Period 4 Vocab (APUSH)

Marbury vs. Madison (1803)

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

Chief Justice John Marshall

The longest-serving Chief Justice (1801–1835) who strengthened the power of the federal government and the Supreme Court through landmark decisions.

Judicial Review

The authority of the Supreme Court to determine whether laws or government actions are constitutional, established by Marbury v. Madison.

Barbary Pirates

North African pirates who demanded tribute from U.S. ships; Jefferson refused to pay, leading to naval conflict and asserting U.S. power abroad.

Louisiana Purchase

1803 land deal between the U.S. and France that doubled the size of the country and gave control of the Mississippi River.

Lewis & Clark Expedition

1804–1806 exploration led by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark to map the Louisiana Territory and find a route to the Pacific Ocean.

Aaron Burr

Jefferson’s first-term vice president; known for killing Alexander Hamilton in a duel and being tried (but acquitted) for treason.

Impressment

The British practice of forcing American sailors into the British navy, one of the main causes of the War of 1812.

Embargo Act of 1807

Law passed by Jefferson banning all U.S. exports in response to British and French interference, which hurt the American economy.

James Madison

Fourth U.S. president (1809–1817), known as the “Father of the Constitution” and for leading the U.S. during the War of 1812.

War of 1812

Conflict between the U.S. and Britain over trade restrictions, impressment, and Native American resistance; ended with the Treaty of Ghent.

Tecumseh

Shawnee leader who united Native tribes to resist U.S. expansion; killed in the War of 1812.

Battle of Tippecanoe

1811 battle where U.S. forces defeated Tecumseh’s confederation, increasing tensions with Britain.

War Hawks

Young Democratic-Republicans in Congress who pushed for war against Britain in 1812, led by Henry Clay and John C. Calhoun.

Francis Scott Key

Author of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” inspired by the British attack on Fort McHenry during the War of 1812.

Treaty of Ghent

1814 treaty that ended the War of 1812; restored pre-war boundaries without addressing impressment or trade issues.

Hartford Convention

1814–1815 meeting of New England Federalists who opposed the War of 1812; seen as unpatriotic and led to the fall of the party.

Battle of New Orleans

Final major battle of the War of 1812, where Andrew Jackson defeated the British; fought after the treaty was signed.

Macon’s Bill No. 2

1810 law reopening trade with Britain and France but promising to stop trade with the one that didn’t respect U.S. neutrality.

Erie Canal

1825 canal linking the Great Lakes with the Hudson River, boosting trade and helping New York become an economic center.

Samuel F. Morse

Inventor of the telegraph and Morse code, revolutionizing communication in the 1840s.

Eli Whitney

Inventor of the cotton gin and developer of interchangeable parts, which spurred the Industrial Revolution.

Cyrus Hall McCormick

Invented the mechanical reaper, improving agricultural productivity in the Midwest.

Lowell System

Factory model employing young women under strict conditions in textile mills, symbolizing early industrial labor.

Market Revolution

Economic transformation in the early 1800s marked by new transportation, factories, and commercial farming.

Industrial Revolution

Period of technological innovation that transformed production, transportation, and labor in the 18th–19th centuries.

“Cult of Domesticity”

Ideal that women should focus on home, children, and morality, reinforcing gender roles in the 19th century.

Irish Potato Famine

Mid-1840s famine that caused mass Irish immigration to the U.S. due to starvation and economic collapse.

Nativism

Anti-immigrant sentiment favoring native-born Americans, often directed at Irish and German immigrants.

Know-Nothing Party

1850s political party opposing immigration and Catholic influence in U.S. politics.

German Immigration

Germans came to the U.S. seeking political freedom and better economic opportunities, often settling in the Midwest.

Irish Immigration

Driven by famine and poverty, Irish immigrants settled in cities and worked low-wage jobs, facing discrimination.

John C. Calhoun

Southern politician and advocate for states’ rights, nullification, and slavery as a “positive good.”

Henry Clay

Congressman who proposed the American System and helped negotiate major compromises like the Missouri Compromise.

Daniel Webster

Northern senator and orator who defended the Union and opposed nullification.

Tariff of 1816

First protective tariff in U.S. history, designed to promote American industry after the War of 1812.

“American System”

Henry Clay’s plan for economic development: protective tariffs, a national bank, and internal improvements.

