The USA after the War of Independence

After winning independence the USA began to develop rapidly. Industry was developing. In Massachusetts and Rhode Island the textile industry began to develop. The Middle States produced paper, glass and iron. The shipping industry was developing, and soon the USA took second place on the ocean after England. Ships were produced in great numbers for trade, for fishing, and for carrying grain, tobacco and timber to Europe. But the main energy of the Americans was directed to the west. They continued to explore and colonize the western lands. In 1803 America bought from Napoleon the huge territory lying west of the Mississippi (and called Louisiana) for 15 million dollars. With this purchase, the territory of the USA stretched to the Rocky Mountains.

Though Britain recognized American independence it did everything to hinder the development of the new nation. British interference with American trade led to the war in 1812. Britain then was very powerful, especially her fleet. British forces took and burned Washington. Even the President's official home was burned in 1814. Later when the house was restored, it was painted white, and since then it began to be called White House. The war ended in a compromise in 1814.

After the war, America continued to colonize the West. In 1828 Andrew Jackson was elected President . He was the first man born into a poor family in the West to become President. He formed the Democratic party in 1828 which was a broad coalition of farmers, workers, immigrants. Jackson supported the settlers in colonizing the western lands, and he also forced the Indian tribes to move west of the Mississippi.

However, there was a growing conflict between the Northern and Southern states. The words of the Declaration of Independence - “that all men are created equal” - meant nothing to 1,5 million black people who were slaves. The importation of slaves was banned in 1808, and most Northern states abolished slavery, but the Southern states used black slaves on plantations to grow cotton, rice, tobacco and sugar.

Meanwhile, thousands of people had been settling in Texas, which then was a part of Mexico. The Texans were displeased with the rule of the Mexican general, and revolted in 1835, forming the Republic of Texas. In 1845 the USA invaded Texas and included it into the United States. In May 1846, the American Congress declared war on Mexico and in 1847 the American army took Mexico City. Mexico had to give to the USA a very large territory – most of today's California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico and Colorado. In 1846 the USA settled a long dispute with British Canada. As a result, the US received the territory of the present states of Oregon, Washington and Idaho. Us became a real continental power. Its boundaries now stretched from the Atlantic to the Pacific ocean.

In 1848 gold was discovered in California, and a great gold rush started.

Date: 2015-01-02; view: 1673