Events That Changed America in the Nineteenth Century

In the year 1800 the United States was a fledgling nation. By the time the century ended we had expanded westward exponentially, stamped our imprint as the major power in the Western hemisphere, revolutionized our economy from agriculture to manufacturing, and suffered the schism of a civil war that nearly brought the nation as conceived by our forefathers to an end. To help students better understand the cataclysmic changes of this century, this unique resource offers detailed description and expert analysis of the most important 19th-century events in America: the Louisiana Purchase, the War of 1812, the Monroe Doctrine, Jacksonian Democracy, Abolition, the war with Mexico, the Civil War, the Industrial Revolution, the closing of the frontier, and the Spanish-American War.

Each of these events is dealt with in a separate chapter. A factual introductory essay provides clear, concise information in chronological order. The interpretive essay, written in a widely appealing style by a recognized authority, then places each event in a broader context and explores the short-term and far-reaching ramifications of the event. A selected bibliography that follows identifies the most important and recent scholarship about the event. A full-page photo or illustration of each event portrays a visual component to the narrative. The volume contains three useful appendices: a glossary of names, events, and terms; a timeline of important events in 19th-century American history; and a list of 19th-century U.S. presidents, vice presidents, and secretaries of state. This work is an ideal addition to the high school, community college, and undergraduate reference shelf, as well as excellent supplementary reading in social studies and American history courses.

List of contents

Illustrations, Preface
The Louisiana Purchase, 1803
Introduction
Interpretive Essay by Steven E. Siry
The War of 1812
Introduction
Interpretive Essay by Sally E. Hadden
The Monroe Doctrine, 1823
Introduction
Interpretive Essay by Peter G. Felten
Jacksonian Democracy, 1828-1840
Introduction
Interpretive Essay by Thomas C. Mackey
Abolition, c. 1820s-1860
Introduction
Interpretive Essay by Thomas Clarkin
The War with Mexico, 1846-1848
Introduction
Interpretive Essay by Donald A. Rakestraw
The Civil War, 1861-1865
Introduction
Interpretive Essay by Carl E. Kramer
The Industrial Revolution, c. 1860s-1890s
Introduction
Interpretive Essay by Julia A. Woods
The Closing of the Frontier, c. 1890s
Introduction
Interpretive Essay by Michael J. Devine
The Spanish-American War, 1898-1901
Introduction
Interpretive Essay by Henry E. Mattox
Appendix A: Glossary
Appendix B: Timeline
Appendix C: Presidents, Vice Presidents, and Secretaries of State
Index

About the author

JOHN E. FINDLING is coeditor of the Greenwood Press Events That Changed America series, which includes Events That Changed America in the Twentieth Century (1996), and coeditor of the Events That Changed the World series, which includes Events That Changed the World in the Twentieth Century (1995) and Events That Changed the World in the Nineteenth Century (1996). He is coeditor of Historical Dictionary of the Modern Olympic Movement (Greenwood, 1996) and Statesmen Who Changed the World: A Biobibliographical Dictionary of Diplomacy (Greenwood, 1993), and editor of Historical Dictionary of World's Fairs and Expositions (Greenwood, 1990). He is also series coeditor of the Greenwood Press Histories of the Modern Nations. Findling is author of Dictionary of American Diplomatic History (Greenwood, rev. ed., 1989) and Chicago's Great World Fairs (1994). He is Professor of history at Indiana Unversity Southeast.

FRANK W. THACKERAY is coeditor of the Greenwood Press Events That Changed America series, which includes Events That Changed America in the Twentieth Century (1996), and coeditor of the Events That Changed the World series, which includes Events that Changed the World in the Twentieth Century (1995) and Events That Changed the World in the Nineteenth Century (1996). He is coeditor of Statesmen Who Changed the World: A Biobibliographical Dictionary of Diplomacy (Greenwood 1993) and author of Antecedents of Revolution: Alexander I and the Polish Congress Kingdom, 1815-1825 (Greenwood, 1980). He is also series coeditor of the Greenwood Press Histories of the Modern Nations. He is Professor of history at Indiana University Southeast.

Product details

• Authors: John Findling, Findling John E., Frank Thackeray, Thackeray Frank W.
• Publisher: Bloomsbury
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 11.02.1997
• EAN: 9780313290817
• ISBN: 978-0-313-29081-7
• Series: The Greenwood Press "Events That Changed America" Series
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > History > Regional and national histories; USA, Modern history to 20th century: c 1700 to c 1900, American History, HISTORY / United States / 19th Century, 19th century, c 1800 to c 1899, 18th century, c 1700 to c 1799, United States of America, USA, History of the Americas