People of the New Nation
Chapter 7
Life Changes Along the
Atlantic Seaboard
Lesson 1
Introduction
During the 1800’s many farmers in the
northeastern United States worked their
land by hand with the help of family
members. (think of why we have summers
off!!)
However, soon things would change: the
growth of the worldwide demand for wheat
and the invention of new farming tools.
I. Family Farms Become More
Profitable
A. The Wheat Boom
1. Population growth and wars in Europe such
as the Napoleonic wars, destroyed
Europe’s wheat fields.
2. Prices skyrocketed and the need for
imported wheat from U.S increased.
3. Farmers from the North and South planted
as much wheat as possible to take
advantage of the booming market.
4. Quickly the nation began to make farmland
of the old frontier.
B. Improved Farming Methods
1. Well into the 19th century farmers were
using the same methods they used for
100’s of years.
2. They used the scythe which was a
single-edged blade which could harvest
1 acre a day.
3. In 1830’s Cyrus McCormick created the
mechanical reaper which cut and tied
wheat twelve times faster than they had
with some traditional tools.
4. John Deere (company still exists today)
created the plow in 1837 which could slice
through hard, rocky soil, and turned it into
neat furrows.
5. Planting became more profitable and
farmers now had enough income to buy
luxury products such as soap, shoes,
pottery, and clothing.
6. The merchant class began to grow.
II. The American Economy Mature
Intro
Since the colonial times the American farms
had been mostly self-sufficient.
Everything they needed was homemade.
To these people their “work” was not a job
but essential aspects of life.
A. Home and Workplace Divide
A. With manufacturing goods being cheaper,
woman spent less time on household
items.
B. They took “outwork”
C. Better transportation helped men to own
shop, factories, and offices.
D. Men later became seen as separate from
the home.
E. Home became keepers of the safe and
harmonious home while men ruled the
public life.
B. Women Acquire New Status
1.
2.
3.
4.
Growth of a middle class.
Certain values.
“How to books”
Literature spread to the different groups
and was very popular with the working
class.
III. Port Cities Provide Economic
Opportunities
A. Cities began to grow as manufacturing
areas and harbors became center spots.
B. Traditionally goods were made by
craftsmen with years of experience. This
system broke down and factories were
built.
C. Less-skilled workers took the business
and craftsmen could not compete.
IV. Some African Americans
Experience Changes
Intro
Free blacks and African Americans who
were no longer enslaved were drawn to
Philadelphia, Boston, New York, and
Baltimore.
The population of free blacks increased but
it still was small compared to slaves.
A. No Rights for Slaves
1. Most African Americans were slaves and
legally were property with no more rights
than a cow or a horse.
2. A child’s status was inherited.
3. Freedom: only from the master.
4. Could not be legally marry, testify in
court.
5. No legal rights but still responsible for
laws broken.
B. Slow Steps Toward Freedom
1. Northern textiles could hire cheap
workers so slaves were less
economically important.
2. Most reformers lived in the North.
3. Rhode Island-1774 and Vermont-1777
prohibit slavery.
4. More states tried to outlaw slavery but it
was difficult to do.
C. African Americans Form
Communities
A. Organized groups such as the Boston
African Society and the Free African
Society in Philadelphia were formed.
B. Created their own schools.
C. Churches- African Methodist Episcopal
Church founded 1816 by Richard Allen
became a powerful rights and freedom
voice.
D. Social mobility was rigid-restrictions on
jobs.
The Trans-Appalachian
Frontier
Lesson 2
What is the Appalachian Frontier?
The area between the Appalachian
Mountains and the Mississippi River.
Stories of Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone
made the frontier seem “romantic.”
Daniel Boone became hero in James
Fenimore Cooper’s book The Leather
stocking Tales.
II. People Move Westward for
New Opportunities
A. Along the Frontier
1. Reports of conflict helped shaper the settlers
ideas of the frontier.
2. The westward movement changed America to
settled land.
3. In 25 years- over 2 million pioneers moved into
the frontier.
4. Most moved to find land and opportunity.
5. Many pioneers were also African Americans.
Southern planters took tens of thousands of
slaves to hack cotton.
B. Roads to the West
1. Travel was difficult. Few road that were
narrow, dusty, and incomplete.
2. Some roads were built by private
investors who required a toll every 6 to
10 miles.
3. Transportation also included canals and
rivers for cargo ships. In 1810 they were
slowly being replaced by steamships.
III. Pioneers Settle the West
The frontier did not remain
untamed for long. New land was
being cleared, housing being built,
and crops being planted.
A. Mapping and Planning Towns
1. New ways of surveying, the old way was
unclear and caused lawsuits.
2. The new ways of surveying suggested by
Thomas Jefferson allowed the fields to
be square with straight streets.
3. Townships with clearly set standards
could be created.
B. Building Schools and Churches
A. New institutions were founded such as
schools, churches, and social
organizations.
B. The merchant class grew.
C. The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 set
aside pieces of land for new townships
for public education.
D. The 3 r’s “reading, ‘riting, and ‘rithmetic.
E. Few teachers were available.
F. New churches grew slowly- “circuit riders’
who traveled from place to place.
