19th+Century+American+History,+Politics,+and+Religion

** 19th Century American History, Politics, and Religion ** -Jessica H. **Introduction:**  During the 1800s, America underwent extensive change geographically as a country, in cultural values and political and religious make-up as a people. The 1800s, known as the Victorian Era, was famously known for the change that occurred in Great Britain. However, the changes that America endured are well known, but not often thought of. **Major Events and Happenings of the 1800's** At the very beginning of the century, America was still concentrated on the eastern side of the Mississippi River. France owned what was known as the Louisiana Territory, which was roughly 800,000 square miles. The territory included the Mississippi River Valley and the entirety of the Mid-west of the North American continent. In 1803, President Thomas Jefferson bought the territory in the Louisiana Purchase for $15 million dollars from France. Thus, the size of the United States of America was doubled.

Very soon after the Louisiana Purchase, President Thomas Jefferson won approval from Congress to fund an expedition that would become one of the most famous adventure stories of all time: the Lewis and Clark expedition. It was to be led by President Jefferson's secretary, Meriwether Lewis, and Lewis' companion, William Clark. While the two charted many new land discoveries, their contact with the natives already living there were extraordinary and new to the American people. Their expedition came into contact with over 50 Native American tribes. For more information on the tribes they came into contact with, click [|here.]

Throughout the next several decades, the tensions over slavery grew. The Louisiana Purchase was turning over many new established states. The South wanted more slave states while the North wanted to prevent any more southern power in Congress, thus the North wanted more free states. To prevent any permanent divisions in the Union, i.e. secessions of states, the Missouri Compromise was created. In 1820, the compromise was established as a literal dividing line where states established above the line would be free, and states below established as slave. It was only a temporary solution to the growing tensions as it was repealed in 1854 due to the Kansas-Nebraska Act.

On other minor notes, before the American Civil War in 1860, emigration to the West became quite popular. It became known as Manifest Destiny, which was the belief that it was ordained by God for settlers to expand to the West, and was a popular public policy for rapid expansionism in the United States. Mexico ceded territorial claims on New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, California, Nevada and Utah in 1848; the United States paid Mexico $15 million dollars. Also in 1848, the California Gold Rush sent people flying to the Western seaboard for several years. In 1859, the first profitable oil was discovered in Texas, therefore increasing the emigration to the West. For more attributions to westward expansionism, click [|here.]

Many Native Americans from the East were forced to find refuge with Western tribes, but this created conflicts amongst the tribes. Besides the fact that the Western tribes and Eastern tribes all had different traditions and cultural beliefs, the Western tribes already were having issues with land being taken away for white settlers. In 1862, the Homestead Act was passed, which essentially stated that all land in the Louisiana Purchase were free for those who claim it, thus, completely ignoring the residents already there. In 1890, the Battle of Wounded Knee took place, in which over 200 Native American women and children were massacred.

By the end of the 1800s, the continental United States of America was established as a country without slavery and without any true political and cultural instability. Unfortunately, minorities, such as women, blacks, and Native Americans, were still being repressed and would not gain freedoms until the 1900s. The 1800s was truly a time of radical change for America. For a more through timeline of the century, click [|here.] **American Political Overview for the 19th Century** The United States political make-up changed radically as the country itself changed. From the Louisiana Purchase Jefferson made to the difficult decisions Lincoln made to keep the Union preserved, the following Presidents all took office during this turbulent time.
 * Presidents of the 1800's**
 * 1801-1809:[|Thomas Jefferson]
 * 1809-1817: James Madison
 * 1817-1825: James Monroe
 * 1825-1829: John Quincy Adams
 * 1829-1837:[|Andrew Jackson]
 * 1837-1841: Martin Van Buren
 * 1841: William Henry Harrison
 * 1841-1845: John Tyler
 * 1845-1849: James Knox Polk
 * 1849-1850: Zachary Taylor
 * 1850-1853: Millard Fillmore
 * 1853-1857: Franklin Pierce
 * 1857-1861: James Buchanan[[image:president-abraham-lincoln-abe.jpg width="258" height="307" align="right" caption="Abraham Lincoln and his son."]]
 * 1861-1865:[|Abraham Lincoln]
 * 1865-1869: Andrew Johnson
 * 1869-1877: Ulysses Simpson Grant
 * 1877-1881: Rutherford Birchard Hayes
 * 1881: James Abram Garfield
 * 1881-1885: Chester Alan Arthur
 * 1885-1889: Grover Cleveland
 * 1889-1893: Benjamin Harrison
 * 1893-1897: Grover Cleveland
 * 1897-1901: William McKinley

