US History by Era 923

Era 1 Colonization 

The US began as a group of British Settlements that grew into Colonies. The US became a meritocracy with a free-market economy. Britain identified North America as a source of lumber to build ships under Quen Elizzabeth I in 1558. Britain and France developed settlements in North America. Spain and Portugal developed settlements in South America. Those settlements that were on the Atlantic coast allowed shipping of trade goods from the American Colonies back to Europe.  Colonists  brought pigs, chickens and horses from Europe. Merchants connected resources to markets and managed trade exports of lumber, beaver fir, tobacco, sugar, cocoa, corn and other foods for export to Europe. Governments funded the military and provided for local governance. The British appointed Colonial Governors, but their Legislatures were elected by their fellow Colonists. All colonies had a local militia to protect its colonists from attack and assist the British Army. The British began developing Colonies in North America in the 1630s. By 1700, the Colonial population was 260,000. In 1765 the British won the French Indian war and began expansion west. Colonists were able to own land and produce crops to sell locally and export to Europe. 

https://www.learner.org/series/a-biography-of-america/english-settlement/english-settlement-key-events/

The Founders had served in colonial government and objected to British abuse that began in 1765. Britain was broke from their wars in Europe and the French Indian War and raised taxes on their American Colonies and sent the British military to enforce these taxes. The Founders met in 1774, appointed George Washington to lead the Colonial Army in 1775, published the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and won the Revolutionary War in 1783. They wrote and published the US Constitution in 1789 and selected George Washington to be the first President.

The Founders followed the governing principles of the Enlightenment Philosophers and Scientists who identified successful principles in establishing governments.

Francis Bacon – scientific method 1561-1626

John Locke – natural rights 1632-1704

Montesquieu - separation of powers 1689-1755

Voltaire - free speech and religious freedom 1694-1778

Jean-Jacques Rousseau - human nature 1712-1778

Adam Smith - capitalism economics 1723-1790

The Great Awakening led by churches in the colonies ran from 1730 to 1770. Biblical revelation focused colonists on God, Providence and Family. In 1765, Pastors supported the Patriots. The “media” was on the side of the Colonists. Literacy was high, everybody read the Bible.

Era 2 Founding & Expansion

1789-1797 George Washington -Founder 

1797-1801 John Adams - Federalist

1801-1809 Thomas Jefferson -R   Louisiana Purchase

1809-1817 James Madison -R

1817-1825 James Monroe -R

1825-1829 John Quincy Adams -R

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_presidents_of_the_United_States

George Washington, President 1789-1797 won the Revolutionary War in 1883 and extended the US to include territories West of the 13 colonies. The US had a war debt of $75M and paid off the war debt in 1795.

Benjamin Franklin 1706-1790 served in the 1^st and 2^nd Continental Congresses. Served as a diplomat to England and France. Secured French Navy to defeat Cornwallis

Published Poor Richard’s Almanac and the Pennsylvania Gazette. Invented the lightening rod, bifocal glasses, franklin stove and more.

Alexander Hamilton 1755-1804 set up import tax operations and handled finances with lenders and states and set up the federal import tax collection and banking systems.

John Adams President 1797-1801 served as a delegate to the First and Second Continental Congresses, he led the movement for independence. During the Revolutionary War he served in France and Holland in diplomatic roles, and helped negotiate the treaty of peace.

Thomas Jefferson President 1801-1809 extended the US to the Mississippi River and the Noteh Pacific Ocean with the Louisiana Purchase for $15M in 1803. In 1776, he wrote the Declaration of Independence.

James Madison President 1809-1817 is hailed as the "Father of the Constitution" for his pivotal role in drafting and promoting the Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights.

James Monroe President 1817-1825 resolved long-standing grievances with the British, acquired Florida from Spain in 1819, and proclaimed the “Monroe Doctrine” in 1823.

John Quincy Adams President 1825-1829 established the US border with Canada and added Florida. As Secretary of State under President Monroe, he helped implement the Ad Monroe Doctrine.

Era 3 Final Expansion

1829-1837 Andrew Jackson -D War of 1812

1837-1841 Martin Van Buren -D

1841-1841 William Henry Harrison -Whig

1841-1845 John Tyler -Whig

1845-1849 James Polk-D   Mexican American War

Andrew Jackson President 1829-1837 won the War of 1812. He convinced Texas to join the US and mentored James Polk to complete US expansion.

