A Short History of the United States by Channing
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§§ 295, 296.--a. How had the use of steamboats increased?
b. Why had this led to the separation of the West and the East? How was it proposed to overcome this difficulty?
c. Do you think that roads should be built at national expense? Give your reasons.
d. Mark on a map the Erie Canal, and show why it was so important.
Describe the effects of its use.
§§ 297, 298.--a. Do you think that railroads should be carried on by the state or by individuals? Why?
b. What influence has the railroad had upon the Union? Upon people's minds? Upon the growth of cities? (Take your own city or town and think of it without railroads anywhere.)
§§ 299, 300.--a. Explain how one discovery or invention affected other industries (as shown, for instance, in the use of anthracite coal).
b. How did these inventions make large cities possible?
c. Why is the education of our people so important?
d. What were the advantages of Webster's "Dictionary"?
CHAPTER 29
§§ 301, 302.--a. Why is this chapter called the "Reign of Andrew Jackson"? Do you think that a President should "reign"?
b. In what respects was Jackson fitted for President?
c. What is meant by his "kitchen cabinet"?
d. What is a "party machine"? How was it connected with the "spoils system"?
e. Did the "spoils system" originate with Jackson?
§§ 303, 304.--a. Compare carefully the North and the South. Why was the North growing rich faster than the South?
b. Where have you already found the ideas expressed in Calhoun's Exposition? Why was this doctrine so dangerous? Are the states "sovereign states"?
§ 305.--a. What view did Webster take? How does his speech show the increase of the love of the Union?
b. What is the "supreme law of the land"? Whose business is it to decide on the constitutionality of a law? Is this wise?
§§ 306, 307.--a. How did South Carolina oppose the Act of 1832?
b. How did Jackson oppose the South Carolinians?
c. Would a state be likely to nullify an act of Congress now? Give your reasons.
§§ 308, 309.--a. Was the United States Bank like the national banks of the present day?
b. Why did Jackson dislike and distrust the United States Bank?
c. If a bill is vetoed by the President, how can it still be made a law?
§§ 310.--a. Where did the United States government keep its money?
b. How did Jackson try to ruin the United States Bank?
§§ 311-313.--a. Why did people wish to buy Western lands? How did the favoring the "pet banks" increase speculation?
b. What was done with the surplus? What was the effect of this measure?
c. How did Jackson try to stop speculation?
CHAPTER 30
§§ 314, 315.--a. Why did "prices go down with a rush"?
b. Describe the Independent Treasury plan. Where is the nation's money kept to-day?
§§ 316, 317.--a. State briefly the reasons for the split in the Republican party. Had you lived in 1840, for whom would you have voted? voted? Why?
b. Give an account of the early life of Harrison.
c. Describe the campaign of 1840, and compare it with the last presidential campaign.
§§ 318, 319.--a. What party came into power in 1841? Under the spoils system what would naturally follow?
b. To what party did Tyler belong?
c. Why was it difficult for the government to carry on its business without a bank or a treasury?
§§ 320.--a. What dispute had long existed with Great Britain?
b. Why did the British object to the boundary line laid down in the Treaty of 1783? Show on a map how the matter was finally settled.
§§ 321, 322.--a. Explain carefully the application of electricity made by Morse. Of what advantage has the telegraph been to the United States?
b. How did the McCormick reaper solve the difficulty in wheat growing? What were the results of this invention?
c. Compare its influence upon our history with that of the cotton gin.
GENERAL QUESTIONS
a. Why is the period covered by this division so important?
b. Give the principal events since the Revolution which made Western expansion possible.
c. Explain, using a chart, the changes in parties since 1789.
d. What were the good points in Jackson's administration? The mistakes?
TOPICS FOR SPECIAL WORK
a. Select some one invention between 1790 and 1835, describe it, explain the need for it, and the results which have followed from it.
b. The Erie Canal.
c. The career of Webster, Clay, or Calhoun.
d. Life and works of any one of the literary men of this period.
e. The Ashburton Treaty, with a map.
