The United States was not always a united nation. Before the United States be came what it is today, it had been just thirteen colonies. Those colonies transforme d from a united country into something more, a transcontinental nation, with the help of man y events. Though deaths and sacrifices were made in the process, it helped shape the transcont inental nation. The thirteen colonies went from a new independent country to a transcontine ntal nation because Of the economic improvements, the War Of 181 2, and the westward expansion.
Economic improvements helped the transformation into a transcontinental n ation in a ig way. The ways were the use of the National Bank and the American Syste m, as well as the First Industrial Revolution. The National Bank was proposed by, then Trea su rer, Alexander Hamilton. The National Bank would control government finances. I t would also “performed the basic banking functions of accepting deposits, issuing bank n Otes, making loans and purchasing securities. ” (National Bank History).
The American Syste m is “consisted of three mutually reinforcing parts: a tariff to protect and promote American i ndustry; a national bank to foster commerce; and federal subsidies for roads, canals, an other “internal improvements” to develop profitable markets for agriculture. ” (Senate Histori cal Office). The American System became a main focus in the Whig Party opposition against A ndrew Jackson. The First Industrial Revolution greatly helped the transformation.
Wh en Samuel Slater brought his ideas from Britain the idea of the cotton mill was thought o f and built in Massachusetts. The cotton mill was powered by water, which would be used n future buildings in that time. “The concentration Of industry in the Northeast also fac ilitated the development of transportation systems such as railroads and canals, which e couraged commerce and trade. ” (The Industrial Revolution in the United States). These economc improvements pushed the thirteen colonies one step closer to a transcontine ntal nation.
The War of 1 812 played a major role in shaping the thirteen colonies. The con tributing factors of the War of 181 2 included the Unfinished Revolution, Tecumseh, and Great Britain. A result of the War of 1812 was Americans gaining nationalism. “Most import antly, America’s independence and status in the world were reaffirmed, never again to be seri ously challenged. ” (The Unfinished Revolution). Tecumseh was a brigadiergeneral the British army. He led his tribe and British soldiers into some of the numerous battles during the War Of 1812. Britain had the advantage of support from her Indian allies, while the I ndians had a final opportunity to strike at the old enemy without having to stand alone. ” (T he War of 1812 and Tecumseh). Tecumseh’s advances with the British army proved a challeng e for the Americans, but afterwards, shaped the thirteen colonies. Great Britain gave th e thirteen colonies countless problems. From high taxes to impressing sailors to violatin g rights, America had to declare war. Great Britain acted as a bully to the colonies and would not stop bullying them.
Eventually, bullies have to be stood up to, which is why Americ a decided to declare war on Great Britain and ended up defeating them. The westward expansion was the last way the thirteen colonies was shaped in to a transcontinental nation. The Louisiana Purchase, Texas Revolution, and the MexicanAmerican War were the contributors in the westward expansion. The MexicanAmerican War was a pointless war. It was over and argument over w here Texas ended. Mexico claimed that Texas ended at the Nueces River while the U. S. l aimed the Rio Grande. “The war”in which U.
S. forces were consistently victorious”resulted in the United States’ acquisition of more than 500,000 square miles (1 square km) o f Mexican territory extending westward from the Rio Grande to the Pacific Ocean. ” (Mexi canAmerican War). The Texas Revolution was a revolution that started because Mexicans re belled against the Mexican government. Santa Anna’s actions are some of what led to the Re volution. ‘When Stephen Austin went to Mexico City to try to settle the Texans’ grievan ces, Santa Anna imprisoned him in a Mexican jail for a year…
A majority of colonists hoped to attract the support of Mexican liberals in a joint effort to depose Santa Anna and to resto re power to the state governments, hopefully including a separate state of Texas. ” (Texas Rev olution). Santa Anna gathered a unimpressive army and marched to the Alamo to battle a wa r with Texans, led by William Travis and Jim Bowie, with the help of David Crockett. The battl e at the Alamo lasted 13 days and the Texans won. In the events that affected the thirteen colonies, all were huge contributors. Fr economic improvements to the westward expansion.
