Chapter 8
Religious Changes

Revival—emotional meeting designed to
awaken faith. Became very popular during
the 1800s.
 Numerous different denominations (Baptist,
Methodists)
 More African Americans turned to
Christianity
Life Changes

Transcendentalism—led by Ralph Waldo
Emerson, philosophical and literary movement
that focused on living a simple life.
 Henry David Thoreau—another famous
transcendentalist, stressed ideas of optimism,
freedom, and celebrating nature.
 Civil Disobedience—Not following laws that you
think are not fair (became much more popular)
Nursing and Education
Changes

Dorothea Dix—famous nurse that was influential
in changing the conditions in mental hospitals and
prisons. She was more concerned with
rehabilitation.
 Education was way more important in the North.
Horace Mann became the first national leader in
education. Eventually, all states passed laws
forcing kids to go to school.
Slavery Changes

Abolition-outlaw of slavery. This was
becoming more and more popular within
the North.
 William Lloyd Garrison—main supporter of
freeing the slaves (Emancipation).
 People in the South became very upset at
the people who wanted to end slavery.
Slavery Changes

Fredrick Douglas—Black man who lived in the
North, very outspoken about ending slavery.
 By 1830’s, there were 2 millions slaves living in
America (most born here).
 Clear division between the different types of
slavery (rural vs. city).
 Nat Turner—started a slave rebellion in Virginia.
Killed around 60 white men before being captured
and hanged. Made white people very afraid
Women’s Rights Changes




In the early 1800s, women began to fight for equal rights.
Cult of Domesticity—belief that women should only be
focused on housework and family.
It wasn’t until the 1830’s that women had a chance to get
any sort of education past the elementary level.
Women’s rights convention was held in Seneca Falls, NY.
Stanton and Mott (leaders) cam up with a list of demands
that women had…helped get some things accomplished.
Other Changes

Temperance Movement—Alcohol was very
popular during the 1800s. Many people
were concerned, this caused them to try to
prohibit drinking.
 Sojourner Truth—Black lady that supported
abolition and women’s rights. Gave them a
voice.
Industrial Changes

Cottage Industry—economic system where
manufacturers provided the materials for goods to
be produced at home. During the 1830’s, there
were more and more factories producing goods at
a higher rate.
 Got rid of the master/apprentice system…it also
caused a need of more and more unskilled workers
(immigrants). Women also began to work more
and more in the mills/factories (didn’t have to pay
as much)
Conditions

Conditions at a lot of these places was real bad
because there were no laws to regulate them.
 Long hours, no fresh air, no light.
 Many workers went on strike—quit their jobs until
conditions improved.
 Also caused more workers to form unions (groups
that would fight for the right of workers)
Immigrants

The number of European immigrants rose
dramatically.
 Most of the new immigrants were from Germany
and Ireland.
 Irish tended to live in cities, Germans tended to
move to rural areas (Midwest).
 Irish moved to America because of the potato
famine. A lot of opposition to them because they
were Catholic and poor.
Expanding Markets/Moving West
Economic Changes

Specialization—raising one or two crops
that they would be able to sell. Farmers
began to do this more and more.
 Market Revolution—when people began to
buy and sell goods instead of making them
for their own use. This caused the nations
economy to grow substantially.
Economic Changes cont..

Capitalism—economic principle where
private business and individuals control the
means of production while trying to make a
profit. This is what the US economy is
based on.
 Entrepreneurs—people that risked their own
money to create a new business or industry
Inventions




Charles Goodyear—
Invented vulcanized
rubber
Elias Howe—Sewing
Machine
Samuel Morse—
Telegraph
All improved economic
and daily life
National Transportation

Railroads became the most efficient and
safe way for goods and people to travel.
 Our country was starting to become more
dependent on other parts of the country for
goods and services.
Farming

People began to move to the Midwest
because of the available/good farm land.
 John Deere—steel plow
 Cyrus McCormick—mechanical reaper
 Both inventions made life much more
easier for farmers…also made farming more
profitable.
Manifest Destiny

