The American Civil War
The Success of the “Great
Experiment”
Before 1861, the history of the United States
had been in many ways a remarkable
success story.
The small, predominantly English settlements
of the early seventeenth century expanded
rapidly, so much so that by the end of the
eighteenth century they had been able to
win independence from Britain
The United States, which in 1776
had controlled only a narrow strip
of land along the Atlantic
seaboard, expanded westwards.
In 1802–3, the United States
doubled in size when it purchased
the Louisiana territory from France
By 1860, the original 13 states had
increased to 33 and the nation
extended from the Atlantic to the
Pacific.
1620-1860..

By 1860, white Americans enjoyed a
better standard of living than any
other people on earth. Prosperity
and the rapidly expanding
economy attracted large-scale
immigration.

In 1860, the USA had a population
of 31 million people (slightly more
than Britain); 4 million were foreignborn
Pilgrim Fathers, in American colonial history, settlers of
Plymouth, Massachusetts, the first permanent colony in
New England (1620).
The Success of the “Great
Experiment”

The USA’s political system –
republican, federal and
democratic – was the pride of
most Americans and the envy
of most British and European
radicals.

By the mid-nineteenth
century, many Americans
considered themselves to be
the world’s most civilised and
fortunate people.
True or False?
Use your exercise book to vote
cover = false
inside = true
English settlements of the early seventeenth century expanded rapidly.
By the end of the eighteenth century they had been able to win
independence from Britain
In 1802–3, the United States tripled in size
The USA doubled in size as a result of buying the Louisiana territory from
Britain
By 1860, many white Americans enjoyed a better standard of living
Prosperity and the rapidly weakening economy attracted large-scale
immigration.
By 1860, the original 13 states had increased to 30
By 1860, The nation had expanded from the Atlantic to the Pacific
By the late 15th century, many Americans considered themselves to
be the world’s most civilised and fortunate people.
A republic is a form of government without a monarch
A federal government is when states combine to deal with home affairs
Ever since English colonists first settled in
Virginia and Massachusetts, the History of
America has been one of westward expansion
A vast
Spanish
empire
existed in
California!
Page 14
for map
During the early history of the
Republic, the North American
continent was the scene of colonial
competition between the USA and
several European powers
What impact did westward expansion have
on the USA?
Britain still controlled Canada
and the Oregon territory.
Russia
controlled
the Alaskan
Coast
France controlled vast lands of the
west of Mississippi
The foundations of the United
States 1776-1803

During the last quarter of the 18th century, 13 of Britain’s colonies in
North America rebelled against British rule.

In the course the rebellion, a major war occurred in which France,
Holland and Spain joined the American colonists in the fight against
Britain.

By 1783, the British had agreed to American independence.

From the war with Britain until the beginning of the 19th century, the
newly independent colonies laid the foundations of the United
States.

Initially colonies were formed into a loose confederation.

In 1787, in Philadelphia, the US Constitution was drawn up. It was
ratified by 9 states by 1788.

In 1791, all 13 colonies had agreed to the Constitution – which has
stood the test of time. It forms the foundation stone of the US
political system.

The subsequent history of the United States is inextricably linked to
the interpretation of what was decided in Philadelphia in the
summer of 1787
Task
Page 14
1)How did the United States begin to expand
West?
2) Western Expansion was seen as a God
given right to the American’s. Give some
examples of ways they achieved this but at a
cost…
Bought
Louisiana
off France
in 1803
Task
Based on what we have learned today,
make up a 10 question quiz and quiz your
partner.
Highlight
the sentences
which linkthe
to the vote?
following factors:
Why did
women
want
Economic
Social
Political
Challenge: Can you think of any other reasons to add to why women
wanted the vote

The move westward also had a major impact on the East. With every
new admission of a state to the Union, the issue on whether is should
be a free or slave state had to be addressed.

Women have to obey laws equally with men and they should be able
to have a say in how the law is made.

Women have to pay taxes and so should be able to vote

If women had the vote they could improve their lives by being able
to vote for members of Parliament who would change their situation.

All the most important and highest paid jobs have been denied to
women.

