1800's Market Economy Growth

This short article goes over some of the reason America shifted from a subsistence economy to a market economy...

1800's Market Economy Growth 

            During the nineteenth century many changes took place within the United States government. Looking back on its early years to the present day, it’s clear that America has been constantly working to better the American dream since its beginnings. Originally our nation was considered a subsistence economy. Many of the farmers grew what they needed to survive and bartered for the other necessities of life. It was not nearly as important to sell crops and become wealthy as it was to just grow what they needed. However as America strengthened and there became easy ways of transporting crops and goods over lots of land, suddenly a market economy sprung up. This economy gave the farmers a reason to grow as much crop as they could, so they could sell the surplus and become wealthier. This shift was the result of many things. First off, as America expanded more and more people came to the growing nation. The large amount of people caused an increased demand for products and food. As the government worked on the creation of roads, canals, and other forms of transportation, the farmers suddenly saw the advantage of selling their crops in the surrounding areas for cheaper than they would have years earlier. Americans also were starting to enjoy their self sustaining economy. Instead of relying on foreign trade, they were becoming more and more able to grow their own supplies. To top it all off, American inventors also were starting to work hard to make their farmers get the most out of their land and labor. Products such as the steam engine, power mills, more efficient plows, easy to make guns, and even machines to make 200,000 nails a day were just a few of the many inventions that made it inviting for America to start their own Market economy. One of the biggest creations that started it however was the easy transportation. Over these years America had improved their roads, and made advantage of waterways by the creation of steamboats. Canals also made it easier to get products needed in different areas there quickly and efficiently. With all these innovations, it’s no wonder that when farmers started to produce more and more surplus, the option of gaining wealth by selling it was very intriguing. As more and more people saw the advantages of a market economy, inventions sprang up and a market economy soon became a great transition for the American people.

Andrew Jackson's Presidency

This paper is a brief overview of Andrew Jackson's presidency, and some of the negative effects it brought to our nation...

 Andrew Jackson's Presidency

            Upon entering the White House in 1829 the seventh Andrew Jackson had become a very firm and experienced man. Being one of the most successful war heroes of the time and up to this day, Jackson had certainly seen many sides to the young nation. However, there were still many people questioning old Hickory’s ability to lead America as president. Although many Democrats were extremely happy to get one of their own into office, it was still unclear how this “Man of the People” would lead. To this day, people have split opinions whether Jackson was really able to benefit our nation through his leadership. Due to his strong opinions and uncompromising actions, I believe that he didn’t portray a democratic government as well as he should have. Although he may have made big decisions for our nation, he also made some big mistakes that are still remembered by many historians to this day.

            As Andrew Jackson was voted into office, many were surprised about how indifferent he was from the normal people of the area. He didn’t have an extremely large background for wealth or high ranking relatives, he was said to be just the average American fighting for each individuals rights in government. Some characteristics that  Jackson had as a  boy and through his time as president was a firm opinion on many matters. This comes out in a story which he was beaten by a British officer after refusing to clean his boots. Just like the scars of the British sword were present on his hands and face, his hatred of the British stayed deep in his thoughts. Also, being brought up in the south he encouraged slavery and southern expansion. Before becoming president Jackson was well known for his appearance as a war general. In the War of 1812 and many others he had fought long and hard against Indian natives as well as the British and French. With his extreme success as a leader, and bravery in these tough situations he had a good name when he ran for office against John Quincy Adams. Although he lost this election for possibly very unfair reasons, he still had his turn to run in the following election. His run for election against Adams was one of the steps to separating America into separate parties. He was a strong man, and it was clear he’d make many changes during his years of presidency.

