Crash Course

On Edmodo - watch Crash Course #13 and #14. 

Madison's War Message

Read and SOAPstone - Madison's War Message to Congress.

Think about what reasons for going to war with Britain is missing.

Source 

Who wrote the document?  

What is the author’s background/point of view?  

Whose point of view, given the topic, is 
missing?  

Do you consider the source a reliable one on this topic?  Why/why not? 

Occasion  

When was the document written?  

What does the date of the document tell you about its content? 

What other historical events were going on during this time? 

Audience  

To whom is the author writing?  

What type of document is this (diary entry, personal letter, public speech, 
etc.)?    

Does the private/public nature of the document inform you about its content 
(is the author sharing private thoughts, making a public pronouncement, 
etc.)? 

Purpose 
Why was the document written?  What is the purpose of the document?  

What is the document saying?  

Tone

What is the attitude of the speaker?

People from the period

character sketches

Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826)

Jefferson was, after Washington and Franklin, the most celebrated of the Founding Fathers, and the one who most completely combined intellectual genius in many fields with practical political skill.

         In his youth Jefferson was a lighthearted socialite, horseman, and violinist, but he became more serious and philosophical after an unhappy love affair, and especially after the death of his young wife in 1782.

         A poor public speaker, Jefferson nevertheless excelled at legislative and political work behind the scenes. His literary skill led Franklin, Adams, and the other members of the drafting committee to assign him to write the Declaration of Independence. His original version included an attack on slavery, but this was removed.

         Soft-spoken and informal in manner, Jefferson liked to receive visitors at Monticello or the White House in slippers and casual clothes and drape himself across furniture as he spoke. The charge that he fathered children by one of his slaves, Sally Hemings, grew out of contemporary rumors and was published by a hostile journalist in 1802. Although Jefferson’s paternity was accepted as fact within the black Hemings clan, Jefferson’s admirers contended over the years that Jefferson’s nephew was the father. In the late 1990s, DNA tests of Jefferson’s acknowledged white descendants and descendants of Hemings confirmed the very high likelihood that Jefferson did have a liaison with Hemings. On his tombstone Jefferson listed his three great achievements as being the author of the Declaration of Independence and the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom and the founder of the University of Virginia.

Quote: “A government regulating itself by what is just and wise for the many, uninfluenced by the local and selfish interests of the few who direct their affairs, has not been seen, perhaps, on earth. . . . Still, I believe it does exist here in a greater degree than anywhere else, and for its growth and continuance I offer sincere prayers.” (Letter to John Adams, 1813)

reference: Noble Cunningham, In Pursuit of Reason: The Life of Thomas Jefferson (1987); Joseph Ellis, American Sphinx: The Character of Thomas Jefferson (1997).

Meriwether Lewis (1774–1809)

Lewis was Jefferson’s private secretary and leader of the expedition that explored the Louisiana Purchase territory.

         He grew up as Jefferson’s neighbor and friend. As Jefferson’s presidential secretary, he supervised White House social life as well as official correspondence.

         Jefferson and Lewis had planned an expedition to the west coast even before the Louisiana Purchase. William Clark was the geographer and manager of the expedition, while the better-educated Lewis carried out the scientific and cultural side of the mission. On the return trip from Oregon, Lewis was accidentally wounded by one his men, who mistook him for a deer.

         Shortly after being made governor of Louisiana, Lewis was shot to death in a remote Tennessee inn. Some people claimed he was murdered, but Jefferson said Lewis was subject to frequent bouts of depression and believed he had committed suicide.

Quote: “We were now about to penetrate a country at least two thousand miles in width, on which the foot of civilized man has not trodden; the good or evil it had in store for us was an experiment yet to determine.…Entertaining, as I do, the most confident hope of succeeding in a voyage which has formed a project of mine for the last ten years, I could but esteem this moment of departure as among the most happy of my life.” (Journal, Fort Mandan, 1805)

reference: Stephen Ambrose, Undaunted Courage (1996).

Sacajawea (1787?–1812?)

Sacajawea was the Shoshone Indian who served as translator and negotiator on the Lewis and Clark expedition.

         The daughter of a chief, she was married, along with another Indian woman, to Toussaint Charbonneau, a French-Canadian voyageur who lived with the Indians. Charbonneau became an interpreter for Lewis and Clark at Fort Mandan in Dakota, and Sacajawea joined the expedition even though she had given birth two months before to a son, John Baptiste.

         Contrary to legend, Sacajawea did little guiding, but she did translate. When the expedition reached her own people along the Snake River, she was overjoyed and learned that her brother had become chief.

         Clark became attached to her son and offered to raise him. After initially refusing, she and Charbonneau joined Clark in St. Louis, left their son with him, and returned to Dakota.

         Controversy surrounds whether Sacajawea died shortly thereafter at Fort Mandan or lived to old age on the Wind River reservation in Wyoming. Because she was taken up as a heroine by American suffragists, there are more monuments to her than to any other American woman.

reference: Ella Clark and Margot Edmonds, Sacajawea of the Lewis and Clark Expedition (1979).

