Political, Economic, Social, and
Geographical History
 Many students look at history as simply a collection of
facts, people, and events that are not very interwoven.
 History is in fact the study of these things, but it is also
the recognition that events do not happen alone and
only one at a time. Rather, they occur together, and
over time, this can have profound changes in our
history and the direction of society.
 When we are finished today you will be able to
categorize historical events into one of four basic
areas, thus allowing you to better understand the
motivation for events in history.
 POLITICAL: This area of history deals with the government
and its decisions and how they affect the people.
 ECONOMIC: This area of history deals with how we get the
things that we want and need to live our lives.
 SOCIAL: This area of history deals with the different
groups of people in society and how it affects our daily
lives.
 GEOGRAPHICAL: This area of history deals with the areas
of the physical world that are involved in historical events.
LAND  RESOURCES MONEY ($)  POWER
 We all know something about the revolution, but did
you know that there were many different ideas and
events that led to it.
 Issues such as taxes, laws, freedoms, problems with
money, and political leadership in the colonies all
helped fuel the ideas of the revolution.
 Lets use the Revolution as a model to better
understand the four main areas of historical study the
we will consider throughout the coming year.
 Political history means looking at events through the
perspective of government and its decision making.
 Examples are laws passed, the actions of leaders, and
other government responses to events happening in
society.
 The American Revolution had lots of political
connections from the colonists not being represented
to the type of government that would be created with a
successful revolution.
 Economic history means looking at how historical
events affected how people get the things that they
need and want to survive and live comfortably.
 Examples include workers, how laws affect business,
how innovation changes our lives, how our money
system works, and others.
 The American Revolution had many economic
elements. These include: taxation by the British, how
colonial business was hurt by laws, and how the
colonies were able to finance the fight for
independence.
 Social history means looking at history from the
perspective of how events changed the society and
groups within society.
 Examples include: How has our ethnic background
changed, and what groups and organizations
influenced history.
 The American Revolution has many social elements.
They include: The difference between Loyalists and
Patriots, the contributions of women in the war and
many others.
 This means looking at history from the viewpoint of
where events take place as well as how the land and
resources influence the direction of a nation.
 Examples include: Using maps to understand areas of
the nation, resources that come from different areas,
understanding how waterways influence society.
 The American Revolution has geographical elements
including: How did the distance from America to
England affect the war, what areas of the colonies saw
the heaviest fighting, and many others.
IMAGE #1
TECHNOCHTITLAN – AZTEC CAPITAL
(1325-1519)
GEOGRAPHY: Island capital – water systems were advanced –
Mexico City now stands there.
POLITICS: Class System
ECONOMICS: Market place trading
SOCIAL: Several Million People now in contact with Europeans
RELIGION: God Huitzilopochtli (God of War & a Sun God)
IMAGE #2
PRINTING PRESS (1440) – GUTENBERG
GEOGRAPHY: Info. Spreads throughout Europe then the rest of
the world
POLITICS: Protestant Reformation
ECONOMICS: supply and demand
SOCIAL: Mass consumption of info. - Greek & Roman Classics &
stimulated the Renaissance
RELIGION: Martin Luther’s 95 Theses – Protestant Reformation
IMAGE #3
TREATY OF TORDESILLAS (1494)
GEOGRAPHY: Splitting the resources of the world
POLITICS: Spain & Portugal
ECONOMICS: Rights to trading routes: Riches of new lands &
African trade
SOCIAL: contact of native Americans
RELIGION: supported by the Crown
IMAGE #4
NINA, PINTA, & SANTA MARIA
GEOGRAPHY: Spain: trans-Atlantic travel: new world
POLITICS: sailed for the Spanish Crown: he was promised to be
governor
ECONOMICS: riches that were to come
SOCIAL: engaging native Americans
RELIGION: spread of Christianity
IMAGE #5
SMALLPOX
GEOGRAPHY: North & Central America
POLITICS: “Biological Warfare” for westward expansion
ECONOMICS: NA
SOCIAL: Decimation of Native Americans
RELIGION: NA
The British forces at Fort Pitt (later to become Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) purposefully
gave smallpox-contaminated blankets and goods to Native Americans during the French
and Indian Wars (1754-1763) in an attempt to weaken the Native American resistance to
colonial expansion. Due to this and through natural spread, the epidemic that followed
killed half of the Native American population.
SOURCE: http://www.emedicinehealth.com/smallpox/article_em.htm
IMAGE #6
JOHN WINTHROP
GEOGRAPHY: Salem, Massachusetts (1628)
POLITICS: Governor of Massachusetts Bay Colony
ECONOMICS: Fishing & Trade
SOCIAL: family, devotion, education , & the Bible (“City Upon a
Hill”)
RELIGION: Puritans (“Purify the Church of England”)
IMAGE #7
BRADDOCK’S DEFEAT (July 9,1755)
GEOGRAPHY: The Monongahela River (Pittsburgh)
POLITICS: Battle over North America between the British & French
ECONOMICS: Debt of the war causes the British to levy heavy
taxes upon the colonists
SOCIAL: Pits culture vs. culture
RELIGION: NA
IMAGE #8
BOSTON MASSACRE
GEOGRAPHY: Boston, Massachusetts
POLITICS: Revolution
ECONOMICS: Taxation
SOCIAL: Patriots vs. Loyalists
RELIGION: NA
IMAGE #9
1ST CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION
(1787)
GEOGRAPHY: Independence Hall, Philadelphia
POLITICS: framing of the U.S. Constitution:
ECONOMICS: scrapped the Articles of Confederation (inability to
tax)
SOCIAL: a formal Joining of the 13 states
RELIGION: NA
IMAGE #10
RATIFICATION OF THE CONSTITUTION
GEOGRAPHY: 9 States joined
POLITICS: Congress of the Confederation succeeded by the U.S.