James Polk President 1845-1849 won the Mexican War of 1848 and extended the US to include Texas, California, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, W Colorado and Nevada. For $15M.

Era 4 Post Expansion

1849-1850 Zachary Taylor -Whig

1850-1853 Millard Filmore -Whig

1853-1857 Franklin Pierce -D

1857-1861 James Buchanan -D

This group failed to solve the slavery problem. Slave States had more Congressional House Representatives and held on to slavery.

By 1850, the Industrial Revolution was well underway, but the US government didn’t understand its implications.

The Steam Engine was already powering railroads and factories. It was a matter of time and attention to modify it to plant and harvest crops. It would eventually replace slave labor. The Cotton Gin was patented in 1794 to separate cotton seeds from cotton fiber. This technical innovation removed time and labor and added productivity, but the purchase of slaves increased. Cotton became the “in demand” export in 1850.

In 1769 a steam powered vehicle was introduced in France and became available in 1784. In 150BC the Piston was used by metal workers. In 1820, the combustion engine was inftoduced in England. This would eventually replace the steam engine. The cotton harvester was invented in 1850 in Tennessee, but wasn’t introduced as a mechanical picker until 1950. The Tractor was introduced in 1892, but steam power was already in use to thrash wheat.

Mechanical farm equipment was invented before 1860, but Southern Plantation Owners also used slave ownership as an investment. 

Like most of the US Governments’ mistakes, they were mired in controversy from the 1830s to 1860 with no movement to solutions. Nothing has changed.

Era 5 Civil War

1861-1865 Abraham Lincoln -R  Civil War

1865-1869 Andrew Johnson -D

Abraham Lincoln President 1861-1865 won the Civil War of 1865 and ended slavery in the US for $2.6B.

Andrew Johnson was a Southerner and sabotaged Lincoln’s plans for Reconstruction.

Era 6 Constitutional Amendments Ignored

1869-1877 Ulysses S Grant -R  Yellowstone 1872

1877-1881 Rutherford B  Hayes -R

1881-1881 James Garfield -R

1881-1885 Chester Arthur -R

1885-1889 Grover Cleveland -D

1889-1893 Benjamin Harrison -R

1893-1897 Grover Cleveland -D

1897-1901 William McKinley -R

1901-1909 Theodore Roosevelt -R

1909-1913 William Howard Taft -R

1869-1877 Ulysses S Grant -R  Yellowstone 1872

US Grant did a great job winning the Civil War and reestablishing Reconstruction, but he ignored the Constitution when he approved Yellowstone as a National Park in 1872, without amending the Constitution to allow Park Ownership as part of the Powers of the Federal Government. It would have failed to be ratified by the States. The Supreme Court failed to stop it. Several in Congress and in the States opposed it.

https://time.com/6145391/the-big-business-politics-behind-the-formation-of-yellowstone-national-park/

After 1872, the US Constitution with limited government was ignored. The limited powers of the federal government did not allow the government to own land beyond what it needed to function. No amendments were approved to allow federal land to expand to 30% of the US landmass.

An Amendment must be proposed by a two-thirds vote of both Houses of Congress. The amendment must then be ratified by three-fourths of the State legislatures.

1877-1881 Rutherford B  Hayes -R

In 1877 the Interstate Commerce Act was passed. This led to punishing Vanderbilt, Rockafeller and Morgan for modernizing  US industries and establishing the US economy. Their monopolies were broken into smaller pieces and they became stockholders of these smaller companies, but effecincies were lost and prices increased. The railroads were built and loans from Britain repaid, gasoline was invented and stronger steel was developed.

1881-1881 James Garfield -R died

1881-1885 Chester Arthur -R supported tariff reductions

1885-1889 Grover Cleveland -D was an honest conservative and fought government waste and abuse.

1889-1893 Benjamin Harrison -R signed the Sherman Anti-Trust Act

1893-1897 Grover Cleveland -D was elected again.

1897-1901 William McKinley -R pro-business president assassinated.

1901-1909 Theodore Roosevelt -R completed the Panama Canal. He helped drive the Spainish out of Cuba but Cuba became Communist in the 1950s. He was a naturalist and supported unconstitutional federal land ownership. He was the “trust buster” and seized large industries to break them up. He did more damage than good.