Henry Clay (1777–1852)

Clay was a Kentucky congressman and senator who, along with Webster and Calhoun, dominated congressional politics in the early nineteenth century. Beginning his career as a spokesman for the new West, he spent most of it as a Border State moderate trying to mediate between North and South.

         Clay moved from Virginia to Lexington, Kentucky, in 1797 and became the state’s most renowned criminal lawyer. Although initially sympathetic to Aaron Burr’s schemes, he was eventually convinced by Jefferson of Burr’s treasonous intentions.

         Eloquent and impetuous, Clay displayed a hot western temper. His lifelong feud with Jackson began when he criticized Jackson’s invasion of Florida in 1819. He maneuvered during his whole political life for the presidency but never attained it. His statement “I would rather be right than be President” can be taken with a grain of salt, since he frequently modified positions for political advantage, notably in the presidential campaign of 1844.

         Like other westerners of the time, he loved horse racing, cards, liquor, and dueling—though he finally gave up the last practice.

Quote: “An honorable cause is attainable by an efficient war.…In such a cause, with the aid of Providence, we must come out crowned with success. But if we fail, let us fail like men, lash ourselves to our gallant tars, and expire together in one common struggle, fighting for Free Trade and Seamen’s Rights.” (Congressional speech, 1811)

reference: Robert Remini, Henry Clay: Statesman for the Union (1991).

Tecumseh (1768–1813)

Tecumseh was a Shawnee warrior who organized a major Indian confederacy against the United States just before the War of 1812.

         His father, a Shawnee chief, was killed in battle with whites in 1774. Between 1805 and 1810 Tecumseh worked to organize his own people and also became well known among the Potawatomies and Kickapoos in Ohio and Indiana.

         He was at first subordinate to his brother Tenskwatawa—commonly called the Prophet—a Shawnee shaman, or medicine man, who preached a revival of traditional Indian religion. In 1810–1811 Tecumseh expanded his influence across the whole Northwest, persuading each of the tribes not to sell land to whites without the consent of all.

         Ignoring Tecumseh’s advice, his brother launched a premature battle against General Harrison at Tippecanoe and was killed. Tecumseh and his remaining warriors joined the British side in the War of 1812, but Tecumseh, too, was killed at the battle of the Thames, ending the last Indian attempt at a united front against white advance.

Quote: “The Great Spirit…gave this great island to his red children. He placed the whites on the other side of the big water. They were not content with their own, but came to take ours from us. They have driven us from the sea to the lakes. We can go no farther. They have taken upon themselves to say this tract belongs to the Miami, this to the Delawares, and so on. But the Great Spirit intended it to be the common property of all the tribes, nor can it be sold without the consent of all.” (Speech, 1810)

Work over break and for 12/1 and 12/2

Finish chapter 11 on Friday, answer the study questions.

Read chapter 12 over break (questions will be posted later).

Read and outline pages 141-196 of Don't Know Much About History

Chapter 11

What problems faced John Adams and the Federalists in the election of 1800? 

Describe the beliefs of the Jeffersonian Democratic-Republicans? 

How did Thomas Jefferson win the state of New York in the election of 1800? 

In what part of the country did Thomas Jefferson receive the bulk of his support in the election of 1800?

Who ultimately chose Thomas Jefferson for president in the 1800 election?

What was remarkable in Thomas Jefferson's “Revolution of 1800”? 

Explain Thomas Jefferson’s mission as president, “In his eyes”: 

Describe what happened to the unity within the Democratic-Republican party after Thomas Jefferson's election as president in 1800:

Why did Jefferson hate the excise tax? 

How did Jefferson deal with the major Federalist economic programs after he became president?

Why were Jefferson and his followers so opposed to John Adams's last-minute appointments of new federal judges?  

What is most significant about Jefferson's failed attempt to impeach and convict Supreme Court Justice Samuel Chase for “high crimes and misdemeanors”? 

Why was Thomas Jefferson distrustful of large standing armies?

Why led the Pasha of Tripoli to declare war on the United States?

Arrange these events in chronological order: (A) Louisiana Purchase, (B) Chesapeake incident, (C) Burr's trial for treason, (D) Embargo Act. 

Explain the dilemma that president Jefferson faced in his attempt to resolve the New Orleans problem:

What prompted Napoleon to sell Louisiana to the United States? 

Explain the successes achieved from the Lewis and Clark expedition?   

How did Thomas Jefferson respond to British and French seizure of our ships and impressment?

 What was the result of Jefferson's embargo? President James Madison made a major foreign-policy mistake when he:

What was Tecumseh’s position regarding white encroachment?

What was James Madison’s main reason for a return for war in his decision to engage Britain in 1812? 

Once begun, what part of the country (the United States) was most supportive of the war of 1812? 

Unit 4: 1800-1848

Unit 4: 1800-1848 – The American Pageant chapters 11-17; Don’t Know Much About History pages 141-195.  A People's History of The United States  pages 103-170.

Content: Definition of democratic practices; expansion of the vote; market revolution; Louisiana Purchase, War of 1812, territorial and demographic growth; two-party system; Andrew Jackson; and role of the federal government in slavery and the economy.

Activities:

History Log – notes and short answers on reading assignments.

