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The United States began to develop a modern democracy and celebrated a new national culture, while Americans sought to define the nation’s democratic ideals and change their society and institutions to match them. The nation’s transition to a more participatory democracy was achieved by expanding suffrage from a system based on property ownership to one based on voting by all adult white men, and it was accompanied by the growth of political parties. While Americans embraced a new national culture, various groups developed distinctive cultures of their own. Increasing numbers of Americans, many inspired by new religious and intellectual movements, worked primarily outside of government institutions to advance their ideals.
Innovations in technology, agriculture, and commerce powerfully accelerated the American economy, precipitating profound changes to U.S. society and to national and regional identities. New transportation systems and technologies dramatically expanded manufacturing and agricultural production. The changes caused by the market revolution had significant effects on U.S. society, workers’ lives, and gender and family relations. Economic development shaped settlement and trade patterns, helping to unify the nation while also encouraging the growth of different regions. The U.S. interest in increasing foreign trade and expanding its national borders shaped the nation’s foreign policy and spurred government and private initiatives. Struggling to create an independent global presence, the United States sought to claim territory throughout the North American continent and promote foreign trade. The United States' acquisition of lands in the West gave rise to contests over the extension of slavery into new territories. |
Day 9- Celebration of Knowledge!
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