush proposed a plan for a “Federal University” that would “prepare our youth for civil and public life.” The curricula included studies in ancient and modern history, commerce, agriculture, manufactures, natural history, chemistry, athletics, and rhetoric – in short everything a young nation needed to develop a “virgin continent.” The plan was never acted on.

7. LAND Land drew thousands westward over the mountains , where land was so plentiful that new states often granted voting rights to “all free men” (i.e. white men).

8. More Voters Changes in Suffrage Requirements between 1800 and 1828 Many of the Western states that entered the Union after 1800 did not impose propertyrequirements for voting. By 1828, most states had eliminated such requirements.

9. How to Overcome the distances and obstacles • A continental nation would require: • Advances in technology to allow faster transportation over mountains and rivers. • Available land for new settlements (which would have to be negotiated with various Indian tribes. • Expanding population (including immigration from abroad). • Exploitation of the continental resources through agriculture, mining, and trade • National unity and agreement over major policies.

10. Growth of the Continental Nation

11. Immigration The 1795 U.S. Naturalization Act specified that naturalized citizenship was reserved only for a “free white person.” This created debates as to whether or not the free descendants of African slaves were citizens. Most states denied voting rights to African-Americans until the mid-1850s. Immigration Act of 1819 set standards for vessels bringing immigrants. Ship captains had to provide customs officials with a list of immigrants describing where they came from, where they were going, and their age, sex, and occupation. Passengers ill with contagious diseases had to be quarantined. States carried out the provisions of this law. 

12. Anti-immigration Not every American appreciated rising immigration. Stores, hotels, and restaurants posted “no Irish” signs. But cheap immigrant labor aided transportation, mining, and other industrial ventures.

13. The Iron Horse Transportation in America was going to be revolutionized by the latest advance in steam engines – the railroad. It took advances in metallurgy to produce the first successful locomotives, like the General Tom Thumb (1829), which became the center piece of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, the first successful system in the country.

14. The Telegraph The telegraph was perfected in the 1830s by Samuel F. B. Morse, an artist and inventor. After partnering with a former Postmaster General, who helped Morse develop the system of lines for telegraph communications, Morse became a very rich man. The telegraph revolutionized the transmission of information in America, altering news and even military movements.

15. Eli Whitney’s contribution to growth Eli Whitney, another inventor, created many devices. But his most important invention was the cotton gin, a rather simple mechanical way to easily separate the cotton fibers from the ‘chaff’ of the plant. This revolutionized the cotton goods industry. But it also unfortunately increased the practice of slavery as thousands of southern landowners converted their lands from tobacco and food to the growing of cotton.

16. Cotton south The cotton industry, however, also stimulated the growth of slavery in the south, the (illegal) renewal of the slave trade from Africa, and the opening of serious divisions within the nation over “the slavery question.”

17. Slavery and Progress Despite laws that prevented slaves from becoming educated, southerners still claimed that slavery was a “civilizing institution.” John C. Calhoun (left), former vice-president, long-serving Senator foe South Carolina, wrote essays arguing that slavery was “indispensable to progress.” He further argued that slavery would slowly bring advances to the “black race” so that they could – in some future century -- “take their place among civilized peoples of the world.” Anti-slavery groups called Calhoun’s defense of slavery nothing more than a “sad attempt to defend an immoral institution.”

18. Anti-Slavery Across Oceans A British travelerwho accompaniedthe novelistWilliam MakepeaceThackeray on a tourof America capturedthe grim realities ofa slave auction. The British Navy was suppressing the Atlantic Slave trade.

19. Fear of Slave Revolts New states with slavery usually copied the “black codes” of the older slave states in an effort to prevent the growth of any large African population. The slave revolt led by Nat Turner (right) in 1831, frightened the slave states into expanding their restrictions on African life. Since Turner claimed to have been inspired by reading Revolution-era pamphlets on freedom, many slave states passed laws making it illegal to teach Africans to read.

20. Frederick Douglass Frederick Douglass was a slave whose master taught him to read. When the local law made it illegal for him for have any books, he decided to run away – and succeeded to reaching Massachusetts on his third attempt. After receiving further education, he became a major speaker against slavery in the U.S. His Autobiography was widely sold and quoted in anti-slavery publications. Douglass later organized voters for the Free Soil and Republican Parties among free Blacks living in northern states.

21. Free Black Society From a series ofracist caricaturesof black life inPhiladelphia, thisimage lampoonsAfrican Americanaspirations torespectability. Achurch officialdisciplines a churchmember forallegedmisconduct.

