Table Of Content

American History Made Simple Jack C. Estrin, M.A. Revised by Marilyn Miller Completely revised and updated, this single-volume book is a clear, comprehensive, and accessible guide to the historical, social, and political events of the United States of America . , 1 1492: Columbus discovers New World 1786 - 87: Shays’ Rebellion; Northwest Ordinance; Constitutional Convention 93 years ::e 1585,1587: Roanoke Island settlements -1789: Inauguration of George Washington -1790: Start of Second Great Awakening 20 years -1791: Bill of Rights 1607: Founding of Jamestown 1794: Whiskey Rebellion; Jay’s Treaty j 1619: First black slaves sold in Virginia 1 1620: Founding of Plymouth 1796: Washington’s Farewell Address 1797-98: XYZ affair 1798: Alien and Sedition Acts; Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions 1630: Massachusetts Bay Colony founded by Puritans 1^.^. j Rhode Island founded by Roger Williams 1 Establishment of Harvard College 1803: Marbury v. Madisorv, Louisiana Purchase 1804 - 06: Lewis and Clark expedition -1650: Navigation Acts 26years... -1676: Bacon’s Rebellion in Virginia -1681: Pennsylvania founded by William Penn -1811: Battle of Tippecanoe 1812-15 War of -1692: Salem witchcraft trials 1812 40years... I ■ ■ ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■! - 1732: Founding of Georgia 1820: Missouri Compromise 1740s Great Awaken¬ 1823: Monroe Doctrine ing 1825: Completion of Erie Canal 1756: French and Indian War 1763: Treaty of Paris 1764: Sugar Act 1765: Stamp Act 1830: Indian Removal Act; Webster-Hayne debate 1831: Slave revolt led by Nat Turner —j 1766: Declaratory Act -1770: Boston Massacre 1767: Townshend Act 1832: Jackson vetoes rechartering of Bank of U.S. 1773: Boston Tea Party 1774: Coercive Acts; First Continental Congress 1834: Founding of Whig Party 1776: Declaration of Independence 1836: Texas wins independence from Mexico 1783: Peace of Paris 1845: Annexation of Texas ISBN 0-385-41429-3 1846: Annexation of Oregon 1846 -47: Mexican War 1848: Seneca Falls Convention; Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo 1849: California Gold Rush 1850: Compromise of 1850 -1854: Kansas-Nebraska Act; Formation of Republican Party American History Made Simple New, Revised Edition Jack C. Estrin, M.A. Revised by Marilyn Miller Edited and prepared for publication by The Stonesong Press, Inc. 1MADEI IHIAIJIJ BOOKS A MADE SIMPLE BOOK DOUBLEDAY NEW YORK LONDON TORONTO SYDNEY AUCKLAND Edited and prepared for publication by The Stonesong Press, Inc. Managing Editor: Sheree Bykofsky Editor: Sarah Gold Editorial Consultant: Dennis J. Maika Design: Blackbirch Graphics, Inc. A MADE SIMPLE BOOK Published by Doubleday, a division of Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, Inc. 666 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10103 made simple and doubleday are trademarks of Doubleday, a division of Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, Inc. Copyright © 1991 by Doubleday, a division of Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved Printed in the United States of America October 1991 Revised Edition Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Estrin, Jack C. American history made simple/Jack C. Estrin.—New, rev. ed./ rev. by Marilyn Miller, p. cm. A MADE SIMPLE BOOK Includes index. 1. United States—History. I. Miller, Marilyn (Marilyn Frances) II. Title. E178.E8 1991 973—dc20 90-22293 CIP ISBN 0-385-41429-3 CONTENTS Chapter 1 The Discovery and Settlement of America Native American Civilizations 9 European Settlements 10 The Thirteen Colonies 14 The New England Colonies 14 The Middle Colonies 15 The “Deep South" Colonies 16 Chapter Colonial Foundations Immigrants to a New World 18 Colonial Free Enterprise 19 The Labor Problem 22 Colonial Advances Toward Political Freedom 23 Religion and Society 25 Religion and Secular Life 27 Secular Trends in Colonial Social and Intellectual Life 29 Chapter 3 The Factors in the American Revolution Crisis and Unity 36 The Birth of a Nation 40 War and Peace 41 Chapter 4 Confederation and Constitution “The Critical Period": 1781-89 45 The Framing of the Constitution 48 Ratification 50 Chapter 5 The Federalist Era Toward a National State 53 The Achievement of Alexander Hamilton 54 The Birth of Political Parties 57 The Decline of Federalist Power 60 Chapter 6 Jeffersonian Democratic-Republicanism Theory and Practice 64 Jefferson's Great Reversal 66 The War of 1812 68 Evaluating the War 73 4 CONTENTS Chapter 7: Nationalism Political Reflections of Nationalism 77 The Development of a Nationalist Foreign Policy 79 The Monroe Doctrine: Get Out and Stay Out 80 Cultural Nationalism 81 Sectionalism 82 Chapter 8: The Age of Andrew Jackson Democracy 85 The Policies of Andrew Jackson 88 Post-Jacksonian Government 91 Chapter 9: The Maturing of the Nation The West 94 The Transformation of America 100 The South 103 Chapter 10: Religious, Intellectual, and Social Ferment The Second Great Awakening 108 From Reformation to Transformation 110 Literature’s “Golden Day” 113 Chapter 11: Toward Southern Secession Tyler's Triumph 117 Polk's Progress 119 Taylor, Fillmore, and the Last of the Whigs 122 Pierce's Pro-Southern Politics 124 Buchanan: The Breakup of the Democrats 127 Chapter 12: Consolidation of the Union The Civil War Itself 131 Abraham Lincoln 137 The Human Consequences of the War 141 The Economic Consequences of the War 141 The Political Consequences of the War 143 Rehabilitation 147 Chapter 13: Industrialization: Causes and Results The Advance of Industry 149 The Mining Frontier 155 Contents 5 The Indian Frontier 156 The Cattle Frontier 158 The Farmer and the Worker 159 Chapter 14: Industrialization: Political and Social Consequences Political Results 162 The Presidents 164 The Changing Society 169 Chapter 15: The Struggle Against Laissez-Faire The Farmer-Labor Protest 179 Chapter 16: The Progressive Movement The Roots of Progressivism 188 The Crusade for Social Justice 190 The Presidency of Theodore Roosevelt (1901-9) 193 The Presidency of William Howard Taft (1909-13) 196 Woodrow Wilson and the New Freedom 198 Chapter 17: American Expansion Overseas The Challenge to Isolation 202 The Spanish-American War 205 The Panama Canal 208 Stretching the Monroe Doctrine 211 The Mexican Revolution 214 Chapter 18: The Origins of American Collective Security Far Eastern Policy 216 The United States and the First World War 219 The Home Front 222 American Contributions 224 Chapter 19: The Twenties The Aftermath of Progressivism 228 Political Parties 229 Political Issues 230 Economic Development 231 Labor 234 Foreign Policy 234 Society and Culture 237 6 CONTENTS Scientific and Artistic Developments 241 A Growing American Literature 242 Chapter 20: The New Deal The Great Collapse 245 Emergency Legislation 248 Reform Through Regulation 251 New Legislation 253 Culture and Science 260 Chapter 21: The New Deal and World Affairs Foreign Policy 263 The Long Road to War 265 World War II 268 The Home Front 270 The Postwar World 271 Chapter 22: Postwar America (1945-60) The "Cold War" 274 Military Pacts 276 The United States in the Far East 277 The United States in the Middle East 281 Domestic Affairs (1945—60) 282 Chapter 23: The Sixties John F. Kennedy (1961-63) 287 Lyndon B. Johnson (1963-68) 292 Foreign Policy 296 Social Change 298 Chapter 24: From Vietnam to Watergate The Nixon Presidency 302 Foreign Policy 303 Aftermath 304 Chapter 25: America at the End of the Century The Ford Presidency (1974-77) 307 The Carter Presidency (1977-81) 308 Contents 7 The Reagan Presidency (1981-89) 310 The Bush Presidency (1989- ) 315 Appendix A: Presidents of the United States 317 Appendix B: The Constitution of the United States 318 Index 334 «