How the united states of america expanded (1776-1900)

 Here’s the history of the United States of America - decade by decade! 1770s: It all began here - sort of. The culture that led to the funding of the United States had been building for centuries, since the first British settlement arrived on these shores. What started out as tiny groups of struggling settlers had developed into thirteen thriving colonies. Thriving, angry colonies who were tired of being taxed by the British crown. The King wasn’t hearing their cries for reform, so there was only one thing left to do - declare independence. And on July 4th, 1776, that’s exactly what they did. Of course, the British weren’t taking that lightly. The first shots had already been fired in 1775, but now that the colonies were officially in rebellion, they would be up against the full might of the British empire. The Americans were outgunned, out-armed, and had little hope of winning - unless you asked General George Washington and his troops, who kept the colonists in the fight far longer than expected. Long enough to take us to the next decade. 1780s: Once it became clear that the American troops were holding on longer than expected, people started to pay attention to the conflict. The French, long-time rivals of the British, were particularly intrigued, and some even joined the Continental army. The war dragged on, but the surprising victory of the Americans at the Battle of Yorktown set the stage for an American victory. By September 1783, the British were ready to be rid of this troublesome colony and a treaty was signed. The United States of America officially became its own country. Now they just had to run it. The first attempt at a system of government, the Articles of Confederation, was a mess. It largely treated the thirteen colonies like thirteen separate entities with only a loose government to unite them. It took effect in 1781, but a series of rebellions and conflicts over taxes made clear it wouldn’t hold. It was decided to hold a constitutional convention, and every major thinker and figure united to hash out the details. It wasn’t easy - and the desire of southern states to preserve slavery nearly derailed the whole convention. But in the end, it was approved - and the next step was to pick the first President of the United States. It was no surprise when the war hero, George Washington, won the election unopposed! But Washington wouldn’t have an easy time in office. 1790s: Washington was determined to lead as a non-partisan President, opposing the existence of political parties, but history had other plans. His close ally Alexander Hamilton shared his federalist leanings, but often endorsed the use of tougher sanctions- such as when Washington had to put down a rebellion by western settlers against taxes on liquor. Hamilton initially advocated for the insurrectionists to be executed, but Washington vetoed that. Putting down the rebellion had done enough to establish that the federal government would and could defend its authority. Vermont, Kentucky, and Tennessee joined the union, and the new country looked strong. But opposition was brewing. While Washington’s approach was popular, founding fathers Thomas Jefferson and James Madison didn’t like the government’s growing power. They accused the Federalists of heading back on the path to monarchy and created their own Democratic-Republican party. While Washington was elected with no opposition in 1792, he shocked everyone by announcing his retirement and setting the precedent that no President would serve more than two terms. America geared up for its first competitive election, with Washington’s close advisor and Vice President John Adams defeating Jefferson. And that’s where things started getting complicated. Tensions were ramping up with France in a strange quasi-war in the Caribbean, things were still hostile with Britain, and the US was engaged in conflicts with multiple Native American groups. Adams was not as popular as Washington, so he attempted to shore up his political strength with the Alien and Sedition Acts - which made it harder to gain US citizenship and in some cases made it illegal to criticize the government. These acts were aimed at weakening the Democratic-Republicans, but it backfired - energizing the opposition. In the 1800 election, Thomas Jefferson defeated Adams, and everyone waited nervously to see if Adams would give up power peacefully. He did and set a standard that every other President would follow - well, mostly. A new President and a new century entered the 19th century. 1800s: The first change of government in the United States would bring many unexpected results. For one thing, the United States was still a tiny sliver of its eventual size - but that would change in 1803 when Jefferson organized the Louisiana Purchase with post-revolution France. This added a massive swath of land to the country, nearly doubling its size, and suddenly they began to look like a major global player. Jefferson also tried to calm down tensions with Britain and France by imposing a trade embargo - on everyone! Was the US’ isolationist era about to begin? The trade embargo was deeply unpopular and hurt the US economy, and it wasn’t the only crazy event that happened this decade! Two founding fathers went to war - and Vice President Aaron Burr killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel. This was also around the time the constitution was changed to allow the President to pick his own VP instead of being paired with the runner-up, so Burr was replaced with George Clinton in Jefferson’s successful re-election bid. And Jefferson’s Presidency would end up being highly consequential. This was the period when Lewis and Clark set out on their expedition, when the steamboat was invented, and when the US ended the slave trade with Africa. They had more than enough slaves to staff the slave states here already - but some states like New Jersey were beginning to abolish the barbaric practice. Jefferson’s successful term led to his protege James Madison being elected to replace him in 1808 - and Madison’s term would start with a lull and continue with a bang. Because the young country was about to be tested. 