University of Groningen
American History: Essays: The Iron Horse: Indian Policies
From a lengthy essay on the history of the railroad in the United States. This section briefly explains how Commissioner George W. Manypenny visited native tribes in 1853 in order to negotiate treaties that would take away their land so...
University of Groningen
American History: Essays: The Iron Horse: Political Changes
From a lengthy essay on the history of the railroad in the United States. This section describes the dramatic political changes that took place with the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act in 1854. This led to the formation of the...
University of Groningen
American History: Essays: The Iron Horse: Other Transcontinentals
From a lengthy essay on the history of the railroad in the United States. This section describes the other railroad companies that were competing to build a transcontinental line.
University of Groningen
American History: Essays: The Iron Horse: Land Departments and Immigration
From a lengthy essay on the history of the railroad in the United States. This section describes what the Land Department and the Bureau of Immigration did in order to attract new immigrants to settle along the railroad line. The...
University of Groningen
American History: Essays: The Iron Horse: The Railroad Unions
From a lengthy essay on the history of the railroad in the United States. This section lists a number of the railroad unions that formed in the latter half of the 19th century, and what they stood for.
University of Groningen
American History: Essays: The Iron Horse: Consolidations
From a lengthy essay on the history of the railroad in the United States. This section describes the consolidation of all the different railroad companies into seven by 1906, and the concern that was developing over this concentration of...
University of Groningen
American History: Essays: The Iron Horse: What Was Impact of the Railroads?
From a lengthy essay on the history of the railroad in the United States. This section describes the positive economic benefits the construction of the railroads provided to the developing nation as a whole, and the negative impact it...
University of Groningen
American History: Essays: The Second Bank of the United States
Describes the structure and powers of the Second Bank of the United States.
University of Groningen
American History: Essays: Andrew Jackson and the Bankwar: Partisan or Not?
President Andrew Jackson was concerned about the powers of the Second Bank from the beginning, and suspected there was a hidden political agenda, which Nicholas Biddle, head of the bank, denied.
University of Groningen
American History: Essays: Andrew Jackson and the Bankwar: The Shakeup
Describes the shakeup in Andrew Jackson's cabinet during the war with the Second Bank.
University of Groningen
American History: Essays: Andrew Jackson and the Bankwar: The Veto
Despite prudent advice to the contrary, Nicholas Biddle, head of the Second Bank, applied to recharter the bank on the eve of Andrew Jackson's bid for re-election in 1832. Once elected, Jackson vetoed the request.
University of Groningen
American History: Essays: The American Whig Party: Historical Background
A brief history of the American Whig Party, and changes to the government and democracy brought by Andrew Jackson's presidency.
University of Groningen
American History: Essays: Colonization in Texas: Upper and Lower South
Discusses the groups of people who settled in Texas in the mid-1800s.
University of Groningen
American History: Essays: Anglo American Colonization in Texas: Negro Slavery
Describes the role slavery played in Texas in the mid-1800s, and the cotton plantations' role in the Texas economy.
University of Groningen
American History: Essays: Anglo American Colonization in Texas: Agriculture
Outlines the agricultural differences between the Upper and Lower South of Texas prior to the Civil War.
University of Groningen
American History: Essays: Anglo Amer. Colonization in Texas: Food Production
Describes the role Texas played in trading food crops in the mid-1800s.
University of Groningen
American History: Essays: Anglo American Colonization in Texas: Secession
Discusses where different southern states stood on the issue of secession prior to the Civil War.
University of Groningen
American History: Essays: Manifest Destiny: The New Manifest Destiny
While many thought that the doctrine of Manifest Destiny had spent itself when Americans reached the Pacific Ocean, it could also be seen to extend beyond the shores of the United States. For example, Hawaii and Alaska were acquired later.
University of Groningen
American History: Essays: Manifest Destiny: To the End of Time
Explains what the term 'Manifest Destiny' meant during the expansion of the frontier as the United States grew and consolidated its borders.
University of Groningen
American History: Essays: Black Lost Cause: Implications of Colored Service
Discusses the difficulties involved in developing a true picture of how many African Americans actively supported the Confederate cause.
University of Groningen
American History: Outlines: Early America: Native American Cultures
At the time of the Europeans' arrival in North America, the land was well populated with Native Americans. Their numbers rapidly dwindled, mainly due to disease. Although there were many diverse tribes, some generalizations can be drawn...
University of Groningen
American History: Biographies: Thomas Paine (1737 1809)
This resource is a biography of the political philosopher Thomas Paine.
University of Groningen
American History: Outlines: Early America: The First Americans
Gives an overview of the timeline of humans establishing themselves in the Americas, starting with the crossing of the Bering Sea land bridge some time before 12,000 B.C. Archaeological evidence shows humans moving south and eventually...
University of Groningen
American History: Essays: The Iron Horse: The Granger Laws
From a lengthy essay on the history of the railroad in the United States. This section describes the Granger movement, its success in pushing for state regulation of railroad shipping rates, the Granger Cases, and subsequent court cases...