APUSH Unit 4 Terms

Barbary Pirates

A group of North African pirates who attacked American merchant ships in the early 19th century, prompting the First Barbary War as the United States sought to protect its maritime interests.

strict and loose constructionism

A legal philosophy that interprets the Constitution as it is written, advocating for a literal understanding of its text.

Louisiana Purchase

Acquisition of the Louisiana Territory from France in 1803, which doubled the size of the United States and facilitated westward expansion.

Corps of Discovery

An expedition led by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark from 1804 to 1806, commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson to explore the newly acquired western territory and find a route to the Pacific Ocean.

Marbury v Madison

Judiciary Act

of 1801 that appointed new judges, leading to a landmark Supreme Court case which established the principle of judicial review.

Judicial Review

The power of the courts to declare laws and actions of the legislative and executive branches invalid if they violate the Constitution.

Mculloch v Maryland

A landmark Supreme Court case that established the principle of federal supremacy over state law and confirmed the constitutionality of the Bank of the United States.

War of 1812

a conflict between the United States and Britain, primarily over trade restrictions and British support for Native American hostilities.

Hartford Convention

A series of meetings in 1814-1815 among New England Federalists to discuss grievances against the War of 1812 and potential constitutional amendments, which led to calls for state sovereignty.

Era of Good Feelings

A period of political harmony in the United States following the War of 1812, characterized by a lack of major party conflicts and an emphasis on national unity.

American System

An economic plan proposed by Henry Clay in the early 19th century that aimed to promote industry, support internal improvements, and establish a national bank.

Tallmadge Amendment

An amendment proposed in 1819 to restrict slavery in Missouri as it entered the Union, aiming to gradually eliminate slavery in the territory.

Compromise of 1820

A legislative agreement that allowed Missouri to enter as a slave state and Maine as a free state, maintaining the balance of power in Congress and establishing the 36°30′ line for future states.

Adams-Onis Treaty

A treaty between the United States and Spain in 1819, which ceded Florida to the U.S. and defined the southwestern boundary of the Louisiana Purchase.

Monroe Doctrine

A U.S. foreign policy statement issued in 1823, declaring that European powers should no longer colonize or interfere in the Americas, asserting American influence in the region.

Market Revolution

A period of rapid economic expansion in the early 19th century characterized by the growth of markets, transportation improvements, and changes in labor.

cotton gin and spinning machine

Inventions that revolutionized cotton processing and textile manufacturing, significantly increasing production efficiency in the early 19th century.

interchangeable parts

A manufacturing technique developed in the early 19th century that involves using standardized components that are interchangeable, which greatly improved efficiency and production in factories.

Erie Canal

An artificial waterway completed in 1825 that connected the Hudson River to Lake Erie, facilitating trade and transportation in New York and the Midwest.

Tenenments

multi-family urban housing units, often overcrowded and lacking basic amenities, typical in New York City during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

cult of domesticity

A prevailing value system among the upper and middle classes in the 19th century that emphasized women's roles as moral guardians and homemakers, reinforcing traditional gender roles.

Panic of 1819

The first major financial crisis in the United States, leading to widespread economic distress and bank failures. It was caused by a sudden collapse in cotton prices and a contraction of credit, resulting in high unemployment and foreclosures.

Election of 1824

A controversial presidential election marked by a lack of electoral majority, resulting in John Quincy Adams being selected by the House of Representatives over Andrew Jackson.

Corrupt Bargain

The supposed deal made between John Quincy Adams and Henry Clay during the Election of 1824, where Clay's support for Adams in the House of Representatives led to Adams' presidency in exchange for Clay becoming Secretary of State.

Election of 1828

A rematch between John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson, characterized by intense campaigning and personal attacks, resulting in a decisive victory for Jackson.

Whigs

A political party formed in the 1830s in opposition to the Democrats, promoting a platform of modernization, economic protectionism, and support for the American System.

Tariff of 1828

A protective tariff that raised duties on imported goods to support northern industries, but was termed the "Tariff of Abominations" by its southern opponents, contributing to the Nullification Crisis.

Nullification

The theory that states have the right to invalidate any federal law deemed unconstitutional. This idea was prominently championed by John C. Calhoun in response to the Tariff of 1828.

Force Bill

A legislation passed in 1833 that authorized President Andrew Jackson to use military force to enforce federal laws, particularly in response to South Carolina's nullification of the Tariff of 1828.

Indian Removal Act

A law enacted in 1830 that authorized the forced relocation of Native American tribes living east of the Mississippi River to lands west of the river, which led to the Trail of Tears.

Worcester v Georgia

A landmark Supreme Court case in 1832 that ruled that the state of Georgia had no authority to regulate Native American territories and upheld the sovereignty of the Cherokee Nation.

Treaty of New Echota

An 1835 agreement between the United States and a faction of the Cherokee Nation that ceded Cherokee land in the southeast for compensation and relocation to the west, which led to the Trail of Tears.

Trail of Tears

The forced removal of the Cherokee Nation and other tribes from their ancestral lands, resulting in significant suffering and high mortality rates during their relocation to designated Indian Territory.

Transcendentalism

A philosophical movement that emerged in the early 19th century, advocating for the inherent goodness of people and nature, emphasizing individual intuition and spirituality over traditional religious doctrines.

Romanticism

An artistic and intellectual movement that originated in the late 18th century, emphasizing emotion, individualism, and the glorification of nature and the past.

utopian communities

groups aimed at creating an ideal society, often based on shared beliefs or principles, where members sought to improve social conditions and promote cooperative living.

Second Great Awakening

A Protestant religious revival that swept through the United States in the early 19th century, emphasizing individual salvation and personal faith, leading to increased church membership and various reform movements.

Temperance Movement

A social movement aimed at reducing or prohibiting the consumption of alcohol, often associated with moral and health concerns during the 19th century.

Mormonism

A religious movement founded by Joseph Smith in the early 19th century that emphasizes revelations from God through the Book of Mormon, promoting principles of community and family.

American Anti-slavery Society

A key organization formed in 1833 to promote the immediate abolition of slavery, it was rooted in moral and humanitarian principles and played a significant role in the abolitionist movement.

Seneca Falls Convention

A pivotal women's rights convention held in 1848 in Seneca Falls, New York, where activists like Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott gathered to discuss and promote women's suffrage and equal rights.

Nat Turner’s Rebellion

An enslaved man's revolt in 1831 that was led by Nat Turner in Virginia, resulting in the deaths of numerous white individuals and subsequently leading to stricter slave laws.