Chapter 12: The Machine Age

In 1876, Thomas A. Edison produced some of the greatest inventions in his workshop in Menlo Park, New Jersey. One of the inventions was the light bulb. Edison created the development of power plants, and proved important. His inventions expanded the availability of electricity. Other inventors made electricity-based inventions for industry and home as well. The last quarter of the nineteenth century was referred to as the Age of Invention because technological advances related to Edison's work were made. The inventions opened opportunities for mass production which in turn increased the growth-rate of the economy. "Captains of the industry, also known as "robber barons", controlled the enterprises and became rich and powerful.

As the industry grew, electricity and labor became cheap-economies of scale. The industrial growth required laborers to work mindlessly like machines; resembled slave labor. Eli Whitney developed "interchangeable parts" that were created by  assembly line production. The Supreme Court (and courts alike) became pro-business, and lost the idea of removing control of industries. Corporate consolidation led economies to grow larger.

The business organization called a holding company owned sufficient stock in many companies to have a controlling interest in the production of raw material. Higher powers led to a system of monopoly in which complete control of an industry became possible.

Original Proposed 13th Amendment to the Constitution

Based on his First Inaugural Address, Lincoln proves that has no intention of removing slavery "in the States where it exists", meaning he will avoid interfering with the States.

Lincoln avoids the removal in order to protect the property, peace, and personal security of the Southern States because they are "endangered". However, Lincoln also does not object amendments made to the Constitution, but in a way that will not interfere with the "domestic institutions" of the States. His promises protect the rights that Southerners-and other United States citizens-have already obtained. Removing rights from Southerners, is claimed to be unlawful.

The message is directed to both participants in the heated argument on slavery: the North with the West, and the South. Abraham Lincoln addresses the protection of the South from the effects of the Emancipation Proclamation and near-future laws, but destroys the striving enslavement in the West and South; the two locations in the country fight against slavery to shield the stable economy, and the South protects theirs (or try to).

Heading Toward the Civil War and Reconstruction (1845-1877)

James Polk, a "war hawk" as a young man and a Democrat expansionist, was pitted against the Whig leader Henry Clay in the election of 1844. James was an expansionist because he wanted to expand the Northwestern border deep in Canadian territory. Polk won the election, thus making President Tyler to propose the annexation of Texas because he thought James Polk would mandate for annexation with his victory. Polk negotiated the American-Canadian border with reasoning. Great Britain signed the Oregon Treaty in 1846 to allow the United States to acquire Oregon, Washington, without the need for conflict/war. Polk tried buying the Southwest territory from Mexico, but failed to do so. Polk provoked the attack on American troops by Mexico, and Mexico was already provoked by the annexation of Texas. Congress granted the ability to James Polk to wage war in 1846: the Mexican-American War. Whigs members questioned the declaration of war, and if Mexico fired first.

Many Americans did not support the war because they feared that the new intact states of the West would become slave states. Some opponents thought that James Polk supported slaveholders because he declared war to gain the states, and some Americans believed that some slave owners had control over the government. These rich Southerners were defined as Slave Power by abolitionists; a symbol.

The gag rule of 1836, which forbids members of the legislative or decision-making body to raise topics or to consider discussions, raised suspicions of Slave Power. The Wilmot Proviso, a bill that prohibited the expansion of slavery to the new states that were to be gained, was not passed, and thus raised further suspicion. The decline of the bill caused the Free-Soil Party to be formed. The Free-Soil Party was a party that focused on the issues discussed in the Wilmot Proviso, and looked forward to fulfill what the bill meant to accomplish. Southerners were still insistent that the extension of slavery in the South should not be restricted.

The Mexican-American War had the United States winning because troops were taking over Texas, sent to California, and then tasked to invade Mexico City. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848) gave up the Southwest that belonged to Mexico, such as Arizona, New Mexico, California, Nevada, and Utah. The new territory increased the wealth of the United States, but slavery was still a problem. The Democrats supported the South, and displayed that slavery would be allowed to be extended. Popular sovereignty would solve the issue on the decision of slavery status on the new states. Popular sovereignty meant that the territories would decide by vote, whether to refuse or allow slavery. The Whigs did not oppose slavery, so the party was divided into sections that favored or declined slavery. The Antislavery Whigs joined the Free-Soil Party. The Whigs won the presidential election of 1848 by running Zachary Taylor. The powerful Whigs leaders, Daniel Webster and Henry Clay, died before the election of 1852, marking the descent of the Whigs party. The Republican party was to rise.

Eric Foner Chapter 12 Review

• Explore why Americans had an impulse to improve American society in the first half of the nineteenth century.

Freedom and independence were not fully defined, and thus created protests and uprisings to protect freedom and liberty. Women, slaves, and other individuals were not respected. Organizations sprouted to abolish the practice of slavery or restriction of others' rights, and were taken into consideration as they traveled in trade routes to their ultimate destinations.

• Explain the significance of the abolitionist movement to the idea of American freedom.

