Unit 2
The USA in the 19th
Century: Westward
Expansionism and Civil
War 1803-c.1890
Key Topics
1.
Westward Expansion; causes and
consequences
2.
Native Americans
3.
The growth of social tensions 1850-1861
4.
The Civil War
Exam basics
• The exam is 1 hour
• You will answer two
questions but you get
to pick which two.
• Short essay: 10 marks
• Long essay: 20 marks
Westward
expansionism
A number of factors influenced the
move west.
1. How important was the role of the
federal government in opening up
the West?
2. How important were economic
factors in opening up the West?
3. Were push or pull factors more
important in westwards expansion?
4. How great an impact did westward
expansionism have on the USA?
Background and Context:
Map 1800 vs 1889
• https://www.
youtube.com/
watch?v=Hu
FR5XBYLfU
Background and Context p.113
Europeans in North America
The territories
The government of the USA
•
•
•
•
Old colonies became states – kept their own local
govt and were quite independent.
Federal govt = the govt of the states as a whole
Leader of Federal govt was the President (elected
every 4 years).
States have different number of representatives
dependant on their population.
Society
Economic life
Slavery
Politics
Federalists – strong govt which should support trade,
banking and economic enterprise
Repblicans – saw cities, trade and finance as less
moral