the early republic

Embargo

A government order that restricts commerce or trade with one or more countries, often used as a diplomatic tool. Was extremely tragic for the US economy.

Marbury Vs Madison

A landmark Supreme Court case decided in 1803, establishing the principle of judicial review, which allows the Supreme Court to invalidate laws that conflict with the Constitution. Papers issued by outgoing President John Adams were denied delivery, leading to a legal dispute.

Sally Hemmings

Enslaved woman of mixed race, known to have had a long-term relationship with Thomas Jefferson. Had multiple children with Jefferson who were all mixed race.

Impressments

The act of forcing sailors into military service, particularly used by the British Navy against American sailors during the early 19th century, leading to increased tensions between the US and Britain.

Hartford Convention

A series of meetings in 1814-1815 where New England Federalists discussed their grievances against the War of 1812 and proposed constitutional amendments to limit the influence of southern states.

American System

An economic plan proposed by Henry Clay in the early 19th century that aimed to promote national economic growth through a strong banking system, protective tariffs, and internal improvements such as roads and canals.

Erie Canal First

waterway connecting the Atlantic to the Great lakes.

Fletcher Vs Peck

A landmark 1810 Supreme Court case that marked the first time the Court ruled a state law unconstitutional. It upheld the sanctity of contracts and protected property rights under the Contract Clause of the Constitution.

McCulloch Vs Maryland

A landmark 18191819 Supreme Court case that established the principle of federal supremacy. The Court ruled that Congress has implied powers under the "Necessary and Proper" Clause to create a national bank and that states cannot tax federal institutions, famously stating that "the power to tax involves the power to destroy.

Convention of 1818

Treaty between US and Britain which established a peaceful Norther border.

Henry Clay

An influential American statesman from Kentucky known as the "Great Compromiser." He served as Speaker of the House and Secretary of State, and was the primary architect of the American System, which aimed to unify the nation

Andrew Jackson

He was a war hero of the War of 18121812 and a founder of the Democratic Party. His presidency was defined by the expansion of suffrage for white men, the Nullification Crisis, his veto of the Second Bank of the United States, and the forced relocation of Native American tribes under the Indian Removal Act of 1830.

James Monroe

5th US president. Secretary of State under James Madison. Went to France to negotiate the Louisiana Purchase.

Robert Fulton

Leader of exploration and trade and contributed to canal ideas.

Louisiana Purchase

1803 Land deal when the US, led by Jefferson bought about 828,00 thousand square miles of territory from France. This doubled the US size and westward expansion boomed.

War of 1812

a conflict between the US, Britain, and its Native American allies, sparked by British trade restrictions, impressment of US sailors, and US expansionist goals in Canada, ultimately ending in a stalemate with the Treaty of Ghent (1814) that restored pre-war conditions but fostered American nationalism and a stronger Canadian identity

Tecumseh

a Shawnee warrior chief who united various Native American tribes into a powerful confederacy to resist U.S. expansion into the Northwest Territory. A charismatic orator and strategist, he advocated for intertribal unity, believing all Native peoples must unite to retain their lands and freedom, famously opposing the idea of individual land sales

War Hawks

The War Hawks were young, nationalistic U.S. Congressmen (like Henry Clay & John C. Calhoun) from the South/West before the War of 1812, pushing for war against Britain due to trade restrictions (impressment) and British support for Native Americans, fueled by desires for expansion (Canada, Florida) and to defend American honor, ultimately contributing to the declaration of war. 

“Star Spangled Banner”

"The Star-Spangled Banner" is the U.S. national anthem, born from Francis Scott Key's 1814 poem inspired by seeing the American flag still flying over Fort McHenry after a fierce British bombardment during the War of 1812

Monroe Doctrine

The Monroe Doctrine, declared by President James Monroe in 1823, warned European powers against further colonization or interference in the Western Hemisphere, establishing it as a separate sphere of influence from Europe

Ogden v Gibbons

Gibbons v. Ogden (1824) was a landmark Supreme Court case establishing that Congress has broad power to regulate interstate commerce, including navigation, under the Commerce Clause, invalidating a state-granted steamboat monopoly (New York) that conflicted with a federal license, thus affirming federal law's supremacy over state laws in commerce. 

Dartmouth v Woodard

Dartmouth College v. Woodward (1819) was a landmark Supreme Court case where the Court ruled the New Hampshire legislature couldn't alter Dartmouth's royal charter, affirming the charter was a protected contract under the Contract Clause. This decision protected private corporations from state interference, establishing that chartered corporations were private entities, not state creations, thus securing corporate rights and boosting business development in America. 

Rush Bagot Treaty

a crucial agreement between the U.S. and Great Britain that demilitarized the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain by severely limiting naval armaments, allowing only a few small, lightly armed vessels for each side, effectively creating the world's longest undefended border and fostering long-term peace and cooperation between the U.S. and Canada

Missouri Compromise

U.S. law that temporarily settled the national debate over slavery's expansion by admitting Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state, maintaining balance in Congress, and prohibiting slavery in the Louisiana Purchase territory north of the 36°30′ parallel

John C. Calhoun powerful U.S. statesman, Vice President, Senator, and theorist, known as a fierce defender of slavery, states' rights (especially nullification), and Southern interests against Northern abolitionists, evolving from a nationalist to a radical sectionalist whose ideas fueled secessionism before the Civil War

powerful U.S. statesman, Vice President, Senator, and theorist, known as a fierce defender of slavery, states' rights (especially nullification), and Southern interests against Northern abolitionists, evolving from a nationalist to a radical sectionalist whose ideas fueled secessionism before the Civil War

James Madison

a Founding Father known as the "Father of the Constitution" for his pivotal role in drafting the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights, shaping America's government with his ideas like the Virginia Plan and co-authoring the Federalist Papers, and later serving as the fourth U.S. President, leading the nation through the War of 1812.

John Quincy Adams

6th U.S. President (1825-1829), son of the 2nd President, a renowned diplomat (Secretary of State under Monroe, negotiating Monroe Doctrine), and later a fiercely independent Congressman who championed abolition and civil liberties (notably defending Amistad captives) after his presidency, serving until he collapsed in the House of Representatives.