James Monroe

Fifth U.S. president (1817–1825) whose presidency marked the “Era of Good Feelings.”

“Era of Good Feelings”

Period of national unity and one-party dominance under Monroe following the War of 1812.

Oregon Country

Region jointly occupied by Britain and the U.S. until the boundary was settled at the 49th parallel in 1846.

Panic of 1819

First major U.S. economic depression caused by land speculation and bank failures.

Missouri Compromise 1820

Agreement admitting Missouri as a slave state, Maine as a free state, and banning slavery north of 36°30’.

Gibbons vs. Ogden (1824)

Supreme Court decision affirming federal control over interstate commerce.

Monroe Doctrine 1823

Policy declaring the Western Hemisphere off-limits to new European colonization.

Andrew Jackson

Seventh U.S. president known for his populist style, opposition to the Bank, and Indian Removal policies.

“Corrupt Bargain”

Alleged deal between John Quincy Adams and Henry Clay in the 1824 election that denied Jackson the presidency.

John Quincy Adams

Sixth U.S. president who supported internal improvements and strong federal government.

Spoils System

Practice of rewarding political supporters with government jobs, popularized by Andrew Jackson.

Nullification Crisis

Conflict between South Carolina and the federal government over tariff laws and states’ rights.

Trail of Tears

Forced removal of Cherokee and other tribes from their lands, causing thousands of deaths.

Indian Removal Act

1830 law authorizing the relocation of Native American tribes west of the Mississippi River.

Martin Van Buren

Eighth president, blamed for the Panic of 1837; continued Jackson’s policies.

Tariff of 1832

Revised tariff that failed to resolve southern opposition, leading to the Nullification Crisis.

Anti-Masonic Party

First third party in U.S. politics; opposed secret societies and supported moral reform.

Specie Circular

1836 order requiring land purchases to be made in gold or silver, leading to the Panic of 1837.

Panic of 1837

Financial crisis triggered by bank failures and the Specie Circular, causing a severe depression.

Uncle Tom’s Cabin

1852 novel by Harriet Beecher Stowe exposing the brutality of slavery, increasing abolitionist sentiment.

“Peculiar Institution”

Euphemism for slavery used by Southerners to justify it as a distinct southern tradition.

Paternalism

Justification for slavery claiming masters cared for enslaved people like family.

Yeomen Farmers

Independent small farmers of the South who typically owned no slaves.

Mulattoes

People of mixed white and Black ancestry; often faced discrimination in both societies.

“Spirituals”

Religious songs created by enslaved African Americans expressing hope and resistance.

Nat Turner’s Rebellion

1831 slave uprising in Virginia that killed about 60 whites and led to stricter slave laws.

Transcendentalism

Philosophical movement emphasizing individual intuition, nature, and spiritual independence.

Shakers

Religious community promoting celibacy, equality, and communal living.

Second Great Awakening

Religious revival movement that emphasized salvation, moral reform, and social activism.

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

Religious movement founded by Joseph Smith in 1830, later known as the Mormon Church.

American Temperance Society

Organization promoting moderation or abstinence from alcohol.

Horace Mann

Education reformer who advocated for public schools and teacher training.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Transcendentalist writer who promoted self-reliance and individualism.

Henry David Thoreau

Transcendentalist known for “Walden” and his essay “Civil Disobedience.”

Emily Dickinson

Poet known for her unconventional style and introspective themes.

Edgar Allan Poe

Writer famous for his gothic tales and poems exploring death and emotion.

Dorthea Lynde Dix

Advocate for the mentally ill who pushed for humane asylums.

Elizabeth Cady Stanton

Women’s rights leader who helped organize the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848.

Abolition

Movement to end slavery in the U.S., gaining momentum in the early 1800s.

William Lloyd Garrison

Abolitionist and editor of “The Liberator,” calling for immediate emancipation.

Frederick Douglass

Former enslaved person who became a leading abolitionist and orator.

Underground Railroad

Network of secret routes helping enslaved people escape to freedom.

Harriet Tubman

Former enslaved woman and conductor on the Underground Railroad who led many to freedom.

Sojourner Truth

Former enslaved woman and abolitionist known for her “Ain’t I a Woman?” speech.

Seneca Falls Convention

1848 meeting launching the women’s rights movement and issuing the Declaration of Sentiments.