Daniel Aaron Lazar » USH: Balancing Nationalism & Sectionalism

One Nation Indivisible?

Dan Lazar — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 15:57:43 +0000

Throughout the Antebellum Era (1789-1861), numerous events took place which led to struggles between advocates of nationalism and advocates of sectionalism. In most cases these are events are complex issues which can only be properly understood in the context of the antebellum milieu. The events that you will identify, describe and analyze are multifaceted issues and, as such, you are challenged to appreciate the validity of the arguments on many sides of these issues. Your task, in short, is to identify, describe and analyze each issue:

Summarize the issue: identify and describe the basic facts (who, what, when, where and why)
Analyze the issue: carefully explain how this event contributed to nationalism, sectionalism or both.

You are encouraged to use your textbook (this assignment has been tailored to dovetail with your text) but you may opt to use the internet instead. Feel free to use both. You may type or handwrite, though I strongly encourage typing.

You are expected to put a lot of time into this assignment. High quality work is expected and you will be graded accordingly. Make a plan of attack and follow it.

Internal Improvements

Dan Lazar — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 11:56:00 +0000

Wikipedia on the National Road

Wikipedia on the Erie Canal

Wikipedia on Jackson’s Maysville Road Veto

Wikipedia on the American System

Two Secondary Source Articles on the Politics of Internal Improvements in Antebellum America

Madison’s Veto of the Public Works Bill of 1817

Jackson on Internal Improvements

Abe Lincoln Speaks in the House in Favor of Internal Improvements, 1848

Henry Clay’s Famous, Though Controversial, Speech on The American System (full text)

The Constitution

Native Removal

Dan Lazar — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 11:19:13 +0000

Wikipedia on Indian Removal

Statements on the Debate over Indian Removal from Colombia University

The House and Senate Journals on the Native Removal Debates

Treaties Signed between the US and Native Tribes

Chief Joseph Speaks

Secondary Source on Indian Removal from PBS

Catlin’s Notes on the Manners, Customs and Conditions of North American Indians, 1844

Andrew Jackson’s Seventh Annual Message to Congress

Worcester v. Georgia, 1832

The Removal Act of 1830

Sequoyah Research on the Trail of Tears

The Effect of Removal on American Indian Tribes

The Bill of Rights (for the American people?)

The Gag Rule

Dan Lazar — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 10:36:32 +0000

Again I remind you, this is not a debate over the institution of slavery. This is a debate over whether or not said issue should reach the floor of this legislative body.

from senate.gov

Wikipedia on the Gag Rule

A Review of Arguing About Slavery that summarizes the issue

The Bill of Rights

from a blogger (with quotes by John Adams)

John C. Calhoun’s Speech on the Abolition of Petitions, 6 February 1837

Resources on Slavery and abolitionism from yours truly

The Bank of the United States

Dan Lazar — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 09:53:50 +0000

Wikipedia on the First BUS

Wikipedia on the Second BUS

Both Sides of the BUS debate from a Secondary Source

Jefferson’s Opposition to the first BUS in a Letter to Washington, 1791

Hamilton’s Opinion as to the constitutionality of the BUS, 1791

McCullough v. Maryland (1819) on the Constitutionality of the First BUS

Andrew Jackson’s Address on 10 July 1832 in which he vetoes the BUS

The Constitution

Large vs. Small Parcels of Western Land

Dan Lazar — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 16:30:33 +0000

American Agriculture and the Development of a National Land Policy

Wikipedia on The Preemption Act of 1841

Wikipedia on The Donation Land Claim Act of 1850

Wikipedia on The Homestead Act (1862)

The National Archives and Records on the Homestead Act

Primary Source Document: The Homestead Act

Free homes for free men. Speech of Hon. G. A. Grow, of Pennsylvania, in the House of Representatives, February 29, 1860

George Henry Evans & The Origins Of American Individualist

Secondary Source on Horace Greeley and the Western Land Debate

The Tariff of 1828

Dan Lazar — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 15:44:34 +0000

Wikipedia on the Nullification Crisis

From Digital History Archive

Nation of Nations: A Narrative History of the American Republic, Alfred A. Knopf

South Carolina’s Exposition and Protest Against the Tariff of 1828 By John C. Calhoun (Anonymously)

Primary Source: The South Carolina Ordinance of Nullification

The Constitution

Daniel Webster’s Genius Speech

Dan Lazar — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 11:47:04 +0000

The following speech that argues against the proposed doctrine of nullification (the right of a state to defy or refuse to obey a federal law) is considered one of the greatest during the first half of the 19th century…

Daniel Webster: Liberty and Union, Now and Forever, One and Inseparable (26 January 1830)