4th Grade Social Studies

Manifest Destiny, Civil War and Reconstruction

Unit 2


Manifest Destiny and Westward Expansion

War of 1812

  • Causes: Britain and France were at war with each other and Britain did not respect the neutrality of the U.S.

  • Major events of the war: British forces burned down the Capitol and the White House

  • America won the war and this victory gave the U.S. national pride --> first victory for the United States and began the "Era of Good Feelings" (The Star Spangled Banner was written during this time and shows American patriotism)

American Territorial Expansion

Louisiana Purchase

In 1803, the United States bought the Louisiana territory from France (Napoleon Bonaparte) and dramatically increased the area of the U.S.

Lewis and Clark expedition

After the Louisiana Purchase, the U.S. government wanted to explore North American land --> this expedition gave the U.S. access all the way to the Pacific

Getting Texas

After Mexico gained independence from Spain, Mexico allowed Americans to live and carry out business in Texas. American settlers, however, wanted the land and fought the Mexicans for it --> the famous Battle of Alamo (picture)

Oregon Trail

After the U.S. expanded westward with the Louisiana Purchase and the California Gold Rush, families looking for new opportunities used this trail to get to their new home!

California Gold Rush

In 1848, gold was found in California and Americans rushed to seize the opportunity.

American Indians and Manifest Destiny

  • As white settlers tried to move westward, they ran into Native Americans who had lived on the land for centuries --> conflict and violence which ended in the death of thousands of Native Americans

  • Trail of Tears: Native Americans were pushed out their homes in the East and forced to live in reservations in Oklahoma; it is named this because during their journey, thousands perished

  • Battle of Little Bighorn: many American Indian tribes tried to fight back against the westward expansion and during this battle, the tribes won

The Civil War (1861-1865)

Causes of the Civil War:

SLAVERY (most important cause, led to other issues (below)): South wanted to keep slaves (economy was dependent on it) and North wanted to abolish it

Nature of the Constitution: States Rights vs. Federal Rights (did the federal govt. have the right to abolish slavery in all the states?)

Economic Systems: South was agricultural (reliant on slavery), North was industrial; very different systems; South believed it could thrive without the North

Election of Lincoln: Lincoln won the presidency without a single Southern vote --> led to the Southern secession in 1860

Literature: "Uncle Tom's Cabin" (by Harriet Beecher Stowe) swayed many people's opinions on slavery as it drew on Stowe's own experiences with runaway slaves.

Radicals/Extremists: John Brown's Raid on Harper Ferry to arm slaves (to inspire a slave revolt) scared many Southerners and caused them to want to secede (leave the Union) even more

Major Civil War Battles and Events

Fort Sumter (1861): 1st shots fired in the war, caused border states (Virginia, Tennessee, etc) to join the South

Bull Run (1861): 1st major battle in the war, Confederate victory (showed that the war was going to be longer than anyone thought it would be)

Battle of Antietam (1862): single bloodiest day of the war, Union victory --> led to the passage of the Emancipation Proclamation (frees slaves in the Confederacy only, changes goal of the Civil War from saving the Union to emancipation of slaves)

Battle of Vicksburg (1863):

General Grant (Union) captured the Mississippi River

Battle of Gettysburg (1863): Union has high ground and secures a victory --> led to Gettysburg Address (by Lincoln)

Battle of Atlanta (1863): Atlanta had many railroad lines running through it (key location in the Confederacy)

Sherman's March to the Sea: burned much of the South while marching to the Atlantic

Surrender at the Appomattox Courthouse (1865): General Lee surrendered to General Grant officially here

North vs. South Differences During the War

Economy

North: balanced economy, agriculturally self-sufficient, industries could produce war materials, continuous export trade, excellent transportation system

South: unbalanced economy, reliant on the production of one crop (cotton), forced to import food (bc of Anaconda Plan), inadequate transportation system, money tied up in slaves/land

Leadership

North (military): Ulysses S. Grant (Union general, won against the Confederate Army)

North (political): Abraham Lincoln (Union president, passed the Emancipation Proclamation, wrote the Gettysburg Address, declared martial law (expanded presidential power))

South (military): Robert E. Lee (Confederate general, lost to Grant), "Stonewall" Jackson (Confederate general)

South (political): Jefferson Davis (President of the Confederate States of America)

Strategy

North: Anaconda Plan - blockade Mississippi River to prevent the South from obtaining supplies

South: drag out the fight and make the North quit (defensive war)

Important Figures in Abolitionism and Suffrage Movements

Susan B. Anthony

  • Fought for suffrage for women and for African Americans

Frederick Douglass

  • Fought for the end of slavery (abolitionism) and later supported voting rights for African Americans

Elizabeth Cady Stanton

  • Worked with Susan B. Anthony to gain suffrage for women

Sojourner Truth

  • Fought for the suffrage of both women and African Americas

Harriet Tubman

  • Worked to help slaves escape the South through the Underground Railroad

Play this game to learn more about the Civil War!

Reconstruction

Government Response after Civil War

  • To protect the rights of freed slaves after the war, the federal government passed 3 Constitutional amendments

  • 13th Amendment: this amendment officially made slavery illegal throughout the United States

  • 14th Amendment: this amendment ensured equal protection under the law and made African Americans U.S. citizens

  • 15th Amendment: this amendment gave voting rights to all men, regardless of race

  • The Republican government also created the Freedmen's Bureau to help newly freed slaves get jobs, housing and education in the South

How Freed Slaves were treated

  • After being freed under the Emancipation Proclamation and the 13th Amendment, African Americans turned to new jobs like sharecropping (workers relied on their bosses for housing and equipment) --> this job was bad and was not much better than slavery

  • Many Southerners who fought for the Confederates were unhappy to see African Americans with rights and created Jim Crow laws that discriminated by race

  • These Jim Crow laws made the South unbearable for African Americans and took away their rights

Play this game to learn more about Reconstruction!