The United States' identity congealed in the first half of the 19th Century, after standing up to Britain by itself in the War of 1812. A struggle ensued to determine whether the nation would be a confederation of sovereign states or a nation comprised of a supreme centralized government.

It was during the first 50 years of the 1800's that the nation plunged into its first Industrial Revolution, rendering an explosion of manufacturing and commerce, dislocating many, and inviting a receptive atmosphere for the religious revival known as the Second Great Awakening.

There was an irresistible draw west, which seemed to fulfill the tenets of Manifest Destiny, and whether to escape the pressures of the East or to satisfy the desire for greener pastures and better prospects, Americans were on the move in droves. Coupled with a growing interest in reforming the ills of society, especially Women's Rights and Abolitionism, tensions grew as competing interests had resolute visions of what America was to become.

EQ #6

From the administration of Thomas Jefferson through that of Martin Van Buren, the Federal government increased in power at the expense of the states. To what extent is this statement true?

EQ #7

Analyze the influence industrialization, westward migration, and social reform had in shaping the unique character of America in the 19th century.

Westward Migration