            Unfortunately not all these changes were for the better. One of his first actions on becoming president was the spoils system. He told his followers that it was his attempt to make the government more open to the public instead of closed off by an elite few. However, this isn’t the only thing his new system did. By the end of his presidency he left roughly 9 percent of all government employees without work, and replaced them with his friends. Another big thing Andrew Jackson did was lead the national bank to its doom. He had never liked the national bank. He considered it a monster that only makes the rich grow richer and finally he decided to do something about it. Because its inability to spread the wealth to more than a select few citizens, its great control over the congress and government, and its favoritism of the northern states instead of southern, he vetoed the re-charter by congress and withdrew all the U.S. funds from it. It was a big decision, and angered many of his opponents. However, American people still voted him back into office in 1833. One final action that Jackson made in his presidency that personally irritated me, was his actions towards the Indians and there removal from western soil. He was in favor of forcefully moving the Indians from their home lands once again to help the growing nation seek westward land. These actions resulted in the death of many Indians and a hurtful relationship between those of the Americans and their neighboring natives. On the Trail of Tears alone roughly 4,000 Cherokee Indians died. It was forceful and inappropriate actions like these that Jackson is remembered for. Had he looked out for those Indians he could have gone about he situations more peacefully and saved many lives.  

            As you can see, Andrew Jackson was a very firm man. He stuck to what he believed, and  some of his actions were very hurtful to America and the Natives. This is why he got his nickname “King Andrew,” because many thought he acted like a ruler over the American people more so than a president. Although he might have done what he thought was best, part of being president is listening to the people and doing the best thing for others. I think that’s what Jackson failed to do during his presidency.

John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and James Monroe

Overview of the four presidents following George Washington...

·         John Adams –

            In 1796 John Adams officially became the second president of the United States. Upon becoming president, he made it clear that he was dedicated to make a strong federal government, showing his federalist views.  He also made it clear that he did not want the young country to get into the European wars at the time. That’s why it was so troubling to him when the crisis with the French became a problem. They began beating up the young country and refused to make an peaceful agreement. That’s when the XYZ affairs took place. Under the threat that the French could attack at any time, Adams agreed that the army had to be built up, and stand prepared. The following years were used building up the Navy and Army, as to prepare for the war against the French. Luckily this war didn’t take place, but it was still extremely close, and lead to improvements to our protection from outside threats.

·         Thomas Jefferson –

            In the election of 1800 a great shift took place. The previous two presidents had both been federalists, but as Thomas Jefferson came in as the third president, the democratic-republicans took the stand for the first time. Jefferson made it clear by the way he acted, dressed, and lead, that he was greatly in favor of creating a small government with great democratic ideas. He dressed very normally and discussed with an even attention to each individual no matter their ranking. One foreign policy event that Jefferson saw as president was the Impressment and the Embargo act. During the Impressment British started seizing American ships that they saw crossing the ocean for trading. To stop these acts, Jefferson passed the Embargo Act that forbids the trading to Britain, in hopes that this punch to their economy would help peace between the two countries.  As a result to this act, foreign trade drop greatly, and American local farmers and merchants needed to step up to fit the demands of the growing country.

·         James Madison –

            Come 1809, America was once again searching for a new president. James Madison was the man who stepped into the fourth presidents position. America was under some difficult times when Madison took office, and something clearly had to be done. The British was a growing power in the world, and many Federalists were eager for war. They accused the British of urging Indian attacks, and many others longed for expansion into Canada.  When 1812 came, there was no option but to start the second war with Britain. It was a tough war for the Americas. Just like their original war with Britain, they had a natural disadvantage with their smaller army, but also home court advantage at the same time. Americans also had a tough time agreeing on whether or not they should actually be going into war again. Finally after two years, both countries stopped fighting and signed the Treaty of Ghent. This ended the war in a draw, no land gained or lost. Although the Americans had not taken the land from the British, they now had formed a peaceful way of ending future disputes.

