United States Government Has Taken Various Actions to Address Problems with the Nation's Economy

7. Throughout United States government has taken various actions to address problems with the nation's economy. Task: Choose two actions that addressed a problem with the nation's economy

and for each

-        Discuss the historical circumstance that led to the action

-        Discuss the impact of this action on the economy of the United States

THE BUILDING OF THE TRANSCONTINENTAL RAILROAD

• There was a discovery of in California which led to rapid settlement in the West and showed the need for a faster and safer method of travel than the wagon. The project began in 1862 shortly after the beginning of the Civil War. President Lincoln promised voters that a transcontinental railroad would be completed and the war proved how important railways could be.
• Government involvement was vital because it was too big of a project for private investors so the federal government awarded huge grants to two private companies.
• By 1870, railroads carried goods and passengers from coast to coast, but the trains were noisy, dirty, and uncomfortable. In spite of the problems, train travel continued to expand and improve.
• New industries grew and the nation prospered as steel replaced iron rails, track gauges and signals became standardized. Companies improved safety with the development of air brakes and the telegraph lines for faster communication with moving trains.
• Along the railroad lines, towns and cities were developed connecting the cattle trails with the rail lines.

PASSAGE OF TARIFF LAWS

• Henry Clay’s “American System” proposed that tariffs would make the United States more self-sufficient by protecting new industries. Congress passed the Tariff of 1828 which was a tax on imports. The tariff benefited the industrial North but forced Southerners to pay higher prices. This led to South Caroline declaring that states had the right to judge when federal government exceeded its authority.
• In 1832, another tariff was passed and South Carolina threatened to withdraw from the Union if its demands weren’t met.
• In 1833, Congress passed the Force Bill which required South Carolina to accept the tariff. President Jackson threatened to send 50,000 troops ot enforce the law. Senator Henry Clay engineered a compromise, Congress reduced some of the import duties and South Carolina cancelled its demands.
• The tariffs continued to be a major source of conflict because the South saw it as a threat to agricultural economy.

6. Many important events in United States history have been influenced by geography. Geographic factors or conditions include location, size, climate, natural resources, and physical features. These events in turn have had political, social, and economic impacts on the development of the United States.                         Task: Identify two important events in United States history and for each                                                                            • Describe how a geographic factor or condition influenced the event                                                                            • Discuss the political, social, and/or economic impacts of this event on the development of the United States

INTRO: Geography has a significant impact on the United States and also plays a role in many of its decisions or actions. Some of these geographic factors include location, natural resources and physical features. The Lewis and Clark Expedition and the construction of the Panama Canal are two actions taken by the United states through the influence of geographic factors.                                                                                                                                                                                             

LEWIS AND CLARK EXPEDITION

• The expedition was a survey of the newly acquired land purchased by the United States from France.

THE EXPEDITION LED TO:

1. The Louisiana purchase

• President Thomas Jefferson had a dream of creating a nation of farmers, so he purchased Louisiana which is located next to the Mississippi River or the western boundary of the United States. Louisiana contained a vast wilderness of unsettled land and rivers which were used to transport goods.
• The Louisiana Purchase doubled the size of the nation.
• New industries were established due to the purchase of Louisiana

1. The cattle industry expanded out west because it provided more land for the cattle to graze and enhance their health.
2. The growth of the railroads allowed for connection between different parts of the world. The railroad’s significance would be acknowledged after the Civil War when manufactured products and raw materials are needed to be moved across the nation.

THE CONSTRUCTION OF PANAMA CANAL

• When a person wanted to ship a package from one place to another like from New York to California, it would‘ve taken three to four months to arrive in California because the ship would have to travel all the way down the east coast of the American continent and go around the Southern tip of South America and then travel up north on the west coast of the American continent. Many people saw this as a problem and felt that a canal was necessary. However, the United States had no narrow strip of land that could be converted into a canal connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean. Luckily, they discovered Panama and felt that it was an ideal place to build a canal.
• Although building the Panama Canal was the ideal geographic location, getting the right to build it was an obstacle. The Panama Canal was owned by Colombia, so the United States had to support a Panamanian revolt in order for Panama to gain independence from Colombia because Colombia wouldn’t agree to the $10 million offer by the United States. After Panama gained their independence, it agreed to United States’ offer.
• After the Panama Canal was built, the amount of time it took for something to be shipped from one place to another decreased. Also, insurance rates on ships dropped because when ships traveled by the old method, they face harsh weather conditions. Moreover, the canal increased trade in the United States.

5. When the Founding Fathers wrote the United States Constitution, they included the amendment process. The amendments that have been passed brought political, social, and economic changes to American society. Task: Select two constitutional amendments that have changed American society

and for each

• Describe the historical circumstances that led to the adoption of the amendment

• Discuss the political, social, and/or economic changes the amendment brought to American society

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