Birth of a Nation (1763-1790)

1. Birth of a Nation (1763-1790) • road to revolution • colonial reaction to stiffening British control • economic differences • role of influential radicals • philosophies that influenced the Declaration of Independence • events of the Revolutionary War • Articles of the Confederation • appeal of a confederate form of government • weaknesses inherent in the government • reasons for change

2. Birth of a Nation (1763-1790) • a bundle of compromises- the U S Constitution • personalities present at and absent from the convention • compromises- reasons and results • Constitutional interpretations - strict vs. loose constructionists, Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists • the Bill of Rights • Washington's presidency • Hamilton's financial plan • Foreign policies/ domestic issues • Birth of political parties

3. The Republic is Transformed (1800-1824) • Washington's presidency • Hamilton's financial plan • Foreign policies/domestic issues • Birth of Political Parties • the Adams presidency • Alien and Sedition Act • XYZ and Citizen Genet • Jefferson vs. Hamilton, continued • Louisiana Purchase • What events made it possible? • Was it constitutional? • Lewis & Clark

4. The Republic is Transformed (1800-1824) • Tensions with Europe • tensions and alliances with Britain and France • War of 1812 • causes • Treaty of Ghent • Monroe Doctrine • rationale • impact today • Sectionalism • Other issues • rising leaders • tariffs • the American System • ascendancy of the Supreme Court

5. Jacksonian Democracy (1820-1840) • Rise of political parties • leaders • political issues • election of 1824 • Age of the common man • How democratic was Jackson? • Reform • Why was there a rise in reform movements in this period? • What role did women play in the reform movements? • What were the lasting effects? • Were the Jacksonian reforms jacksonian? • Indian Removal Act • Other issues • the Nullification Crisis • the Bank

6. The Republic is Tested (1840-1860) • The Presidency • Harrison and Tyler, too • Taylor and Fillmore • Pierce • the rise and fall of the Whigs • the rise of the Republican party • third parties • Causes of sectional strife • Slavery • King Cotton • Lives of slaves •  Mexican War • Why did we fight? • Why did we not take all of Mexico? • How did land acquisition affect the U.S.? • Slavery and territories • tariffs • Compromise of 1850 • Kansas-Nebraska Act • Explosion • Uncle Tom's Cabin • Dred Scott • John Brown • Election of 1860

7. THE CIVIL WAR (1860-1865) • The Civil War • strengths and weaknesses of the Union and of the Confederacy • battles • new technology and its impact • impact of geography on battles • Emancipation Proclamation • Why did Lincoln sign it when he did? • What were its effects on the war and on slavery • Reconstruction • the plans of Lincoln, Johnson and the Radical Republicans • impact of Reconstruction on the North and on the South • the 14th Amendment • end of Reconstruction • Compromise of 1877 • Politics of race • Why was there a decline in Black civil liberties in the 1890's? • Plessy v. Ferguson - rationales and ramifications

8. Industry, Immigrants and Urban Growth (1875-1900) • industrialization • railroads • Captains of Industry or Robber Barons • the New South • rise of the unions • politics • “Waving the Bloody Shirt” • corruption • cultural and social changes • urbanization • immigration • Who came and how were they different? • What impact did they have on American society? • westward expansion • clash of cultures • taming of the land • “innocent victims” • Populism • causes of the movement • platform • extent of success

9. AMERICA JOINS THE WORLD (1875-1918) • imperialism • Spanish-American War • causes • role of the press • territories gained • technological advances • Central America • Dollar Diplomacy • the Panama Canal • Other acquisitions • 1. Alaska • 2. Hawaii • the Progressive movement • factors that initiated the movement • role of the press • impact on government policy of laissez-faire • WWI • causes • early neutrality • taking sides • battles • civil liberties during the war • the Treaty of Versailles

10. America Between the Wars (1920-1940) • 1920's • the roaring economy • consumer spending • the automobile • the business of America • the rampaging bull market • new social order • the Harlem Renaissance • Jazz Age • role of women • emergence of 20th century literature • art and architecture  • fear • fundamentalism vs. darwinism • racial/political unrest • the Red Scare • rise of the KKK • nativism and immigration restrictions

11. America Between the Wars (1920-1940) • the Great Depression • tragedy of Hoover • nature of the Depression • the New Deal • characteristics • policies and programs • instant relief • long-term reforms • the arts • the Dust Bowl • packing the Supreme Court • evaluation of short and long term effects of New Deal government • other FDR policies • quarantine • extent of neutrality

12. WW2(1940-1945) • Causes of WWII • European and Asian imperialism • U.S. preparations the War • Europe • 1. the Blitz • 2. the Holocaust • D-Day • new technology • defeat of the Germans • the Pacific • major battles • Bataan and other atrocities • at home • industrialization • impact on the economy • impact on women and minorities • internment of Japanese Americans • deprivation • the decision to drop the atomic bomb

13. The Cold War and 1950s (1945-1960) • the Cold War • the U. N. • rise of Soviet world power • containment in Asia • China • Korea • McCarthyism • the Space Program • How were efforts achieved? • What have we gained? • 1950's • conformity • rise of the middle class • television • rock and roll

14. A NATION AT RISK (1960-1976) • the Civil Rights Movement • why it finally happened • methods • 1. historical backgrounds • 2.successes • major personalities • the New Frontier and Camelot • Vietnam • Why? • How did it differ from other wars? • the tour of duty • technology • the response at home • impact of geography on warfare • Johnson and the Great Society • Nixon • foreign policy • the Soviets • China • Watergate • the women's rights movement • causes • major personalities • 30 years later • society • television • countercultures

15. 80s, 90s, and Today (1976-Present) • Carter • Iran • the economy • Camp David agreement • Reagan • the Cold War • trickle down economy • Iran-Contra affair • Bush • the economy • "read my lips" • the Gulf War • Clinton • " it's the economy, stupid" • impeachment