The Emergence of American Literature

Sofia Petros
THE NATIONAL EXPERIENCE 7/5/13
Chapter 12: America at Midcentury

The Emergence of An American Literature
Stephen A. Douglas- tough-minded, idol of a bumptious element in the Democratic party that called itself Young America, cared little for the moral issue of slavery; urged Americans to forget the sectional quarrel and to build a prosperous and powerful nation.
1850s- Most distinguished and productive periods in the history of American lit-
Before- literacy dependency on Europe
First Writers w/ recognition: (spent a lot of time overseas in Europe observing the conventions of Europe’s writers
Washington Irving- History of NY, The Sketchbook; Irving hoped to exchange the “commonplace realities of the present” for the “shadowy grandeur of the past” in Europe
James Fenimore Cooper- Leatherstocking Tales; Cooper had little confidence in the future of literature in the Untied States
Edgar Allen Poe
Call for national literature as an essential part of a genuine American Independence heard soon after American Revolution
Emerson’s Phi Beta Kappa address at Harvard- “The American Scholar”- called for literature of democracy- advised American writers to stop imitating the Europeans and start producing a distinctive lit of their own.
Writers should look to the common people- were believed to be the “finest products of this nation”
1840s to 1850s- it began.
Thoreau- Walden
Nathaniel Hawthorne- The Scarlet Letter
Walt Whitman- poetry; Leaves of Grass
Melville- Moby Dick
Intimations of Imperialism
Precursor
By mid-century, some expansionists began to look past just the Manifest Destiny and adjacent territories to Cuba, Central America, and Hawaii start of imperialism
Cuba
The Value of Cuba:
Land of slaves and sugar plantations- interested Southerners who hoped to acquire it to increase their political and economic power, and to ward off British-inspired abolition
Land attracted certain commercial interests, especially a small but active group of business speculators in NY and New Orleans
Its proximity to Florida and the commanding position at the mouth of the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico gave it great strategic importance
U.S. worried that Cuba might pass from Spain to a stronger power
America’s chief aim had been to keep Cuba out of British and French hands; after Mexican War, proannexation sentiment caused gov to change policy
U.S. made offer to buy Cuba from Spain for as much as $100 million
Was refused.
Acquisition of Cuba was major goal of the Pierce administration
Pierre Soulé was sent to confer w/ ministers of France and Great Britain on the acquisition of Cuba and dealing w/ possible British and French opposition.
Met as Ostend and then at Aix-la-Chapelle
Ostend Manifesto- recommendations had been sent to the Secretary of State- declared that the U.S. would benefit from the possession of Cuba, while Spain would be better off w/out it.
Proposed another effort to be made to purchase; was still declined
Southern expansionists were pleased by the manifesto
Central America
Dream to join the Atlantic and Pacific by cutting a canal through Panama or Nicaragua.
1848- need for faster communication between the East and the Far West led to the signing of a treaty w/ New Granada – Gave U.S. transit rights through Panama in exchange for guarantee of New Granada’s sovereignty over this isthmian province
1855- built a railroad across Panama
1869- first transcontinental railroad built
U.S. attempted to invade Nicaragua, but failed in the end.
Big competitor in Central America- GB- worldwide trade, large navy, and extensive colonial possessions
Established foothold at mouth of the San Juan River and claimed protectorate over the Mosquito Indians
Each country warned each other that it would not permit exclusive control over isthmian canal
Clayton-Bulwer Treaty- provided that any canal built through Panama of Nicaragua was to be unfortified, neutral during war, and open to ships of all countries on equal terms; neither country was to colonize or establish dominion over any part of Central America
Gasden Purchase-Purchase from Mexico of another slice of land in the Southwest where a transcontinental railroad was to pass through-
Santa Anna was ready to agree since he needed money
Agreement to 45,000 sq. miles of desert land for $10 million
International Trade
Europe
Foreign trade and commerce and shipping vital in the recovery of the economy after the Panic of 1837
South- principal supplier of raw cotton fro the expanding British textile industry
Repeal of British Corn Laws- opened a large market for American wheat
Walker Tariff- encouraged flow of European manufactured goods to the U.S.
Rise of Immigration
China
U.S. always capitalized on opportunities afforded by the encroachments of others-
After the Opium War, U.S negotiated w/ China- Treaty of Wanghia- won access to ports that had been opened to the British; established the right of extraterritoriality – enabled resident Americans accused of crimes to be tried in American rather than Chinese courts; obtained a promise of “most favored nation” treatment
Kept good relations w/ China, since U.S. wasn’t the one doing the nasty work.
Japan
Japan had little connection w. outside world before the 16th century
Americans took an interest in the industry
Wanted proper treatment of shipwrecked sailors on Japanese shores
Commodore Matthew C. Perry- sent by Fillmore w/ imposing army and delivered message to emperor
Threats of war w/ skillful diplomacy-
Created treaty of friendship that opened 2 small ports to American trade
Permitted establishment of a consulate at one of them
Guaranteed safety of sailors
U.S.-given “most favored nation” treatment
Clipper Ships
Involved in the recovery of American foreign trade Rainbow- ship by John Griffith- ship that incorporated the advances of several decades- broke records for speed
Clippers gave U.S. larger share of world’s peacetime carrying trade- briefly surpassed GB in long-distance trades
Soon ended though w/ the opening of the Panama Railroad- deprived them of CA passengers, who could reach San Francisco; eventually GB came out w/ the impressive steamboat
Immigration
Role of immigrants
Labor problem in U.S. was helped by the increase in immigration of British, Scandinavians, Germans, Irish
America was generally viewed as cheap land, and a country of opportunity, freedom, and social equality
Irish- driven by potato famine
Germans- many political refugees who sought for improved economic conditions
Life however, was difficult to adjust to- subjected to poverty; lives were improved though
Nativism
The growing number of immigrants frightened Americans- became anti-foreign
Xenophobes-feared Celts from southern Ireland would pollute the old American stock, and that the U.S. would cease to be predominantly an Anglo-Saxon nation,
Irish and Germans- criticized for being clannish and for preserving Old World customs and habits of dress
Many distressed by prevalence of crime and pauperism in immigrant slums
Resented the burden that alien indigents put on public funds and private charity; accused European governments of exporting the “undesirables”
Immigrants viewed as economic competitors (ex-textile mills)
Whigs- concerned about immigrants’ growing political power- many states allowed them to vote before becoming naturalized citizens
Strong Anti-Catholicism movement
Growth of Catholic population, which also meant more priests and bishops, convents and monasteries- frightened nativists saw immigrants as agents of the pope sent to seize the government and destroy Protestantism
Believed church to be the ally of tyranny and reaction in Europe, enemy of freedom and democracy
Anti-Catholic riots
Nativist societies created at the arrival of so many Catholic immigrants- the Know-Nothings- sworn to secrecy
Nativism entered politics and even some Democrats joined
Eventually, the Know-Nothings dissipated- discredited by charges of conspiracy against democratic institutions
Economic Growth
Precursor
Industrial labor became more productive than agricultural labor
Economic growth stimulus- abundance and cheapness of raw materials
Domestic Commerce
Internal and International trade grew-
Internal-
Population grew and the economies of the different regions became increasingly interdependent
Waterways and railroads made transportation of people and goods faster
Canals
Invention of the locomotive
Stimulated feverish activity in Eastern cities- merchants sought ways to compete w. NY for trade of the interior
Early small railroads were designed to tap into the hinterlands of towns or to give interior areas access to water transportation
This changed as power corporations were established and railroads expanded across the country
Railroad builders in the west had to depend on public support more than the east since traffic was lighter
The construction of more railroads increased w/ the passing of the Momentous Bill- provided the first of many railroad land grants
Agriculture
The new modes of transportation aided the agricultural side of the Untied States:
Could make daily shipments to city markets
New Technological advances increased efficiency of farming
Fertilizers- improved methods of cultivation
Systems of crop rotation
There was a widening of markets
Improved mechanization- grain drills instead of hand planting; mowers
Mechanical reapers- a farmer could cut as much wheat in a day as had been possible w/ a sickle in 2 weeks
Technology enabled them to cultivate more acres but also forced farmers to make heavier investments in implements and machinery
Railroads- opened new markets, but also increased farmers dependence on the middlemen who financed, transported, stored, and marketed their crops
Specialization- made more efficient but increased dependence on Eastern manufacturers for things they had once been able to make themselves
Industry
Textile manufacturing
Vulcanizing- raw rubber that could resist heat and cold
Sewing machine- used in factories making shoes and ready-made clothing
Mass production- assembly lines
Corporate expansion- securities of corporations traded on Wall Street and other financial markets