1810s: George Clinton had stayed on as Madison’s VP, but the elder statesman died in 1812 - just in time for the US to face its biggest crisis yet. Conflicts over American expansion in North America, British backing for Native American insurgents against the Americans, and conflicts over trade routes across the Atlantic exploded into conflict, and the US and Britain were at war once again. A naval blockade, conflicts with British Canada, and the burning of Washington DC in 1814 made it look like the great American experiment might be reaching its end. But never count out a Yankee. Led by General Andrew Jackson, the Americans turned back the British troops and captured the Spanish territory of Florida. A peace treaty ended the war, and an easily-reelected Madison prepared to retire. He had lost two Vice Presidents - with Elbridge Gerry dying only a year after taking office - and added two new states in Louisiana and Indiana. His close ally James Monroe would succeed him, continuing the Democratic-Republicans-winning streak in 1816. Monroe would add three new states - Mississippi, Alabama, and Illinois. The Supreme Court would become a bigger player this era, ruling that federal authority was supreme over state laws. Monroe would be re-elected unanimously in 1820. But the era of the founding fathers was drawing to a close. 1820s: Monroe would continue to go down as one of the most successful American Presidents, adding Missouri and Maine to the Union and Florida as a territory. He issued the Monroe Doctrine, which called for an end to European colonialism in the western hemisphere. But his successor would determine his legacy - and that was complicated. The leading candidate was fiery populist Andrew Jackson - still riding high off his military triumph. But while he got the most votes, he didn’t get the majority in a four-way race and Congress instead chose Secretary of State John Quincy Adams, the son of the former President. To say this was controversial would be putting it lightly. Adams took office with a cloud over his head, and his Vice President was the ruthless slavery-defender from South Carolina John C. Calhoun. His Presidency would soon be touched by tragedy as his father died - the same day as his rival Thomas Jefferson. But Adams’ term would largely be inconsequential, and ended the same way as his fathers’ - with Andrew Jackson making him the second President defeated for re-election. Jackson’s term would also begin with tragedy - when his wife died of a heart attack before he was sworn in. This may have hardened him, as he quickly made an impact as he took office - ordering mass numbers of Native Americans removed from their current lands as more and more settlers started moving west. It was Andrew Jackson’s country now. 1830s: Andrew Jackson’s presidency would be defined by conflict - one after another. The issue of slavery was continuing to boil over, with many northern states outlawing the practice and escaped slave Nat Turner leading a bloody revolt that killed over fifty people. The Supreme Court overturned some of Jackson’s policies on Natives - something he ignored as he continued the mass removals in what is now considered one of the worst acts of genocide in North America. But those were not the only rules being ignored - because in 1832, South Carolina passed a decree nullifying a protectionist tariff passed by the government. Was the US headed to civil war? A standoff between the government and the insurrectionists - backed by John C. Calhoun - eventually ended with the nullification doctrine being withdrawn and Calhoun resigning as Vice President, but the issue was far from settled. Marin Van Buren replaced Calhoun as VP, Jackson was re-elected easily, and he expanded Presidential powers. Conflicts in both Texas and Florida exploded, as the future states became battle zones. In 1836, the Texas rebels lost to Mexico at the Alamo - but by later that year they were an independent nation. Samuel Colt invented the revolver, Arkansas officially joined the Union, and Jackson was popular enough to help Martin Van Buren become the next President. But Van Buren’s Presidency would not be smooth. The mild-mannered man was the polar opposite of Jackson, but much of Jackson’s chaos continued under him. Michigan became a state, the Panic of 1837 led to widespread bank failures - partially due to Jackson opposing having a national bank - and Jackson’s Native policies culminated in the forced removal of the Cherokee Nation. This led to over four thousand deaths, gaining it the nickname of the Trail of Tears. And in case anyone forgot about the slavery issue, it hit a new flashpoint when a group of slaves seized a Spanish ship, sailed to the US, and won their freedom in court after an extended battle. Van Buren was largely seen as ineffectual, so it wasn’t a surprise when he lost the Presidency to elderly war hero William Henry Harrison. Just in time for a chaotic new decade. 1840s: Harrison knew he was seen as potentially frail due to his age - sixty-nine years old at the time of his ellection- so he tried to appear strong by giving his inauguration speech without a coat in chilly weather. And he got sick. It apparently wasn’t a lesson he learned from, because a month later he came down with another cold after refusing to change his clothes after getting soaked in a rainstorm, and died only a month after taking office. This meant his Vice President, Virginia’s John Tyler, became President - but no one could agree on what that meant. Congress said he only became acting President, while he believed he gained the full powers of the Presidency. Harrison’s Cabinet resigned en masse, and while a few significant things happened during Tyler’s Presidency - including the start of the Oregon Trail and the annexation of Texas as a territory - he was largely a footnote. He wasn’t even renominated by the Whigs and James K. Polk won the next election. And Polk would make a big impact. The country massively expanded under Polk, with Florida, Texas, Iowa, and Wisconsin all becoming states. But it wouldn’t be simple - Texas joining the union led to a two-years war with Mexico that ended with the US gaining more territory including California. The slavery issue reared its head again with the enslaved Dred Scott suing for his freedom - only for the Supreme Court to rule that black people had no rights that the country was required to respect years later. Polk was seen as a successful President - but he was also in very poor health and chose not to seek re-election. He was replaced by Zachary Taylor as the Gold Rush began. And so began a truly chaotic decade. 