The development of political parties changed American identity and how Americans….
The election of 1800 was the first one with political parties, which were the Federalists and Democratic-Republicans. In the 1820s, the two-party system of the Jacksonian Democrats and the Whigs emerged. During this time, slavery debates increased as Whigs were pro-slavery and Jefferson wanted to end slavery. These new parties changed American identity due to the new ideas emerging from the parties. In 1820, the Missouri Compromise was passed in which states above Missouri would be free, except Maine. This compromise is significant because it somewhat balanced slave and free states in America, and put an end of the slavery debate for a while. Southerners also tended to vote for candidates who were pro-slavery because they wanted slavery to continue. In 1830, a system was created to take Native American territory west of the Mississippi River, known as the Indian Removal Act. Later in 1831, Nat Turner led a slave rebellion which scared many Southerners so they began to enforce stricter laws regarding slavery. In 1836, a strict rule was passed in congress, called the gag rule, which prohibited people from reading appeals that advocated for slavery to end. The Gag Rule changed American identity because citizens who were against slavery were not allowed to advocate against it, which gave pro-slavery citizens higher power in politics. All of these events changed American identity due to new political parties, slavery debates, and the Indian Removal Act.
New changes in technology, manufacturing, and trade dramatically transformed the American economy, creating new changes in American identities. The Market Revolution occurred from the 1800s to the 1840s and created new inventions and increased slavery in the South. The invention of the steamboat helped Americans to travel up and down rivers which increased trade in the north and south. The invention of railroads during the Market Revolution was a new and faster form of transportation. The cotton gin invented by Eli Whitney caused cotton to become the primary revenue for the South. The market revolution changed American identity because of new technology and inventions. Cotton was highly competitive for farmers due to its high demand. The Cotton Revolution during the 1820s also increased the demand for slavery due to farmers using the cheap labor of enslaved Africans to work in fields. The Black Belt, which is a region in Alabama and Mississippi, were cotton plantations that relied on slave labor. Due to the Cotton Revolution, the price of land went up and cotton became a highly competitive crop. Additionally, social status was mostly related to cotton production and the middle class increased in the South. A decade later, Americans gained land from Native Americans due to the Indian Removal Act of 1830. Because of the new land, the American population grew, and with that new religions were created. The Second Great Awakening was a movement going on throughout this time period which involved the creation of numerous reform movements, such as mental health, prisons, the abolition of slavery, and women’s rights. Due to the production of cotton, new innovations in technology, the increase of new land, and slavery, American economies grew.
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Foreign policy in America changed American identities due to new land, trade and business with other countries, and war. In 1803, America purchased territory from France known as the Louisiana Purchase. Due to the new territory, America nearly doubled in size which was beneficial for agriculture. The Embargo Act of 1807 prohibited American ships from trading in foreign ports and this weakened America’s economy. Two years later the Non-intercourse Act of 1809 was created to stop damaging the economy by allowing American trade and business with other countries. British impressment during 1812 involved the British boarding ships and stealing goods from American ships overseas. This infuriated Americans, which later led to the War of 1812 in which America goes to war with Britain again. Americans attempted to invade Canada during this war but did not succeed. Then in 1819, the Adams-Onis treaty was signed and America buys Florida from Spain. A few years later during Monroe’s presidency in 1823, John Quincy Adams wrote the Monroe Doctrine, in which he outlines that America no longer tolerates European colonization in their land.
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