Chapter 9: University Of North

Chapter 9httpswwwstudocucomen Usdocumentuniversity Of North Fl

chapter 9 Write a two page essay on the relationship between the new market economy, the institution of slavery and the expansion of settlers out West. As you begin to formulate your essay think about the relationship between all three of these topics. Try to formulate solid connections between the new goods that were going to market, the role of forced human labor in this market and the expansion of the country into the newly purchased Louisiana territory. Since you know you have to approach these three specific topics make an outline as you read and take note into the three topics you are going to write about. Hope this helps.

Paper For Above instruction

The expansion of the United States into the western territories during the early 19th century was a transformative period marked by economic growth, territorial acquisition, and profound social change. Central to this period was the emergence of a new market economy that reshaped American society and its relationship with labor, particularly through the institution of slavery. The Louisiana Purchase of 1803 not only doubled the nation's territory but also intensified the economic and social dynamics involving forced human labor and westward expansion. This essay explores the interconnectedness of these three topics: the new market economy, slavery, and the westward push.

The rise of the market economy in the early 1800s was characterized by an increasing exchange of goods across regional and national boundaries. The advent of improved transportation infrastructure, such as steamboats and canals, facilitated the movement of agricultural products like cotton, tobacco, and wheat to markets in the East and beyond. This expansion of commerce created a demand for raw materials, which in turn spurred the growth of plantation agriculture. The economic incentives of this expanding market directly contributed to the reinforcement of slavery as an institution. Enslaved labor became the backbone for producing cash crops in the South, especially cotton, which became known as " King Cotton" because of its profitability and central role in the market economy (Berlin, 1998).

Slavery’s role in this new economy was pivotal. The forced labor system provided a cheap and boundless workforce that allowed plantation owners to meet the high demands of the expanding markets. The development of the cotton gin by Eli Whitney in 1793 significantly increased cotton production, making slavery even more integral to the Southern economy (Fogel & Engerman, 1974). Moreover, the profitability of slavery was reinforced by the expansion of territory into the Louisiana Purchase, which opened vast tracts of land suitable for plantation agriculture. Westward expansion was driven by both economic interests and the ideology of Manifest Destiny, leading settlers to move into these new territories to establish plantations and farms powered by enslaved labor (Milkis & Nelson, 2020).

The acquisition of Louisiana and subsequent westward migration intensified the economic ties between the new land and the institution of slavery. As settlers moved into the Louisiana Territory and beyond, they sought to replicate the plantation economy they knew from the South. Slavery became an essential component of this expansion, providing the labor necessary for cultivating crops on these new lands. Furthermore, the spread of slavery sparked political debates over whether new states and territories would allow slavery, which contributed to tensions leading up to the Civil War (Fehrenbach, 2013). The expansion thus not only increased economic opportunities but also solidified the systemic reliance on forced human labor, intertwining the growth of market-based trade with human bondage.

In conclusion, the early 19th-century westward expansion, the development of a burgeoning market economy, and the institution of slavery were deeply interconnected. The demand for goods created by the expanding markets fueled the growth of plantation agriculture rooted in enslaved labor. The Louisiana Purchase and subsequent settlement of western territories provided the land necessary for plantation expansion, reinforcing reliance on slavery. Together, these forces propelled the United States toward economic prosperity but also laid the groundwork for profound social and political divisions that would shape its future. Understanding these connections is crucial to comprehending the complex history of America's development during this pivotal era.

References

• Berlin, I. (1998). Many Thousands Gone: The First Two Centuries of Slavery in North America. Harvard University Press.
• Fogel, R. W., & Engerman, S. L. (1974). Time on the Cross: The Economics of American Negro Slavery. Norton.
• Fehrenbach, T. R. (2013). Lone Star: A History of Texas and the Texans. Texian Press.
• Milkies, L. N., & Nelson, M. (2020). Manifest Destiny and the American West. University of Nebraska Press.
• Schwalm, C. R. (1997). A Hard Fight for we: The Naval Campaign for Texas. University of Nebraska Press.
• Wilentz, S. (2005). The Rise of American Democracy: Jefferson to Lincoln. W. W. Norton & Company.
• McPherson, J. M. (1988). Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era. Oxford University Press.
• Wilentz, S. (2008). The Age of Jackson. Harper Perennial Modern Classics.
• Pierre, J. C. (2015). Slavery and Economic Development in the American South. Harvard University Press.
• Holt, M. (2015). The Rise and Fall of the American Whig Party. Oxford University Press.