Manifest Destiny—belief that the United
States’ destiny was to expand to the Pacific
Ocean (into Mexican Territory)
 People wanted to move west for the land,
money, and trade.
 There were many conflicts that went along
with this thought.
Blackhawk War



Settlers in Western Illinois
wanted to kick the Fox
Indians out of Illinois and
into Iowa,
Chief Blackhawk led a
rebellion against the
Illinois militia.
He was eventually caught
and killed, many the Fox
were forced into Iowa.
Ft. Laramie Treaty

Gave Native Americans some land if they
promised to leave the white people alone.
 Were allowed to live in places east of the
Rocky Mountains. These were places that
no white person really wanted to live in
anyways.
 Start of the Reservation System
Santa Fe Trail



Went from Independence
Missouri to Santa Fe New
Mexico.
People worked together
and were able to trade
with Mexicans.
Allowed us to learn a lot
about the American
Southwest.
Oregon Trail

Independence,
Missouri to Portland,
Oregon.
 Long and dangerous
trip that killed many
people.
 Lots of people wanted
to live in the American
Northwest
Mormons

Joseph Smith—Founder of the Mormons
 Mormons—Religious group (Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter Day Saints)
 Brigham Young—decided to move the Mormons
to Salt Lake City, Utah. This was a place where
they could worship what they wanted without
being persecuted.
 Had spent time in Nauvoo Illinois before moving
west.
Mormons
Mexican Independence

Mexico became independent from Spain in 1821.
 This led to a significant increase in the amount of
trade between Mexico and America.
 Mexicans could not control all the land they
had….they encourage Americans to move into
Texas. (Americans would hopefully help them
control the land)
Texas

Stephen Austin—established the first American
settlement in Texas. Encouraged more Americans
to move there.
 This increase in Americans led to increased
tensions between Americans and the Mexican
government.
 Santa Anna—Mexican President and general.
Became very upset when Austin asked for Texas
to be independent.
Independence

Texans started to rebel against Mexico after Santa
Anna took all of their power away.
 Alamo—187 Texans were killed (Davy Crocket,
Jim Bowie). It was a major battle because the
Texans were able to hold off the Mexican Army
for a long time. (Inspiration)
 Sam Houston—Texan general that defeated Santa
Anna . This caused Texas to be an independent
country called the Lone Star Republic.
Texas
Texas and the USA

Texas wanted to become a state right away
in 1836. Many people in the North were
against this because Texas would have
slaves.
 Eventually in 1845, James Polk annexed
Texas (Let the become part of America)
 This made Mexico really upset
Mexico vs USA

James Polk (president) was more concerned with
expansion then peace with Mexico.
 He thought that winning a war vs. Mexico might
give the United States New Mexico and
California.
 Polk told his best general (Zachary Taylor) to
blockade the Rio Grande River (between
Texas/Mexico). Polk hoped this would cause
Mexico to attack the US (which they did).
Mexican-American War

Many Northerners (Lincoln) saw how Polk
had baited the Mexicans into war.
 People in the South loved the idea of the
war because it would give them more land
to expand slavery….people in the North
hated it for the same reason.
Mexican-American War

Stephen Kearny—took troops in New Mexico and
California. Easily able to win both of those lands
because the people there wanted to be part of
America.
 The US had great generals fighting in Mexico
(Robert E Lee, Ulysses S Grant, Winfield Scott
and Zachary Taylor)
 The US won almost every battle, they used
different strategies (amphibious)
Surrender
September 14th, 1847, Zachary Taylor and his
troops captured Mexico City.
 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo—Mexico agreed to
the Rio Grande River as the border with Texas.
Mexico also gave up its claim to New Mexico and
California.
 Gadsden Purchase—US bought additional land
South of New Mexico, formed the current
boundary.

Post-War

Zachary Taylor was elected President in
1848.
 Also in 1848, James Marshall discovered
gold in California. Thousands of people
moved to California in hopes of finding
gold.
Gold Rush

Those people that moved to California were called
the Forty-Niners.
 San Francisco became the center of the gold rush.
Population increased by 35,000 in 2 years.
 Many Chinese and African Americans moved to
California to look for gold.
 California had over 100,000 people by 1850. It
applied to become a state without going through
the process and was successful (controversy)