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| | Our nation’s capital was located in marshy land now known as the District of Columbia as a compromise. Our capital was initially in New York City, but then Hamilton brokered a compromise with Jefferson whereby the capital would move to Philadelphia in 1791 for ten years, and then in D.C. starting in 1800. In exchange, Hamilton was able to have the federal government assume the war debt. So Washington suppressed the Whiskey Rebellion by riding from Philadelphia, as a student suggested last week. | | Our nation’s capital was located in marshy land now known as the District of Columbia as a compromise. Our capital was initially in New York City, but then Hamilton brokered a compromise with Jefferson whereby the capital would move to Philadelphia in 1791 for ten years, and then in D.C. starting in 1800. In exchange, Hamilton was able to have the federal government assume the war debt. So Washington suppressed the Whiskey Rebellion by riding from Philadelphia, as a student suggested last week. |
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| − | Much of history is a combination of wars and compromises. | + | Much of history is a combination of wars and compromises. Let's focus next on the period from 1800 to 1840. |
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| | == Revolution of 1800 == | | == Revolution of 1800 == |
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| | == The Conservative President: James Monroe == | | == The Conservative President: James Monroe == |
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| − | The next president after Madison was [[James Monroe]], who was elected in 1816. He was the most [[conservative]] of the early presidents. He so opposed federal power that he had even opposed the ratification of the Constitution! He promulgated the “Monroe Doctrine” which said that the European and American systems were fundamentally different, and thus Europe should not colonize America anymore or even interfere in our Hemisphere. To this day presidents continue to cite the Monroe Doctrine whenever a European country tries to do something over here. | + | The most conservative president of the 19th century (1800s) was [[James Madison]], who was elected in 1816 (after James Madison finished his two terms). Monroe was so opposed to federal power that he had even opposed the ratification of the Constitution as an "Anti-Federalist. But that was decades earlier, and he became in many respects one of the best presidents in history. |
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| − | The “Era of Good Feelings” overtook our country under Monroe’s conservative leadership. Roads and canals were built. The economy prospered. He vetoed the Cumberland Road Bill and the House rejected most spending bills on internal projects. The U.S. Senate was split evenly: 11 free states and 11 slave states (Delaware and Kentucky were slave states). A dispute over slavery in new states was peacefully resolved by the Missouri Compromise: admit one free state (Maine) to balance one new slave state (Missouri), and ban slavery above a certain latitude (36 degrees, 30 minutes) in the new Louisiana Territory.
| + | His accomplishments were numerous and continue to shape our nation to this day, although he does not always receive the credit he observes. Often students are asked about key achievements that happened under Monroe's leadership, but without mentioning his name. |
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| | + | In 1819, the Adams-Onis Treaty completed the annexation of Florida to the United States, and also added property north of the southern border of current Oregon (which we now call the "Northwest"). |
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| | + | In 1820, the immensely successful "Missouri Compromise" resolved for a while bitter disputes about whether slavery would be permitted in new territories, and whether to admit new states. The "Compromise" was between the North and the South, neither of whom wanted to give up power by adding a state friendly to the other side. The Senate was evenly balanced at this time, and adding just one new state on one side would tip the balance in its favor. There were 11 free states and 11 slave states (Delaware and Kentucky were slave states). |
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| | + | So the Missouri Compromise added Maine as a free state (which would side with the North), and Missouri as a slave state (which would side with the South until the Civil War). The other new states to be added from the Louisiana Purchase (once they had enough population) would be free: slavery was banned by this Compromise above the latitude of 36 degrees, 30 minutes. |
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| | + | The most lasting contribution of James Monroe was his "Monroe Doctrine" in 1823, which stated that Europe should stop colonizing America because its political and economic systems are different. In fact, Monroe stated that Europe should not interfere in the Western Hemisphere at all. To this day presidents continue to cite the Monroe Doctrine whenever a European country tries to do something over here. |
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| | + | America was immensely prosperous under Monroe's conservative leadership. The "Era of Good Feelings" overtook our country. Roads and canals were built. The economy blossomed. Monroe vetoed the Cumberland Road Bill (calling for more government-built roads) and the House rejected most spending bills on internal projects. |
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| | == The "Corrupt Bargain" == | | == The "Corrupt Bargain" == |
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| | After Monroe served two terms and retired just like Washington, a bitter race for president developed. Jackson started his own Democratic Party and ran against John Quincy Adams of Massachusetts, the son of John Adams. Other candidates, such as Henry Clay of Kentucky, also ran. Jackson won more votes than Adams but not enough to become president, so the election went into the House of Representatives. There Clay struck a bargain with Adams, whereby Clay persuaded Congressmen to vote for Adams and Adams made Clay his Secretary of State. Jackson (“Old Hickory”) supporters criticized this as the “corrupt bargain” and Jackson crushed Adams four years later. | | After Monroe served two terms and retired just like Washington, a bitter race for president developed. Jackson started his own Democratic Party and ran against John Quincy Adams of Massachusetts, the son of John Adams. Other candidates, such as Henry Clay of Kentucky, also ran. Jackson won more votes than Adams but not enough to become president, so the election went into the House of Representatives. There Clay struck a bargain with Adams, whereby Clay persuaded Congressmen to vote for Adams and Adams made Clay his Secretary of State. Jackson (“Old Hickory”) supporters criticized this as the “corrupt bargain” and Jackson crushed Adams four years later. |
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| | Texas got $10 million in exchange for relinquishing its claim to the land, money that Texas used to pay off its debt to Mexico. New territories of New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada and Utah would be organized based on the views of their inhabitants whether to allow slavery. The slave trade would be abolished in D.C. California would be admitted as a free state. | | Texas got $10 million in exchange for relinquishing its claim to the land, money that Texas used to pay off its debt to Mexico. New territories of New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada and Utah would be organized based on the views of their inhabitants whether to allow slavery. The slave trade would be abolished in D.C. California would be admitted as a free state. |
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| − | But slavery would continue to be allowed in D.C., and the dreadful Fugitive Slave Act was passed.
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| | + | == Slavery 1800-1840 == |
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| | + | <mention abolition of the importation of slaves in 1808>. |
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| | + | Tallmadge Amendment 1820: rejected by Senate; it would have outlawed further slave importation into Missouri and freed older ones |
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| | + | <reference Missouri Compromise as discussed above> |
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| | + | The Compromise of 1850 allowed slavery to continue in D.C. The dreadful Fugitive Slave Act was passed to appease the Southern slave-owners in D.C. and throughout the South. |
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| | The Fugitive Slave Act required Americans to assist in the recovery of fugitive slaves and denied them the right to a jury trial. This caused 20,000 blacks to flee to Canada. Even free blacks were reportedly captured and sent to be slaves in the South. The abolitionists redoubled their efforts, through use of the Underground Railroad, the resolution of the Compromise of 1850 proved to be only temporary. | | The Fugitive Slave Act required Americans to assist in the recovery of fugitive slaves and denied them the right to a jury trial. This caused 20,000 blacks to flee to Canada. Even free blacks were reportedly captured and sent to be slaves in the South. The abolitionists redoubled their efforts, through use of the Underground Railroad, the resolution of the Compromise of 1850 proved to be only temporary. |
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| | [[Category:History]] | | [[Category:History]] |