·         James Monroe –

            Once Madison’s time was up as president, America voted for James Monroe to become the fifth president of the United States.  Monroe was another Democratic-Republican candidate, and was a very popular candidate in the 1817 election. All in all, the United States seemed to be flowing more smoothly than ever. Following the war, they had a boost in the economy, and had hopes to continue to be a great nation.  They called it the Era of Good Feelings. Although it was good times for many aspects of American life, there was also a few problems to the south in Florida. Spain had always owned the very southern point of the United States, and on the boarder there were occasional attacks that needed to be stopped. In attempt to expand the nation as well  as avoid possible future problems, Monroe set to work trying to gain this bit of land for America. Spain knew they had little control over their land in Florida and other parts of the continent, so they decided to strike a deal with America. They signed the Adams-Onis treaty which finally gave the United States ownership of Florida as well as land stretching all the way to the Pacific Ocean. For only 5 million dollars, America had finally gotten a lot of land stretching from sea to sea. Spain kept their Texas and Mexico, but it was with great joy that the Americans moved even further into the country.

Checks and Balances in the U.S. Constitution

Checks and Balances in the U.S. Constitution

                When the final separation of the United States and the British occurred in 1783, the Colonists rejoiced over their much deserved freedom. However, as time passed, maintaining this freedom proved much more difficult than some of the patriots might have originally thought. Looking at republics of years prior, James Madison was one man to find that many republics fail to keep their stand. With many other republics falling mercy to power hungry dictators or overwhelming surrounding forces, it became clear that in order for the United States to keep its independence, some solid guidelines must be put into place. That’s why, when the Continental Congress met to arrange the young nation’s future, Madison had already thought long and hard over a plan that could keep the United States a free republic. Many parts of his system still hold to this day, making the United States a free and independent nation. One key factor he included within his model of the Constitution was Checks and Balances. By keeping our government a free republic for over two hundred years the Checks and Balances have already proved their importance within our Constitution.

Checks and Balances were one main part of Madison’s model of the Constitution, because of how important he thought it was to spread the power out. He noticed that if other republics put too much power within a single aspect of the government, it often times started taking over. If the government gained too much power, the colonists would then live in a similar situation as they had in Britain. To make sure this didn’t happen again, Madison made Checks and Balances to save the colonists from an overpowering government. The way a Checks and Balances system works, is that instead of a single force choosing the actions a country takes, the power is spread among multiple units. Addition to their own work running the country, these single units would also have the responsibility of looking over the other units of government, to make sure all jobs are done right. Under this constant speculation, no single unit could grow too powerful, and every one of them could work together to make a more perfect union. This thought intrigued the Continental Congress, and in response, they put forward a plan to incorporate Checks and Balances in the Constitution. They set up a system that had three branches of the United States Government. These three branches include the Executive, Judicial, and Legislative Branch. With three units of government, the Congress could then split the powers evenly, and make sure each had the power to check one another. This system was taken timidly by the colonists at first, but proved to be a fool proof system to keep the power in balance.

There are many examples of Checks and Balances happening within our government today. One example is the Health Care regulations that are being heavily debated. The Executive (President) and Legislative (Congress) branch already voted for the Nationwide health care system, in which every person is required to have health care. However, the Judicial Branch isn’t sure this requirement is Constitutional. If the Judicial Branch finds reason to believe that this new law is unconstitutional, it has the power to reject the law. This shows that the Judicial Branch is in constant consideration of the people, making sure the other branches don’t take away any rights.

The Constitution has clearly proven how its well designed structure has lasted the test of time. The Constitutions many Checks and Balances have been able to retain the constitutional rights of each individual, as well as keep the United States running as a free republic. James Madison would be glad to see that the Constitution he helped design, didn’t fail like many other Republics he studied, but instead became one of the most successful governments in the world.

Ratifying the Constitution Editorial

This article goes over the reasons Colonists should ratify the constitution. It is written as an editorial, in 1788....

Ratifying the Constitution Editorial 

1788

There’s a fine line to the thing we call freedom, and over the past few years, the people of the United States have been wondering where the boundaries are to this independence. The ups and downs that freedom has brought to the Americas have been hard to handle. Many years of war and struggle were required to escape the tyranny of British government, and now that it’s all over, many people in the newborn republic are starting to wonder if they made the right decision. Fortunately, the founding fathers have not given up on this young country yet, and have spent long hours discussing the welfare of the present and future years of this nation. Over the past few weeks the Continental Congress put together a document that will totally change the life and lay down the law within the colonies, it is called the Constitution. Starting with the words, “We the People, of the United States of America,” the Constitution speaks of a government that links all the colonies as one union. However, the many people worry that these documents speaking of liberty will actually ruin the republic entirely. As states start to consider ratification, it’s important for all colonists to know what the Constitution implies.

