During the XIX century, you U.S they consolidated themselves as an independent nation by strengthening their political institutions, expanding their borders and developing a nationalist feeling. Extremely important events took place throughout this century and marked the history of this country, especially the west march and the secession war.
Territorial expansion: the March to the West
After they have their independence Recognized by England in the Treaty of Paris in 1783, the United States guaranteed control over an extensive swath of land, which stretched from the Appalachian Mountains region to the Mississippi River. Thus began the territorial expansion of the United States towards the Pacific coast.
This process of expansion of the American territory was called "west march” and occurred in two ways: by diplomacy or purchase and by war. Diplomacy and purchase made it possible to acquire the Louisiana (1803), Florida (1819) and Alaska (1867). After the war, the United States managed to take territories from Mexico.
Louisiana belonged to the French, but the loss of Haiti and the financial difficulties faced by France, at the beginning of the 19th century, made that country sell the region to the United States for 15 million dollars. Florida was sold for 5 million dollars by the Spaniards due to the difficulties that this country faced in Europe, related to the Napoleonic period. Ultimately, the Russians sold Alaska for $7.2 million out of fears that the region would be invaded by the British.
However, it was not only through diplomacy that the American territory grew, as, as we mentioned, the war also contributed to this expansionist process. During the March to the West, the Americans waged conflicts against the Mexicans over territories that today correspond to a number of American states (California, Arizona, New Mexico, etc.).
The rivalry between the two nations began with the Texas Revolution, in which American settlers, dissatisfied with the Mexican administration of Texas, rebelled and declared the region's independence in 1836. The United States' interest in new Mexican territories (which is mainly equivalent to California) and the annexation of Texas led the two nations to war.
Known as mexican-american war,and which took place between 1846 and 1848, this war was ended with the signing of the Guadeloupe-Hidalgo Treaty, which ratified the American victory. With this victory, the Americans took possession of a vast territory and established the borders between the two countries in the Rio Grande. Mexico was awarded US$15 million for lost territories and had a debt of US$3.2 million forgiven.
The occupation of all these territories by US citizens and foreigners who immigrated to the United States at this time, was encouraged from the 1860s, when Abraham Lincoln signed The Settlement Law (Homestead Act). This law sold lots of land for ridiculous prices, as long as the buyer made a commitment to live and plant on his property for five years.
During this process of territorial expansion of the United States, the big losers were the Indians, who, again and again, were forced by the Americans to leave their lands. The March to the West ended up causing the death of millions of these peoples because of the violence with which they were treated and the destruction of their way of life.
Violence against indigenous people in this period ended up yielding episodes such as the decree of Indian Removal Law, from 1830, which forced several indigenous nations to move from the Georgia region and its vicinity west of the Mississippi River. This led to the call Trail of Tears, an event that caused the death of thousands of people from different indigenous nations during the forced march to the new reserve established by the government.
This westward expansion process and the attack on Mexicans and Indians were justified by an ideology known as Manifest Destiny. Officially arising in 1845, these ideals asserted that the United States was a nation predestined by God to occupy those territories and bring “civilization” to those places. This thought was also used to justify all the violence committed throughout this process of territorial expansion.
secession war
One of the main events that marked the history of the United States, throughout the 19th century, was the Civil War, also known as American Civil War. This conflict started in 1861, with the secession (separation) from the southern states, and ended in 1865, with the defeat of the southerners and their reintegration into the Union. This war caused the death of 600,000 people.
This conflict was a result of the rivalry that existed between the northern and southern states regarding the expansion of slave labor into the territories newly conquered by the United States. Southern states wanted to expand slavery to new territories, while northern states were against this proposal.
This debate politically divided the nation and led to minor conflicts between northern and southern settlers in some places, such as Kansas. This dispute reached the presidential debate, and the victory of Abraham Lincoln ended up causing the dissatisfaction of the southerners, who separated from the nation and founded the Confederate States of America.
The separation of the southerners was the trigger for the war, which made Union troops fight to reintegrate the rebel states into American territory. At the end of the war, the defeated southerners, in addition to being reintegrated into the Union, were forced to accept the abolition of slavery throughout the territory of the United States from the beginning of the 13th Constitutional Amendment.
By Daniel Neves
Graduated in History
Source: Brazil School - https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/historia-da-america/os-estados-unidos-no-seculo-xix.htm