22. Reform movements The 1830s and 1840s constituted an era of reformist movements. In addition to the anti-slavery movement and the demand for the women’s rights to vote, there were peace movements, anti-alcohol movements, a prison reform movement, and the first call for vegetarianism as a way of improving the “national health.” Ultimately, the anti-slavery movement pushed all the other calls for reform into the background.

23. Anti-slavery In the early 1800s, the anti-slavery movement had been primarily a call for ending slavery and then equipping the ex-slaves to return to Africa and “colonize” a new society (Liberia was the result of these ideas). But as slavery grew after 1820, “abolition” became the focus of anti-slavery movements. In Boston, William Lloyd Garrison called for “no compromise” with slave states, demanded the immediate end to slavery and even burned a copy of the Constitution because it recognized the existence of slavery. Massachusetts became the heart of abolition.

24. Southern retaliation Southerners, angry at the anti-slavery fervor in the north, retaliated by boycotting purchases of goods manufactured in New York, Massachusetts, and elsewhere, and passed numerous laws to tighten the movements of slaves and free African-Americans. Southern post offices refused to forward anti-slavery literature in the mails. Even though this was illegal, postmasters and postmaster generals (like Amos Kendall of New Hampshire) permitted it in order to prevent trouble within the government.

25. Textiles in New England Textile mills in Lowell Massachusetts and other parts of New England brought wealth to the region. Because textile mills required large numbers of laborers, mill owners began recruiting young women from farming areas.

26. Women and Unionism Working in the textile mills (left) and other industries like bookbinding (right), young women found their lives strictly regulated, with dormitory-like housing, curfews and “morals clauses” in their work rules. Some resented this and began to organize unions. The women in the mills were able to get the Massachusetts Legislature to investigate work conditions – the first government investigation of labor conditions in U.S. history.

27. Popular Politics Unlike the days of Washington and Jefferson, politics in the late 1820s was based on mass appeals. George Caleb Bingham’s painting, “The County Election,” sketched how mass politics worked.

28. Andrew Jackson Andrew Jackson had won the most popular votes in 1824, and always believed that the lection had been “stolen” by Adams and Clay. With the help of several prominent young party leaders, Jackson acted to rebuild the Democratic Republican Party into the Democratic Party, and won the presidency in 1828. With his stormy temperament, his presidency would be filled with controversy.

29. Politics and the role of the president The anti-slavery and other reform movements flourished during the presidency of Andrew Jackson. As the hero of New Orleans, Jackson was wildly popular with the people, but many in the northeast part of the country questioned his ability. Cartoons in the 1828 election reminded voters that Jackson had invaded Spanish Florida in 1819, hanging two British subjects for selling weapons to the Indians, and nearly bringing on a war. Many feared Jackson would ignore normal political methods and act on his own in most matters of government. They were right. Jackson said that, as the only candidate chosen by all the American voters, the president acted “for the people,” even if Congress did not agree with his policies.

30. Amalgamated “tribes” Remnants of Algonquian natives in New England, who had converted to Christianity, lived on communal lands at a mission in Stockbridge Massachusetts in the 1700s. Several sided with the American colonists in the Revolution. When Massachusetts landowners appropriated their lands in the 1820s, the “Stockbridge Tribe” moved to New York and accepted a “reservation” near Oneida lands. In the 1830s, pressure to open the lands in New York to white farmers forced the “Stockbridge” to move again – to Shawano County in Wisconsin territory. Wisconsin documents referred to the land that the natives settled on as “sandy soil, poor for farming, but good enough for Indians.” Today, the Stockbridge-Munsee Confederation prefer the name Muhhekunneuw, or "People of the River.“ Their original Mahican language has essentially disappeared. James Fennimore Cooper’s novel, “Last of the Mohicans,” is believed to contain customs of the original Mahican tribe.

31. Cherokee Removal Jackson insisted on supporting the state government of Georgia in the forced removal of the Cherokee nations from their native lands and transporting them west to “Indian Territory” west of the Mississippi River.

32. Native resistence “An Indian who is as bad as the white men, could not live in our nation; he would be put to death, and eat [sic] up by the wolves. The white men are bad school-masters; they carry false looks, and deal in false actions; they smile in the face of the poor Indian to cheat him; they shake them by the hand to gain their confidence, to make them drunk, to deceive them, and ruin our wives. We told them to let us alone; but they followed on and beset our paths, and they coiled themselves among us like the snake. They poisoned us by their touch. We were not safe. We lived in danger. We were becoming like them, hypocrites and liars, adulterers, lazy drones, all talkers, and no workers. “Farewell, my nation. Black Hawk tried to save you, and avenge your wrongs. He drank the blood of some of the whites. He has been taken prisoner, and his plans are stopped. He can do no more. He is near his end. His sun is setting, and he will rise no more. Farewell to Black Hawk.” Black Hawk, Sauk&Fox Chieftain, on surrender of his people, 1832

33. Slavery – The Growing Dispute As the nation’s desire for new land grew, so too did the arguments over slavery. Northern abolitionists cast copper tokens (used as pennies) that called for the end of slavery. Southerners accused the northern states of harboring runaway slaves. Compromises became more unlikely.

