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CHECKLIST UNIT 52
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THE HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE US: FROM ABRAHAM
LINCOLN TO FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT
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1. THE HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE US FROM THE WAR OF INDEPENDENCE TO
ABRAHAM LINCOLN
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The Consequences of the War of Independence (1778-1820)
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The War of Independence involved France, Spain, and the Netherlands, becoming an
international conflict.
The Treaty of Versailles (1783) recognised the thirteen colonies as the United States, with
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Britain retaining Canada and the West Indies.
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Social consequences: A wave of immigrants from Germany and Ireland increased the
population.
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Economic consequences: The North developed industry and farming, while the South relied
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on cotton plantations and slavery.
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Political consequences: The Articles of Confederation created a weak central government,
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leading to the rise of Federalism and the drafting of the US Constitution.
Abraham Lincoln's Election (1820-1860)
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Sectional tensions between the North and South centred on slavery.
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The Republican Party emerged as a major sectional party, opposing the expansion of
slavery.
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Key events: The Missouri Compromise, the breakdown of the two-party system, and the rise
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of mass democracy.
1.3. The Civil War or War of Secession (1861-1865)
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Causes: Southern secession following Lincoln’s election and the attack on Fort Sumter.
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Union advantages: Industrial economy, larger population, control of the merchant marine,
and the moral cause of the Emancipation Proclamation.
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Confederacy advantages: Cotton exports, interior lines of communication, and patriotic
fervour.
The Emancipation Proclamation freed slaves in Confederate territories, and African
American soldiers joined the Union Army.
2. THE HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE US FROM ABRAHAM LINCOLN TO FRANKLIN D.
ROOSEVELT (1865-1933)
The Aftermath of the Civil War (1865-1933)
Economic consequences: Industrialisation accelerated, with the rise of big business and the
expansion of railroads. The Homestead Act encouraged westward settlement.
Technological consequences: Key inventions included the typewriter, telephone,
phonograph, and Ford’s automobile.
Social consequences: The Emancipation Proclamation and Thirteenth Amendment ended
slavery, but the Ku Klux Klan emerged to oppose African American rights.
Westward expansion led to the displacement of Native Americans and the end of the
frontier.
The Political Atmosphere After the Civil War
Spanish-American War (1898): The US gained the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico after
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defeating Spain.
Caribbean Domination Policy: Theodore Roosevelt’s Progressivism led to the construction of
the Panama Canal and US intervention in the Caribbean.
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Mexican Revolution: Woodrow Wilson’s support for Venustiano Carranza and the rise of
Pancho Villa.
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World War I (1914-1918): The US initially remained neutral but entered the war in 1917,
playing a decisive role in the Allied victory. The Treaty of Versailles ended the war, but the
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US Senate rejected it.
3. THE HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE US UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF FRANKLIN D.
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ROOSEVELT (1933-1945)
President of the United States (1933)
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Franklin D. Roosevelt took office during the Great Depression, with widespread
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unemployment and bank failures.
The New Deal introduced programs like the AAA (Agricultural Adjustment Administration)
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and CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) to provide relief and recovery.
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The New Deal from 1935
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Opposition to the New Deal grew among businessmen and bankers.
Key reforms included Social Security, increased taxes on the wealthy, and regulation of
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public utilities.
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The New Deal expanded the federal government’s role in the economy and society.
Foreign Affairs: A Prelude to War
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Roosevelt responded to the rise of dictatorships in Germany, Japan, and Italy with the Lend-
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Lease Act, providing aid to Britain and the Soviet Union.
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The US moved closer to war as Germany’s aggression increased, culminating in the attack
on Pearl Harbor.
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World War II (1941-1945)
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The attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941 brought the US into World War II.
Roosevelt served as Commander-in-Chief, overseeing key military campaigns like D-Day and
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the invasion of Germany.
The US played a central role in the Allied victory and the creation of the United Nations.
4. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bradbury, M. and H. Temperley. Introduction to American Studies. New York: Longman, 1981.
Brogan, H. The History of the United States of America. New York: Penguin Books, 1985.
Brooks, C. American Literature, Vol. 2. New York: St. Martin’s, 1973.
Henretta, James A., et al. America’s History. 10th ed., Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2020.
Musman, R. Background to the USA. London: Macmillan Press, 1982.
Tindall, George Brown, and David E. Shi. America: A Narrative History. 11th ed., W.W. Norton
& Company, 2019.
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