Manifest Destiny
America Looks West (& Up)
Not East
Trying to get something done
around here is like . . .
Three Branches of Federal Government
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Executive/”Commander-in-Chief”
 Applies & enforces laws, has veto power
 Appoints judges
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Legislative/Senators & Representatives
 Passes laws, can override veto
 Declares war (?)
 Powers of confirmation & impeachment
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Judicial
 Interprets law, Constitution
Which branch is most powerful?
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Marbury vs. Madison (1803)
Separation of powers a check on ambition
Constitution for the Rich?
Permits slavery and, until 1808, slave trade
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Slaves, in effect, to count as “silent voters” for
southern states
Voting rights left up to states’ definition
No democracy, no “power to the people”?
Federal government reserves power & rights
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Only groups recognized are states & individuals –
no church, parties, cities or other associations
No way for states or individuals to override federal
decisions except through long judicial process
Depends too much on enforcement rather than
persuasion?
OK, OK, you can have a “Bill
of [individual] Rights”
Granted as amendments, not in
“established & ordained” body of
Constitution
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Can be overturned
Worded in general terms
Ideology more “American”?
Framers’ Assumptions
Rights based in social/political existence, not
in individual life – whose argument is that?
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Large is better; small is weaker and less just
BUT people feel closer to small, local community?
Government necessary to preserve Union
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Regulation of interstate & foreign commerce
 Anti-feds distrusted foreign commerce; preferred austere
self-government to affluent dependence on intl. trade
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War not regulated – President & Congress free
Unequal people allowed to co-exist
Class differences not reflected (unlike Britain)
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Nor are geographical differences
“Interest-Based Government”
National identity based on two bottom lines
of individual (private) existence
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Commerce – money, well-being (whose?)
War – safety, emotional ties to warriors
NOT on loyalty to “laws”? Or to “land”?
What if total of private interests do not add
up to national interest?
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Most 19th c. Americans willing to tolerate slavery?
Full shelves vs. child labor in Asia, future war
What if store shelves turn up empty?
Jefferson the Federalist?
Louisiana Purchase (1803)
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Jefferson wants more land for farmers BUT
Assures that federal government will create most
of the states (a dozen more to start) AND
Precipitates sectional crisis of slavery extension
Along with Constitution, does this “federal
statehood” help create “American” identity?
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Civil War – 40% of military fights for “the colors”
(North) even if they come from Southern states
1957 – Arkansas National Guard enforces
segregation in Little Rock; nationalized 24 hours
later, enforces desegregation – NO QUESTION
Are Americans primarily divided by political or
by sectional differences?
War of 1812
Both sides half-hearted
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Burning institutions
Further creates feeling
of US nationality
(heroes! anthems!
campaign slogans!)
BUT New York, New
England merchants
freely sell supplies to
British troops
Finally settles territorial
disputes with Britain
Gives US more
international respect
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Monroe Doctrine (1823)
Further wipes out
Indian tribes on
western frontier
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Tecumseh & “the
Prophet”
Erstwhile British allies
Another Peaceful Revolution
Federalists (Adams, Madison, Adams)
replaced by Jacksonian Democracy
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“King Andrew” (1828-1836)
First “non-elitist” president, from West
War hero, Indian fighter, slaveowner, land
speculator
States given freer hand by executive
Voting rights extended to poorer whites
Vetoes Bank of United States
Ignores judiciary
Encourages removal or slaughter of Creeks, Seminoles,
Cherokee et al. (Indian Removal Act of 1830)
 Jackson & allies prosper
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“Organization of American Space”
US defines itself by (westward) expansion
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“Let us bind the republic . . . with roads and canals . . . let
us conquer space” – Rep. John Calhoun, 1816
New territories organized in rectangles
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Defined in effect as “real estate”
No attention to distinctive ecological, cultural
features – land is squared off “blank slate”
Speculators reap huge profits, at expense of
infrastructure
Conflicting visions inscribed on this “empty space”
 Thomas Cole, “Daniel Boone at His Cabin”(1826)
 Small independent farmers? Market for manufactures?
 Huge cotton & tobacco farms based on slavery? Cities?
Metaphysical Space?
Aggressive imperialism justified by unofficial
doctrine of “Manifest Destiny”
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“the continent allotted by Providence”
Innate belief in American superiority
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“spreading republican values”
 The “blessings of industry”
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Capitalism on the heels of agrarianism
 Technological orderliness vs. Indian mysticism
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Missionary/crusader zeal
 Despite Deism, Protestantism vs. Catholics & heathens
 American space as “white space”
Missouri Compromise (1820)
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Political & economic borders
“American Progress” John Gast (1872)