Missouri Compromise

What global changes prompted the Monroe Doctrine? What were its key provisions? How does it show American’s growing international presence?

John Quincy Adams served as James Monroe’s secretary of state. He was afraid that Spain would try and colonize Latin America. He drafted a message to Congress, which became known as the Monroe Doctrine. Some of the key provisions stated in this draft were that the U.S. would oppose colonization by European powers in America, the U.S. would not interfere with the European wars, and Monroe warned European powers to not interfere with the new independent Latin America. Monroe’s administration warned Spain and all other European powers to stop with any and all designs of the Western Hemisphere. This shows that the United States has dominant power in the Western Hemisphere and that eventually they could assume Britain’s economic role.

3. How did the expansion of white male democracy run counter to the ideals of the founders, who believed government should be sheltered from excessive influence by ordinary people? Democracy reinforced equality among those who belonged to the political nation and it helped divide a line from those who did not belong. They rallied, campaigned, and helped to define the people of the United States. The right to vote was more of a symbol of American citizenship although voting was known as a privilege rather than a right.

5. How did the Missouri Compromise and the nullification crisis demonstrate increasing sectional competition and disagreements over slavery?

In the Missouri Compromise, Missouri applied for admission to the United States in 1819. Congress did no make any provisions to not allow for slavery in the area west of the Mississippi River. The north and the south differed over no more slaves being introduced into Missouri. Majority of the north agreed to this offer although most of the south was against it. The south did not want the north to control Congress and its opposition of slavery. This argument led to The Missouri Compromise in which Missouri would enter the union as a slave state and Maine would enter as a free state. In the nullification crisis, the tariff of 1828 created by Andrew Jackson was a tax on manufactured items which the south mainly South Carolina benefitted from the north but hurt the south which in return led to South Carolina’s legislature rallying against it. Andrew Jackson did not support the nullification however John Calhoun did support it. John Calhoun later resigned. Both of these issues, the Missouri Compromise and the Nullification Crisis demonstrate that America was indeed having issues over slavery. The south felt slavery was an economic need, but the north felt differently in regards to slavery. Our government differed on opinions and was quick to threaten with the US army to intervene.

7. What were the major economic, humanitarian, political, and social arguments for and against Indian removal?

One of the major arguments for the Indian removal was due to a mass increase in cotton. The invention of cotton made farmers need more land for their cotton plantations, which in return led to the increase of pressure on Indian land. Another argument for Indian removal was that most of the Americans felt they were better than the Indians mainly due to their skin color and ethnicity. Americans felt that they had control and power and could remove the Indians from the land. Social arguments against Indian removal were how they wanted to integrate the Indians into American society, i.e. the Cherokees. One of the major political arguments in the Indian removal made many feel that it was wrong to change or get rid of any agreements that they had made with the Indians.