1850s: Zachary Taylor took office in the middle of a pitched battle over slavery, with the southern states wanting to keep the practice and the north largely wanting to ban it. The Compromise of 1850 sought to fend off civil war, giving the south many concessions including the passage of a new Fugitive Slave Act that made it easier to extradite escaped slaves back to the south. And in the middle of all this…Taylor died only a year after taking office and was replaced by the ineffectual Millard Fillmore. The Compromise passed, but did little to calm tensions - especially after a fiery speech penned by the ailing former Vice President Calhoun. Would anyone be up to the task of bringing peace to the country this decade? In a word…nope. California became a state during his term, but Fillmore was another footnote and was replaced by pro-slavery Democrat Franklin Pierce in 1852. During this time, the battle to expand slavery into new territories and states continued and devolved into several brutal firefights in Kansas. The violence even spread to the halls of Congress, when veteran abolitionist Charles Sumner was beaten with a cane by firebrand southerner Preston Brooks. Pierce was seen as a complete failure and was replaced by the experienced James Buchanan - who seemed to do nothing but watch as the country collapsed further. Minnesota became a state under him, but the economy struggled and a white preacher named John Brown became an unlikely renegade when he led murderous anti-slavery attacks. And into in chaos, a new figure emerged. The anti-slavery forces found their voice in charismatic Republican candidate Abraham Lincoln, who had become famous thanks to a series of debates with moderate Stephen Douglas. When the Republicans planned to contend in the 1860 election for the first time, Lincoln was their man - and thanks to a chaotic four-way election including Douglas and Buchanan’s firebrand Vice President John Breckinridge, Lincoln was able to triumph. The South, believing Lincoln would end their way of life, began making plans to secede - and Buchanan could only watch as the country collapse around him. It was war. 1860s: Even before Abraham Lincoln took office, chaos reigned. Virtually all the southern states voted to secede from the union, starting with South Carolina and including new member Texas. They elected Jefferson Davis President, and an attempt to fend off civil war by enshrining slavery forever in the US constitution failed. As Lincoln took office, it wasn’t long before Confederate forces attacked a US army base, and war was officially declared. The Confederate forces were surprisingly fierce, even breaking into Union territory, leading to brutal battles in Pennsylvania. At the same time, Lincoln was dealing the with natives in the Dakota War, and quite a bit of internal tension in the north. He instituted the first military draft - as did the Confederacy - and this led to riots in New York. He also imprisoned supporters of the Confederacy. But his Presidency would hinge on one thing - victory. While the south fought fiercely and scored several major victories, the Union turned the tide thanks to the strategic prowess of General Ulysses S. Grant and had the south on the ropes by 1864, when Lincoln narrowly defeated General George McClellan - partially thanks to the support of his new southern Vice President Andrew Johnson. Lincoln added West Virginia and Nevada to the Union, successfully routed the Confederacy and gained the surrender of General Robert E. Lee, and waged a fierce battle to outlaw slavery via constitutional amendment. It was successful, and his second term was off to a good start. But not for long. Famous actor John Wilkes Booth ambushed Lincoln at Ford’s Theater, turning the hero of the civil war into the first US President to be assassinated. Amid a national outrage, Andrew Johnson took office - and quickly set about reversing much of the progress made. He wanted to go much easier on the south, and the Reconstruction program was scaled back. Although two additional amendments aimed at improving civil rights for the freed slaves passed, Johnson seemed uninterested in enforcing them. The Confederate states started being readmitted to the union, the territory of Alaska was purchased, and Nebraska became the latest state. The heavily Republican Congress was so outraged by Johnson’s inaction that they impeached him - but the vote to remove him failed by one vote. The drunk, incompetent Johnson didn’t run for re-election in 1870 - where Ulysses S. Grant won in a landslide. Would the broken country be able to recover? Outlook…cloudy. 1870s: Grant would restore many of the principles of reconstruction that Lincoln introduced, but it wouldn’t solve the local problems. The southern states that were readmitted quickly started passing laws segregating and restricting their black populations. A terror gang named the Ku Klux Klan, known for their famous white hoods, began targeting freed slaves and northerners. The city of Chicago was devastated by a massive fire, killing over three hundred, while New York was in the grips of massive corruption under the Tammany Hall political empire. It was a chaotic time - but Grant had a lot of goodwill and easily won re-election in 1872. His second term would be characterized by conflict with Native tribes, expansion in the west, and another economic crisis. Colorado became a state during this time, but he was largely seen as a far better General than a President. So was it time for a change? The Democrats changed course in the 1876 election, nominating a charismatic anti-slavery northerner, Samuel Tilden, against the little-known Representative Rutherford B. Hayes. Tilden seemed to win handily - but Hayes contested the results and an electoral commission awarded him several disputed states and the Presidency. It seemed like things might devolve into open conflict again, until a compromise that ended the occupation of the south in exchange for them accepting the questionable results. Hayes’ Presidency was mostly inconsequential, with more Native conflicts including the Nez Perce war. The most notable event may have been Thomas Edison inventing the first commercial lightbulb in 1879, but it was a rare quiet period - with Hayes choosing not to run for re-election and being replaced by the equally laid-back James A. Garfield in a very close election. But the quiet wasn’t going to last. 1880s: William Henry Harrison’s record was safe, but not by much. Only a few months after taking office, Garfield was shot by a deranged gunman who had worked on his campaign. He died several months later due to botched treatments by his doctors, and the mild-mannered Chester A. Arthur replaced him. Arthur saw himself as a caretaker President and focused his efforts on civil service reform. The American west was quickly becoming the wild west, with incidents like the gunfight at the OK Corral and the shootings of Billy the Kid and Jesse James. The American Red Cross and the first black college, the Tuskegee Institute were founded during this period, and the Washington Monument was completed. Arthur did not get nominated for a second term, and change was in the air. It was the return of the Democrats. For the first time since James Buchanan, a Democrat successfully managed to win the Presidency. New York Governor Grover Cleveland, a fiscal conservative and opponent of political corruption, was a far cry from the old southern Dems and decisively defeated James G. Blaine of Maine. His Vice President, Thomas Hendricks, died less than a year after taking office and Cleveland’s term was largely dominated by labor issues. A bombing at a labor rally in Chicago led to the Haymarket Square Riot, and the American Federation of Labor was founded soon after. The Statue of Liberty was received from France, and the controversial Dawes Act further restricted Native rights to tribal land. Cleveland was overall popular, and he was seen as the favorite in the 1888 election against Benjamin Harrison. But expect the unexpected. The Republicans were the better-organized party, and while Cleveland handily won the popular vote, he lost the electoral vote to Harrison and was ousted. Cleveland’s wife reportedly boasted not to change the decor because they would be back in four years, Harrison took office under a cloud of controversy. The tribal lands of Oklahoma were opened to settlers, and four new states were added - both Dakotas, Montana, and Washington. The Johnstown floor devastated a large swath of Pennsylvania, and the United States celebrated the 100th anniversary of the US Constitution. But the last decade of the 19th century would bring more challenges. 1890s: The 1890s were a time of reform, with the Sherman Antitrust Act being passed and the largest suffrage group being founded by women who wanted the vote. Idaho and Wyoming became the latest states to be admitted and Yosemite National Park was founded - but some things never change. The US was still terrible to its native population, as nearly three hundred Lakotas were shot in what would come to be known as the Wounded Knee Massacre. The General Electric company was founded, and labor issues continued leading to a massive lockout and strike of steel workers. Harrison was seen as a competent President, but the way he was elected still haunted him. And in 1892, it was time for history to be made again. Grover Cleveland ran for his second term, and with a vote split caused by a new Populist party with support in the western states, easily defeated Benjamin Harrison. He became the only President to return after losing reelection - at least as of 2022. He would be welcomed back into office by another economic depression, which led to more militant labor action. The slow-simmering issue of segregation in the south took a massive step back into the public eye when the Supreme Court ruled in Plessy vs. Ferguson that “Separate but equal” was legal. Utah became a state, Henry Ford built his first automobile, and the Alaskan gold rush began. And once again, it was time for a changing of the guard. Cleveland held to the two-term rule - even if they were non-consecutive and Republican William McKinley defeated the fiery populist Democrat William Jennings Bryan in 1896. The business-friendly President soon had his term taken over by foreign affairs, when the USS Maine exploded in the harbor off Cuba, killing 268 sailors. This was one of the worst disasters in US naval history, and led to war with Spain. Cuba’s war for independence from Spain was ongoing, and the US blamed the European nation. The war only lasted ten weeks, and ended with a treaty that gave several Spanish holdings including Puerto Rico and the Philippines to the US. McKinley annexed Hawaii, took over American Samoa, and in general became the most imperialist President the US had seen up until now. And the 20th century was looming. As 1900 rolled around, McKinley weathered the death of Vice President Hobart, picking the troublesome New York governor Theodore Roosevelt - a controversial progressive - as his new running mate. The party bosses wanted Roosevelt, a popular Spanish-American War hero, out of the way. Together, the unlikely duo easily defeated Bryan for the second time and took office. McKinley was victorious, Roosevelt was contained in a position where he had very little power, and the 20th century was full of promise. What would go wrong? My God, is that Leon Czolgosz with a steel chair? Want to know more about one of the darkest periods in American history? Check out “What Life Was Like During the Civil War Sucked” or watch this video instead. Here’s the history of the United States of America - decade by decade! 