SUGGESTIONS TO THE TEACHER
The personality of Andrew Jackson, representing as he does a new element in social and political life, deserves a careful study. The financial policy of his administration is too difficult for children. With brief comparisons with present-day conditions the study of this subject can be confined to what is given in the text. Jackson's action at the time of the nullification episode may well be compared with Buchanan's inaction in 1860-61. The constitutional portions of Webster's great speeches are too hard for children, but his burning words of patriotism may well be learned by the whole class. The spoils system may be lightly treated here. It can best be studied in detail later in connection with civil service reform.
[Illustration: THE UNITED STATES IN 1859.]
XI
SLAVERY IN THE TERRITORIES,
1844-1859
Books for Study and Reading
References.--Scribner's Popular History, IV; McMaster's With the Fathers, Coffin's Building the Nation, 314-324.
Home Readings.--Wright's Stories of American Progress; Bolton's Famous Americans; Brooks's Boy Settlers; Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin; Lodge's Webster.
CHAPTER 31
BEGINNING OF THE ANTISLAVERY AGITATION
[Sidenote: Antislavery sentiments of the Virginians.]
[Sidenote: Slavery in the far South.]
[Sidenote: Source-book, 244-248, 251-260.]
323. Growth of Slavery in the South.--South of Pennsylvania and of the Ohio River slavery had increased greatly since 1787 (p. 136).
Washington, Jefferson, Henry, and other great Virginians were opposed to the slave system. But they could find no way to end it, even in Virginia. The South Carolinians and Georgians fought every proposition to limit slavery. They even refused to come into the Union unless they were given representation in Congress for a portion at least of their slaves. And in the first Congress under the Constitution they opposed bitterly every proposal to limit slavery. Then came Whitney's invention of the cotton gin. That at once made slave labor vastly more profitable in the cotton states and put an end to all hopes of peaceful emancipation in the South.
[Sidenote: Proposal to end slavery with compensation.]
[Sidenote: The Liberator.]
324. Rise of the Abolitionists.--About 1830 a new movement in favor of the negroes began. Some persons in the North, as, for example, William Ellery Channing, proposed that slaves should be set free, and their owners paid for their loss. They suggested that the money received from the sale of the public lands might be used in this way. But nothing came of these suggestions. Soon, however, William Lloyd Garrison began at Boston the publication of a paper called the Liberator. He wished for complete abolition without payment. For a time he labored almost alone. Then slowly others came to his aid, and the Antislavery Society was founded.
[Sidenote: Anti-abolitionist sentiment in the North. Higginson, 268.]
[Sidenote: Disunion sentiment of abolitionists.]
[Sidenote: The Garrison riot, 1835. Source-Book, 248-251.]
325. Opposition to the Abolitionists.--It must not be thought that the abol
itionists were not opposed. They were most vigorously opposed.
Very few Northern men wished to have slavery reestablished in the North.
But very many Northern men objected to the antislavery agitation because they thought it would injure business. Some persons even argued that the antislavery movement would bring about the destruction of the Union. In this idea there was a good deal of truth. For Garrison grew more and more outspoken. He condemned the Union with slaveholders and wished to break down the Constitution, because it permitted slavery.
There were anti-abolitionist riots in New York, New Jersey, and New Hampshire. In Boston the rioters seized Garrison and dragged him about the streets (1835).
[Sidenote: Nat Turner's Rebellion, 1831.]
[Sidenote: Incendiary publications in the mails. McMaster, 313-314.]
326. Slave Rebellion in Virginia, 1831.--At about the time that Garrison established the Liberator at Boston, a slave rebellion broke out in Virginia. The rebels were led by a slave named Nat Turner, and the rebellion is often called "Nat Turner's Rebellion." It was a small affair and was easily put down. But the Southerners were alarmed, because they felt that the Northern antislavery agitation would surely lead to more rebellions. They called upon the government to forbid the sending of the Liberator and similar "incendiary publications" through the mails.
[Sidenote: Right of petition.]
[Sidenote: J.Q. Adams and antislavery petitions, 1836. Hero Tales, 151-159.]
[Sidenote: The "gag-resolutions." McMaster, 314-315.]
