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Changes in Demographics, Economics, and Culture after the War of 1812. 1815-1860. Changes in Demographics 1815-1860. Change #1—More people Population of the US began to grow rapidly Many new states, 1790-13 states, 1860-33 states Change #2—Where people lived
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Changes in Demographics, Economics, and Culture after the War of 1812 1815-1860
Changes in Demographics 1815-1860 • Change #1—More people • Population of the US began to grow rapidly • Many new states, 1790-13 states, 1860-33 states • Change #2—Where people lived • Americans began to move west in large numbers • More and more Americans (but not all and not even most) began to move to cities rather than farms • Change #3—New types of people began to move to the US • New waves of immigration during the 1830’s through 1850’s (and beyond)
Change #3: New Types of People—The New Immigrants • Beginning in the 1830s, 1840s number of immigrants began to increase dramatically • Immigrants began to come from new countries “New Immigrants” Ireland and Germany • What’s significant about the new immigrants? • New countries Ireland and Germany—not just England anymore • New religions—especially Roman Catholicism • What’s the problem with Catholicism? • Large number of immigrants—large number of poor immigrants
Increased Immigration: The New Immigrants (Irish and German)
Irish Immigration • Push and pull factors for immigrants • Push • Potato famine • Poverty in Ireland • Religious and political oppression by the British • Pull • Economic opportunity in the US • Religious tolerance • Areas of settlement for the Irish: Northeastern cities, why?
German Immigration • Push • Religious intolerance in German states • Economic problems • Warfare and forced military service • Pull • Religious tolerance and economic opportunity in US • Not all German immigrants were Catholic (about half) • German immigrants tended to be wealthier (left more for pull reasons than push) • Areas of German settlement: More dispersed, throughout the Northern US (modern Midwest especially)
Anti-immigrant Reaction • Native-born Americans (Native Americans or Nativists) resented new immigrants, why? • Competition • New cultures/ethnicities • New religions • Know-Nothing Party, American Party • Two minor political parties that emerged during the mid 1800’s that were opposed to immigration and Catholicism
Impact of Demographic Changes on Politics • Impact of Increased Population • More people = harder to find land in the East (more crowded) • More people = less personal contact/influence over elected politicians • Impact of Westward Movement • Out West = lots of cheap land, poor people can get land, poor people can now do WHAT? • Impact of immigration • Population increased, but especially in Northeastern cities • What does this do to the political power of the North? (number of votes for President and in Congress that the North would get compared to the South) • Immigrants and other poor people living in cities don’t own land, which means they can’t do WHAT unless the rules change?
Changes in Economics • Change #1: The South becomes tied to cotton production and slavery even more than it was before • Cotton gin • Plantation system (rural) • Agricultural • Slave labor • Change #2: The North becomes increasingly industrialized • Factories located in cities close to workers and potential customers (urban) • Industrialized • Wage laborers • Change #3: The whole country moved from farmers growing enough food to survive to growing food/making other stuff to sell for money • Subsistence economymarket economy • Impact of these changes, why is this important? • North and South began to increasingly want different things • Farmers and merchants and factory owners wanted different things
Changes in Culture: The 2nd Great Awakening • 2nd Great Awakening=major religious revival in the US • During the 1820’s, 1830’s, and 1840’s • Religion before the 2nd Great Awakening • Religion was becoming less and less important to most people • Religion was very cerebral and boring • Religion after the 2nd Great Awakening • Very important to many/most people • Religion became emotional and exciting • New religions created: Mormons, Seventh Day Adventists, etc. • Why is this important? • 2nd Great Awakening got people thinking about issues of right and wrong, led to efforts to reform problems with US politics and society
Effects of the 2nd Great Awakening: Reform Movements • Examples: • Temperance—ban alcohol • State funded public schools—Horace Mann • Prison reform • Mental health reform—Dorothea Dix • Women’s rights • Seneca Falls Declaration 1848 • Utopian Communities—create ideal self-sufficient communities • Make US politics more democratic • Abolition of slavery
Politics After the War of 1812: From Era of Good Feelings to Era of Jackson 1814-1840
