Expansion & secession up to the War:

from 1783 to 1866

• With the Treaty of Paris (1783) Great Britain recognizes the independence of the 13 colonies, now known as the Confederation. On that occasion, Britain also cedes Florida back to Spain.

• Each of the 13 new-born states of the Confederation has its own form of government, thus there is not one national state government. Such a situation provokes a lack of organization and represents a weak point of the new USA. For that, in 1787, 39 delegates of the states meet in Philadelphia to draft the American Constitution (the oldest in the world).

• The American Constitution puts all legislative powers in the hands of an elected Congress, made up of a Senate and a House of Representatives. The President has considerable powers in his hands, too. On 30 April 1789, George Washington is elected the first President of the USA.

• In 1790 two political parties emerge: the Republicans (more conservative), headed by Thomas Jefferson, and the Federalists (more progressist).

• The 19^th century is marked by American expansion westwards to the detriment of the Indians and the relationship with Great Britain gets worse and worse on account of an "embargo". Besides, British ships are stopping American ones in the Atlantic and many American sailors are forced to serve with the Royal Navy under the pretext that any American born in Britain is a British subject.

• The US declare war to Great Britain and the war ends shortly after a decisive American victory in New Orleans in 1815.

• From 1790 to 1830 the US population rises from 4 to 13 million people and in 1823 the US asserted its newly-acquired status as an international power when President Monroe declares that any attempt by a European country to extend its influence on the American continent will be regarded as dangerous to US’s peace and security (the so-called "Monroe doctrine").

• At the beginning of the 19^th century the common vision of the States is of a land of new opportunities, innovation and democracy, especially for those desperate Europeans in search for work (Irish and Italians in particular). Moreover the US was seen as a land of social, religious and economic freedom. Such a shared vision provokes more and more waves of emigrants from Europe. As the American coasts are reached by emigrants, the Americans react with the pursuit of a racist search for "purity of American Blood": it is the birth of a new myth, the myth of W.A.S.P. = White, Anglo-Saxon, Protestant.

• In 1830 President Jackson signs the Indian Removal Act, by which all the remaining Redskins are closed into reserve areas forever. Those who refuse are killed.

• In 1840 there is the Gold Rush: thousands of American colonizers literally invade California and Texas (both states belong to Mexico) in search for gold. The real presence of gold pushes many Americans to settle there. They fight against Mexico and proclaim California and Mexico’s independence. In 1845 the 2 states agree to join the US.

• During the 1850s the difference between the economies of North and South is very deep. The North is extremely industrialized and does not need slaves anylonger. The South is agricultural and does need slaves as manpower.

• President Lincoln (from the North) proposes the abolition of slavery and the reaction of the South is violent: South Carolina secedes from the US and immediately after other 6 states follow its example. They found the so-called "Confederacy", with its own Constitution. The Civil War becomes inevitable.

• In 1861 the Civil War breaks out. It will be long and very bloody.

• In 1863 President Lincoln decides the Emancipation Proclamation by which all the slaves in the Confederate States are free. The war goes on.

• In 1865 the war is over as the secessionist states give up: the North has won, but more than 500.000 people have died in only 4 years of battles.

• Six days after the official ending of the war President Lincoln is murdered.

   

• In 1866 The Civil Right Act is approved: "anyone born in the US" has the full right to be an American citizen.

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