327. The Right of Petition.--One of the most sacred rights of freemen is the right to petition for redress of grievances. In the old colonial days the British Parliament had refused even to listen to petitions presented by the colonists. But the First Amendment to the Constitution forbade Congress to make any law to prevent citizens of the United States from petitioning. John Quincy Adams, once President, was now a member of the House of Representatives. In 1836 he presented petition after petition, praying Congress to forbid slavery in the District of Columbia. Southerners, like Calhoun, thought these petitions were insulting to Southern slaveholders. Congress could not prevent the antislavery people petitioning. They could prevent the petitions being read when presented. This they did by passing "gag-resolutions." Adams protested against these resolutions as an infringement on the rights of his constituents. But the resolutions were passed. Petitions now came pouring into Congress. Adams even presented one from some negro slaves.
[Sidenote: Growth of antislavery feeling in the North.]
328. Change in Northern Sentiment.--All these happenings brought about a great change of sentiment in the North. Many people, who cared little about negro slaves, cared a great deal about the freedom of the press and the right of petition. Many of these did not sympathize with the abolitionists, but they wished that some limit might be set to the extension of slavery. At the same time the Southerners were uniting to resist all attempts to interfere with slavery. They were even determined to add new slave territory to the United States.
CHAPTER 32
THE MEXICAN WAR
[Sidenote: The Mexican Republic, 1821.]
[Sidenote: Texas secedes from Mexico, 1836, McMaster, 320-322; Hero Tales, 173-181.]
329. The Republic of Texas.--The Mexicans won their independence from Spain in 1821 and founded the Mexican Republic. Soon immigrants from the United States settled in the northeastern part of the new republic. This region was called Texas. The Mexican government gave these settlers large tracts of land, and for a time everything went on happily. Then war broke out between the Mexicans and the Texans. Led by Samuel Houston, a settler from Tennessee, the Texans won the battle of San Jacinto and captured General Santa Anna, the president of the Mexican Republic. The Texans then established the Republic of Texas (1836) and asked to be admitted to the Union as one of the United States.
[Sidenote: Question of the admission of Texas to the Union.]
330. The Southerners and Texas.--The application of Texas for admission to the Union came as a pleasant surprise to many Southerners.
As a part of the Mexican Republic Texas had been free soil. But Texas was well suited to the needs of the cotton plant. If it were admitted to the Union, it would surely be a slave state or, perhaps, several slave states. The question of admitting Texas first came before Jackson. He saw that the admission of Texas would be strongly opposed in the North.
So he put the whole matter to one side and would have nothing to do with it. Tyler acted very differently. Under his direction a treaty was made with Texas. This treaty provided for the admission of Texas to the Union. But the Senate refused to ratify the treaty. The matter, therefore, became the most important question in the presidential election of 1844.
[Illustration: JAMES K. POLK.]
[Sidenote: Candidates for the presidency, 1844.]
[Sidenote: The Liberty party.]
[Sidenote: Polk elected.]
331. Election of 1844.--President Tyler would have been glad of a second term. But neither of the great parties wanted him as a leader.
The Democrats would have gladly nominated Van Buren had he not opposed the acquisition of Texas. Instead they nominated James K. Polk of Tennessee, an outspoken favorer of the admission of Texas. The Whigs nominated Henry Clay, who had no decided views on the Texas question. He said one thing one day, another thing another day. The result was that the opponents of slavery and of Texas formed a new party. They called it the Liberty party and nominated a candidate for President. The Liberty men did not gain many votes. But they gained enough votes to make Clay's election impossible and Polk was chosen President.
[Sidenote: Texas admitted by joint resolution, 1845. McMaster, 325.]
332. Acquisition of Texas, 1845.--Tyler now pressed the admission of Texas upon Congress. The two houses passed a joint resolution. This resolution provided for the admission of Texas, and for the formation from the territory included in Texas of four states, in addition to the state of Texas, and with the consent of that state. Before Texas was actually admitted Tyler had ceased to be President. But Polk carried out his policy, and on July 4, 1845, Texas became one of the United States.
[Sidenote: Southern boundary of Texas.]
[Sidenote: Taylor on the Rio Grande.]
[Sidenote: War declared, 1846. Lowell in Source-Book, 271-276.]