James Madison was one man who definitely realized that we were in need of a vast change.  He was there when we fret about the Shays’ Rebellion, and finally decided it was time for him to make a difference. Looking over many past republics and democracy’s he made a plan. With the goal of making a free country that can work together, he threw out the old ideas in the Articles of Confederation, and presented a whole new plan to the Constitutional Convention. The men of the convention worked together over the course of long, stressful, and hot hours to form the country we all dream of. Now they’re urging each state to ratify the document, so we can once again, band together, and stay that way. Many people have feared that all this work on a national level will result in an all powerful king like they were used to in the past. However, the Constitution’s goal is just the opposite. When the convention took place, there was one main goal; to create a government that was for the good of all people. They formed the new Constitution around the idea that certain areas of government cannot over power others, and each person needs to have a voice. To do this, they made checks and balances. This made it so that no single part of government could get too powerful. The three parts of Government that would constantly be checking one another are called the Executive, Judicial, and Legislative Branches. These checks and balances are a great way to pass things only for the good of each individual, and in the mean time make the United States even more united.

Many people wonder how their voice will be heard in the government, the last thing they want is a demanding government like they had in Britain. The way the Constitution respects each individual’s voice is by voting for the officials. People in each of the previously talked about branches would be put into office by the voting public. The public votes on who they feel believes the same way they do, and then in office the elected person can put the ideas into action. Each state would also receive representation within the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Great Compromise said that there would be two houses of Congress. The Senate, the upper house of congress would consist of two individuals from each state. The House of Representatives that would be put together based on population. This means that each state would be able to have their own feelings heard by the others, no matter how small they may be. One issue that came about with this proposal was how slaves would be counted, if the House of Representatives relied on total population. After a heated debate, there was another compromise that each slave would count as 3/5ths of a person. This means that in the southern states, they receive delegates based on the idea that each slave raises the population of the state by 3/5.

Another great reason the Constitution has to be put in place, is because of our National debt. America was unable to tax its population under the Articles of Confederation. Although this kept some colonists happy, the lack of a budget was playing very negative effects on the government. Because of this, the constitution stated that the public can be taxed, as long as it was accepted in the three branches of government. The American people should understand that this needs to be the case. When Britain first started taxing the colonies, the people shouted “No taxation without representation.” But now that America is putting together their own government, contributions for the good of all, must be put in place.

Although this new Constitution might hold some very good ideas, there are still some people around us that dislike the idea of becoming more of a union. Each of us must realize that the Constitution will in no way take away the rights we love. Through many checks and balences, the Constitution insures that we have people looking out for our freedom and the good of our country. This ends a lot of fears about the United States becoming too much of an overpowering National government instead of a Federal one. Most anti-federalists believe that since the Constitution included no Bill of Rights, their own rights would start to disappear. However, as we’ve seen, this is not the case, and if their concerned about having their voice heard in government, ratifying the Constitution is the best thing they could do. The Constitutional Convention decided that nine of the 13 colonies would have to ratify the constitution before it was put into place. If you feel that these ideas are all a necessary part of our government, I urge you to work toward ratification of your own state. If we can get this passed, our states will be able to work together to reap the benefits.

Only time can tell how the Constitution will fare in the United States. Many wonder whether our dreams of independence have started to come true. It seems however, that the Constitution is giving us all a light of hope that we possibly will be able to make it through as a republic, and follow the freedom we fought for. Ratifying the Constitution is one very beneficial action, and many believe it alone could give us a good start to making this country an even better one.

Colonial Victory in the American Revolution

This is an article that tells how the colonies won the American Revolution....   