Primary Sources Analysis: Letter to Mercy Otis Warren, Monroe Doctrine, The Nullification Proclamation, Self Reliance, Jackson’s First Message to Congress, Jackson’s Veto of the Bank, John O’Sullivan on Manifest Destiny, William B. Travis Letter from the Alamo, contrasting illustrations of the “Trail of Tears”, James Madison’s War Message. 

Students will complete a concept map on the following four Marshall Court Decisions: Marbury V. Madison; Mcculloch V. Maryland; Dartmouth College V. Woodward; Gibbons V. Ogden. 

Viewpoints: Looking at various sources students will decide whether the War of 1812 was the 2^nd War for Independence or a War for Territory.

Six Degrees of Separation: From Jefferson to the Reform Era.

Students will reflect on Seneca Falls – in what ways was it a consequence of pre-1848 reform activities and what did it contribute to the movement for women’s rights afterward?  Students will write an essay that makes an argument in response to this question.

During this unit students will discuss possible answers to the following essential questions:

Identity: How did debates over American democratic culture and the proximity of many different cultures living in close contact affect changing definitions of national identity?

Work, Exchange, and Technology: How did the growth of mass manufacturing in the rapidly urbanizing North affect definitions of and relationships between workers, and those for whom they worked?  How did the continuing dominance of agriculture and the slave system affect southern social, political, and economic life?

Peopling: How did the continued movement of individuals and groups into, out of, and within the United States shape the development of new communities and the evolution of old communities?

Politics and Power: How did the growth of ideas of mass democracy, including such concerns as expanding suffrage, public education, abolitionism, and care for the needy affect political life and discourse?

America in the World: How did the United States use diplomatic and economic means to project its power in the western hemisphere?  How did foreign governments and individuals describe and react to the new America Nation?

Environment and Geography: How did environmental and geographic factors affect the development of sectional economics and identities?

Ideas, Beliefs, and Cultures: How did the idea of democratization shape and reflect American arts, literature, ideals, and culture?

Study Questions chapter 10

APTER 10:  LAUNCHING THE NEW SHIP OF STATE: 1789—1800

Growing Pains

Know:    Trans-Appalachia

19.        Did America appear to have a bright future in 1789?  Explain.

Washington for President

Know:    George Washington, Cabinet, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, Henry Knox

20.        Was Washington an important president?  Explain.

The Bill of Rights

Know:    James Madison, Ninth Amendment, Tenth Amendment, Judiciary Act, John Jay

21.        What important steps were taken by the first congress?

Hamilton Revives the Corpse of Public Credit

Know:    Funding at Par, Assumption of State Debts

22.        How did Alexander Hamilton's economic plans lead to the District of Columbia?

Customs Duties and Excise Taxes

Know:    Revenue Tariffs, Protective Tariffs, Excise Taxes

23.        Explain Hamilton's overall economic plan for America.

Hamilton Battles Jefferson for a Bank

Know:    Bank of the United States, Strict Construction, Loose Construction, Elastic Clause

24.        How did the issue of the Bank of the United States reveal a difference in understanding about the Constitution between Jefferson and Hamilton?

Mutinous Moonshiners in Pennsylvania

Know:    Whiskey Rebellion   

25.        Was the Whiskey Rebellion a victory for freedom, order, or both?  Explain.

           

The Emergence of Political Parties

Know:    Factions, Parties

26.        Why did political parties develop during George Washington's presidency?  Were they good or bad?

The Impact of the French Revolution

Know:    Democratic-Republicans, Federalists, French Revolution, Reign of Terror
27.        In what way did the French Revolution expose the differing views of Democratic-Republicans and     Federalists?

Washington's Neutrality Proclamation

Know:    Franco-American Alliance, Neutrality Proclamation, Citizen Genet
28.        Explain the reasoning for and against Washington's Neutrality Proclamation.

Embroilments with Britain

Know:    Anthony Wayne, Battle of Fallen Timbers, Treaty of Greenville
29.        How did British actions towards Native Americans and American merchant ships incite many Americans?

Jay's Treaty and Washington's Farewell

Know:    Jay's Treaty, Farewell Address

30.        Did John Jay betray American interests in Jay's Treaty.

John Adams Becomes President

Know:    John Adams, High Federalists

31.        What handicaps did John Adams face as he became president?

Unofficial Fighting with France

Know:    John Marshall, XYZ Affair, "Millions for Defense, but Not One Cent for Tribute

32.        What French actions brought America close to war in the closing years of the 18th century?

Adams Puts Patriotism above Party

Know:    Napoleon Bonaparte, Convention of 1800

33.             How did avoiding war with France hurt John Adams' political career?

The Federalist Witch Hunt

Know:    Alien Laws, Sedition Act

34.        Explain the reasons for the passage of the Alien and Sedition Acts.

The Virginia (Madison) and Kentucky (Jefferson) Resolutions

Know:    Compact Theory, Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions, Nullification

35.        Which was more dangerous to the US Constitution: the Alien and Sedition Acts or the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions?  Explain.

Federalists versus Democratic-Republicans

36.        What were some key differences between Federalists and Democratic Republicans?