Level 17
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The Late Modern Age

The United States in the 19th Century

From independence through territorial expansion to the Civil War.

Wikimedia Commons · Thomas Sutherland · Public domain

60-Second Review

Express review

A condensed, point-by-point summary of the module, for reviewing right before a test or exam.

  1. The Thirteen Colonies and the War of Independence. The Thirteen Colonies won independence from Britain, declaring it in 1776 and securing recognition in 1783.
  2. The Constitution and the Early Republic. The Constitutional Convention of 1787 built a new federal government, ratified with a Bill of Rights by 1791.
  3. The Louisiana Purchase and the Push West. The Louisiana Purchase of 1803 doubled the United States and opened the West to exploration.
  4. Manifest Destiny: Florida, Texas, and Oregon. Manifest Destiny drove the acquisitions of Florida, Texas, and Oregon between 1819 and 1846.
  5. The Mexican-American War and the Completion of the Continent. The Mexican-American War (1846-1848) added California and the Southwest, completing the continental United States.
  6. Slavery and the Sectional Crisis. Escalating disputes over slavery's expansion shattered political compromise and led to secession by 1861.
  7. The Civil War: From Fort Sumter to the Turning Point. From Fort Sumter to Gettysburg, the Union and Confederacy fought a war reshaped by Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation.
  8. Total War, Union Victory, and the War's Legacy. Grant's relentless 1864-1865 campaign and Sherman's total war forced Lee's surrender at Appomattox.

This module continues after "The Industrial Revolution" in the syllabus. If you haven't reviewed it yet, it may help set the context.

Key points

Visual module map

1The Thirteen Colonies and the War of Independence
2The Louisiana Purchase and the Push West
3The Mexican-American War and the Completion of the Continent
4Slavery and the Sectional Crisis
5Total War, Union Victory, and the War's Legacy

Alternative visual view: a simplified sequence of some of the module's key points, in their order within the syllabus.

Your module mastery

0% (overall measurement)
Approximate breakdown by skill
Understanding of historiographical debate0%

A rough estimate based on the key points reviewed, not an exact measurement of actual mastery.

Final test

You need to review all key points to unlock the final test.

Optional mini-games

Extra practice, with no penalty, to reinforce the module's content.

Review Flashcards

Review each key point with cards that flip to reveal the summary.

Memory

Match each concept with its definition in as few attempts as possible.

Time Attack

Answer true or false statements before time runs out.

Chronological Order

Put the module's key points back in their original order.

Further reading

Bibliography and cited sources used to create this module.

  • James McPherson, Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era.
  • Gordon S. Wood, The Radicalism of the American Revolution.
  • Bernard Bailyn, The Ideological Origins of the American Revolution.
  • Frederick Merk, Manifest Destiny and Mission in American History: A Reinterpretation.
  • Doris Kearns Goodwin, Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln.
  • Thomas Jefferson et al., The Declaration of Independence (1776).
  • Eric Foner, The Fiery Trial: Abraham Lincoln and American Slavery.
  • National Archives and Records Administration, Charters of Freedom: The Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights, available at archives.gov.