Immigrants
Employment relations became impersonal
Worked long hours
Conditions were ignored
Middle-class reformers- took an interest in plight of laboring population
Urged them to form their own cooperative workshops or go west and become farmers
There existed a legal barrier, though-
Partially removed by the Massachusetts Supreme Court-
Case of the Commonwealth vs. Hunt- ruled that trade unions were not really conspiracies in restraint of trade
Trade unions were handicapped by hostile press- caused bad public opinio
Economic Discontent In the South
Colonial South
Southern cotton played a less dynamic role in the economic development of the country than it had done before
Industry was playing the part now
Northwestern business interests were not dependent much on the Southern market
South’s diminishing economic power in Union
Northern ships carried Southern staples to European markets, and most Southern imports came indirectly via NYC
Southerners resented this dependency- wanted to strengthen their economy
Georgia- sponsored a convention at Augusta to try and create a new organization of their own commercial relations w/ Europe- direct trade
Rumors of a Northern Conspiracy
North surpassed South in wealth and population- inaccurate analysis said South existed as a region of colonial status
Southerners thought they were victims of a sinister conspiracy planned by close-knit body of Northern bankers, merchants, manufacturers, and their political agents
Believed South had fallen to “serfdom”; laughing stock of Wall Street
North got whatever they demanded from the government
Federal treasury had become a fertilizing stream for North and their industry- draining the South
Notions that Northern profits were largely a form of expropriation of Southern Wealth
That the south was a colony to the North