American History Homework Four Answers - Student Fourteen

Duncan B. American History Homework Four

1. The Revolution of 1800 was the first contested presidential election in American history and the first completely peaceful power change in the world. Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr, of the Democratic-Republican Party, won over the weak and unpopular Federalist John Adams.

Excellent.

2. Although at the time of the Louisiana Purchase, the entire West and Midwest of the United States was little but open land with buffalo, scrub, and hostile Indians, it was a good buy. The West provides a huge amount of food—beef, mutton, wheat, barley, and other types of foodstuffs. Besides, if we had not taken it, who would have? We would have had to worry about our border even more than we do now.

Superb.

3. There were many causes of the War of 1812, but probably the most important was the impressments of American sailors by British warships. As the British navy was always shorthanded of seamen, they often stopped and boarded private Britain-based merchant vessels and took off men to man their own ships. (This measure provided able seamen, unlike other methods taken by British captains, such as taking prisoners and kidnapping men off the streets.) When English officers began to do the same to American merchant vessels under the pretence of looking for deserters, James Madison objected and declared war.

Very good. Note that it is "pretense", not "pretence".

4. One of the most lasting things about the Monroe Administration was the Rush-Bagot Treaty between the United States and Canada, which completely demilitarized the United States-Canadian border. This treaty continues today, and saves the United States millions in military costs and enables us to use our military in other, more necessary, spots.

Superb! Will use as a model answer.

5. “Jacksonian Democracy,” the type of democracy favored by Andrew Jackson, regards the common man as the most important person in the country.

OK, but could be better. See model answers.

6. The Marshall Court is known for expanding Federal power, especially that of the courts. For 35 years the Court made decisions unopposed, until Andrew Jackson refused to obey an order in 1835. Its cases included Marbury vs. Madison, which expanded the power of the Court by declaring a part of the Constitution unconstitutional, McCullough vs. Maryland, which ruled that states cannot tax Federal banks, and Cohens vs. Virginia, which established Federal law’s supremacy.

Terrific answer!

7. In the cartoon, the figure on the left is John Bull, the British national symbol (much like Uncle Sam is for the United States). His weight makes it clear that the cartoon was not drawn by an Englishman. The center figure is a bear, symbolizing Russia. The right-hand figure, a young woman, is holding an American flag and symbolizes the United States. The cartoon depicts the Treaty of Ghent which ended the War of 1812; it was, oddly enough, negotiated by the Czar of Russia.

Fascinating insight about "John Bull." I didn't know that, and will use in the model answers! However, the cartoon seems to depict more than an historical event. It includes a point of view by the cartoonist which you should attempt to describe.

H1. The Louisiana Purchase was, and still is, widely hailed by the American people as a great achievement. This admiration for Jefferson and this accomplishment of his administration covers up some of his failings (such as his failure to deal with the Tripoli pirates.

OK, though I suspect there is more that drives the pro-Jefferson bias, such as how atheists like Jefferson's occasional (and bizarre) criticisms of Christianity.

H2. By the end of the War of 1812, the Federalists were tired of the war—they were not even the ones who started it. They began to negotiate a peace treaty with England. Then the British government made peace with the United States. Not only did the Federalists look foolish, they also looked unpatriotic. The ensuing lack of support destroyed the Federalist Party; it never again was a factor in American politics.

This strikes me as slightly off. The probably was not that Federalists were negotiating a peace treaty with England (which would have been improper), but that they were talking about and considering supporting secession from the United States (which was downright treasonous in a time of war). (Minus 1). Challenge my view if you like!

H4. The Southern people had to import many more things than the North did before the Civil War. Only a few of their things were homegrown. This meant that Southerners disliked higher tariffs. Northerners, on the other hand, liked higher tariffs, because they exported many things and did not import very much. High tariffs on foreign goods meant that the Americans were more likely to buy their products as opposed to foreign ones.

Excellent!

Superb homework answers, with two qualifying for the model answers. Score: 99/100.