For more information on Presidents that made a huge impact on the 19th Century in America, click the links on their names. If you have any curiosity regarding the other Presidents of the 19th Century, follow the link [|here].

**Religious Beliefs of the 1800's** Unlike their predecessors of the 18th century, who were predominantly protestant, the populace of American underwent religious "revivals" of the Evangelical faith. New ideas, such as Atheism, came to the attention of the people, and new faiths emerged, an example being the Church of Latter-Day Saints (or Mormons). For more specific information on religion of the 19th Century, click [|here.]


 * Religious Revivals**

Evangelicalism became the predominant faith in the United States between 1800 and the American Civil War in 1860. The faith was so popular and followed that it was very close to becoming the unofficial national religion of the United States. Religious revivals were the method that Evangelicalism publicized its faith and were simply outbreaks of religious fervor. News pamphlets that specialized in publicizing the revivals lost count because of the rapid rate that the revivals were happening. Evangelical members called themselves patriots, maintaining the belief that the Founders of the American Constitution viewed religion as the "necessary spring" for a republican government. The members of the faith viewed their religious revivals as killing two birds with one stone: promoting their faith in God and promoting a republican government in the United States.


 * Atheist's Bible[[image:Paine's_pamphlet.jpg width="217" height="375" align="right" caption="Thomas Paine's pamphlet; known as the "Atheist's Bible" for questioning the word of God. "]]**

Thomas Paine, a radical revolutionary, wrote a pamphlet while in a French prison titled //The Age of Reason//. The pamphlet attempted biblical criticism and ended up creating a scandal with his irreverent and sardonic tone. The pamphlet became known as the "Atheist's Bible." The written work may not have been a hit with the American, or British or French public for that matter, but it was an introduction to the idea that the Bible could be questioned and criticized.


 * Industrialization**

In rural areas, religion and attending church were big features in everyday life for the common American. However, when people from the country and farms began moving into the cities to work at factories, their religious habits changed. The cities usually featured many different types of religious faiths and factory hours were quite long. People began to attend church much less frequently and it became a part of life to be able to pray at home. It introduced the idea that faith could be practiced outside of a church and within a home.

Questions: 1. How much did the United States pay for the Louisiana Purchase from France? 2. Name 3 facts about Western expansionism in the United States. 3. How did the Homestead Act impact the Native American tribes? 4. What religion used religious revivals to an extent that the religion became the dominant faith in America? 5. Why was Thomas Paine's pamphlet considered the "Atheist's Bible"?

MLA Citations:

"The Native Americans." //PBS//. 2009. PBS. 10 Apr 2009 .

Taylor, Jr., Dr. Quintard. "United States History: Timeline: 1800 - 1900." //Pursuing the Past in the Twenty-first Century//. 2007. 10 Apr 2009 []

"Key Facts." //The Expansion of the American West//. 2005. 10 Apr 2009 .

"List of American Presidents." //Facts About...//. 2004. 20 Apr 2009 .

"Religion and the New Republic." //Religion and the Founding of the American Republic//. 10 23 2003. Library of Congress. 20 Apr 2009 .

"Religion of North America after 1500." //History and Science for Middle School Kids//. Jan 22, 2009. Kidipede. 10 Apr 2009 .