GROWTH AND EXPANSION.
A. D 1802 TO 1812.
The Republic of America was wisely ruled during the eight
years of Mr. Jefferson's administration as President. He was not
only the greatest of political philosophers, but a consummate
party leader. Under his management the Federalists were so
completely won over that even ex-President John Adams was found
among the electors who voted for Jefferson's re-election.
2. Vermont, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee were added to the list
of States, and the vast territory known as "Louisiana" was
purchased from France and made a portion of the American Union.
For this magnificent territory the United States paid fifteen
million dollars. But with all this evidence of internal
advancement, there was unnecessary and ever-growing trouble with
foreign powers.
1804.
3. Great Britain had not only failed to carry out the conditions
of the treaty of Paris, but continual trouble and war with the
western Indians were traced to the plotting of British agents.
In Europe, on the high seas, American ships were frequently
subjected to wrong and indignity by British cruisers, which
seized their cargoes or crews on various pretexts. These
maddening interferences, were fast bringing the people of the
United States to a determination to vindicate, by arms, their
claims as a free and independent people. Europe was still
convulsed by war. Napoleon Bonaparte had been crowned Emperor,
and in the mighty struggle the claims of the aggrieved public
were overlooked or despised.
4. The people of North Carolina were still in great want of
general education. The University, at Chapel Hill, was sending
out graduates who had already conferred honor upon that seat of
learning, but the preparatory schools, so necessary as feeders to
such an establishment, were few and far between.
5. Rev. William Bingham had begun a school in the eastern part of
the State. He removed temporarily to Pittsboro, but finally
settled at Hillsboro and established the academy which is even at
this day continued near by, at Mebaneville, under the
management of one of his descendants. This school, dating from
1793, was, even in its infancy, of marked excellence, and has won
more reputation than any similar institution in the Southern
States. Rev. Dr. David Caldwell's school in Guilford, Rev. J. O.
Freeman's in Murfreesboro, and a few academies in the villages,
however meritorious, produced but slight effect upon the great
mass of the people.
6. There had not been opened a single free school in all the
State. Occasionally there could be found neighborhoods where a
few citizens joined in employing a man to teach the elementary
branches of English education, but these were generally attended
for only a few months, and were not very admirable either for
discipline or in the matters taught.
1805.
7. The people of the interior and west were becoming anxious for
some means of conveyance and travel to the outer world. The
crops raised were generally too bulky to pay for expensive
transportation over long distances, and for this reason were
available to feed only the community in which they were grown.
Tobacco from all the counties in the northern portion of the
State was conveyed to market by rolling the hogsheads containing
it along the roads, to markets at Petersburg, in Virginia, and
Fayetteville.
8. In the regions of the long-leaf pine much attention was given
to the preparation of turpentine and tar. Indeed, so large a
trade grew up in these articles, that some people abroad came to
think that North Carolina produced little else. There were no
turpentine distilleries to be found, at this time, in North
Carolina; and the crude product of the tree was shipped from our
ports to be manufactured in other States.
9. In 1805, during the sessions of the Legislature, General James
Wellborn, of Wilkes, introduced a proposition to build, at the
State's expense, a turnpike from Beaufort Harbor to the
mountains; but this and all other such improvements were
neglected for some time to come.
1810.
10. The canal through the Dismal Swamp was to prove very
beneficial to eastern counties; but this work, though authorized
long before, was yet unfinished. Vessels to New York or
Baltimore still passed out to sea by the dangers of Cape
Hatteras, and not unfrequently both cargo and crew were engulfed
amid its cruel sands.
11. There was, at this period of our history, a brisk trade
between the West Indies and several of the eastern towns.
Wilmington, New Bern, Washington and Edenton were all largely
engaged in the shipment of staves and provisions; importing salt
and tropical stores in return. This, and all other foreign
trade, was ruthlessly stopped by the embargo laid by Congress.
12. This embargo was the result of an act of Congress which
forbade the exportation of all goods from the United States to
Great Britain or her dependencies. It was very similar to the
expedient resorted to by the Second Continental Congress for a
like purpose, but was not enforced by any voluntary associations
of the people, as it was in 1775.
1812.
13. This extreme measure failed to bring Great Britain to a
surrender of her claim to search American ships; and on the 19th
of June, for this and other just causes, war was declared against
her. Mr. Madison would have temporized and still deferred the
dreadful expedient, but the American people were resolved upon
indemnity for the past and security for the future; and thus two
kindred nations were to waste blood and treasure in an
unnecessary quarrel.
QUESTIONS.
1. Who was President of the United States at this period? What
is said of Jefferson's rule?
2. What States were added to the Union? What great territory was
purchased?
3. How had Great Britain kept the treaty of Paris? What
indignities were offered to the American people? How were these
things affecting the people?
4. What is said of educational matters?
5. What mention is made of the Bingham school? What other
schools are mentioned?
6. What was the condition of free education?
7. In what things were the people of the interior and west
becoming specially interested?
8. What is said of the production of turpentine and tar?
9. What was proposed by General James Wellborn to the Legislature
of 1805?
10. Give a general description of coast navigation at this time.
11. Give some particulars concerning trade.
12. Explain the embargo act.
13. What war was declared in 1812?