The Age of Revolution is a period in American history between 1775 and 1848. During those passing decades, social and economic reforms occurred which shaped the United States into the country it is today. Due to the difficulties of ratifying the Constitution, the United States developed political parties. They governed the country and balanced representation of the people through checks and balances. Through this challenging and revolutionary phase, there were five main events that shaped the course of the nations. The Declaration of Independence, formation of the Bank of America, Louisiana Purchase, Treaty of Ghent, and Monroe Doctrine had the most influence as diplomatic events and debates for the United States.
Declaration of Independence – 1776
The Declaration of Independence, signed in 1776, is one of the most crucial documents regarding the governance of the United States. It was an official document to declare their independence from Britain. The document was almost voted on unanimously, with New York being the only state out of the 13 colonies abstaining. It also contains the fundamentals and ideals that the nation aims to uphold. The Bill of Rights, or the first Ten Amendments, state the rights that any United States citizen is entitled to without dismissal or denial.
Although the documentation alluded to ideas of equality and liberation, even the paper that determined the functionality of the nation had some drawbacks. The preamble stated that “all men are created equal.” Unfortunately, that did not include African Americans, Native Americans, or women. They had no representation in the Continental Congress. The first draft of the declaration included limitations or even emancipation of slavery. Nevertheless, connections in England with the founding fathers was a political necessity. The clause regarding this issue was also disregarded and turned down by South Carolina and Georgia. For the main goal, independence, the Northern states needed the support of Southern states. Removing the section would have eliminated debates over the issue and allowed for a smooth continuance and conclusion of the revolution.
As for representation of women in the Declaration of Independence, only one woman signed the document. Mary Kathrine Goddard was a postmistress at the time and offered to spread the word of independence to the rest of colony. She signed the document because she wanted women to feel like they have a word in decisions, even if she may have not had a voice among the founding fathers. Women may have not had representation at the time, but this action encouraged people to see a different perspective. It opened possibilities for women in the future. It was a chance to modernize from the traditional mindset of men being the only gender capable of leadership, and Goddard took the opportunity.
Bank of America- 1791
The Bank of America was a debated subject for many years. Alexander Hamilton was appointed the Secretary of Treasury in 1789 for Former President George Washington. He noticed that the United States was 80 million dollars in debt and came up with a plan to organize the financial system. The national income was only 4.4 million dollars. If the debt was not paid on time, loaners would refuse to loan to the United States which would result in the economic collapse of the nation. His plan resulted in the government assuming state debts and paying them back gradually.
Hamilton wanted to tax westerners for luxury items and land sales. His bill was approved and resulted in the government receiving 30 million dollars in one year. After a few years, the country was able to pay off all the debt and financially support themselves. The government workers were getting paid without strain in the central finance system and the government had enough funding to function properly. Soon after, Hamilton proposed the idea of a national bank. According to him, this action would stabilize the nation’s credits while also maintaining an operating economy. There were a few debates regarding the differences in opinion when it came to opening a national bank, but Washington signed the bill for this plan. It was an overall success considering Hamilton found a way to get the United States out of debt, increase the nation’s income, and organize the financial system.
Just like every revolutionizing plan, it is impossible to please every party involved. The plan to place tax the people on land and luxury items had plenty of opposition. The Whiskey Rebellion was an uprising by the people in the west to protest taxes on whiskey, which were placed by Hamilton, beginning in 1791. Luckily, the government had the power to shut down any violent outbursts by the public. The people felt like the government no longer listened to their voices which caused tension between the people and government. Many people also called the national bank unconstitutional because the Constitution did not authorize the functionality of a national bank. It would have cost 10 million dollars and delayed payments to loaners for the bank to be set up. Eventually, it became more challenging to maintain the uprisings and this caused war between Republicans and Democrats. Republicans debated Democrats and took over the plan. The bank and financial funding were crumbling due to these disputes which eventually led to the downfall of Hamilton’s plan.
Louisiana Purchase - 1803
The Louisiana Purchase was a purchase made by the United States that bought land from France in 1803. From French point of view, political problems and financial issues urged Napoleon to sell the land to the United States. The territory ranged from Louisiana and the Mississippi River all the way into present day Minnesota and Rocky Mountains. It cost 15 million dollars and covered 828,000 square miles. It doubled the size of the thriving nation. This purchase made room for more immigrants to settle in America, and it allowed citizens to expand and explore westward.
Soon enough, Former President Thomas Jefferson set out the Lewis and Clark Expedition to chart the unknown land. During this two-year expedition, the group discovered Native American tribes (both friendly and hostile), collected botanical samples, and created maps of the region. Additionally, the expedition discovered that the soil was rich in minerals which was important for agriculture. The land was also found to contain multiple natural resources such as copper, zinc, molybdenum, and uranium which strengthened the materialistic aspect of the nation. These discoveries aided the United States to strengthen their economy and grow as a newly found nation.
There were a few downsides to this purchase. Tensions with Spain increased because the land regarding the Louisiana Purchase was controlled by Spain, even though it was owned by France. A treaty between the two nations included a promise that France would not sell the land to a third party. The United States purchased the land regardless of any treaty which directly antagonized Spain. Some citizens and politicians believed that Spain would attempt to regain the land through diplomacy or force. The purchase was also argued as unconstitutional. Thomas Jefferson built his campaign on the idea that he would only act based on the rights stated by the Constitution. Purchasing land to expand national territory was not a specified right. Others argued that the action was supported by the Tenth Amendment of the Constitution which granted rights not specified in the legal document. Furthermore, there was a slave debate which increased tensions between the North and the South. There was a balance between free states and slave states, but the land addition to the nation through off that balance. This led to the division between the two sides of the nation that would eventually lead to the Civil War.
Treaty of Ghent – 1814
The Treaty of Ghent was the treaty that ended the War of 1812. This war was fought between the United States and England because the United States believed that the British violated U.S. maritime rights. The British also placed restrictions on further trade done by the United States, removed seamen from vessels belonging to the United States, and forced the removed seamen to work on behalf of the British. The United States was angered by these actions and demands and wanted to continue expanding its territory while Britain disapproved of this desire. This confusion and disagreement ended with the Treaty of Ghent in 1814.
Ironically, the treaty did not mention anything regarding the force acted on seamen or trade restrictions. However, it secured U.S. maritime rights and settled disputes between Europe and the United States. The treaty also reset territorial boundaries and released any hold Britain had on the actions of the United States. All conquered land during the war was returned to its original owners. Britain agreed to give up any territorial claims in North American, therefore, the United States was able to continue their expansion towards the Great Lakes.
Unfortunately, this had an immense negative impact on Native Americans. During the war, most tribes fought with the British against the expansion of the United States. Native Americans aimed to defend and keep their ancestral lands. With the retreat of British territorial boundaries on the United States, Native tribes were either pushed westward into reserves or torn apart. This caused tension between Natives Americans and the United States.
Monroe Doctrine- 1823
The Monroe Doctrine was created in 1823 when the United States was worried about European nations having too much influence by carving colonial territories in the Western Hemisphere. European nations agreed to meet about this concern as long as they could voice theirs as well. The doctrine had three main points. The first one stated that the United States was no longer allowed to be involved in or interfere with any affairs regarding the European nations. The United States had to agree not to interfere with any settled colonies in the Western Hemisphere or their dependencies. Most importantly, efforts by any European nation to monitor or persecute any nation in the Western Hemisphere would immediately be seen as a belligerent act against the United States.
Former President James Monroe set the Monroe Doctrine into play. Although it settled certain differences and concerns between countries, it also established new suspicions. It is not a matter of what the Monroe Doctrine stated, but rather a matter of what it did not state. When it was signed, James Monroe did not state how hostile acts towards the United States would be settled. At the time, the United States did not have a strong army, nor a powerful navy. Either way, these worries eventually wore off. The doctrine was successful in maintaining peace.
This act was an economic success to the United States. The nation no longer relied on other countries for trading and other financial aids. The United States had the ability to act alone without any issues evolving from acting independent. Companies and industries thrived, which also increased job opportunities for the public. The nation was also able to remain neutral in any wars that evolved between other nations. Overall, it was a major achievement with little setbacks.
Conclusion
The United States prospered during the Age of Revolution. The Declaration of Independence allowed them to become an independent nation without influence from previous governance. Hamilton’s plan, although not successful, helped the nation pay off debts in times of financial emergency. The Louisiana Purchase expanded the country’s land, resources, and agriculture. The Treaty of Ghent was able to end the War of 1812 while also settling any remaining differences between the United States and Britain. Finally, the Monroe Doctrine set the course for peace between Europe and the United States. Reforms and developments through diplomacy and disputes drastically shaped the plan of advancement for the United States during the Age of Revolution.