Andrew Jackson, Reform Era, and Emerging American Culture

25 question-and-answer flashcards covering Andrew Jackson’s presidency, the Second Great Awakening, Cherokee removal, economic controversies, the abolitionist movement, and emerging themes in American literature.

Who became U.S. president after the 1828 election?

Andrew Jackson.

What inspirational claim did Jackson make in his inaugural address?

"Ordinary Americans can do anything."

What was the "spoils system" created by Jackson?

Giving government jobs to loyal members of the victorious political party.

In which region did the Second Great Awakening mainly take place?

The American South.

Which two denominations dominated the Second Great Awakening?

Baptists and Methodists.

What idea about salvation did revivalists emphasize during the Second Great Awakening?

Salvation is a personal, individual matter between each person and God.

Why were women encouraged to obtain religious training in the Second Great Awakening?

So mothers could teach religious principles to their children.

How did churches try to attract worshipers during the Second Great Awakening?

By bringing popular culture—lively music, social activities, etc.—into services.

What new moral argument against slavery emerged from some Second Great Awakening ministers?

They attacked the morality of owning slaves as sinful.

Which Native American nation was forcibly removed from Georgia under Jackson?

The Cherokee Nation.

What name was given to the deadly routes the Cherokee were forced to take west of the Mississippi?

The Trail of Tears.

What happened to thousands of Cherokee on the Trail of Tears?

Thousands died from disease, exposure, and starvation.

Which 1832 Supreme Court case ruled in favor of the Cherokee's right to remain in Georgia?

Worcester v. Georgia.

How did President Jackson react to the Worcester v. Georgia ruling?

He refused to enforce it, openly defying the Supreme Court.

Why do many Native Americans refuse to accept $20 bills?

Because Andrew Jackson’s portrait is on the bill, and he ordered their ancestors' removal.

What political party formed chiefly in opposition to Jackson's policies?

The Whig Party.

What nickname was given to the high protective tariff passed in 1828?

The Tariff of Abominations.

Which vice-president asserted that states could nullify federal laws they disliked?

John C. Calhoun.

What law did Jackson support that threatened armed force against states that nullified federal statutes?

The Force Act (or Force Bill).

How did Jackson effectively destroy the Second Bank of the United States?

By removing federal deposits and placing them in loyal state "pet banks."

What did the Specie Act (or Specie Circular) require for paying federal taxes?

Payment in gold or silver (specie) only.

Beyond ending slavery, what did abolitionists demand for newly freed people?

Equal rights with whites.

Who were the two prominent leaders of the abolitionist movement mentioned in the lecture?

Frederick Douglass and William Lloyd Garrison.

Which James Fenimore Cooper novel celebrated the beauty and danger of the American frontier?

The Last of the Mohicans.

What cautionary theme runs through Herman Melville's novel "Moby-Dick"?

Obsessions can destroy a person, as Captain Ahab’s pursuit of the white whale leads to disaster.