American History: 1812-1870

• The period between 1812 and 1870 in American history was marked by significant transformations, including territorial expansion, sectional conflict, and the reshaping of American society.

War of 1812

• The War of 1812 was fought between the United States and Great Britain from 1812 to 1815.
• Causes included British impressment of American sailors, restrictions on American trade, and British support for Native American resistance to westward expansion.
• Key events included the burning of Washington D.C. in 1814 and American victories at sea and at the Battle of New Orleans in 1815.
• The Treaty of Ghent ended the war, but also resolved the issues that led to the war.
• The war stimulated American manufacturing and nationalism.

Manifest Destiny

• Manifest Destiny was the belief that the United States was destined to expand across the North American continent.
• Fueled by economic opportunities, population growth, and a sense of cultural and racial superiority.
• Key events included the annexation of Texas in 1845, the Mexican-American War (1846-1848), and the acquisition of vast territories from Mexico in the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.
• Led to debates over the expansion of slavery into new territories, intensifying sectional tensions.

Civil War

• The Civil War (1861-1865) was fought between the United States (the Union) and the Confederate States of America.
• Secession of Southern states was primarily due to slavery and states' rights.
• Key events included the attack on Fort Sumter, the battles of Bull Run, Antietam, Gettysburg, and Vicksburg, and Sherman's March to the Sea.
• The Union victory preserved the United States as one nation and led to the abolition of slavery.
• Profoundly impacted American society, economy, and politics.

Abolition Movement

• The Abolition Movement sought the immediate end of slavery in the United States.
• Figures included Frederick Douglass, William Lloyd Garrison, Harriet Tubman, and Sojourner Truth.
• Strategies included moral suasion, political action, and assisting fugitive slaves through the Underground Railroad.
• The movement gained momentum in the mid-19th century, contributing to the growing divide between the North and the South.
• The Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 declared slaves free in Confederate-held territory.

Reconstruction Era

• The Reconstruction Era (1865-1877) was the period after the Civil War focused on rebuilding the South and reintegrating it into the Union.
• Key initiatives included the passage of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments, which abolished slavery, granted citizenship and equal protection under the law, and prohibited denying the right to vote based on race.
• Radical Republicans in Congress sought to protect the rights of African Americans and punish former Confederate leaders.
• Reconstruction faced resistance from white Southerners, including the rise of groups like the Ku Klux Klan; these groups used violence and intimidation to suppress black voters.
• The Compromise of 1877 led to the withdrawal of federal troops from the South, effectively ending Reconstruction and allowing white Democrats to regain control of state governments.
• Reconstruction's legacy is complex, with some progress made in advancing civil rights but also significant setbacks and persistent racial inequality.