James Madison 1751- 1836
The oldest of 12 children, James Madison grew up in Virginia. He was sickly child who suffered all his life from physical ailments. Because of a weak voice, he decided not to become a minister and the entered politics. Roger Sherman 1721-1793 Born in Massachusetts, Roger Sherman spoke a New England dialect that some people found laughable. As a young man, he became a successful merchant. Sherman also studied law and became so active in politics that he had to quit his business. |
System of Government
The new government system was a form of federalism. The delegates created three branches of government;
Executive Branch is held at the White House, in Washington, D.C. Judicial Branch is held at the Supreme Court of the United States, in Washington, D.C. |
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The cotton gin was a very simple invention, created by Eli Whitney in 1793. First, the cotton bolls were put into the top of the machine. Next, you turn the handle, which turns the cotton through the wire teeth that combs out the seeds. Then the cotton is pulled out of the wire teeth and out of the cotton gin. Farmers were able to plant more cotton. Cotton is easy to grow but because it was so difficult to clean, cotton was not a cash crop. Tobacco and indigo were the South’s cash crops. Tobacco is difficult to grow. Tobacco wears out the land and the land must be given a rest once every 7 years. But cotton can grow anywhere, even on land that is drained of its nutrients.
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Second Great Awakening
The Second Great Awakening was a Protestant religious revival movement during the early 19th century in the United States. The movement began around 1790, gained momentum by 1800 and, after 1820, membership rose rapidly among Baptist and Methodist congregations whose preachers led the movement. |