Colonial Victory in the American Revolution

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In 1776 the colonies made a big decision. With Patrick Henry’s cries of “give me liberty, or give me death,” they raged into war to fight for the freedom they believed in.  Although a nation of any size would tremble at the thought of taking on the British army, the young American colonies chose to defend their freedom with great determination. The success the colonies had within the Revolutionary War was a great start to building the great nation America is today. With the great leadership of George Washington, the knowledge of their own home land, and the help of foreign allies, the colonies were able to use their immense courage and determination to fight all odds, and attain independence.

                Although it takes more than one man to win a war, there was one man that certainly played a necessary part in the colonists’ victory. This man was George Washington.  Not only did he lead our country as our first president, but this great man also led the way through the American Revolution. When the Second Continental Congress first decided that taking arms to the British might be a necessary action, they turned to the young leader for direction. With no promise of salary or safety, Washington eagerly accepted the position and set to work making an army out of the untrained colonists. Untrained colonists was not the only difficulty Washington faced however, Washington himself was also untrained being a war leader. With hard work however, Washington and his army gradually learned how to fight. Washington’s hard work, gathering troops, and learning strategies is one way he showed his great leadership in the war. As the leader of war, Washington was expected to make some daring choices. On Christmas night, with nearly all the future of America relying on Washington, he decided to make a risky attack at Trenton. He decided to send his troops across the Delaware, and attempt to surprise the Hessians. This could not have worked out better; George Washington had made a key move to giving hope to the colonists and a head start in the war. Yet another great example Washington provided, to prove his excellence as a leader was at Princeton. A great many troops from the British Army came back to the place of Trenton hoping to take down Washington’s forces. However, George Washington encouraged his men, and would not let go. The men within his army remember Washington riding straight through the fighting, encouraging all the men to keep at it. A true leader shows more concern for his army than himself, and that’s just what Washington showed his army. The inspired colonists went on to win this war and others. Without Washington, it is hard to imagine that all the separate colonies would have been able to work together and make it through the war against the British. The way he rallied forces, planed out daring strategy’s, and was determined to succeed were all crucial aspects for the colonists’ victory over the British.

                Looking back at the American Revolution, it is also clear that the colonists’ knowledge of their own land, or the lack of knowledge for the British, also became an important part for the colonists in the Revolutionary War. The main reason it was so difficult for the British to fight over seas was clearly the distance. This distance made it hard for the British to react quickly and know when and where to send their troops. A second downfall for the British’s long range attack was the great difficulty of getting supplies all the way across the ocean. Although the British had lots of ships going both the ways, the constant need was sometimes tough to stay on top of, as well as expensive. The sea also brought an easy target for the colonists. Later on in the war, America allowed ships to attack the supply carrying British ships before they even made it to land. The final way American colonists were able to make full use of their over sea advantage was through knowing their land better than the British.  The British fell prey to many surprise attacks from the colonies. Key battles may not have turned out favoring the patriots had they not had this simple advantage. The geography of where the fighting took place, no doubt, gave the colonists a much desired advantage. 

                Even if things were looking up for the Americans, the constant threat of the British army was hard to keep up with. In 1778, the Continental Congress was able to become allies with a much needed foreign force, the French. Ben Franklin helped arrange the signing of the Treaty of Alliance, and with it, the military aid from France. This military aid played a crucial part to America’s victory.  The French alliance, gave hope to all Americans that this revolution was entirely possible. When the French sent 5,000 troops to help out the Americans in the Yorktown battle, the colonists had gained the upper hand against the British, numbering 17,000 to 8,000. With this advantage the colonists were able to win battles more decisively and finally forced the Britain government to surrender. Upon the creation of the treaty of Paris, the mortified Britain government finally named the United States a “free sovereign and independent states.” This might not have happened had the states not made the recent alliance with the French, and clearly the foreign forces did help create independence for Americans.

