Essay, Research Paper
The United Sates has had a short yet complex history in its two hundred and twenty-four years.
She has produced millions and millions of great individuals. These great minds have shaped what America
is today. Others, however, have personally molded this magnificent nation with their own acts. John
Adams, Thomas Jefferson, John Marshall, Henry Clay and Andrew Jackson are the most influential
builders of the United States of America.
John Adams was born loyal to the English Crown but evolved into the second President of the
Free World. As a lawyer, Adams emerged into politics as an opponent of the Stamp Act and was a leader
in the Revolutionary group opposing the British measures that were to lead to the American Revolution.
Sent to the First Continental Congress, he distinguished himself, and in the Second Continental Congress
he was a moderate but forceful revolutionary. He proposed George Washington as commander in chief of
the Continental troops to bind Virginia more tightly to the cause for independence. He favored the
Declaration of Independence, was a member of the drafting committee, and argued eloquently for it.
Adams was one of the negotiators who drew up the momentous Treaty of Paris to end the American
Revolution. Adams’ diplomatic skills brought him much political fame.
Thomas Jefferson, although never effective as a public speaker, won a reputation as a draftsman of
resolutions and addresses. In the colonial House of Burgesses Jefferson was a leader of the patriot faction.
He helped form, and became a member of, the Virginia Committee of Correspondence. In his paper “A
Summary View of the Rights of British America”, prepared for the First Virginia Convention, he brilliantly
expounded the view that Parliament had no authority in the colonies and that the only bond with England
was that of voluntary allegiance to the king. A delegate to the Second Continental Congress, he served as a
member of the committee to draft the Declaration of Independence. That historic document, except for
minor alterations by John Adams and Benjamin Franklin and others made on the floor of Congress, was
wholly the work of Jefferson. In 1783 he was again in the Continental Congress where he drafted a plan
for a decimal system of coinage based on the dollar and drew up a proposed ordinance for the government
of the Northwest Territory, which, although not then adopted, was the basis for the very important
Ordinance of 1787. Though absent when the Constitution was drafted and adopted, Jefferson gave his
support to a stronger central government and to the Constitution, particularly with the addition of the Bill of
Rights. Jefferson was the first President inaugurated in Washington, a city he had helped to plan. He
believed that the Federal government should be concerned mostly with foreign affairs, leaving the states
and local governments free to administer local matters. Despite his contention that the Constitution must
be interpreted strictly, he pushed through the Louisiana Purchase, even though such an action was nowhere
expressly authorized. His eager interest in the West and in exploration had already led him to plan and
organize the Lewis and Clark expedition. Jefferson led a slanderous yet substantial life.
John Marshall’s brilliant skill in argument made him one of the most esteemed of the many great
lawyers of Virginia. A defender of the new U.S. Constitution at the Virginia ratifying convention, Marshall
later staunchly supported the Federalist administration. He accepted appointment as one of the
commissioners to France in the diplomatic dispute that ended in the XYZ Affair. Marshall’s effectiveness
there made him a popular figure. In his long service on the bench, Marshall raised the Supreme Court from
an anomalous position in the Federal scheme to power and majesty, and he molded the Constitution by the
breadth and wisdom of his interpretation; he eminently deserves the appellation the Great Chief Justice. He
dominated the court equally by his personality and his ability, and his achievements were made in spite of
strong disagreements with Jefferson and later Presidents. He made incontrovertible the previously
uncertain right of the Supreme Court to review Federal and state laws and to pronounce final judgment on
their constitutionality. He viewed the Constitution on the one hand as a precise document setting forth
specific powers and on the other hand as a living instrument that should be broadly interpreted so as to give
the Federal government the means to act effectively within its limited sphere. His opinion in the
Dartmouth College Case was the most famous of those that dealt with the constitutional requirement of the
inviolability of contract, another favorite theme with Marshall. His interpretation of the interstate
commerce clause of the Constitution, most notably in Gibbons v. Ogden, made it a powerful extension of
Federal power at the expense of the states. The sometimes undignified quarrel with Jefferson reached a
high point in the trial of Aaron Burr for treason. Marshall presided as circuit judge and interpreted the
clause in the Constitution requiring proof of an “overt act” for conviction of treason so that Burr escaped
conviction because he had engaged only in a conspiracy. Marshall’s difficulties with President Jackson
reached their peak when Marshall declared against Georgia in the matter of expelling the Cherokee, a
decision that the state flouted. Marshall in his manners combined the unceremonious heartiness of the
frontier with the leisurely grace of the Virginia aristocracy. So great was his winning charm and so absolute
his integrity that he gained the admiration of his enemies and the unbounded affection of his friends.