It was important that women were treated as equals to men.
Starter… guess the causes of the American Civil War.
Click on each image to find out more.
Sectionalism
By 1860 America the North and South were very different places. They had different outlooks, landscapes, economies and different values. Even
some Southerners disagreed with slavery but felt strongly that Northerners and the Federal Government did not have the right to interfere with how
their state was run. The North feared that the country was being led by influential Southerners in Congress and the Supreme Court
Guess where each of the images below belongs, North or South, then click on the images to reveal the answer.
Union
Confederacy
State’s
Rights
before
Federal
States’ Rights
Republicans
Hunting
Industrial
Agrarian
Railroad
Westward Expansion
There had been an uneasy truce between the North and South before
1820. In the seats of government ( the Senate ) power was finely
balanced between Free States and Slave States. This ensured that
neither section held more power than the other. Westward expansion
would threaten this balance of power. Manifest destiny and the call to
‘Go West Young Man’ was heard, settlers went west. As new territory
opened up it had to be decided if it would be ‘free’ or ‘slave’.
The 1854 Kansas Nebraska Act would crank up tensions and push the
United States closer to civil war.
1820
1850
1854
1854
Missouri Compromise
Compromise
Kansas – Nebraska Act
‘Bleeding Kansas’
Missouri formed as a
slave state but made
slavery illegal in the North.
California enters as a free state.
Fugitive slave law says escaped
slaves found in the North must be
returned to the South.
These new territories to decide
if free or slave based on
popular sovereignty – voted
by those who settled there.
‘Pro slavers’ and ‘Free Soilers’
rushed in to settle Kansas. Led
to widespread violence and
murder in this ‘proxy war’.
Undid 1820 Compromise.
The Secession
Following his election in 1860, President Abraham Lincoln tried to reassure the South that he
had no plans to abolish slavery. This reassurance was not enough. South Carolina had a
history of threatening to break away from the United States – but it was still a surprise when
they voted in favour to secession. South Carolina called for other slave states to join them.
Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas did.
On April 12, the Confederates opened fire on the Federal garrison at Fort Sumter. War had
begun. Lincoln called for volunteers to put down the Southern rebellion. Virginia, Arkansas,
North Carolina and Tennessee, believing that Lincoln had acted beyond his presidential
power then joined the Confederacy.
November 6th 1869
Lincoln Elected As President
Dec 20th , 1860
South Caroline Secedes
April 12th, 1861
Confederates Attack Fort Sumter
Southerners see this as a
Northern attack on their way
of life.
Six other states soon join South
Carolina in breaking away from
the USA. President Lincoln refuses
to accept they have the right to
secede.
The war has begun and battle
lines drawn. States decide which
side they will fight for. A few stay
out at first.
The 1860 Election
Abraham Lincoln was not expected to win the presidential election of 1860. However, the Democrat Party split and opted to field
two candidates, one in the North and one in the South. This decision effectively handed the presidency to Lincoln. Lincoln was
openly against the expansion of slavery but said he would not interfere with it where it already existed. Southerners saw Lincoln’s
victory as a direct attack on slavery from the North.
Many important southern Democrats actually wanted their party
to lose. It was an excuse for them to leave the Union. And they
believed that secession would be peaceful. One Fire-Eater [ proslavery extremist ] once said, "You could slap a Yankee and he'll
sue you, but he won't fight back," and that was their assumption.
So actually, on election night when news arrived to Charleston
that Lincoln had won, there were celebrations, fireworks
and bonfires.
www.usanew.com
The Abolitionists
William
Garrison
A journalist who edited the
anti-slavery newspaper
‘The Liberator’
‘I will not retreat a single inch AND I WILL
BE HEARD’
Harriet
Tubman
Born into slavery and badly beaten
Harriet escaped from slavery –
before returning many times to
help dozens more escape to
freedom.
“If you hear the dogs, keep going. If you
see the torches in the woods, If you want
a taste of freedom, keep going.”
Frederick
Douglass
Escaped from slavery before
devoting his life to giving eloquent
speeches and writing powerful
accounts against the evils of
slavery.
“I prayed for freedom for twenty years,
but received no answer until I prayed with
my legs”
John
Brown
He tried to raise an army to free
slaves in Virginia. He was executed
for treason after leading 21 others
on a raid to capture weapons
from the government.
I have only a short time to live, only one
death to die, and I will die fighting for this
cause’.
Abolitionists were people
who actively worked to put
an end (abolish) slavery.
Abolitionists took many forms
; Northerners, Southerners,
male, female, white and
black. They used various
methods to help bring an end
to slavery from political
speeches, helping slaves
escape, writing books and
even with armed force. The
growth and influence of the
abolitionist movement
infuriated pro-slavers and led
to raised tensions.