APUSH Wilson Vocab Period 4 1-25

Democratic-Republicans

Political party led by Jefferson and Madison advocating for limited federal power, strict constitutional interpretation, and agrarian interests.

Second Party System

The era of political competition (1828–1854) characterized by intense rivalry between the Democratic Party and the Whig Party.

Jacksonian Democracy

Political movement expanding popular democracy, championing the "common man," and expanding executive power under Andrew Jackson.

Spoils System

Practice of rewarding political supporters and party loyalists with government jobs after a political party wins an election.

Kitchen Cabinet

President Andrew Jackson's informal group of unofficial advisors, which held more influence than his official Cabinet.

Nullification Crisis

Sectional conflict in 1832–1833 when South Carolina declared federal tariffs unconstitutional and void within its borders, prompting a standoff with Jackson.

Whig Party

Political party formed in the 1830s in opposition to Andrew Jackson, supporting strong federal power, national banking, and protective tariffs.

Universal White Male Suffrage

Expansion of voting rights in the 1820s and 1830s that eliminated property ownership requirements for white men.

Corrupt Bargain of 1824

Alleged deal in the 1824 election where Henry Clay threw his House support to John Quincy Adams in exchange for being named Secretary of State.

Indian Removal Act

1830 law authorizing the federal government to forcibly relocate Native American tribes east of the Mississippi to lands west of the river.

Marbury v. Madison

1803 Supreme Court case that established the principle of judicial review, giving the Court power to declare laws unconstitutional.

McCulloch v. Maryland

1819 landmark Supreme Court decision ruling that Congress has implied powers and that states cannot tax federal institutions ("the power to tax involves the power to destroy").

Gibbons v. Ogden

1824 Supreme Court case establishing that the federal government, not states, holds exclusive authority over interstate commerce.

Worcester v. Georgia

1832 Supreme Court ruling that Georgia state laws had no authority over Cherokee territory; ignored by President Jackson.

Judicial Review

The Supreme Court's power to evaluate laws and executive actions to determine whether they align with the U.S. Constitution.

Louisiana Purchase

1803 land deal with France that doubled the size of the U.S., gaining control of the Mississippi River and New Orleans.

Lewis and Clark Expedition

1804–1806 expedition commissioned by Jefferson to explore and map the newly acquired Louisiana Territory and reach the Pacific coast.

Manifest Destiny

19th-century belief that the United States was divinely ordained to expand across the North American continent.

Texas Annexation

1845 incorporation of the Republic of Texas into the United States as a slave state, sparking tensions with Mexico.

Mexican-American War

1846–1848 conflict sparked by Texas border disputes and American expansionist goals, resulting in massive U.S. territorial gains.

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

1848 treaty ending the Mexican-American War; Mexico ceded California and the Southwest (Mexican Cession) to the U.S. for $15 million.

Oregon Territory

Pacific Northwest land claimed by both Britain and the U.S., eventually divided at the 49th parallel under President Polk in 1846.

Adams-Onís Treaty

1819 treaty in which Spain ceded Florida to the United States and defined the western boundary of the Louisiana Purchase.

Monroe Doctrine

1823 foreign policy declaration warning European nations against further colonization or intervention in the Western Hemisphere.

Market Revolution

Economic transformation in the early 19th century driven by advancements in transportation, communication, and industrial manufacturing.