1770s: It all began here - sort of. The culture that led to the funding of the United States had been building for centuries, since the first British settlement arrived on these shores. What started out as tiny groups of struggling settlers had developed into thirteen thriving colonies. Thriving, angry colonies who were tired of being taxed by the British crown. The King wasn’t hearing their cries for reform, so there was only one thing left to do - declare independence. And on July 4th, 1776, that’s exactly what they did. Of course, the British weren’t taking that lightly. The first shots had already been fired in 1775, but now that the colonies were officially in rebellion, they would be up against the full might of the British empire. The Americans were outgunned, out-armed, and had little hope of winning - unless you asked General George Washington and his troops, who kept the colonists in the fight far longer than expected. Long enough to take us to the next decade. 1780s: Once it became clear that the American troops were holding on longer than expected, people started to pay attention to the conflict. The French, long-time rivals of the British, were particularly intrigued, and some even joined the Continental army. The war dragged on, but the surprising victory of the Americans at the Battle of Yorktown set the stage for an American victory. By September 1783, the British were ready to be rid of this troublesome colony and a treaty was signed. The United States of America officially became its own country. Now they just had to run it. The first attempt at a system of government, the Articles of Confederation, was a mess. It largely treated the thirteen colonies like thirteen separate entities with only a loose government to unite them. It took effect in 1781, but a series of rebellions and conflicts over taxes made clear it wouldn’t hold. It was decided to hold a constitutional convention, and every major thinker and figure united to hash out the details. It wasn’t easy - and the desire of southern states to preserve slavery nearly derailed the whole convention. But in the end, it was approved - and the next step was to pick the first President of the United States. It was no surprise when the war hero, George Washington, won the election unopposed! But Washington wouldn’t have an easy time in office. 1790s: Washington was determined to lead as a non-partisan President, opposing the existence of political parties, but history had other plans. His close ally Alexander Hamilton shared his federalist leanings, but often endorsed the use of tougher sanctions- such as when Washington had to put down a rebellion by western settlers against taxes on liquor. Hamilton initially advocated for the insurrectionists to be executed, but Washington vetoed that. Putting down the rebellion had done enough to establish that the federal government would and could defend its authority. Vermont, Kentucky, and Tennessee joined the union, and the new country looked strong. But opposition was brewing. While Washington’s approach was popular, founding fathers Thomas Jefferson and James Madison didn’t like the government’s growing power. They accused the Federalists of heading back on the path to monarchy and created their own Democratic-Republican party. While Washington was elected with no opposition in 1792, he shocked everyone by announcing his retirement and setting the precedent that no President would serve more than two terms. America geared up for its first competitive election, with Washington’s close advisor and Vice President John Adams defeating Jefferson. And that’s where things started getting complicated. Tensions were ramping up with France in a strange quasi-war in the Caribbean, things were still hostile with Britain, and the US was engaged in conflicts with multiple Native American groups. Adams was not as popular as Washington, so he attempted to shore up his political strength with the Alien and Sedition Acts - which made it harder to gain US citizenship and in some cases made it illegal to criticize the government. These acts were aimed at weakening the Democratic-Republicans, but it backfired - energizing the opposition. In the 1800 election, Thomas Jefferson defeated Adams, and everyone waited nervously to see if Adams would give up power peacefully. He did and set a standard that every other President would follow - well, mostly. A new President and a new century entered the 19th century. 1800s: The first change of government in the United States would bring many unexpected results. For one thing, the United States was still a tiny sliver of its eventual size - but that would change in 1803 when Jefferson organized the Louisiana Purchase with post-revolution France. This added a massive swath of land to the country, nearly doubling its size, and suddenly they began to look like a major global player. Jefferson also tried to calm down tensions with Britain and France by imposing a trade embargo - on everyone! Was the US’ isolationist era about to begin? The trade embargo was deeply unpopular and hurt the US economy, and it wasn’t the only crazy event that happened this decade! Two founding fathers went to war - and Vice President Aaron Burr killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel. This was also around the time the constitution was changed to allow the President to pick his own VP instead of being paired with the runner-up, so Burr was replaced with George Clinton in Jefferson’s successful re-election bid. And Jefferson’s Presidency would end up being highly consequential. This was the period when Lewis and Clark set out on their expedition, when the steamboat was invented, and when the US ended the slave trade with Africa. They had more than enough slaves to staff the slave states here already - but some states like New Jersey were beginning to abolish the barbaric practice. Jefferson’s successful term led to his protege James Madison being elected to replace him in 1808 - and Madison’s term would start with a lull and continue with a bang. Because the young country was about to be tested. 1810s: George Clinton had stayed on as Madison’s VP, but the elder statesman died in 1812 - just in time for the US to face its biggest crisis yet. Conflicts over American expansion in North America, British backing for Native American insurgents against the Americans, and conflicts over trade routes across the Atlantic exploded into conflict, and the US and Britain were at war once again. A naval blockade, conflicts with British Canada, and the burning of Washington DC in 1814 made it look like the great American experiment might be reaching its end. But never count out a Yankee. Led by General Andrew Jackson, the Americans turned back the British troops and captured the Spanish territory of Florida. A peace treaty ended the war, and an easily-reelected Madison prepared to retire. He had lost two Vice Presidents - with Elbridge Gerry dying only a year after taking office - and added two new states in Louisiana and Indiana. His close ally James Monroe would succeed him, continuing the Democratic-Republicans-winning streak in 1816. Monroe would add three new states - Mississippi, Alabama, and Illinois. The Supreme Court would become a bigger player this era, ruling that federal authority was supreme over state laws. Monroe would be re-elected unanimously in 1820. But the era of the founding fathers was drawing to a close. 1820s: Monroe would continue to go down as one of the most successful American Presidents, adding Missouri and Maine to the Union and Florida as a territory. He issued the Monroe Doctrine, which called for an end to European colonialism in the western hemisphere. But his successor would determine his legacy - and that was complicated. The leading candidate was fiery populist Andrew Jackson - still riding high off his military triumph. But while he got the most votes, he didn’t get the majority in a four-way race and Congress instead chose Secretary of State John Quincy Adams, the son of the former President. To say this was controversial would be putting it lightly. Adams took office with a cloud over his head, and his Vice President was the ruthless slavery-defender from South Carolina John C. Calhoun. His Presidency would soon be touched by tragedy as his father died - the same day as his rival Thomas Jefferson. But Adams’ term would largely be inconsequential, and ended the same way as his fathers’ - with Andrew Jackson making him the second President defeated for re-election. Jackson’s term would also begin with tragedy - when his wife died of a heart attack before he was sworn in. This may have hardened him, as he quickly made an impact as he took office - ordering mass numbers of Native Americans removed from their current lands as more and more settlers started moving west. It was Andrew Jackson’s country now. 1830s: Andrew Jackson’s presidency would be defined by conflict - one after another. The issue of slavery was continuing to boil over, with many northern states outlawing the practice and escaped slave Nat Turner leading a bloody revolt that killed over fifty people. The Supreme Court overturned some of Jackson’s policies on Natives - something he ignored as he continued the mass removals in what is now considered one of the worst acts of genocide in North America. But those were not the only rules being ignored - because in 1832, South Carolina passed a decree nullifying a protectionist tariff passed by the government. Was the US headed to civil war? A standoff between the government and the insurrectionists - backed by John C. Calhoun - eventually ended with the nullification doctrine being withdrawn and Calhoun resigning as Vice President, but the issue was far from settled. Marin Van Buren replaced Calhoun as VP, Jackson was re-elected easily, and he expanded Presidential powers. Conflicts in both Texas and Florida exploded, as the future states became battle zones. In 1836, the Texas rebels lost to Mexico at the Alamo - but by later that year they were an independent nation. Samuel Colt invented the revolver, Arkansas officially joined the Union, and Jackson was popular enough to help Martin Van Buren become the next President. But Van Buren’s Presidency would not be smooth. The mild-mannered man was the polar opposite of Jackson, but much of Jackson’s chaos continued under him. Michigan became a state, the Panic of 1837 led to widespread bank failures - partially due to Jackson opposing having a national bank - and Jackson’s Native policies culminated in the forced removal of the Cherokee Nation. This led to over four thousand deaths, gaining it the nickname of the Trail of Tears. And in case anyone forgot about the slavery issue, it hit a new flashpoint when a group of slaves seized a Spanish ship, sailed to the US, and won their freedom in court after an extended battle. Van Buren was largely seen as ineffectual, so it wasn’t a surprise when he lost the Presidency to elderly war hero William Henry Harrison. Just in time for a chaotic new decade. 1840s: Harrison knew he was seen as potentially frail due to his age - sixty-nine years old at the time of his ellection- so he tried to appear strong by giving his inauguration speech without a coat in chilly weather. And he got sick. It apparently wasn’t a lesson he learned from, because a month later he came down with another cold after refusing to change his clothes after getting soaked in a rainstorm, and died only a month after taking office. This meant his Vice President, Virginia’s John Tyler, became President - but no one could agree on what that meant. Congress said he only became acting President, while he believed he gained the full powers of the Presidency. Harrison’s Cabinet resigned en masse, and while a few significant things happened during Tyler’s Presidency - including the start of the Oregon Trail and the annexation of Texas as a territory - he was largely a footnote. He wasn’t even renominated by the Whigs and James K. Polk won the next election. And Polk would make a big impact. The country massively expanded under Polk, with Florida, Texas, Iowa, and Wisconsin all becoming states. But it wouldn’t be simple - Texas joining the union led to a two-year war with Mexico that ended with the US gaining more territory including California. The slavery issue reared its head again with the enslaved Dred Scott suing for his freedom - only for the Supreme Court to rule that black people had no rights that the country was required to respect years later. Polk was seen as a successful President - but he was also in very poor health and chose not to seek re-election. He was replaced by Zachary Taylor as the Gold Rush began. And so began a truly chaotic decade. 