                When the Congress first made the decision to take arms against the British rule, they didn’t know quite what would happen. At that point the British army was one of the strongest in the world, and for the young nation to choose arms for their freedom was very brave indeed. Through their high determination, they were able to win the war, and with it, their freedom. George Washington’s leadership, the geography of the battles, as well as the French alliance the colonists made, were all crucial parts for the colonials to come on top in the American Revolution. The battles and difficulties the colonists’ faced, only proves how important their freedom was. A need for liberty is what got them into the Revolutionary war, and the dedication to freedom is what got them through.

New England, Middle Colonies, and Southern Colonies

This is information about the different colonies that formed in America...

New England

Picture caption: The Pilgrims sharing the First Thanksgiving.

Primary Settlers:

   - New England was where the Pilgrims landed in 1620.

   - Many of the Pilgrims originally were of strictly Puritan faith.

Base of Their Economy:

   - The people of New England were big on farming for much of

      their economy.

   - They also used the sea by fishing.

   - They built ships from the supply of the forest.

Political Structure:

   - The Puritans originally had the religion and the government intertwined.

   - Roger Williams separated the religion and government in Rhode Island.

Religion:
   - Much of New England started out Puritan.
   - The original colonies weren’t tolerant of other religions.

Geography/Climate:
   - Coast soil was thin and rocky, Inland had richer soil.

   -The winters were extremely cold.

Middle Colonies

Picture caption: The Middle Colonies relied heavily on farming.

Primary Settlers:

   - Before England gained ownership of the land, the Dutch ruled  .    over New Amsterdam. Later to be named New York.

  - Variety of settlers including Dutch, Puritan, Scots, and Quakers.

Base of Their Economy:

   - The people of the middle colonies mainly based their economy                                                                                                                                                                                               .    on farming.

   - The surplus of corn and wheat was sold to the New England.

  

Political Structure:

   - There were some big landowners.

   - Port towns of the Middle Colonies thrived (Including: New York and Pennsylvania).

Religion:
   - In Pennsylvania, there were Quakers. Quakers believed that all were equal.

   - There was a tolerance of many religions in some Middle Colonies.

Geography/Climate:
   - The rich soil and climate of the middle colonies were perfect for farming.

Southern Colonies                    

Picture Caption: Slaves were forced to keep vast fields in good order.

Primary Settlers:

   - Majority of the first settlers in Maryland were Catholic.

   - Protestants and other religions joined them when they

     needed more people.

Base of Their Economy:

   - Tobacco was a major cash crop for the southern                                                                                                                 

     colonies. However, they later switched mainly to rice.

   - They bought many slaves, and used them to farm much

     of the land.

Political Structure:

   - Virginia’s House of Burgesses was the first representative assembly of the colonies.

Religion:
   - Maryland was mainly Catholic.

   - The Act of Toleration (1649) said that all Christians could practice in Maryland.

Geography/Climate:
   - The south had a hot climate, and richest soil of the colonies. (Perfect for their crops)

Northern and Southern Differences in the 1800's

This is an article about how the North and South had altering views durring the 1800's...

Northern and Southern Differences in the 1800’s

               Although the United States was proud of the strong union they had formed, between 1800 and 1850, the North and the South did have quite a few differences that still needed to be attended to. During these years, as the economies of the North and South grew stronger, these differences become more and more dangerous for our union, but also became harder and harder to change. Agreements were hard to come to in a nation that seemed to have been split right in the middle. As the nation started to greatly expand, many wondered what would become of the two sides of our nation. Some of the most apparent differences one could see between the North and South included the economy, social structure and attitudes, as well as daily life. Whether the next generation of settlers would side with the North or South could change our nation for all of time.