1909-1913 William Howard Taft -R supported the income tax as the 16^th Amendment.

Medical Science Problems of Era 6

In 1870 US life expectancy was age 40. Medical science was 400 years behind. Movement to cities created water-born diseases as sewage was dumped into rivers. Drinking water in cities was not treated. Bacterial infections were not treatable, viral infections were untreatable. Water chlorination in the US began in 1908. Penicillin was discovered and available in 1945.

US life expectancy

Year  Age

1870  40

1920  54

1930  60

1930  60

1970  71

2019  79

2020  77

2023  76.4.

Era 7 Big Government

Most serious mistakes were made after 1900 with massive unconstitutional actions. In 1913, a loaf of bread was 2 cents.

1913-1921 Woodrow Wilson -D  WW1

1921-1923 Warren G Harding -R

1923-1929 Calvin Coolidge -R

1929-1933 Herbert Hoover -R

1933-1945 Franklin D Roosevelt -D WW2

1949-1953 Harry S Truman -D won WW2

1953-1961 Dwight D Eisenhower -R

1961 1963 John F Kennedy -D

1963-1969 Lyndon B Johnson -D lost Vietnam War

1969-1974 Richard M Nixon-R  China

1974-1977 Gerald Ford -R

1977-1981 Jimmy Carter -D

1981-1989 Ronald Reagan -R won Cold War

1989-1993 George HW Bush -R won Gulf War

1993-2001 Bill Clinton -D Agenda 21

2001-2009 George W Bush -R $10T deficit

2009-2016 Barak Obama -D 10T deficit

2016-2020 Donald Trump -R  Best since Reagan

2021-2023 Joe Biden -D Worst ever

1913-1921 Woodrow Wilson -D created unconstitutional federal powers in 1913 including the Federal Reserve, Commerce, Labor, National Parks, In 1914 he failed to prevent WW1 and introduced regulations on businesses.

1921-1923 Warren G Harding -R and 1923-1929 Calvin Coolidge -R presided over the Roaring 20s, but failed to identify the risks.

1929-1933 Herbert Hoover -R presided over the Great Depression and failed to fix it. He initiated building infrastructure.

1933-1945 Franklin D Roosevelt -D presided over the Great Depression and failed to fix it. He ended the use of gold as a currency  He presided over WW2 and set it on course to win. He funded infrastructure and supplied the Allies with military equipment. He led the US to enter WW2 in 1941 after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor.

1949-1953 Harry S Truman -D authorized using the Atomic Bomb and won WW2, helped Europe survive and grew the US economy

1953-1961 Dwight D Eisenhower -R did a great job winning WW2 and grew the US economy, but rhe Supreme Court started to ban religion in public schools.

1961 1963 John F Kennedy -D cut taxes, but allowed government employees to unionize. He doubted that Vietnam would survive and was assassinated.

1963-1969 Lyndon B Johnson -D increased federal spending and regulations and lost Vietnam War.

1969-1974 Richard M Nixon-R began using Communist China as a low-cost manufacturer, ended backing the US dollar with silver and gold and didn’t end unconstitutional federal meddling.

1974-1977 Gerald Ford -R inherited Lyndon Johnson’s overspending.

1977-1981 Jimmy Carter -D  got Egypt to agree to peace with Israel but failed to reverse inflation and failed to rescue hostages from Iran.

1981-1989 Ronald Reagan -R cut taxes, stopped signing unconstitutional Bills, restored the US military and won Cold War. H recognized that the USSR was broke.

1989-1993 George HW Bush -R won Gulf War, but signed lots of unnecessary Democrat Bills and signed on to UN Agenda 21 to establish global governance.

1993-2001 Bill Clinton -D Agenda 21 implemented UN Agenda 21 to prepare for global governance.

2001-2009 George W Bush -R created a $10T deficit by invading Afghanistan and Iraq. He failed to prevent 911 and the 2008 mortgage meltdown.