1850s: Zachary Taylor took office in the middle of a pitched battle over slavery, with the southern states wanting to keep the practice and the north largely wanting to ban it. The Compromise of 1850 sought to fend off civil war, giving the south many concessions including the passage of a new Fugitive Slave Act that made it easier to extradite escaped slaves back to the south. And in the middle of all this…Taylor died only a year after taking office and was replaced by the ineffectual Millard Fillmore. The Compromise passed, but did little to calm tensions - especially after a fiery speech penned by the ailing former Vice President Calhoun. Would anyone be up to the task of bringing peace to the country this decade? In a word…nope. California became a state during his term, but Fillmore was another footnote and was replaced by pro-slavery Democrat Franklin Pierce in 1852. During this time, the battle to expand slavery into new territories and states continued and devolved into several brutal firefights in Kansas. The violence even spread to the halls of Congress, when veteran abolitionist Charles Sumner was beaten with a cane by firebrand southerner Preston Brooks. Pierce was seen as a complete failure and was replaced by the experienced James Buchanan - who seemed to do nothing but watch as the country collapsed further. Minnesota became a state under him, but the economy struggled and a white preacher named John Brown became an unlikely renegade when he led murderous anti-slavery attacks. And into in chaos, a new figure emerged. The anti-slavery forces found their voice in charismatic Republican candidate Abraham Lincoln, who had become famous thanks to a series of debates with moderate Stephen Douglas. When the Republicans planned to contend in the 1860 election for the first time, Lincoln was their man - and thanks to a chaotic four-way election including Douglas and Buchanan’s firebrand Vice President John Breckinridge, Lincoln was able to triumph. The South, believing Lincoln would end their way of life, began making plans to secede - and Buchanan could only watch as the country collapse around him. It was war. 1860s: Even before Abraham Lincoln took office, chaos reigned. Virtually all the southern states voted to secede from the union, starting with South Carolina and including new member Texas. They elected Jefferson Davis President, and an attempt to fend off civil war by enshrining slavery forever in the US constitution failed. As Lincoln took office, it wasn’t long before Confederate forces attacked a US army base, and war was officially declared. The Confederate forces were surprisingly fierce, even breaking into Union territory, leading to brutal battles in Pennsylvania. At the same time, Lincoln was dealing the with natives in the Dakota War, and quite a bit of internal tension in the north. He instituted the first military draft - as did the Confederacy - and this led to riots in New York. He also imprisoned supporters of the Confederacy. But his Presidency would hinge on one thing - victory. While the south fought fiercely and scored several major victories, the Union turned the tide thanks to the strategic prowess of General Ulysses S. Grant and had the south on the ropes by 1864, when Lincoln narrowly defeated General George McClellan - partially thanks to the support of his new southern Vice President Andrew Johnson. Lincoln added West Virginia and Nevada to the Union, successfully routed the Confederacy and gained the surrender of General Robert E. Lee, and waged a fierce battle to outlaw slavery via constitutional amendment. It was successful, and his second term was off to a good start. But not for long. Famous actor John Wilkes Booth ambushed Lincoln at Ford’s Theater, turning the hero of the civil war into the first US President to be assassinated. Amid a national outrage, Andrew Johnson took office - and quickly set about reversing much of the progress made. He wanted to go much easier on the south, and the Reconstruction program was scaled back. Although two additional amendments aimed at improving civil rights for the freed slaves passed, Johnson seemed uninterested in enforcing them. The Confederate states started being readmitted to the union, the territory of Alaska was purchased, and Nebraska became the latest state. The heavily Republican Congress was so outraged by Johnson’s inaction that they impeached him - but the vote to remove him failed by one vote. The drunk, incompetent Johnson didn’t run for re-election in 1870 - where Ulysses S. Grant won in a landslide. Would the broken country be able to recover? Outlook…cloudy. 