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Question 1

A two party-system is described as a government that is made up of two main political parties. They are known as the majority and minority parties. In the United States, the ruling party becomes the majority and the minority becomes the opposition. Most of the elected leaders belong to either one of these two parties.

The two – party system emerged in the United States in the 1790s. This change came with the American Revolution when the major political leaders started having differences regarding certain policies. The main difference occurred between Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson. Hamilton wanted to model the American government like the British one by creating a centralized government. Jefferson on the other hand thought that this move would give too much power to the government. Some leaders from the pre- revolution era like James Madison thought that this system would be temporary. Little did they know that it was to become the basis of the modern American political system. Following the American Revolution, the people realized that they could actively participate in the legislative process. Voters aligned themselves to major political groups that promised to represent them in the best way possible. The 1976 election became the first election with organized political groups at all levels of the government.

One of the two parties that emerged was the Democratic – Republican. It was founded by Thomas Jefferson. The other political party was the Federalists. It was formed by Alexander Hamilton. The Federalist believed that a central governance and control of the treasury was vital in growing the economy in terms of manufacturing and trade. As a result, they earned the support of the working population. The Democratic – Republicans strongly opposed this idea. They proposed that power should be left in the States because they believed that a centralized government would give rise to oppression. Unlike the Federalists, they highly valued agricultural practices.

Question 2

Following independence, a wave of optimism swept the country and encouraged Americans to explore westward towards the Pacific. This expansion was defined by Theodore Roosevelt as “The Great Leap Westward “. It actually began before the revolution when settlers advanced into what we now refer to as Kentucky and Ohio States. Other activities that promoted the westward expansion include the Louisiana Purchase of 1803 and the Lewis Clark expedition. In 1812, the war helped to define the boundaries of the country after concurring of the Old Northwest tribes. In 1830, there was the Trail of tears which basically refers to the forceful evacuation of American Indians from the Southeast. In the mid nineteenth century, a journalist John O’Sullivan claimed that Americans were a superior species tasked with spreading civilization to the Mexicans and Native Americans. He called this belief the Manifest Destiny. His theory played a major role in the westward expansion There was also the Kansas – Nebraska Act that allowed new States to choose whether or not they would allow slavery. This encouraged settlers to move to these States depending on their standing on slavery. In 1848, more settlers flooded the California territory following the discovery of gold. In 1862, after the Homestead Act was passed, more Americans moved to the west. This is because it allowed anyone to file a claim on 160 acres of land in the west as long as they lived in it for five years. All these factors contributed to the westward expansion of the U.S.

This expansion was only advantageous to the settlers who acquired a lot land, natural resources and ports; the ingredients for the growth of a vibrant economy. The Native Americans on the other hand were the losers. They were forcefully moved to reservations after their land had been claimed. They lost their traditional settlements which in turn affected their traditional practices.

Question 3

The American civil war started in 1861 following the disagreement between the southern and the northern States regarding the abolition of slavery. The northern States had already abolished slavery but the southerners still perpetuated it because they believed that it was important for the economy (Hallwood 3).This is because they relied on slave labor to manage their large scale plantations. The northerners on the other hand, depended on manufacturing industries for revenue. After the Kansas – Nebraska Act was passed, more tension arose between the pro and anti – slavery groups. In 1859, an abolitionist carried out a raid on the Harper’s Ferry. His actions together with the election of Abraham Lincoln, another abolitionist, caused more strain in the country. This then led to the secession of seven southern states from the main government. These States were known as the Confederate. On April 12, 1861, the confederates attacked Fort Summer in California because it was being held by the federal government. Two days later, they had power over the Fort and that is how the war began.

Four more States later joined the Confederacy and the war went on until 1863 when President Lincoln declared an Emancipation Proclamation that freed slaves. The Confederates lost their manpower and the slaves joined the northern Union Army. After four years of winning and losing, the confederates surrendered to the North and the war ended. The North won because it used its railroads to transport war supplies. In addition, it had acquired foreign support after freeing the remaining slaves.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

Hallwood, Paul. “The Confederacy and the American Civil War, 1861-1865: Grievance?.” Journal of Economic Literature41 (2018): F54.