As the United States expanded westward in the early nineteenth century, the issue of slavery was once again brought to the forefront. To address this issue, northern and southern members of Congress were forced to come to a compromise to save the Union. When it came to slavery, just why is the Missouri Compromise of …
In the lead up to the American Civil War there were dozens of events that contributed to disunion. Perhaps no event was as important as the Supreme Court decision in Dred Scott v. Sandford in 1857. The Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice Roger Taney, decided that Dred Scott’s attempt to sue for freedom was …
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To answer the question of why the Election of 1800 was important, one must first understand the political reality within which our founders lived. As the reaction to the Federalist Papers and the new Constitution suggested, not everyone was in agreement with the direction of the newly-formed United States of America. The founders constantly lived …
As the nation hurtled towards disunion in the 1850s, a series of debates by Illinois Senatorial candidates captivated America. Just who won the infamous Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858 is arguable, though it had great significance in the inevitable march towards the Civil War. By the late 1850s the issue of slavery was at the forefront …
Throughout a large portion of the 19th century political parties largely dictated government employment, or civil service. Politicians thwarted attempts at reform for years, until a major change finally occurred in the 1880s. Just what is the Pendleton Act of 1883 and how did it change civil service in the United States? Historians largely credit …
One of the biggest causes of the American Revolution was the passage of the Stamp Act in 1765. The purpose of the Stamp Act was simple: to raise revenue from the colonies to help pay off debt from the French and Indian War. In the French and Indian War, or the Seven Years’ War as …
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The Monroe Doctrine was one of the most influential policies in United States history. The question of who wrote the Monroe Doctrine can help to explain the significance of the policy and how it shaped the United States. President James Monroe declared the new American foreign policy known as the Monroe Doctrine on December 2nd, …
In the leadup to the Civil War there were several events that nearly resulted in the severance of the Union. One of the most significant events was the Nullification Crisis of 1832, the causes of which had been building for decades. The Nullification Crisis of 1832 began when South Carolina’s state legislature “nullified” federal tariffs …
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Historians often bring up the topic of secession in relation to the US Civil War. Decades before, the certain states also discussed the topic, but this time for entirely different reasons. Just what was the purpose of the 1814 Hartford Convention and what did it have to do with secession? The Hartford Convention was a …
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The political history of the United States is littered with contentious presidential elections that inflamed the populace and led to accusations of corruption. Perhaps none is so dubious as the important election of 1824 and so-called “Corrupt Bargain.” The significance of the “Corrupt Bargain” of 1824 is that it helped bring an end to a …
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The beginning of the United States is littered with influential documents that have stood for centuries. One of the most important among them are the Federalist Papers. Just what are the Federalist Papers and what was their purpose? Following the American Revolution the new American nation set forth under a new government. The new government …
In the aftermath of the American Revolution, the United States and Great Britain had many unresolved grievances. An agreement known as Jay’s Treaty of 1794 holds great significance in how it helped to address some of these issues and temporarily avert war between the two nations. Both nations were justifiably frustrated with the state of …
