Explore map of America 1800 to see the political division of United States in 1800 including states, territories, other countries, and disputed territories.
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States in the United States in 1800
Connecticut
Delaware
Georgia
Kentucky
Maryland
Massachusetts
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
North Carolina
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Tennessee
Vermont
Virginia
United States in 1800
In 1800 the United States of America was still a young nation with a weak political system and limited territory. The nation had John Adams as its last President and the country was in the heat of what has since been referred to as the Revolution of 1800 due to the presidential election between Thomas Jefferson and Adams. This election was the first in US history to see a peaceful transfer of power between political parties, with the Federalists losing to the Democratic-Republicans. The nation was governed by the Constitution that had been ratified in 1789 and the executive, legislative and judicial branches had a check and balance system. Washington D.C. was established as the nation’s capital in June 1800 and Philadelphia was no longer the nation’s capital.
Territorial Expansion and Population Growth
By 1800 there were 16 states of United States of America, the latest ones being Kentucky (1792) and Tennessee (1796). The national territory extended from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River, Spanish and French controlled the vast Louisiana Territory. The population of the United States was about 5.3 million people, most of them in rural areas. The biggest cities were Philadelphia, New York, Baltimore, Boston, and Charleston, all of them being important economical and cultural centres. More than 90 percent of Americans were living in small towns and on farms, and the economy was based on agriculture. The population was also moving westward, into the Ohio country, the settlers going beyond the Appalachian Mountains in search of new opportunities.
Economic Structure and Industry
In 1800 the U.S. economy was predominantly agrarian and farming was the predominant vocation. Plantation agriculture, dependent on enslaved labor, was the mainstay of the Southern states: tobacco, rice, and, after 1793, cotton, made possible by Eli Whitney's cotton gin. The North was also engaged in small-scale farming, but also in the growth of shipbuilding, textiles, and iron manufacturing. Trade was extremely important in the economy; New York, Boston and Philadelphia were major ports through which trade with Europe and the Caribbean took place. The nation was still climbing out of the doldrums set in by the Quasi-War with France, 1798-1800, which had been disastrous for maritime trade. Despite such difficulties, the economy was diversifying, with early industrialization getting under way in New England.
Slavery and Social Divisions
Slavery was still a contentious issue in 1800; it was still a part of the Southern economy and society. Some 1,000,000 enslaved people were in the U.S., and 1,000,000 of them were in the Southern states, working on plantations. The Northern states, however, had begun to move towards abolition, and several had passed laws to phase out slavery. An conflict between free and slave states would carry on to shape American politics of the coming decades. In 1800 there was the largest slave rebellion attempt in history of United States, Gabriel's Rebellion, led by enslaved man Gabriel Prosser in Virginia. The tensions between the enslaved people and the slaveholders were already high and the plans that were to be implemented on August 30, 1800, including the burning of the capital and the attacking of wealthy planters were thwarted before they could be put into action, this led to more strict laws being enacted on African Americans, free and enslaved. The year 1800 saw the largest slave rebellion attempt in history of United States, Gabriel's Rebellion, led by enslaved man Gabriel Prosser in Virginia. The tensions between the enslaved people and the slaveholders were already high and the plans that were to be implemented on August 30, 1800, including the burning of the capital and the attacking of wealthy planters were thwarted before they could be put into action, this led to more strict laws being enacted on African Americans, free and enslaved.
Foreign Relations and the Louisiana Purchase Negotiations
In the world, the United States was involved in the complex relationships with the European powers. The French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars had broken the global trade and the U.S., for example, found itself at war with both Britain and France. The Quasi-War with France ended in 1800 with the Treaty of Mortefontaine which marked the end of the war and the beginning of the trade relations. However, Spain still controlled Louisiana, but the conversation would not result in the company buying the territory until the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, when France reclaims the territory and sells it to United States for $15 million. This acquisition would practically double the size of the country and would make new opportunities for the expansion.
Native American Relations and Western Expansion
The increasing number of conflicts with the Native American tribes were brought about by the westward expansion. Some of the indigenous groups fought the American encroachment on their ground, which resulted in small scale armed conflicts as well as negotiations. These tensions centered on the Northwest Territory, which also included Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. The Treaty of Greenville (1795) had forced many Native American tribes to cede parts of Ohio to the U.S., however, the land disputes did not end there. The federal government attempted to regulate the relations through treaties and trade, but the policies generally favored settlers over the Native Americans' sovereignty.
Cultural and Educational Developments
In 1800 American culture had not yet assimilated enough of a distinct national identity to be recognizable as such. They still followed European traditions in literature, art, and education, but they were beginning to speak American themes. The idea of democracy and individual rights that the U.S. Constitution had established formed a central concept in political thought. Newspapers were the main source of information, and publications like the National Intelligencer were gaining prominence. Higher education was increasing, and future leaders were being educated at colleges like Harvard, Yale, and the College of William & Mary. Scientific advancements and enlightenment ideals still dominated intellectual discourse, and individuals like Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Rush encouraged the role of education and knowledge in a functioning republic.