               The Economy of Northern and Sothern states could be considered the source of some of the biggest differences between the two sides. In the North, there were lots of small farmers, but the North was also becoming more and more industrialized. Taking a look back at the 1800’s we start to see factory’s manufacturing many things that previously had been unavailable, and many employed individuals working hard to create products to fit the growing demand in the nation. On the other half of America, the Southerners were much more set on farming as the soul income. Plantations were starting to grow across this land, perfect for growing all kinds of things. In particular, the Southern economy was mostly rooted on cotton. By the mid 1800’s somewhere around 5 million bales of cotton were being produced each year. To take advantage of such a great cash crop, wealthy individuals were setting up large farms and working the land to the max. It was hard to find people willing to work as hard as Southern plantation owners wanted, and once they started forcing slaves to do the labor for them, slavery became a prominent part of the South’s economy. In the 1800’s, Almost one third of southern population was forced to working the fields each day, without pay, and without proper nourishment. Almost one third of the southern population lived with the whip lashing at their backs, and chains around their necks, as their separated from their families. Almost one third of the southern population was slaves. Southern plantations were filled with terror. On the other hand, Northern states didn’t base their economy on slavery. This doesn’t mean work was fun, or the wages were excellent for the Northern citizens, but the factory workers at least had freedom, unlike the slaves of the South.

               Social structure and attitudes was another difference that split the Northern and Southern people. America at the time had huge numbers of foreign immigrants coming to the new nation in hopes of finding work. Some of these individuals were able to jump right in with the economy and become wealthy, but many others lived with little income. In attempt to find work at the factories immigrants often settled in the industrious north. The social structure of the north was more of a free for all. Many could come settle into the growing cities, and start making a living. Although some individuals had much more wealth and power than other people, there was a hope for each person that they could achieve greatness no matter where their beginnings were. Southern plantations weren’t nearly as inviting for new workers. The social structure had a very set hierarchy, and it wasn’t easy to jump in on top. This was because it was the wealthy that ran the economy. They would constantly be getting more and more money, which made it hard for individual starting from ground zero to jump in. For both the North and South, it was clear that white people, especially males, were on top of the social ladder. However, in the North, slavery wasn’t present like it was in southern states, and African Americans had more freedom. All in all, the North seemed to have a much more inviting social structure for most individuals, and that’s why cities popped up, and many people came to this area.

               One last, and obvious result with all these differences, was the contrasting daily life for those who live in the North and South. As previously stated, the North was home to the many cities rooted along the major waterways of the area. These cities however, often times lead to terrible lives for many. The bustling city also had overcrowding which lead to crime and other dreadful things. Some poor immigrants had to spend their days homeless in the streets and begging. Others had to spend nights in crowded and dangerous apartments. On the other hand daily life for people of the south was much different. Whether you were a wealthy plantation owner, or a worker in the fields, depended a lot on how you were treated. Slaves were forced from little on to work day by day, and suffer from terrible heat, sickness, and beatings. From sun up to late into the night, these slaves labored constantly with almost no breaks. The slave owners didn’t live a life nearly as difficult. Instead, they would either hire someone, or go out in the fields themselves, forcing the slaves to work harder and faster. Slavery was a terrible system that became so firmly rooted; it was hard to break away from. Heading up to the factories in the North, people also had to work long and hard. They were paid little considering each and every day they worked extremely long hours. Both men and women worked in these factories, and suffered low pay, long hours, and dangerous conditions. However, they were given one thing that kept them going, freedom. During the 1800’s, work was hard for majority of the lower class in both the South and North.

               Despite all these differences, the North and South were still common with one thing, their union. They were both part of the United States, had a common government, and had to come to a single agreement for many situations. During the 1800’s, America was growing. The United States was no longer a small nation, barely making it by, the economy and people were growing bigger and stronger each day. As people became more crowded with the increase in population, looking west was on the minds of many Americans. It was hard to predict what will come of the Northern and Southern ways of life, as the country expands to the west. If I had lived during the 1800’s, I would have predicted that the Northern values would be carried west more than those of the South. The North was filled with more opportunity for the newcomers to make a living, and I believe as these newcomers move west, they will keep the values they saw on the Northern soil. This is not to say that the south will also expand greatly. The southern farmers will likely set up large plantations filled with slaves, but as for the majority, I believe the north will extend farther west. Only time could tell of what was to happen with the new land.