G. Later with more people came the
congregations.
H. By the 1840’s the forests of the
Cherokee, Creek, Pawnee, and Kickapoo
were gone and were cities.
The Changing World of
American Indians
Lesson 3
With the arrival of the first Europeans few
Atlantic survived after war, starvation, and
disease.
The Shawnee, Delaware, Miami, and
Potawatomi formed a confederacy to keep
from being killed.
The group-led by Miami chief Little Turtle
was defeated and forced to cede their land
(present day Ohio) to the U.S.
I. Indian Territories Invaded by the
Push Westward
A. Hunger for land
1. The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 promised
security of Native land.
2. Each native group was seen as
independent as the govern negotiated with
each group.
3. Treaties were obtained through violence,
and fraud.
4. Treaty of Fort Wayne-1809 legally opened
the Northwest Territory for settlement.
B. Indian Resistance
1. War of 1812 was an opportunity to strike
against the settlers.
2. “Red Sticks” the Creeks were defeated
by General Andrew Jackson.
3. Shawnee chief Tecumseh sided with the
British and lost along with the Black
Hawk, Fox, and Sauk Indians.
II. Various Indian Responses
A. Cultural Revival
1. Tecumseh’s brother Tenskwatawa known
as the “Prophet” began a new religious
movement.
2. He rejected white ways and preached
revival of native ways known as
revitalization.
3. Many followed him but he lost his power
after his brother died in 1813.
B. Cultural Compromised
1. Cherokee recognized violence was not
the answer.
2. Favored cultural accommodation or
peaceful compromise with white society.
3. Some became rich plantation with
slaves.
4. Others became store and mill owners.
5. Taught in Christian schools.
6. Sequoya was a Cherokee silversmith
created an alphabet with 85 in English for
symbols of Cherokee language.
a. Easy system-could read in one week
b. Adopted English
c. By 1820’s est. written laws and a
democratic constitution.
d. This system lasted 40 years.
III. Defeat of the Cherokee
A. Cherokee hoped they could live
peacefully with the whites.
B. White settlers hungered for Cherokee
lands. Cotton production=need for land.
C. Cherokee fought- 1832 case in the
Supreme Court Worcester v. Georgia.
They Won!
D. Andrew Jackson say… who cares!
IV. The Trail of Tears
A. The Cherokee eventually gave into
harassment and signed a treaty giving up
all their land in 1835.
B. Many still began to resist. President Martin
Van Buren gave the order in 1838 to round
them up at gun point.
C. The U.S. Army moved over 15,000 Cherokee
west during the winter of 1838-1839.
D. More than 4,000 died despite orders to treat
them humanely and were not given
adequate clothing, shelter, or food.
Lesson 4
The Next Wave of Immigrants
Intro
During the 1850’s over 2.7 million emigrated
from European countries.
I. A New Generation of Europeans
Arrive
A. German
1. 1820’s- 50,000 emigrated or leave their
country forever to settle in another.
2. German intellectuals were tired of slow
political reform.
3. German townspeople could not compete
against Great Britain's’ factory system.
4. The Midwest and Great Plains offered
economic freedom.
B. The Irish
1. 1840-1850’s a plant disease struck the
Irish potato fields nearly wiping out the
whole potato crop.
2. 100’s of people died per month of
starvation and disease.
3. 1.5 million to the U.S.
4. Poor tenant farmers and unskilled
laborers.
C. The Immigrants Suffer En Route
1. Passage to the U.S. could last 3-4
months.
2. Hundreds of people were crowded
between decks and disease spread.
3. 20% died during the voyage.
4. Ships were known as “floating coffins”
and “plague ships.”
II. Immigrants Establish
Themselves in the New Country
1. Many Germans were skilled and came
with some money and were eager to buy
land.
2. Most Germans could achieve a secure
livelihood and had little trouble with
neighbors.
3. The Irish were penniless and unskilled.
Had to take whatever job they could find.
III. New Americans Perceived as a
Threat
1. Many native-born Americans accepted
immigrants and helped them adjust.
2. Others created a backlash of fear and
resentment.
3. Feared Irish would take their jobs.
4. Feared they could become a political
force.
A. Anti-Catholic Feelings
1.
2.
3.
4.
America-Protestant
Feared Irish-Catholic and tied to pope.
Thought Pope would get power in the U.S.
Mobs attacked Catholic churches and
schools.
5. This led to nativism-strong feelings against
immigrants.
6. New groups to control immigrants,
condemn immigrant cultures and glorify
their own culture.
7. The Native American (ha ha not the actual
natives of America) Association in 1837.
8. It grew into the Native American Party and
eventually united to be the Supreme Order
of the Star Spangled Banner in 1850.
9. Wanted to ban Catholic and aliens from
elected office, cut down immigration, and
limited voting rights.
B. The Know-Nothings
1. Members of the American Party were
called “Know-Nothings” because they
answered “I don’t know” when asked
about their policies.
2. Influenced elections but not strong in the
west.
3. Weak by 1850’s because of its hate and
secrecy.