Foundations of American Democracy and the Civil War

The Early Republic and Federal Government

George Washington and the First Administration

• George Washington: As the first president, he was in charge of building a functioning government; he created the Departments of State, Treasury, and War.
• Supreme Court: Established with one Chief Justice and five Associate Justices.
• Policies: Focused on administering western territories.

Political Factions and National Union

• Federalists: Led by John Adams and Alexander Hamilton, they represented trade and manufacturing interests in the North.
• Republicans: Led by Thomas Jefferson, they represented agricultural interests in the South.
• National Union: The Constitution sought a balance between liberty and order.

International Conflict and the Monroe Doctrine

• War with Britain: Occurred in 1812 in the northeastern states, resulting in a U.S. victory.
• 1814: Britain signed a peace treaty with the U.S.A.
• Pronouncement by Monroe: Expressed U.S. solidarity with the independent nations of America.
• Monroe Doctrine: Warned against attempts by Europe to colonize Latin America; many nations based their constitutions on the U.S. model.

Regional Economies and the Slavery Debate

• New England and Middle Atlantic: These were the main centers of finance, commerce, and manufacturing (textiles, clothing, lumber, and machinery).
• Southern States: An agricultural region producing tobacco, sugar, and cotton with slave labor.
• Middle Western: Focused on agriculture; their grain and meat production came from the hands of free men and women.
• Henry Clay and the Missouri Compromise: Missouri would enter the Union and continue to permit slavery, while Maine would enter as a free state.
• The North: The movement for abolishing slavery grew increasingly powerful.
• The South: White supremacy remained equally powerful.

The Road to the Civil War

• Underground Railroad: Secret routes where slaves escaped to freedom.
• Abraham Lincoln: A member of the Republican Party and candidate for president on an anti-slavery platform.
• Electoral College: A group of citizens who directly elect the U.S. president following the popular vote.
• Southern States: Claimed the right to form their own Confederacy.
• Northern States: Led by Lincoln, they were determined to stop the rebellion.

The American Civil War and Emancipation

• The North: Possessed abundant facilities to produce war supplies.
• The South: Had more experienced military leaders and the advantage of fighting on their own land.
• Four Years of Conflict: Battles were fought in Virginia, Maryland, and Tennessee.
• Bloodiest Day: In 1862, Confederate troops under General Lee failed to force back the Union troops under General McClellan. Lee escaped with his army intact, but the South never received the aid they needed.
• Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation: It freed all slaves living in Confederate states and authorized the recruitment of African Americans into the Union Army.