Remember to respond to all four questions with at least a 4-5 sentence paragraph, each.
Question 1
“Jacksonian Democracy” describes a watershed change in American politics and political style in the 1820’s and 30’s, culminating in Jackson’s election as President to two terms. Central to this change was the rise in a demand for “universal manhood suffrage,” or the extension of the right to vote to ALL (white) males, regardless of their wealth or status.
How did this contrast with the vision of the founding fathers? What new types of individuals might rise to power in an America where ALL men can vote, not just the rich?
Why did the founders view this sort of democracy with skepticism? What were they afraid of happening if a Jacksonian-style Democracy became the norm in America?
Lastly – what are the pros and cons of this new style? Give me at least one of each. How, for example did it benefit or harm poor white men, minorities such as the Native Americans, or impact the issues that became central to the nation’s debates?
Question 2
Westward expansion is essential to the story of the United States, as the presence of this great frontier provided many benefits to the growing country. The initial expansions were into the former Louisiana Territory, willingly sold by Spain/France, but future expansion would be much more contentious.
Despite the benefits of expansion, one massive problem immediately reared its head – that of slavery.
What benefits did the new land provide for early America? How did the availability of cheap land benefit the people? What about its economy?
How was this new land a bit of a double edged sword – that is, what new problem arose with this American expansion? How was the issue of slavery to be dealt with in these new lands? Why did each expansion of new land precipitate yet another crisis? What were the competing goals of the free soil and slave power groups?
Question 3:
The antebellum (ante – before, bellum – war, so antebellum means “pre-war”) South was a primarily agrarian society, heavily centered around slavery and cotton production. Understanding its functioning, and its fundamental differences from the North, are essential in understanding why war broke out between the two.
WHY was the Southern economy so built around cotton production? How did this thus make slavery not just important, but essential for realizing the massive profits of this industry? That is, why was the idea of abolishing slavery so terrifying to the Southern economic interests?
What was life like for free black folks in the antebellum South? What led to most of them achieving freedom – and why was that freedom always tenuous and under threat?
Lastly, why was it so important for Southern states to expand slavery Westward as America expanded? What might happen if they failed to do so?
Question 4:
This chapter is primarily concerned with the new movements that arose in the lead up to the Civil War, particularly in the North, where economic and societal changes were much greater and more rapid.
What connection does the rapid changes in society – particularly industrialization, have with the rise of new religious movements? Why might these new movements attract more followers in this time of change and fear of conflict?
Next, what attempts were made by Northerners to address the evils of slavery? What advantage did colonization and abolitionism have, respectively, in trying to adress the issue? What connection did this rise in abolitionism have with the coming Civil War and opposition in the South?
Lastly, how did women compare their situation in society to that of the enslaved population? What truth was there to this comparison – and how did they attempt to address it?
Text Book- https://openstax.org/books/us-history/pages/1-introduction