The great orator Henry Clay played a major role in the U.S. House of Representatives. In 1810
Clay was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives and served as speaker. As spokesman of Western
expansionist interests and leader of the “war hawks,” Clay stirred up enthusiasm for war with Great Britain
and helped bring on the War of 1812. He resigned from Congress to aid in the peace negotiations leading to
the Treaty of Ghent. He again served in the House, again was speaker, and began to formulate his
“American system,” a national program that ultimately included federal aid for internal improvements and
tariff protection of American industries. In 1821, Clay, to pacify sectional interests, pushed the Missouri
Compromise through the House. In the House for the last time, he once more became speaker, and he did
much to augment the powers of that office. In this session he secured the western extension of the National
Road and, against much opposition, eloquently carried through the Tariff of 1824. As Secretary of State,
he secured congressional approval—which came too late for the American delegates to attend—of U.S.
participation in the Pan American Congress of 1826. Working, even at the cost of his own protectionist
views, toward a compromise with the John C. Calhoun faction, he helped to promote the Compromise
Tariff of 1833. He reentered the Senate when the country faced the slavery question in the territory newly
acquired following the Mexican War. Clay denounced the extremists in both North and South, asserted the
superior claims of the Union, and was chiefly instrumental in shaping the Compromise of 1850. It was the
third time that he saved the Union in a crisis, and thus he has been called the Great Pacificator and the
Great Compromiser.
Andrew Jackson had appeal for the farmer, for the artisan, and for the small-business owner; he
was viewed with suspicion and fear by people of established position, who considered him a dangerous
upstart. By the time of the election of 1828, Jackson’s cause was more assured. The result was a sweeping
victory; Jackson polled four times the popular vote that he had received in 1824. His inauguration brought
the “rabble” into the White House, much to the distaste of the established families. There was a strong
element of personalism in the rule of the hotheaded Jackson, and the Kitchen Cabinet—a small group of
favorite advisers—was powerful. Jackson stood firmly for the Union and had the Force Bill of 1833 passed
to coerce South Carolina into accepting the Federal tariff, but a compromise tariff was rushed through and
the affair ended. Jackson, on the other hand, took the part of Georgia in its insistence on states’ rights and
the privilege of ousting the Cherokee Nation; he refused to aid in enforcing the Supreme Court’s decision
against Georgia, and the tribe was illegally removed. Jackson’s long fight against the Bank of the United
States put him down in history. Although its charter did not expire until 1836, Henry Clay succeeded in
having a bill to re-charter it passed in 1832. Jackson vetoed the measure, and the powerful interests of the
bank were joined with the other opponents of Jackson in a bitter struggle with the anti-bank Jacksonians.
Jackson promptly removed the funds from the bank and put them in chosen state banks (the “pet banks”).
He was despised as a high-handed and capricious dictator by his enemies and revered as a forceful
democratic leader by his followers. Although he was known as a frontiersman, Jackson was personally
dignified, courteous, and gentlemanly—with a devotion to the “American working-man” that led him into
history.
Our history is growing larger every day, producing many more great people. These people will
continue to shape our country into a superior nation.
Другие работы по теме:
American Essay Research Paper What does it
American Essay, Research Paper What does it mean to be “American?” What makes it “American?” And how does it make us “American?” American stands for the beliefs, the music, as well as the people that come from
Athletic Heroes Essay Research Paper Athletes As
Athletic Heroes Essay, Research Paper Athletes As Heroes Are there any sport heroes left in society today or have they all diminished? There are people who believe that there are sport heroes in todays society and there are people who believe that there is no such thing as sport heroes nowadays. When socie
Booker T. Washington V. W.E.B. Du Bois
Essay, Research Paper Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois were both influential leaders in the fight for desegregation. Booker T. Washington led the less violent and subtle crowd. W.E.B. Du Bois directed his followers in more of a let s get something accomplished now , rather than Washington s more subdued approach.
Impacts On The American Revolution Essay Research
Paper Many things contributed to the American Revolution besides the American people themselves. Some influential ideas that contributed to the Revolution are Enlightenment ideas. The Enlightenment thinkers behind these ideas are John Locke, and Voltaire. Economics also had I major impact on the American Revolution.