Congress: Virginia Plan & New Jersey Plan = Great Compromise
ECONOMICS: taxation & trade issues at stake
SOCIAL: nine of the thirteen original States ratify
RELIGION:1st Amendment
IMAGE #11
LEWIS & CLARK (1804-1806)
GEOGRAPHY: Louisiana Purchase
POLITICS: Thomas Jefferson commissioned
ECONOMICS: Funded by Congress
SOCIAL: Beginnings of further westward expansion
RELIGION: NA
IMAGE #12
FRANCIS SCOTT KEY (1779-1843)
GEOGRAPHY: Fort McHenry – Baltimore, MD
POLITICS: Second War for Independence – War of 1812 – “Mr.
Madison’s War”: Impressments of Sailors: British support of Native
Americans on the frontier
ECONOMICS: Embargo Act
SOCIAL: Star Spangled Banner (1814) – Becomes the National
Anthem in 1931
RELIGION: NA
IMAGE #13
ERIE CANAL (1808-1825)
GEOGRAPHY: New York: Links the east to the west
POLITICS: NY Governor – DeWitt Clinton
ECONOMICS: Vast change as a part of the transportation boom
and economic growth as a result
SOCIAL: Clinton’s Ditch
RELIGION: NA
Early Transportation Revolution
IMAGE #14
PRESIDENT ANDREW JACKSON (1828)
GEOGRAPHY: First Pres. West of the Appalachians
POLITICS: Democratic Party: Spoils system: Jacksonian
Democracy: National Political Conventions (1832)
ECONOMICS: Vetoed the Second Bank of the U.S.
SOCIAL: “common man’s president”: Trail of Tears
RELIGION: NA
IMAGE #15
COTTON GIN - ELI WHITNEY (1793)
GEOGRAPHY: Southern plantation life: Spread of slavery across
the south
POLITICS: Civil War
ECONOMICS: profitable to grow cotton
SOCIAL: demand for more slaves
RELIGION: NA
IMAGE #16
REVIVAL CAMP MEETING (1839)
GEOGRAPHY: New England, New York (Burned Over District),
Kentucky, Tennessee, Southern Ohio & The Frontier
POLITICS: reform movements – temperance, prison reform,
abolition, women’s suffrage, moral reform, public education &
philanthropic endeavors
ECONOMICS: NA
SOCIAL: huge gatherings of the religious & potential converts
RELIGION: Methodists & Baptists
IMAGE #16
UNDERGROUND RAILROAD
GEOGRAPHY: From the South all the way to Canada
POLITICS: Civil War: Fugitive Slave Act
ECONOMICS: Financial support from abolitionists in New York &
Boston: reward for Harriet Tubman’s capture was $40,000
SOCIAL: “Stations” & “Conductors”
RELIGION: NA
IMAGE #18
FREDERICK DOUGLASS (1818-1895)
GEOGRAPHY: Escaped from Baltimore, MD to New Bedford,
Massachusetts: Later fled to England
POLITICS: served as American minister to Haiti after
Reconstruction
ECONOMICS: bought his own freedom after he fled to England
SOCIAL: Abolitionist newspaper The North Star: Helped recruit
black troops
RELIGION: NA
IMAGE #19
SUSAN B. ANTHONY (1820-1906)
GEOGRAPHY: New York – Seneca Falls
POLITICS: National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA)(1869):
National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA)(18921900): NWSA promoted woman in politics (Victoria Woodhall –
1872)
ECONOMICS: NA
SOCIAL: History of Woman Suffrage (1881-1902)
RELIGION: NA
IMAGE #20
MANIFEST DESTINY
GEOGRAPHY: Atlantic to Pacific
POLITICS: Native American policies & Land grants
ECONOMICS: LAND→RESOURCES→$→POWER
SOCIAL: absorbing many indigenous people along with French &
Mexican
RELIGION: Divine Providence
IMAGE #21
THE ALAMO
GEOGRAPHY: Mexico: Located in the center of San Antonio,
Texas:
POLITICS: Texas War for Independence (1835-1836)
ECONOMICS: eventual expansion of slavery and the cotton
kingdom
SOCIAL: NA
RELIGION: Originally built as a Catholic mission
IMAGE #22
FUGITIVE SLAVE ACT
GEOGRAPHY: territories of Mexican War: District of Columbia &
California: Utah & New Mexico territories:
POLITICS: First in 1793: more strict provision in the Compromise
of 1850: Federal agents to arrest runaways anywhere in the U.S.:
Personal Liberty Laws
ECONOMICS: reward $ for captured slaves
SOCIAL: uprisings and riots: tension within states
RELIGION: NA
IMAGE #23
JOHN BROWN (1800-1859)
GEOGRAPHY: Pottawatomie, Kansas: Harpers Ferry, Virginia
POLITICS: Abolitionist
ECONOMICS: NA
SOCIAL: martyr to Northerners: Ralph Waldo Emerson’s “John
Brown’s Body” a popular Union Civil War song
RELIGION: “A man of burning religious faith.”