1. HOW THE AMERICAS CHANGE:
THE LONG 19TH CENTURY
Patricia Fonseca
February 16, 2012
History 141 31136
History of the Americas Since 1800
Professor Arguello

2. THE AMERICAS IN THE 19TH
CENTURY
• The San Francisco gold rush helped draw many Chinese
immigrants to the Americas in search of fortune.
• European and Asian immigrants helped shape the Americas in terms of political, social,
and economic development. These immigrants helped to contribute to the labor-force
and agricultural aspects of western growth while adding ethnic diversity.
• As the United Stated won their independence, they struggled to build societies based on
freedom, equality and constitutional government. Considering the large amounts of
social, economic, and cultural diversity dispersed throughout the land, this proved to be
quite a challenge.
• This led to continuous mass migration, explosive economic growth with periods of deep
economic stagnation. Other difficulties stemming from civil war, ethnic violence, class
conflict, and struggles over sexual equality created an unstable environment.
• The westward expansion led to conflicts in several regions with the Native Americans
who were occupying those lands, as well as causing tension with Mexico.
• Civil war was sparked within different regions

3. THE AMERICAS IN THE 19TH
CENTURY
• Despite regional conflicts, Canada was able to avoid civil wars. Canada gained its
independence from Britain through gradual negotiations instead of gaining it through
war
• Canada’s two dominant ethnic groups were British and French Canadians. Despite their
ethnic and political differences, these two groups stood strong together against the threat
of U.S. invasion in 1812.
• After the War of 1812, English-speaking migrants flooded Canada. Bringing rapid
growth.
• To bring rising tension down, British imperial governors permitted the provinces to
govern their own internal affairs between 140-1867.
• The British North America Act of 1867 joined Quebec, Nova Scotia, Ontario, and New
Brunswick. Britain held jurisdiction over foreign affairs until 1931.
• Latin America created written constitutions, although these leaders had little experience
wit self-government. This led to social and political instability.
• Latin America was thrown into much conflict throughout the nineteenth century. At the
end, independence was one at the cost of education, profitable employment, and political
representation.

4. FRONTIERS OF THE AMERICAS:
THE LOUISIANA PURCHASE
• America, Britain, France, and Spain were all contending for control over the port of
New Orleans.
• Louisiana was a deserted area at this time and cost more money to maintain than it
made. After the end of the French and Indian War, France gave this territory to
Spain as a thank you for their aide in the war.
• The new French powers wanted to reclaim this land. France was engaged in war
with the Haitians. These slaves had formed a revolt against the brutal labor and
repression the French were imposing over the sugar crops.
• Soon, French troops were succumbing to yellow fever. Out of nearly 30,000 troops
only 4,000 were left able to fight. France had to split 20,000 troops between the
fight for the New Orleans port and the rebellion of the Haitians. A snow storm
trapped the troops headed for the port while the troops lost their battle in Haiti.
• A British Bank funded the loan of $15 million for America to purchase Louisiana
from Spain in order to keep France from being a power in America.
• On December 28, 1803, Louisiana was handed over to America. This was noted as
Jefferson’s greatest achievement as it launched America as a global power and a
transcontinental nation.

5. FRONTIERS OF THE AMERICAS:
KNIFE DUELING ON A 19TH-CENTURY
CATTLE FRONTIER
• In Uruguay 1867, violence was running rampant on the
frontier. More than half of all criminal cases were the
result of murder.
• Borderland violence was usually associated with trivial
reasons and many times involved alcohol.
• Many of these acts are described as symbolic violence
which was necessary to seal a man’s place within a social
group.
• Different acts of violence holds a different meaning within
different social groups. The two main cultural boundaries
of social groups laid between rural borderlands and
townsmen.

6. CROSSROADS OF FREEDOM
• Lincoln appoints George B. McClellan as commander of the Army of Potomac.
Soon, McClellan’s actions came into question.
• In January 1862, Lincoln became frustrated with McClellan’s inaction and
expressive disdain for the Republicans while coping with Halleck and Buell’s
inabilities to move against the Confederates.
• However, February brought many victories for the Union. New war bonds were
issued to help fund the war. Ulysses S. Grant took over the Union troops near
the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. This proved important as these waterways led
into the center of the Confederate’s lands. Grant, with Halleck’s approval,
captured three enemy armies. Buell’s Army took Nashville. Union
gunboats advanced to Florence, Alabama.
• The taking of the waterways proved to be an important strategy for the Union as
they spread out through other ports throughout the South. Although the
Confederates experienced a huge victory over Grant near Shiloh, the next day
he retaliated and drove the Confederates back. The South lost 13,000 men in
the two days alone.

7. CROSSROADS OF FREEDOM
• The Confederates pulled out of Yorktown and Norfolk as McClellan’s army was positioning
to strike, giving the North possession of the South’s most important naval yard.
• The South tried to engage Britain and France in their plight. First, through the cotton
embargo and second, through recognition of the Confederacy as a nation.
• The cotton embargo failed as Britain felt they were being used. The Confederates failed at
being recognized as a nation when the Union started winning many battles. The
Confederates failed to prove their military could sustain them as a nation.
• The Confederate’s Jackson won five battles against the Union. General Lee is appointed
commander after Johnston is hurt. As McClellan came up with excuses to not attack the
South, Lee devised and executed a devastating blow against McClellan. The Union
commander decided to retreat after losing just one battle. The Seven Days Battles delayed
the Union victory of the war. McClellan’s inaction led to discourse within his army.
• Republicans in Congress enacted an article of war forbidding the return of escaped slaves.
Union armies started confiscating slaves.

8. CROSSROADS OF FREEDOM
• Lincoln appoints McClellan to take merge his troops with Pope’s after a
shift in the war seemed to side with the Confederates.
• Lee’s soldiers started to suffer from “battle fatigue” and many began to
drop out of the war due to physical reasons.
• Confederate battle orders from Lee fell into McClellan’s hands and
changed the course of the war and of history.
• McClellan was aware of Lee’s strategies but as Harper’s Ferry
surrendered, Lee decided to invade Maryland instead of retreating.
• McClellan and Lee’s soldiers battled it out on Bloody Lane. Union
soldiers finally cleared the area out of all Confederate soldiers. Burnside
advanced against Confederate troops at Harper’s Ferry Road after which
an intense battle ensued.

9. CROSSROADS OF FREEDOM
• McClellan allowed the Confederates to flee because he didn’t have “absolute
assurance of success’ and was the key element to McClellan’s failures. He
allowed his enemies to retreat without pursuing and capturing them.
• After the battle at Antietam, Lincoln issued the Proclamation of Emancipation.
This now made it impossible for the two sides to simply reconcile. Now, one
side would have to completely defeat the other. Britain now decided to side
with the Union.
• Lincoln tries to move McClellan into movement. When all attempts fail, he puts
Burnside in charge of McClellan’s army.
• Antietam was the battle that the Confederates had placed maximum effort. They
had failed. They were about to receive foreign recognition for independence.
This allowed the Republican party to accept the Proclamation.

10. HOW THE AMERICAS CHANGE:
THE LONG 19TH CENTURY
WORKS CITED
“The Louisiana Purchase.” Dir. Jonathon Grupper. A&E Television Network, 2003.
HistoryChannel.com. Film.
“Violence for Show: Knife Dueling on a 19th-Century Cattle Frontier”, Chasteen, John Charles. 9
February 2012.
McPherson, James M. Crossroads Of Freedom. New York: Oxford University Press, 2002.