333. Beginning of the Mexican War, 1846.--The Mexicans had never acknowledged the independence of Texas. They now protested against its admission to the United States. Disputes also arose as to the southern boundary of Texas. As no agreement could be reached on this point, President Polk ordered General Zachary Taylor to march to the Rio Grande and occupy the disputed territory. Taylor did as he was ordered, and the Mexicans attacked him. Polk reported these facts to Congress, and Congress authorized the President to push on the fighting on the ground that "war exists, and exists by the act of Mexico herself."
[Sidenote: The three parts of the Mexican War.]
[Sidenote: Taylor's campaign. McMaster, 326-327.]
[Sidenote: Battle of Buena Vista, 1847.]
334. Taylor's Campaigns.--The Mexican War easily divides itself into three parts: (1) Taylor's forward movement across the Rio Grande; (2) Scott's campaign, which ended in the capture of the City of Mexico; and (3) the seizure of California. Taylor's object was to maintain the line of the Rio Grande, then to advance into Mexico and injure the Mexicans as much as possible. The battles of Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma (May 8, 9, 1846) were fought before the actual declaration of war.
These victories made Taylor master of the Rio Grande. In September he crossed the Rio Grande. So far all had gone well. But in the winter many of Taylor's soldiers were withdrawn to take part in Scott's campaign. This seemed to be the Mexicans' time. They attacked Taylor with four times as many men as he had in his army. This battle was fought at Buena Vista, February, 1847. Taylor beat back the Mexicans with terrible slaughter. This was the last battle of Taylor's campaign.
<
br /> [Sidenote: Scott's campaign. Eggleston, 284-286; McMaster, 327-328.]
[Sidenote: He captures City of Mexico, 1847.]
335. Scott's Invasion of Mexico.--The plan of Scott's campaign was that he should land at Vera Cruz, march to the city of Mexico,--two hundred miles away,--capture that city, and force the Mexicans to make peace. Everything fell out precisely as it was planned. With the help of the navy Scott captured Vera Cruz. He had only about one-quarter as many men as the Mexicans. But he overthrew them at Cerro Gordo, where the road to the City of Mexico crosses the coast mountains (April, 1847).
With the greatest care and skill he pressed on and at length came within sight of the City of Mexico. The capital of the Mexican Republic stood in the midst of marshes, and could be reached only over narrow causeways which joined it to the solid land. August 20, 1847, Scott beat the Mexicans in three pitched battles, and on September 14 he entered the city with his army, now numbering only six thousand men fit for active service.
[Illustration: THE BEAR FLAG.]
[Sidenote: California.]
[Sidenote: The "Bear Republic," 1846.]
[Sidenote: California seized by American soldiers.]
336. Seizure of California.--California was the name given to the Mexican possessions on the Pacific coast north of Mexico itself. There were now many American settlers there, especially at Monterey. Hearing of the outbreak of the Mexican War, they Set up a republic of their own.
Their flag had a figure of a grizzly bear painted on it, and hence their republic is often spoken of as the Bear Republic. Commodore Stockton with a small fleet was on the Pacific coast. He and John C. Frémont assisted the Bear Republicans until soldiers under Colonel Kearney reached them from the United States by way of Santa Fé.
[Illustration: JOHN C. FRÉMONT.]
[Sidenote: Mexican cessions, 1848.]
[Sidenote: The Gadsden Purchase, 1853. McMaster, 334.]
337. Treaty of Peace, 1848.--The direct cause of the Mexican War was Mexico's unwillingness to give up Texas without a struggle. But the Mexicans had treated many Americans very unjustly and owed them large sums of money. A treaty of peace was made in 1848. Mexico agreed to abandon her claims to Texas, California, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, and Colorado. The United States agreed to withdraw its armies from Mexico, to pay Mexico fifteen million dollars, and to pay the claims of American citizens on Mexico. These claims proved to amount to three and one-half million dollars, In the end, therefore, the United States paid eighteen and one-half million dollars for this enormous and exceedingly valuable addition to its territory. When the time came to run the boundary line, the American and Mexican commissioners could not agree. So the United States paid ten million dollars more and received an additional strip of land between the Rio Grande and the Colorado rivers. This gave the United States its present southern boundary. This agreement was made in 1853 by James Gadsden for the United States, and the land bought is usually called the Gadsden Purchase.