• UNIT VII: POLITICS FOR THE COMMON MAN

     

    I.        The Rise of the Common Man
    Text, 272-277 (first paragraph); Spirit 305-306 (Cooper), 306-308 (de Tocqueville)
     

    How did the politics of the 1820’s foreshadow a government and a political style much more subject to public opinion?  What view of the role of the federal government is expressed by Adams?

     
    II.        Of Spoils, Abominations, Nullies, and “The Great Father”
    Text 277, 280-286 (first paragraph), Spirit 301-302 (Jackson), 304-305 (Ross)
     

    Are the actions of the Jackson administration consistent with the “Common Man” reputation of the time period?  Elaborate.

     
    III.       John C. Calhoun
    APT, chapter IV (in class)
     

    Why did Calhoun turn from a spokesman for nationalism to one for sectional interests?  Why dies Hofstadter call Calhoun the “Marx of the Master Class?”

     
    IV.       The Bank War:  Jackson Versus Biddle
    Text 286-290 (first section); Spirit 297-299 (Jackson), 299 (Boston Daily Atlas)
     

    Would you agree that “the permanent results of the Bank War were negative rather than positive?”  Why or why not?

     
    V.        The Little Magician, Tippecanoe, and Tyler Too

     Text 290 (2nd ½ of 1st column)-293 (top of 2nd column), 298-301, 396 (Accession of Tyler Too)-398 (top sentence)

    MODERATION
     
    What factors account for the rise of the second two-party system?    
     
    VI.       Women in Ante-Bellum America

    Text 351-352, 354 (first section only), Spirit 348-351 (Seneca Falls Manifesto), 351-352 (editorial – New York Herald), 352-353 (Stone)

     

                Is a discussion of this topic better suited for the previous unit on culture, or the current one on the expansion of the impact of the common                       “man”?  Explain.

     

    UNIT VIII – MANIFEST DESTINY

     

    I.          Our Manifest Destiny… 

                Text 305-308, 396 (first paragraph)

     

    What factors during the first half of the 19th century support O’Sullivan’s assertion that it is “Our manifest destiny to overspread the continent…”?

     

    II.        Don’t Mess With Texas!

                Text 293-298 (first paragraph), 400-401 (first column)

     

    John C Calhoun referred to Texas as “poison to us”.  What was poisonous about Texas? Explain your response.

     

    III.       The Third War with England?     

    Text 398-400 (top paragraph), 401-404; Spirit 403-404 (McDuffie), 405-406 (Hannigan)

     

    Does the United States have a “casus belli” for conflict with England at this time?  Why or why not?

     

    IV.       The Mexican-American War

    Text 406-410 (first paragraph), Spirit 411-413 (Slidell), 413-414 (Mexico), 414-415 (Polk)

     

    Does the United States have a “casus belli” for conflict with Mexico at this time?  Why or why not?

     

     V.        Winning and Losing in Mexico

    Text 410-411 (all), 414; Spirit 419 (Daily National Intelligencer), 419-420 (Washington Daily Union), 421-422 (Mexico Remembers)

                MODERATION

     

    Why did the victors agree to pay an indemnity to the vanquished as part of this peace accord?  Was it haste?  A sense of fair play?  Guilt?

     

     VI.       The Watershed Event: The Compromise of 1850

                Text 416-427 (first paragraph)

     

    The Compromise of 1850 is often considered to be the event that starts the so-called “Decade of Crisis” that precedes the Civil War.  What predictions can you make regarding why this might be so?

     

     --------------------------------EXAM UNITS VII AND VIII -------------------------------------

     
Last Modified on November 11, 2013