American History X Essay Research Paper This
American History X Essay, Research Paper This movie was a very intense movie. The message that it was trying to send was very powerful and it hit me fairly hard. The message that this movie was trying to send to me was that society as a whole does not have the maturity and inteligence to deal with subjects such as racism and hate.
My Past Learning Experience Essay Research Paper
My past learning experience I will present and make comparation between two ways of how I have studied history during my highschool period. First for the time that I studied history in Skopje, and the second time during my senior year which I have finished in United States of America, Oklahoma City.
Charles Dickens Essay Research Paper Charles censoredenscharles
Charles Dickens Essay, Research Paper Charles *censored*ens charles *censored*en’s early life was greatly influential in his most famous novels. his childhood was full of tragedies and problems. *censored*ens needed to overcome several obstacles so that he could have a chance at an education. after defeating these hurdles, *censored*ens wrote the novels that have entertained many people for many generations.
To Be An American Essay Research Paper
To Be an American In all of Americas history we have stole bits and pieces of traditions from other cultures. Throughout this we made new traditions of our own. Whether it
Defining Modernity Essay Research Paper When I
Defining Modernity Essay, Research Paper When I think of modernity I think of change. Modernity is the act of how and why things progress, move forth and new ideas emerge throughout history. It is also the effect of these changes. Such changes can be seen from about 1400 to now. It is these changes that have occurred that allow us to live in a post modern society.
American History X Essay Research Paper Racism
American History X Essay, Research Paper Racism can be defined as the belief that one race is superior to all other races. Racism has been around for centuries however, today there are not as many openly prejudice people. Some are racist against others merely because the color of another s skin color or religious differences.
A Cultural Approach Essay Research Paper The
A Cultural Approach Essay, Research Paper The cultural and developmental aspects of American history in the 17th and 18th centuries are certainly among the most important and influential factors in the shaping of this country’s long and storied history. Historiographically speaking, there are undoubtedly thousands upon thousands of different studies and opinions on the most influential cultural strides of early Americans well as the pros and cons that each colonial region developed in shaping America and readying it for the Revolutionary Era.
The Three Most Significant Events In US
. History Essay, Research Paper The Revolution resulting in America was the most significant event in American History. This country would not be here without it. The Revolution led to an establishment of a constitution and a new foundation to start a country. We would still be part of England had we not had the Revolution.
Always True To The
“Star Spangled Banner” Essay, Research Paper Always True to the “Star-Spangled Banner” The “Star-Spangled Banner” means a lot to the American people. It represents the hardships and victories that we as Americans have prevailed against. This song perfectly depicts the challenge of the American Revolution.
America Essay Research Paper What does it
America Essay, Research Paper What does it mean to be “American?” What makes it”American?” And how does it make us “American?” American standsfor the beliefs, the music, as well as the people that come fromthis great nation. The beliefs of this great nation speak every language.These beliefs stretch from the furthest reaches of Africa to thecity life of New York.
Thomas J Essay Research Paper US History
Thomas J Essay, Research Paper U.S. History 131 6/1/00 Thomas Jefferson The most influential person in American history would be Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence, became the first republican president,
Clay Essay Research Paper Henry Clay 17771852
Clay Essay, Research Paper Henry Clay (1777-1852), American statesman, who was secretary of state under John Quincy Adams and an unsuccessful candidate for the presidency in 1824, 1832, and 1844. He was one of the most popular and influential political leaders in American history. His genius in the art of compromise three times resolved bitter political conflicts that threatened to tear the nation apart, winning him the title The Great Pacificator.
How American Music Has Changed Over The
Past 50 Years Essay, Research Paper How American Music Has Changed Over The Past 50 Years People have often wondered if music has always been around. Well, to answer that question I did some research to find out where our music originated. Our first reliable music records came from the Greeks and the Romans.
Slavery And The American Bigot Essay Research
Paper Slavery and the American Bigot We Americans are interesting people and we have an interesting history. Slavery is part of that history. From time to time we forget just how much of part slavery plays in our history. I was reminded of that once again by the news story on the family reunion of the Thomas Jefferson family.