The abolitionist movements hold the idea of removing any form of slavery. The abolitionist movements helped redefine American freedom, which in turn would spark abolitionist-inspired movements.

• Analyze the pros and cons of the colonization movement and why many blacks were opposed to it.

The colonization movement, was a movement where Africans and African-Americans were encouraged to migrate back to their real homes. It would positively remove slavery, and promote safety for the "white" and "black" races. If slavery were to be removed, however, the agriculture would drastically change and affect the economy of the States. It would also increase hostility between the "white" and "black" races.

• Why was this a period of institution building?

Americans wanted to make their country strong with Women's' rights and removal of slavery in hand. The government would increase its capacities, expand, and reform organizations and/or movements.

• How did the abolitionist movement and the women's movement influence each other?

  The abolitionist movement and women's movement encouraged each other to fight for American freedom. Members of both movements cooperated, and the argument of both issues raised awareness over the lack of freedom or independence in most "American" inhabitants.

Eric Foner Chapter 11 Review

• Explain how important slavery was to the national economy and the emergence of the United States as a great power?

Slaves worked in cotton plantations, and cotton became greater than sugar when it came to crops. The more slaves there were, the more cotton there was, and the more cotton was bought by other countries. This would increase the United States' economy and make it succeed into a great power worldwide.

• Describe slave culture, explaining the similarities and differences among various regions.

Most slaves came from Africa, and it is the place where their religion, and most notably music, emerged. The medicine they provided to their people came naturally, and was known only amongst each of the slaves.

• Why did many white southerners support slavery even when they did not actually own any slaves?

Even though white southerners did not own any slaves, they heavily relied on them because their goal was freedom and the strengthening of their economy. Without the slaves, they were nothing!

• What meanings of freedom were most important to the slaves?

The slaves that were now freed were restricted from nearly everything and everything. They hoped for the right to vote, to own property, or a right that would truly present their freedom in the country.

• What forms of slave resistance were practiced in the American South?

Slave resistance was a form of rebellion. Slaves would tend to deplete or destroy the property of their owners such as plantation products. Slaves were able to rebel physically, if not, violently. Nat Turner’s Rebellion is notable for the slaves killing their masters or oppressors. The overpowering of the Amistad's crew was another rebellion.

Eric Foner Chapter 10 Review

• How did John Quincy Adams envision the United States becoming the “freest and mightiest nation in the world”? 

John Quincy Adams had told legislation to promote anything that would involve harvest for the market such as commerce agriculture, and mechanical and elegant arts that would make the nation strong.     

• How did democrats and Whigs differ in their understanding of American freedom and its relationship to governmental power?

Whigs believed that the federal government could guide economic development with protective tariffs, a nation-wide bank, and the aid to internal improvements, while the democrats believed that the government shouldn't award special favors to "entrenched economic interest" and that they should adopt a "hand-off attitude" towards the economy.

• What were the main arguments for and against Indian removal?

The main argument for Indian removal is the labeling of Indians as hostile whenever they wanted to reclaim their land, and the "argument against Indian removal" is that the Court was only occupying land and not owning it.

• How did the Missouri Compromise and the nullification crisis demonstrate increasing sectional differences in antebellum America?

Missouri would have ruined the balance of 11:11 free and slave states if it were to join Union in its condition of a slave state. Maine was turned into a free state, and it made greater controversy with the nullification of the series of tariffs that were imposed by Congress. Although it was nullified, taxes were still being collected by Andrew Jackson.

Eric Foner Chapter 9 Review

• What were the major social effects of the market revolution?

The market revolution enabled Americans to transport goods and possibly, items used for communication throughout the new transportation technology and low costs that helped. Slaves were able to communicate, and thus were transported because slavery was not yet fully abolished. Product consumption evolved and it became easier to reach markets and deliver important information.

• How did ideas of American freedom change in this period?

The world began to notice that American freedom was enjoyed better than any country. The white "colored" inhabitants of the United States were believed to soon develop the idea that they were a unique species from the human race. This period was the greatest foreshadowing of women's rights soon to become and the unity of races .

• What revolutionary changed did American slavery undergo in this period?

Slaves and freed slaves were discriminated, especially by the Southerners whom some are still racist today. Slaves were still transported and Marquis de Lafayette had freed slaves and written about his opposition to slavery, but was not able to be honored because the people of "color" were restricted from going near the ceremonies or locations of the honoring.

• What role did immigration play in the market revolution?

Americans were opposed to the immigration into "their" country. A limit was placed to allow a minimum amount of immigrants into the United States by the effects of the rebellions held by greedy Americans. To the Americans, immigrants were an annoyance, or in other words, flies and parasites.

• The Second Great Awakening both took advantage of the market revolution and criticized its excesses. Explain this statement.

The once who crated the Second Great Awakening raised funds for themselves by taking advantage of it. It is merely a paradox created amongst themselves because they were opposed, but would not resist the market.