Factors that led to the writing of the United States Constitution and the ideas behind the design
The needs to establish a national government and guard the fundamental rights of citizens are the factors that led to the writing of the constitution. Previously, the United States governing document was the Articles of Confederation that made the national government weak since states operated like independent countries (Archives). With the new constitutions, therefore, plans were in place to make the federal government stronger by having three branches including the executive, legislative and the judicial (Archives). Also, the design of the three branches was that no single branch would have much power since there were systems of checks and balances to enhance equal powers. Previously and under Articles of Confederation, there was no president or judicial power (Archives). However, the need for stability by having a stronger central government was evident since with a new Constitution with three branches, it would be easier to govern foreign affairs, conduct war and regulate United States currency to make the nation economically stable (Archives). Moreover, the writing of the Constitution was influenced by the need to have a Bill of Rights that would take care of basic individual rights including freedom of religion and speech.
How the United States acquired new territories and how acquisitions influenced the future of United States.
The 1783 treaty of Paris was responsible for the end of the American Revolution. The thirteen original colonies were ceded by Great Britain and enabled America to acquire the territories. The acquisition was made through treaties, purchases, and war. The additions were meant to expand the American territory regarding the economy and even military base. Louisiana Purchase was made from France at a price of $15 million; Florida (East and West) was purchased from Spain for $5 million and was done under the Adams-Onis Treaty. Texas was done through annexation of an independent republic; Oregon Territory was acquired through the Oregon Treaty entered into with Great Britain (USH 2). The Mexican Cession, Gadsden Purchase, and Alaska were effected through purchase for $15 million, $10 million and &7.2 million respectively. Baker Island, Howland Island, Jarvis Island were both incorporated territories that were claimed under the Guano Act of 1856. The Island was taken up for the purpose of chemical weapon disposal. Johnston Atoll, Midway Islands, and the Hawaiian Islands were annexed as either unoccupied territories or unincorporated. They were mostly put up for chemical weapon disposal sites.
Puerto Rico, Guam, and American Samoa were annexed after the military victory over Spain and Samoa under settlement annexation with Great Britain. Wake Island was due to unoccupied area occupation while Panama Canal Zone was leased for $10 million and an annual $250,000. The Virgin Islands were purchased from Denmark in 1917. It is an unincorporated U.S territory. King man Reef was annexed in 1922 and first it was used as an airline refueling field. Currently, it is a National Wildlife Refuge. Kanton and Enderbury Islands were a joint occupation of Britain. Mariana Islands were acquired in 1947, used as U. N Trust Territory same as the Caroline Islands and the Marshall Islands.
Most of the acquisitions were meant to expand the size of United States and help the nation have resources that would help it sustain its economy and improve the lives of its people. The purchase of Louisiana nearly doubled the size of United States. Louisiana was rich in the primary resources including gold, silver, and the land was also suitable for grazing and farming. Such factors contributed to the immense wealth of United States hence contributing to the superiority America enjoys today. The similar resource was witnessed by the acquisition of Alaska that was rich in gold hence making people to migrate towards Alaska. The majority of the purchase were made to help the United States have access to strategic natural resources that later turned out to be critical drivers to the nation’s current economic superiority.
How the issue of slavery played a role in the new states and how it affected each state and introduction into the Union
Slaves were seen as a solution to the problems of harsh work in the vast American land since they were economical in providing labor to great farms where labor-intensive cash crops were cultivated. For those who supported slavery, they felt that black people could not take care of themselves hence slavery would provide them with income to enable them feed and clothe their families. The punishments they were subject to, and the fact that they were denied right of citizenships led to the civil war that would later result in legislations meant to abolish slavery and give everyone the rights to citizenship. It is in the 19th century that slave trade begun to make a major highlight in the politics of the United States. 1801 saw the Congress stretch laws on slavery in the states of Virginia and Maryland to D.C. The purchase of Louisiana gave a renewed fire in the debate about the spread of slavery in America. This led to a ban on slave importation into the U.S in 1807, and it is the census of 1820 that added colored people to the racial categories of America. In the same year, the Missouri Compromise included Maine and Missouri into the Union and the Congress later spelled out that trading in foreign slaves was piracy.
The New Fugitive Trade Act seemed to counter slavery as it maintained the sending back of slaves to the South. The South felt that this law was not strong enough, and that led to an enactment of another stronger law that was a second Fugitive Slave Act. The Acts were operational during the Civil War to prosecute slaves that were fleeing their masters in the Border States loyal to the Union. It was the Kansas-Nebraska Act that was passed in 1854 to bring civil strife in the country. Pro-slavery from Missouri moved to Kansas to settle and vote. This brought tension that sparked out into a civil war that came to be known as the "Bleeding Kansas."
Major battles during civil war
In 1861, tension escalated between the Northern and the Southern United States. The war was on state's rights as well as federal authority. The primary battle occurred at Fort Sumter, Charleston Bay. It was a war on ownership of the fort and the Confederate army fired at the federal garrison. The Union navy took most of the victories and created the new state of Virginia, as well as the Port Royal where a navy base was established. Battles were huge in 1862 at Shiloh, Second Manassas, Gaine's Nill and even Antietam. The Northern stand to useless war to resolve conflicts had escalated out of magnitude. The wars were rife for three years (1862-1865), where the Confederate heartland was invaded, and their economic infrastructure was destroyed. The war was to ensure that slavery was abolished. The North’s victory was contributed by the Union capture of Atlanta since the city was the most critical point of the city hence major disruptions on the city’s operations including transportation, occurred. Also, the re-election of Lincoln who was an anti-slavery leader motivated Unions to continue fighting for the abolishment of slavery.
Works cited
AAA. Expansion of Slavery in the U.S. 2007. Web. 13 July 2016.
Archives. Constitution of the United States. n.d. Web. 13 July 2016.
McPherson, J. A Brief Overview of the American Civil War. n.d. Web. 13 July 2016.
U.S.History. 15. Drafting the Constitution. 2008. Web. 13 July 2016.
USH. U.S Territorial Acquisitions. n.d. Web. 13 July 2016.