Vietnam Essay Research Paper Against the celebrated
Vietnam Essay, Research Paper -Against the celebrated and glorious backdrop of American history, the Vietnam War stands ghastly out of place. The war was an exercise in economic, military, and political futility. The greatest tragedy of the Vietnam War, however, stems from the unnecessary deaths of 58 000 young American boys and the installment of terror, mistrust, and sorrow in those who found a way to survive in an inferno where the laws of man were obsolete.
American History X Essay Research Paper Trond
American History X Essay, Research Paper Trond Haugen A: How the movie American history X has influenced me American history X had a strange effect on me. Usually, movies entertain me as I watch them, but the moment they end, it is over. Everything goes back to the way it is was as I leave the theatre. American history X was not like that.
American History X Essay Research Paper American
American History X Essay, Research Paper American History X American History X is a very controversial movie. It is a movie about a Venice Beach skin head gang called the D.O.C. The gang is run by the master mind of
The Progressive Movement Essay Research Paper Tom
The Progressive Movement Essay, Research Paper Tom Bellini History The Progressive Movement In 1905 American Social reformers began to call themselves Progressives. The philosophy of progressivism welcomed innovations and reforms in government to alleviate ills of society and wanted people to have more control over the government.
American Folklore Essay Research Paper Native American
American Folklore Essay, Research Paper Native American Folklore Many cultures have morals set for the younger generations, to help aid them through life. Story telling, or folklore first explained most of these morals. Storytellers were the most important people because they told, drew, and sang messages to the younger people.
African American History
: “Heritage, Not Hate” Essay, Research Paper When exploring African-American history, the most important things to focus on are that because of the times, black people were enslaved and treated poorly. They endured it all and worked hard to rise above the boundaries of slavery and prejudice. However, the most portentous aspect of African-American history is that it’s heritage; it’s history; and it’s over.Jane Minor was born as Gensey Snow around the late 1700’s or early 1800’s.
Strong Response Essay Research Paper Strong ResponseThe
Strong Response Essay, Research Paper Strong Response The expansion of the American frontier played a large part in the history and making of the United States, but how big was that role? Historian Frederick Turner felt that the American frontier played the largest influence on our country?s history.
Revolutionary War Essay Research Paper The American
Revolutionary War Essay, Research Paper The American Revolutionary War was the largest turning point in the history of the United States. Without winning the war, the United States would have never existed as an independent nation. The American Colonists dealt with so much pain and nonsense from King George in Great Britain.
Karl Marx Essay Research Paper Karl MarxKarl
Karl Marx Essay, Research Paper Karl Marx Karl Marx was a German political philosopher and a revolutionist, confounder with Friedrich Engles of scientific socialism and is one of the most influential thinkers of all times.
The Bad Flag Essay Research Paper Some
The Bad Flag Essay, Research Paper Some people think the confederate flag is a symbol of hatred and slavery. Others think it represents the history of America. It’s up to ever person to decide where they stand. The old saying is, “If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything.” Ever person has a duty to respect the other person’s opinion.
Why Slavery Essay Research Paper Captivity bondage
Why Slavery? Essay, Research Paper Captivity, bondage, restraint, subjugation, and slavery. These words all mean one thing, enslaving someone against their will. Slavery was an episode in history that scarred, many African men, women and children. Slavery tore families apart, shattered dreams, and left African?s feeling shameful and hopeless.
Billie Holiday Essay Research Paper Billie HolidayHi
Billie Holiday Essay, Research Paper Billie Holiday Hi, I am Eleanor Fagan Gough, or most of you know me as Lady Day or Billie Holiday. I am known, as one of America’s most memorable and influential singers of all
The Twenties Essay Research Paper The TwentiesThe
The Twenties Essay, Research Paper The Twenties The twenties is a time when some of the biggest changes in American history took place. In the following report I am going to tell about some of the most important and influential moments of the time period called the twenties.
Opposition To The New Deal Essay Research
Paper Why was there opposition to the New Deal? In many ways the New Deal turned out to be a success. It clearly stopped the Depression from getting worse; gave hope and confidence to the American people at the worst tome in their history; and saved American democracy. But why did it face so much opposition and criticism.
British War Essay Research Paper Gregg GiassonUS
British War Essay, Research Paper Gregg Giasson U.S. History Period B !! YOU ARE THERE !! The most important event in U.S. History in my opinion would be Washington s escape from the British Army at New York. This event changed the course of U.S. History because it was the closest the movement for freedom came to being crushed.