34. Polk’s Platform • The Election of James K. Polk as president in 1844 opened a new phase in both national expansion and the arguments over slavery. As president, Polk (a old friend of Andrew Jackson) had 3 major goals: • Bringing Texas into the U.S. • Obtaining America’s clear claim to the Oregon region. • Creating a Federal Treasury to handle the government’s money.

35. Settlement in Oregon Many Americans, led by Michigan politician Lewis Cass (left) and others who were deeply invested in Oregon land, wanted Britain to cede the rights to “Oregon” as far north as Alaska. But, facing the likelihood of war with Mexico, Polk reached a compromise that placed the border between Oregon and Canada at its current location – the 48th parallel, north latitude. As the population of a new U.S. territory, Oregon’s inhabitants voted to outlaw slavery.

36. War with Mexico Ignoring warnings from the government of Mexico, which had yet to acknowledge the independence of Texas, Polk persuaded Congress to admit Texas as a new state. In 1846, Mexican troops and American cavalry exchanged shots along the Rio Grande River, which led Congress to declare war.

37. The Wilmot Proviso Wilmot’s amendment – the “Wilmot Proviso” – opened bitter debate over the war and the expansion of slavery. While leading Senators and Congressman argued over the Proviso, a young Congressman from Illinois, Abraham Lincoln, said nothing on the issue. By the end of the Mexican War, however, Lincoln was in agreement with the “Free Soil” movement – which wanted no more territories open to slavery.

38. The spark to the powder keg In October 1859, John Brown, a violent abolitionist who was wanted for murders in Kansas, led a raid on the U.S. Army arsenal at Harper’s Ferry, Virginia. His plan, to arms slaves and lead a massive slave revolt in the south, came to nothing when Federal troops attacked the arsenal and captured Brown.

39. Brown the martyr John Brown's attack on Federal property could have allowed for his trial in a Federal court, but Buchanan permitted Brown to be convicted in state court for “treason against Virginia.” He was hanged in December 1859. Brown portrayed himself as a martyr for slavery, saying “if it be deemed necessary that I should forfeit my life for the furtherance of the ends of justice [ending slavery] let it be done.” The South resented it when northern newspapers portrayed Brown as a “friend of freedom.”

40. 1860 in Baltimore Democrats had hoped that the John Brown incident would produce unity in the party, “for the peace of America.” That hope died when no nominee could be chosen in Charleston. Douglas refused to accept a platform that firmly promised the continued expansion of slavery. Seven southern state delegations then walked out. The party then held a second convention in Baltimore and Douglas was nominated. The “deep south” put up their own candidate, John Breckinridge of Kentucky.

41. Lincoln Elected With the Democrats deeply divided, Lincoln, having won the Republican nomination, was elected president in 1860 – his name had not been placed on the ballot in most southern states and many southerners had sworn that their states would secede from the Union if an “anti-slavery” candidate was elected. Several southern states held special conventions and announced secession before Lincoln was inaugurated in March 1861.

42. Contraband Slaves The Civil War presented the chance to finally end slavery. Pressed by anti-slavery forces in his own party to use the war to end slavery, Lincoln adopting a wait-and-see policy. He wrote a northern editor that if he “could save the Union without freeing any slave,” he would. “If I could save it by freeing all the slaves, I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone, I would also do that.” Lincoln said he personally did not like slavery but that his first responsibility as president was to “preserve the Union.”

43. Lincoln permitted slaves to be “confiscated” if they were found to be “working in the service of the rebellion” – in other words if they dug trenches or hauled supplies for the Confederate troops, etc. The legal status of these “contraband” slaves was unclear; were they free? Learning of the “contraband policy” thousands of slaves fled northward, hoping to reach U.S. troops and surrender “into freedom.” Not sure what to do, Union officers fed and employed contraband slaves to work for the U.S. Army. 1862 – after a victory at Antietam, Lincoln announced the Emancipation proclamation. This left the slaves in the border states in slavery and freed only the slaves in the Confederate areas “still in rebellion.” The decision did not please abolitionists, nor some leaders in the Republican Party. Important events in relation to slavery

44. Civil Rights By the end of the Civil War (1865), the U.S. had adopted the 13th amendment, prohibiting slavery in all states. The 14th amendment prevented states from depriving “any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.”