Era of Good Feelings 1814-1824 • Name given to the period of time after the war of 1812 • Presidents=James Madison 1814-1816, James Monroe 1816-1824 • Only one political party=Republicans • Entire country very nationalistic • Nationalism • Most throughout the country people agreed on the major issues • Domestic Policy: American System—tariffs, internal improvements, new National Bank • Judiciary—a broad interpretation of the Constitution • Foreign policy—very aggressive attitude toward foreign countries • Example: US took over Florida (1819), Monroe Doctrine 1823 • President—Monroe received every electoral vote except one in 1820 election
Changing Times: Era of Good Feelings Come to an End • Sectionalism • Idea that the country is NOT one united whole but 3 separate parts (sections) • North, South, West • Each section competed with the other on a range of issues (slavery, tariffs, the bank, internal improvements, size of federal govt.) • Slavery and the Missouri Compromise 1820 • Example of an early conflict over slavery that divided the country • Election of 1824 (Corrupt Bargain) • No political parties 4 candidates ran all “Republicans” • No one got a majority of the electoral votes (who gets to decide?) • Jackson won the popular vote and electoral vote but lost the election • John Quincy Adams won the election
Changing Times: The End of The Era of Good Feelings (Cont.) • Bad feelings over the election of 1824 led to a split in the Republican party • Jackson and his supporters—Democratic Republicans • South, West • Poorer people • Farmers • Rural areas • Adams and his supporters—National Republicans • New England, Northeast • Middle class/wealthier people • Merchants, factory owners • Urban areas • Eventually these two factions would become two new political parties: Democrats and Whigs
Big Changes to Voting: Increased Democracy • Voting and Elections Before the 1820’s • White males only • Needed to own property (land) or have a certain amount of wealth • Poor people, and even some middle class/wealthy people couldn’t vote • State legislatures chose the electors for the electoral college NOT the voters • Political parties chose their candidates through the caucus system (small group of party leaders chose candidates, NOT the party members) • How Voting and Elections Changed • White males only (still) • Property and wealth requirements were dropped in almost all states • Who could now vote who couldn’t before? • Voters elected electors to the electoral college NOT the state legislatures • Political parties chose their candidates through the convention system (party members elected delegates who went to a convention and debated/voted on who their candidates should be)
Age of Jackson • Election of 1828 • Jackson’s supporters eager to get revenge for the election of 1824 • Changes in who could vote meant more poor voters • Jackson won easily • Jackson re-elected in 1832 as well • Major Issues of the Jackson Presidency • Spoils System • Tariff Controversy • Bank Debate • Indian Removal
Issues with Jackson: Looking Closer • Spoils System • Was it a democratic way to rotate ordinary people into the government • Or, was it a corrupt system of using federal jobs to bribe Jackson’s political supporters? • Tariff Controversy • Nullification—idea that if a state thinks a federal law violates the Constitution the state can invalidate or nullify that law in its borders, thoughts? • Secession—states chose to join the Constitution in the 1780’s could they choose to leave it too? • Indian Removal • Indians took their case to the Supreme Court (Worcester v. Georgia) Supreme Court agreed with the Indians, Jackson ignored the Supreme Court and removed the Indians anyway, thoughts? • Bank Debate • Jackson and his poor supporters from the West and South hated the bank and wanted it gone, they got rid of the bank, but that caused a nation-wide economic depression that lasted 4 years 1836-1840
Elections of 1836 and 1840 • Election of 1836 • Martin Van Buren (Old Kinderhook) Jackson’s old VP, Democrat • Whigs chose multiple candidates • Van Buren won • Election of 1840 • Van Buren – Democrat • William Henry Harrison – Whig • Harrison = the Whig version of Jackson, from the West, former war hero, etc. • Hard Cider and Log Cabin Campaign • Lots of slogans and hoopla (Tippecanoe and Tyler too!) not a lot of substance • Harrison won easily • Harrison sworn in March 1841, got sick died April 1841 • Tyler became President
Jacksonian Era Recap • What had changed in terms of voting and elections • Who could vote? • How did Presidential elections change? • How did choosing candidates change? • How did the number of parties change? • Why did these changes happen? • People moving west . . . • Immigration . . . • Industrialization . . . • Sectionalism . . . • Election of 1824 . . . • Jackson’s personality . . .