2009-2016 Barak Obama -D created a 10T deficit to implement UN Agenda 21 and the UN Global Warming hoax. He weaponized Federal Agencies, challenged private property and packed the Deep State. He grew up as a Globalist Moslem Marxist who helped to create the 2008 Mortgage Meltdown

2016-2020 Donald Trump -R, the best since Reagan stopped UN Agenda 21 implementation, closed the border, created US energy dominance, improved the US economy, returned the Supreme Court to stop ignoring the US Constitution. He identified the Deep State. He reintroduced Tariffs, insisted on reciprocal trade and implemented economic isolation of bad actor countries like Iran. He eliminated Isis. If elected in 2024, Trump will increase oil and natural gas production, end inflation, lower oil and gas prices, force Russia to end the war in Ukraine, finish building the border wall, stop illegal immigration, deport illegal immigrants, restore the rule of law in the US and eliminate unconstitutional entities.

2021-2023 Joe Biden -D Worst ever reversed all Trump policies and increased illegal immigration, stopped oil and natural gas production, created high inflation, increased crime and allowed Iran, Russia, N Korea and China to form an Axis against the US.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_presidents_of_the_United_States

Unconstitutional Federal Creations

All below require Amendments to keep the departments listed below.

Federal Reserve

Interior Parks, Forests, Wetlands, Deserts, Indian Reservations

Commerce

Labor

NLRB

EEOC

Energy

Education

And hundreds more agencies and groups.

https://www.usa.gov/agency-index

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_federal_agencies_in_the_United_States

Era 8 The Road Ahead

If Trump is elected in 2024, he will restore his policies to increase oil and gas production to reduce inflation, use economic isolation on bad actors, insist on reciprocal trade, close the border, finish the wall and drain the swamp to remove weaponization of government agencies. H will need majorities in the House and Senate to accomplish our restoration.

To fully restore the US Constitution, Amendments would need to be proposed, passed and ratified by the States. If the Amendment to allow national parks, federal forests and other lands fails to be ratified by the States, Federal land beyond what is needed to function would be returned to the States to sell and rent useful properties and improve tourist sites. This would allow states to permit drilling, mining and privately owned forests that would be properly maintained by the owners.

US Government Accomplishments 1775-1848

The great accomplishments occurred in the early period from 1775 to 1848. The Revolutionary War began in 1775 and ended in 1783 and secured territory West of the 13 colonies. The War of 1812 -1815 ended wars with Britain. The Louisiana Purchase expanded US territory to the North Pacific.  Winning the Mexican American War in 1848 expanded the US in the Southwest.

Government Failures 1849-2023

In 1849, the US Government failed to resolve the slavery issue that led to the Civil war in 1860. In 1865, the US government failed to complete Reconstruction.

In 1872, the Supreme Court failed to stop the creation of Yellowstone Nationl Part.

In the 1887, the US government began to shift the regulation of businesses from States to Federal with the Interstate Commerce Act. Vanderbilt’s railroad, Rockefeller’s Standard Oil snd JP Morgan’s US Steel were split apart.       In 1908 Ford introduced the Model T.

In 1913, Congress created the Federal Reserve to “coin money” and created the Commerce Department and Labor Department without submitting Amendments for ratification by the States.

In 1914, Europe’s response to Austria invading Serbia should have been total economic isolation of Austria, not war.

The US entered WWI with the sinking of the Lusitania and entered WWII with the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the Middle East Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq with the attack on the Twin Towers. There were no cool heads in the US Government except Trump. The all get caught up in the rush to the bandwagon.

https://www.quora.com/Why-did-the-South-not-replace-slaves-with-mechanization-before-the-civil-war

Era 8 Restoring the Constitution

The US Federal Government owns 28% of the US Landmass unconstitutionally ignoring the Amendments required to expand its “limited Powers. In 1872 Congress passed a bill to take 2.2 million acres of land to become Yellowstone National Park without a constitutional amendment and President US Grant signed the Bill. The Constitution restricted US government land ownership to include only what it needed to function with military bases and government offices and warehouses. The Supreme Court ignored the error.

Congress still needs to draft Amendments to include national parks, forests and sanctuaries and other Powers and send them to the States for ratification. They haven’t done this because most would probably not pass. When it does not pass, all land will revert to the States. They will sell most of it and add that to their revenues. They should not be allowed to sell it to any foreign countries, companies or individuals. Ranchers will buy it for grazing. Farmers will buy it for planting and Families will buy it for timber harvesting, planting and fire protection maintenance. That should end the forest fire festivals.

nps.gov/articles/npshistory-origins.htm#:~:text=Congress%20approved%20the%20legislation%20in,and%20enjoyment%20of%20the%20people."

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader