Fourth Quarter in Review
The American Saga:
Expansion, Destruction and Rebirth
In the backdrop of industrialization in America, 1828 found America a new president~ Andrew Jackson. Jackson grew up in a time of revolution, the American Revolution. He was a true American who believed firmly in the power of the people and that true government power lies with the people. Jackson first ran for president in 1824 winning the majority of the popular vote. However, his rival, John Quincy Adams it is said to have "stolen" the presidency through a corrupt bargain setting the stage for Jackson's win in 1828.
Although the Jackson presidency was marked with scandal from his Kitchen Cabinet of advisors and with vetoing more bills than any of his predecessors, he is considered one of America's first "citizen-presidents". He was the ultimate representation of the common man. However, history would not know him to be so gracious to our Native American brothers & sisters. Using the Indian Removal Act of 1830, he supported Georgia's expulsion of the natives from their homeland to reservations in the west thereby sending 15,000 Cherokees onto the "Trail of Tears". During Jackson's presidency two main issues were at the forefront: our country's desire for expansion (manifest destiny) and sectional differences (sectionalism). These two ideologies would set the stage for major conflicts in the coming decades.
Manifest Destiny ~ a phrase used by leaders and politicians in the 1840s to explain continental expansion by the United States – revitalized a sense of "mission" or national destiny for Americans. The people of the United States felt it was their mission to extend the "boundaries of freedom" to others. This included the idea of self-government. Expansion into the western frontiers offered opportunities for self-advancement. Our desire for manifest destiny would finally be achieved through the war with Mexcio and our purchase of the Oregon Territory. The need and desire to expand would not come to this country without a price. That price would wind up being sectional division created by slavery between the North and the South. For years leading up to the war between the states, the morality of slavery in the newly created western frontier would be the subject of much debate and controversy. Although popular sovereignty promised to gives people in the new western territories the opportunity to choose for themselves whether they wanted to be slave or free states, the controversy continued often errupting into violent conflicts (Bleeding Kansas). In light of all the conflict, several compromises were attempted, including the 3/5th’s compromise, the Missouri Compromise and the Compromise of 1850, these agreements only served as “band-aids” covering up a decades old festering wound. In the end, there would be no compromise. Instead, a 4 year-long conflict would rage between 1861 and 1865. The American Civil War sacrificed the lives of almost 700,000 Americans. In the beginning, it was President Abraham Lincoln’s desire to keep the Union together that fueled the conflict. In the end, the war was not only about preserving the union, but also about ending slavery. Slaves would receive their emancipation or freedom by the war’s end. Now the daunting task lie ahead of how to put the war ravaged union back together again with the main question being “who should be in charge?” President Lincoln had a 10% plan among others, but would not be able to see any of his plans through. On April 14, 1865, he was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth, a disgruntled southerner who blamed Lincoln for the south’s crushing defeat. At this point it was up to vice-president Andrew Johnson to continue to enforce Lincoln’s plans for Reconstruction, while trying to help freed slaves assimilate into their new role as American citizens. This would prove to be a very overwhelming task for Johnson. Even as the 13th amendment ended slavery, the 14th amendment granted African Americans citizenship and the 15th Amendment gave them the right to vote, the hostility toward the idea of African Americans as freedmen continued. As a result of there being no cooperation between between Andrew Johnson and his Congress, he was almost impeached. Reconstruction was never fully realized. It ended abruptly in 1898, as America began to turn her focus inward to celebrate the dawn of a new decade. The industrial progress that would eventually reunite a resilient nation would also bring with it new challenges. We have learned throughout our struggle these past 300 years that there can be no future without our knowledge of the past. In the careful study of that past we have learned two very important lessons:
"The natural state of mankind ... and I know that this is a controversial idea... is freedom... And the proof is the lengths to which a man, woman, or child will go to regain it once lost. He will break loose his chains. He will decimate his enemies. He will try and try and try again, against all odds, against all prejudices."
- "John Quincy Adams" (in the movie "Amistad")
And that in the end ...
"They can take our lives, but they can never take our freedom!"
- William Wallace ( from the movie Braveheart)
Although the Jackson presidency was marked with scandal from his Kitchen Cabinet of advisors and with vetoing more bills than any of his predecessors, he is considered one of America's first "citizen-presidents". He was the ultimate representation of the common man. However, history would not know him to be so gracious to our Native American brothers & sisters. Using the Indian Removal Act of 1830, he supported Georgia's expulsion of the natives from their homeland to reservations in the west thereby sending 15,000 Cherokees onto the "Trail of Tears". During Jackson's presidency two main issues were at the forefront: our country's desire for expansion (manifest destiny) and sectional differences (sectionalism). These two ideologies would set the stage for major conflicts in the coming decades.
Manifest Destiny ~ a phrase used by leaders and politicians in the 1840s to explain continental expansion by the United States – revitalized a sense of "mission" or national destiny for Americans. The people of the United States felt it was their mission to extend the "boundaries of freedom" to others. This included the idea of self-government. Expansion into the western frontiers offered opportunities for self-advancement. Our desire for manifest destiny would finally be achieved through the war with Mexcio and our purchase of the Oregon Territory. The need and desire to expand would not come to this country without a price. That price would wind up being sectional division created by slavery between the North and the South. For years leading up to the war between the states, the morality of slavery in the newly created western frontier would be the subject of much debate and controversy. Although popular sovereignty promised to gives people in the new western territories the opportunity to choose for themselves whether they wanted to be slave or free states, the controversy continued often errupting into violent conflicts (Bleeding Kansas). In light of all the conflict, several compromises were attempted, including the 3/5th’s compromise, the Missouri Compromise and the Compromise of 1850, these agreements only served as “band-aids” covering up a decades old festering wound. In the end, there would be no compromise. Instead, a 4 year-long conflict would rage between 1861 and 1865. The American Civil War sacrificed the lives of almost 700,000 Americans. In the beginning, it was President Abraham Lincoln’s desire to keep the Union together that fueled the conflict. In the end, the war was not only about preserving the union, but also about ending slavery. Slaves would receive their emancipation or freedom by the war’s end. Now the daunting task lie ahead of how to put the war ravaged union back together again with the main question being “who should be in charge?” President Lincoln had a 10% plan among others, but would not be able to see any of his plans through. On April 14, 1865, he was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth, a disgruntled southerner who blamed Lincoln for the south’s crushing defeat. At this point it was up to vice-president Andrew Johnson to continue to enforce Lincoln’s plans for Reconstruction, while trying to help freed slaves assimilate into their new role as American citizens. This would prove to be a very overwhelming task for Johnson. Even as the 13th amendment ended slavery, the 14th amendment granted African Americans citizenship and the 15th Amendment gave them the right to vote, the hostility toward the idea of African Americans as freedmen continued. As a result of there being no cooperation between between Andrew Johnson and his Congress, he was almost impeached. Reconstruction was never fully realized. It ended abruptly in 1898, as America began to turn her focus inward to celebrate the dawn of a new decade. The industrial progress that would eventually reunite a resilient nation would also bring with it new challenges. We have learned throughout our struggle these past 300 years that there can be no future without our knowledge of the past. In the careful study of that past we have learned two very important lessons:
"The natural state of mankind ... and I know that this is a controversial idea... is freedom... And the proof is the lengths to which a man, woman, or child will go to regain it once lost. He will break loose his chains. He will decimate his enemies. He will try and try and try again, against all odds, against all prejudices."
- "John Quincy Adams" (in the movie "Amistad")
And that in the end ...
"They can take our lives, but they can never take our freedom!"
- William Wallace ( from the movie Braveheart)
Final Exam Date:
Tuesday June 20, 2017
Final Exam Review Schedule
Click below for final exam review:
7th_grade_final_exam_review.pptx | |
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7th_grade_final_exam_review_6.pptx | |
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