US History - Unit 4

1st president

George Washington

2nd president

John Adams

3rd president

Thomas Jefferson

4th president

James Madison

5th president

James Monroe

6th president

John Quincy Adams

7th president

Andrew Jackson

Washington’s precedents

Created a cabinet of advisors, negotiated treaties

Jefferson’s precedents

Implied powers to buy land (Louisiana Purchase)

Revolution in Haiti

JEFFERSON: largest slave rebellion in the Western hemisphere, successful

Louisiana Purchase + P

JEFFERSON: purchase of land west of Mississippi River for $15 million

Lewis and Clark expedition + P

JEFFERSON: an expedition of the West where they recorded everything to use as a guide in the future

War of 1812

MADISON: AKA The Forgotten War, caused by American disputes w/ European countries. America declares war and it ends in a stalemate so the British wasted time & America won pride

The Era of Good Feelings + P

MONROE: a time of Nationalism, imperialism, 1 political party, economic prosperity, & Manifest Destiny for the country

Westward Expansion + P

MONROE: Manifest Destiny led them West & caused border disputes with other nations

Imperialism

Policy of extending a country’s power & influence through diplomacy, territorial acquisition, or military force; came up in Westward Expansion with the U.S. government

Nationalism

Having national pride; being proud to be American

Manifest Destiny

The belief that American settlers were destined to expand Westward

Election of 1824

Andrew Jackson vs. John Quincy Adams: Jackson won the popular vote because of the common-men voters but Quincy Adams won the electoral vote. Quincy Adams was elected and Jackson was outraged

John Quincy Adams presidency

Proposed a lot of ideas that never happened but did fund roads & canals

Adams’s precedents

Removed a cabinet member, the first president to run for reelection & lose, respected the people’s wishes

Alien and Sedition Acts + P

ADAMS: tightened restrictions on foreign-born Americans & limited speech critical of the government

Republicans

The Liberal Party AKA Whig Party: believed the government should change for equal opportunity

Democrats

The Conservative Party AKA Jacksonian Democrats: believed the government should remain the way it is & leave power up to the states

Electon of 1828

John Quincy Adams vs. Andrew Jackson: Jackson won the tension-filled election

Jackson’s presidency

Untraditional leadership style, Spoils System, & Kitchen Cabinet

Nullification Crisis + P

JACKSON: tariffs were placed that hurt the Southern economy so they retaliated & almost started a Civil War

National Bank Veto

JACKSON: President Jackson vowed to crush it and did before the bank’s charter was up by redirecting deposits to the state banks

Panic of 1812 + P

JACKSON: economic crisis caused by the closing of the National Bank

Martin Van Buren

Dealt with economic crisis (Panic of 1812) from Andrew Jackson

William Henry Harrison

Died 32 days into his presidency from pneumonia

John Tyler

Solidified succession process (precedent) (took over for Harrison)

James K. Polk

Westward Expansion policies

Federalists

Wanted a strong central government

Anti-Federalists

Opposed the creation of a stronger U.S. federal government

Steam engine

A mechanical machine used for travel used in Westward Expansion

Telegraphs

Long-distance transmission of messages using symbolic codes used to improve communication with East & West

Colt Revolvers

Single-action revolver handgun used to improve protection out West

Annexation of Texas + P

Tyler signs the bill declaring Texas as an U.S. (annexing it) & Polk carries it out

Mexican American War

Caused by the U.S. annexing Texas, America wins & gets the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

Ended the Mexican American War & Mexico ceded (surrendered) some Southwest territory that stretches to the West coast

Oregon Treaty

President Polk signed w/ British-Canada to settle border disputes, gained Oregon, Washington, & parts of Idaho territory

Gadsden Purchase

Where Franklin Pierce paid Mexico $10 million for a portion of Mexico that allows the U.S. to build a Southern transcontinental railroad

Industrial Revolution

Rapid development of industry (man-made goods are mass produced in factories)

Boom Town

A town undergoing rapid growth due to sudden prosperity like the California Gold Rush

Boom Town example

San Francisco, California during the California Gold Rush

Ghost Town

A deserted town with few or no remaining inhabitants; many towns experienced this after being a Boom Town during the California Gold Rush

Gold Fever

Extreme excitement and greed for a Gold Rush; what led so many people to California during the California Gold Rush

49ers

People who fled into California looking to strike it rich

Prospectors

Anyone who searches for gold, oil, or other valuable substances

Wild West

The term given to the West because of the high crime & gambling rates during the California Gold Rush

California Gold Rush

The finding of gold by James Marshall that brought a flood of workers to California and played an important role in integrating California's economy

Merchants

Entrepreneurs out West that were most likely to strike it rich from selling products to miners

Foreign Miners Tax

An act passed by California, imposing a $20 monthly tax on foreign miners to provide revenue for the state & drive out immigrants

Californios

Spanish Californians who received large land grants from Spain & Mexico but lost land during the Gold Rush to Americans

Native Americans

The indigenous people of the U.S. that got their lands taken over & diseases from Americans during the Gold Rush

Chinese Americans

Chinese immigrants that worked in the Gold mines while being discriminated against

Push factors

What pushed people to leave their homes & go West

Examples of push factors

Economic crisis, criminals escaping justice, & persecution

Mormons

Mormons were an American church founded by Joseph Smith AKA Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

Polygamy

The practice or custom of having more than one wife or husband at the same time

Frontier

The farthest part of a country’s settled territory

Pull factors

What attracted people to the West

Examples of pull factors

Fertile & free land being offered by the government, Gold fever, & the perception that there were more opportunities out West

Ghost town example

Virginia City, Nevada after the California Gold Rush