1870s: Grant would restore many of the principles of reconstruction that Lincoln introduced, but it wouldn’t solve the local problems. The southern states that were readmitted quickly started passing laws segregating and restricting their black populations. A terror gang named the Ku Klux Klan, known for their famous white hoods, began targeting freed slaves and northerners. The city of Chicago was devastated by a massive fire, killing over three hundred, while New York was in the grips of massive corruption under the Tammany Hall political empire. It was a chaotic time - but Grant had a lot of goodwill and easily won re-election in 1872. His second term would be characterized by conflict with Native tribes, expansion in the west, and another economic crisis. Colorado became a state during this time, but he was largely seen as a far better General than a President. So was it time for a change? The Democrats changed course in the 1876 election, nominating a charismatic anti-slavery northerner, Samuel Tilden, against the little-known Representative Rutherford B. Hayes. Tilden seemed to win handily - but Hayes contested the results and an electoral commission awarded him several disputed states and the Presidency. It seemed like things might devolve into open conflict again, until a compromise that ended the occupation of the south in exchange for them accepting the questionable results. Hayes’ Presidency was mostly inconsequential, with more Native conflicts including the Nez Perce war. The most notable event may have been Thomas Edison inventing the first commercial lightbulb in 1879, but it was a rare quiet period - with Hayes choosing not to run for re-election and being replaced by the equally laid-back James A. Garfield in a very close election. But the quiet wasn’t going to last. 1880s: William Henry Harrison’s record was safe, but not by much. Only a few months after taking office, Garfield was shot by a deranged gunman who had worked on his campaign. He died several months later due to botched treatments by his doctors, and the mild-mannered Chester A. Arthur replaced him. Arthur saw himself as a caretaker President and focused his efforts on civil service reform. The American west was quickly becoming the wild west, with incidents like the gunfight at the OK Corral and the shootings of Billy the Kid and Jesse James. The American Red Cross and the first black college, the Tuskegee Institute were founded during this period, and the Washington Monument was completed. Arthur did not get nominated for a second term, and change was in the air. It was the return of the Democrats. For the first time since James Buchanan, a Democrat successfully managed to win the Presidency. New York Governor Grover Cleveland, a fiscal conservative and opponent of political corruption, was a far cry from the old southern Dems and decisively defeated James G. Blaine of Maine. His Vice President, Thomas Hendricks, died less than a year after taking office and Cleveland’s term was largely dominated by labor issues. A bombing at a labor rally in Chicago led to the Haymarket Square Riot, and the American Federation of Labor was founded soon after. The Statue of Liberty was received from France, and the controversial Dawes Act further restricted Native rights to tribal land. Cleveland was overall popular, and he was seen as the favorite in the 1888 election against Benjamin Harrison. But expect the unexpected. The Republicans were the better-organized party, and while Cleveland handily won the popular vote, he lost the electoral vote to Harrison and was ousted. Cleveland’s wife reportedly boasted not to change the decor because they would be back in four years, Harrison took office under a cloud of controversy. The tribal lands of Oklahoma were opened to settlers, and four new states were added - both Dakotas, Montana, and Washington. The Johnstown floor devastated a large swath of Pennsylvania, and the United States celebrated the 100th anniversary of the US Constitution. But the last decade of the 19th century would bring more challenges. 1890s: The 1890s were a time of reform, with the Sherman Antitrust Act being passed and the largest suffrage group being founded by women who wanted the vote. Idaho and Wyoming became the latest states to be admitted and Yosemite National Park was founded - but some things never change. The US was still terrible to its native population, as nearly three hundred Lakotas were shot in what would come to be known as the Wounded Knee Massacre. The General Electric company was founded, and labor issues continued leading to a massive lockout and strike of steel workers. Harrison was seen as a competent President, but the way he was elected still haunted him. And in 1892, it was time for history to be made again. Grover Cleveland ran for his second term, and with a vote split caused by a new Populist party with support in the western states, easily defeated Benjamin Harrison. He became the only President to return after losing reelection - at least as of 2022. He would be welcomed back into office by another economic depression, which led to more militant labor action. The slow-simmering issue of segregation in the south took a massive step back into the public eye when the Supreme Court ruled in Plessy vs. Ferguson that “Separate but equal” was legal. Utah became a state, Henry Ford built his first automobile, and the Alaskan gold rush began. And once again, it was time for a changing of the guard. Cleveland held to the two-term rule - even if they were non-consecutive and Republican William McKinley defeated the fiery populist Democrat William Jennings Bryan in 1896. The business-friendly President soon had his term taken over by foreign affairs, when the USS Maine exploded in the harbor off Cuba, killing 268 sailors. This was one of the worst disasters in US naval history, and led to war with Spain. Cuba’s war for independence from Spain was ongoing, and the US blamed the European nation. The war only lasted ten weeks, and ended with a treaty that gave several Spanish holdings including Puerto Rico and the Philippines to the US. McKinley annexed Hawaii, took over American Samoa, and in general became the most imperialist President the US had seen up until now. And the 20th century was looming. As 1900 rolled around, McKinley weathered the death of Vice President Hobart, picking the troublesome New York governor Theodore Roosevelt - a controversial progressive - as his new running mate. The party bosses wanted Roosevelt, a popular Spanish-American War hero, out of the way. Together, the unlikely duo easily defeated Bryan for the second time and took office. McKinley was victorious, Roosevelt was contained in a position where he had very little power, and the 20th century was full of promise. What would go wrong? My God, is that Leon Czolgosz with a steel chair? Want to know more about one of the darkest periods in American history? Check out “What Life Was Like During the Civil War Sucked” or watch this video instead.un