Readings: Cherokee Removal (chaps. 3-5)
Clark, (chap.5)
Points of Entry:
Panic of 1837
Manifest Destiny -
U.S.-Mexican War -
The Alamo -
Antebellum Period -
Questions for discussion:
How did westward expansion shape the increasing divide between North and South?
How were the southern and northern economies linked?
Was there a national culture that brought together North and South?
Westward expansion divided the North and South on economic lines. As new territories were partitioned into states, preexisting northern and southern states competed on whether or no the state should be established as a free or slave state. The North and South wanted to have as many states with their own economic models so as to secure the longevity of their economies in the future. Having more slave states would empower slave supporters in the southern states. Having free states would empower support for slave-free economies.
ReplyDeleteThe northern economy was becoming increasingly focused towards manufacturing, whereas the southern economy became increasingly agrarian. The North provided southerners with finished goods in exchange for foodstuffs and cotton. It should be noted that the North produced more wheat than the South did, meaning that the South was slightly more dependent on the North and the North was on the South. This is shown in how Europe sided with the North during the Civil War, since European markets depended more upon northern wheat than southern cotton. Basically, the southern economy was partially subordinate to the northern economy.
There cannot be said to be a single unifying culture between all regions or peoples of America. America is a melting pot nation comprising a plethora of different people. However, to this day, one of the most encompassing characteristics amongst Americans is Christianity. Christians comprise 80% of all Americans, and this figure was considerably higher before the removal of ethnic and religious segregation and disenfranchisement. However, the North and South used Christianity to achieve different ends. The South used the Bible to argue in favor of a racially hierarchical society and the establishment of slavery, whereas the North used Biblical arguments to campaign against slavery. Also, the antebellum period was a time when the economy was characterized largely by farming and agriculture, although the North began to industrialize.
Westward expansion was one of the many things that was wedging an even deeper divide between the North and the South. The main focus on everyone's thoughts were about expansion versus consolidation. Budding political parties also started the emerge, which took a side, which then created power through congress. The fact was that, the North catered to their needs of consolidation, and building up from within, while the South wanted to expand into the west for more land, and to claim more power to slave states. Both sides were fighting for more control and what they thought was the best for the country. The two sides would never see eye to eye because they both had their best interests on hand, which conflict with the others needs. Westward expansion was fuel to the fire, of already conflicting ideas.
ReplyDeleteThe North and South are very connected when it came to the economy. The south provided the raw materials for the North to produce, which in turn generated money. The idea of cities in the North and farms in the South shows conflicting ways of production, that worked together to build the economy. Because the US was an over-land distributor, commerce was created between the two regions. Although the idea of what the economy should be was different in both regions, it is important to know that they both worked to fund America.
At this point in time I feel that there was no definite American culture that truly united the country. However there are many ideas that were being constructed at this time, that would later reflect American culture. At this time the North and South were at opposite ends of the spectrum when it came to many topics: Westward Expansion, Slavery, the national economy etc... The regions, because they were so different, had a different culture all to themselves. Yet all Americans always seemed to agree that no matter what, we fight to get what we want, because we can have it all. It is the American Dream. Yet this idea did not seem to unify them, as much as seek their own benefit through it. I also want to add, that racism, although thought about in different ways was an idea that both sides had in common.
I do believe that the westward expansion increased the divide between the north and south on with each side of the country vying for more and more representation in congress thus increasing the desire for more land and a greater population base.
ReplyDeleteI believe the southern and northern colonies were linked in the way the South was known for its raw materials and agricultural base such as with cotton and indigo and tobacco that were shipped up the Mississippi river to the Northern states to be processed and made ready for human consumption and use.
I believe there was a certain National Culture if you call it that brought the country together I think for the most part this was Manifest Destiny or the expansion of America and bringing the continent under a joint American control but sadly the forces of slavery was more powerful.
Westward Expansion divided the North and South even more than they already were. States from both parts of the country wanted to expand their territories and for the United States to acquire new States; however, they competed against each other to achieve this. The North wanted the new territories to enter the union as free states, but the South wanted them to enter as slave states. A lot of conflict emerged from this because depending on how a new State entered the union it gave a bigger vote either to the South or the North. Each region of the country wanted the new territories to vote with them because they would have a bigger say in the governmnet.
ReplyDeleteThe Southern and Northern economies, even though different, they were interconnected. The South throve on an agrarian economy, while the North throve on a mercantile economy. The North sold manufactured goods needed in the South and the South supplied the North with the raw materials they needed for their factories.
The Northern and Southern regions of the United States differed greatly. They valued and cherished different ideals and values. There were some things that they held in common, like Christianity, white superiority, the English language, and a few other things. But there differences outnumbered their commonalities.
Although there was already division prior to westward expansion, the north and south became even more divided as more and more settlers began moving into the West. This is because as people began expanding so did their economies. The South wanted to expand their slave economies while the North promoted more individual-do-it-yourself style life styles. As more settlers began to migrate more states began to form. This was the problem for the United States. If a new state formed a decision needed to be made on whether or not it was a slave state. More slave states would tip the government to the South's favor and the North did not want this to happen.
ReplyDeleteAlthough it may not appear that the North and South's economies were linked due to their opposing views on slavery, the two were intertwined. The South extracted raw materials and sold them to the North and other countries. The North would takes these raw materials and manufacture goods that would be sold back to the South and other parts of the world. Both economies fueled the production of the United States and allowed it to continue to grow and become a world power.
It is hard to find a national culture that brought together both the North and the South. These two areas of the United States differed so greatly on a large number of ideals. Despite this, there maybe one outstanding idea that brought both sides together, this was the idea of the American dream and the support in the United States beginnings. The American Dream was a motivating force that made people in both the South and North keep pushing strive for more. The belief in the foundations created a common enemy for both sides-oppression. In addition to these capitalism also was apart of a national culture.
Westward Expansion shaped the division between north and south in a number of ways. The North and South focused on different ideas for their future which caused many issues, the main issue being slavery. The south, as a result of their plantations, needed slavery to keep their economy booming while the North did not put their reliance for success on them. As for the future, the South wanted more slave states to continue their successful businesses growing crops on their plantations. The North on the other hand were not so aware of slavery in the South, so there was not a need for it in the expansion to the west.
ReplyDeleteAlthough there were many differences between one another, the northern and southern economies needed one another for survival. The South focused their success on crops and agriculture, as compared to the North which focused their attention on production and manufacturing. The North needed the southern economy and exports in order to produce their own exports and make a profit. The North prepared their exports for availability to all, so in turn the South often used northern exports for easy access and help in their agriculture.
Not a lot of factors bring together the North and the South. In a sense, their national Culture could consist of the need and desire for expansion, but those similarities run short when detailed are surfaced. The ideas for northern expansion were much more “big city” and mass manufacturing, as compared to the southern ideals which were independent farmers working under their own conditions towards one stable export. I do not believe there was much of a National Culture.
Westward expansion shaped the increasing divide between North and South due to the increasing amounts of settlers moving towards the West. The economies expanded and while the South wanted to keep slavery thriving, the North disapproved of such a lifestyle. More and more states began to form and these states had to decide whether or not they wanted to be a slave state. This very much influenced the government.
ReplyDeleteThe Southern and Northern economies were linked in that the South produced the raw materials, which they sold to the North and other countries and the North produced goods from these raw materials and also created ideas that were sent back to the South and to other countries.
It is difficult to find a national culture that brought together North and South. If anything, probably the idea of the “American Dream” was the one thing that brought them together. Both the North and the South greatly depended on the idea of the “American Dream” since it fueled the economy.