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| | == Review == | | == Review == |
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| − | After the North won the Civil War in 1865, the Republican Party claimed victory and blamed the Democratic Party for the war itself. From then until 1912, only one Democratic candidate for president was able to win a presidential election: Grover Cleveland, who won in 1884, then lost in 1888, and then won again in 1892. And he was a ''[[conservative]]'' Democrat from the traditionally Republican northern state of New York. The reason the Republican Party won so often was because it would be "waving the bloody shirt" every election, which means reminding voters of how the Democrats sided with the supposedly treasonous South in seceding and causing the Civil War. | + | After the North won the Civil War in 1865, the Republican Party claimed victory and blamed the Democratic Party for the war itself. From then until 1912, only one Democratic candidate for president was able to win a presidential election: Grover Cleveland, who won in 1884, then lost in 1888, and then won again in 1892. And he was a ''[[conservative]]'' Democrat from the traditionally Republican northern state of New York. The reason the Republican Party won so often was because it was "waving the bloody shirt" every election, which means it was reminding voters of how the Democrats sided with the supposedly treasonous South in seceding and causing the Civil War. |
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| − | Republican rule of the nation meant that free enterprise and big business were favored. There led to tremendous prosperity, and the nation grew into a world power in the second half of the 1800s. | + | Republican rule of the nation meant that free enterprise and big business were favored. This led to tremendous prosperity, and the nation grew into a world power in the second half of the 1800s. |
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| − | The United States also grew in area when the Secretary of State under Presidents Lincoln and Johnson, William Seward, agreed to purchase Alaska from Russia in 1867. Critics ridiculed this purchase as "Seward's Folly," describing the land as a mere "icebox". At the time, no one knew there was oil and gold there, or that Sarah Palin would be its future governor! | + | The United States also grew in size when the Secretary of State under Presidents Lincoln and Johnson, William Seward, agreed to purchase Alaska from Russia in 1867. Critics ridiculed this purchase as "Seward's Folly," describing the land as a mere "icebox". At the time, no one knew there was oil and gold there, or that Sarah Palin would be its future governor! |
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| | Russia needed money to pay for its defensive efforts at the time, as it felt threatened by the massive and growing British Empire. The purchase price was $7,200,000, which was only about 1.9¢ per acre. The Senate approved this deal nearly unanimously, but the House of Representatives delayed and was divided in authorizing the funding for it. The property became useful in World War II in fighting Japan, and during the Cold War in opposing the communist Soviet Union. As Governor Sarah Palin has pointed out, one can see Russia from Alaska. | | Russia needed money to pay for its defensive efforts at the time, as it felt threatened by the massive and growing British Empire. The purchase price was $7,200,000, which was only about 1.9¢ per acre. The Senate approved this deal nearly unanimously, but the House of Representatives delayed and was divided in authorizing the funding for it. The property became useful in World War II in fighting Japan, and during the Cold War in opposing the communist Soviet Union. As Governor Sarah Palin has pointed out, one can see Russia from Alaska. |