Chapter 4: a more simplified study guide - Google Docs

1800 Election

Resulted in a 73-vote tie between Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr, revealing a flaw in the Constitution's voting system.

House Decision

Alexander Hamilton convinced the Federalist-controlled House of Representatives to choose Jefferson over Burr.

Revolution of 1800

The Federalists peacefully stepped down and respected the election results despite controlling all government branches.

Smaller Government

Jefferson aimed to limit federal power by paying down national debt, cutting spending, and ending the whiskey tax.

Keeping Unity

Jefferson kept most Federalist policies in place to preserve peace and national unity.

Louisiana Purchase

In 1803, Jefferson purchased the entire Louisiana Territory from Napoleon for $15 million, doubling the size of the United States.

Barbary Pirates

Jefferson declared war against North African pirates who attacked American merchant shipping.

British Impressment

Britain stopped American ships to search for deserters and fired on an American ship in 1807, killing three sailors.

Embargo Act of 1807

Jefferson passed this act to halt trade, which hurt the American economy more than Britain's.

Judicial Review

Established by Marbury v. Madison (1803), declaring an act of Congress unconstitutional for the first time.

Non-Intercourse Act

Madison replaced the failed embargo with this act aimed at Britain and France in 1808.

War Hawks

Congressmen who urged war to defend national honor, including Henry Clay and John C. Calhoun.

Battle of Tippecanoe

In 1811, William Henry Harrison defeated Tecumseh’s Native American coalition.

Burning of Washington

In 1814, British troops invaded Washington D.C. and set fire to the White House and Capitol.

Star-Spangled Banner

Francis Scott Key wrote the national anthem during the bombardment of Fort McHenry.

Treaty of Ghent (1814)

The treaty that ended the War of 1812 in a draw, restoring pre-war territories.

Battle of New Orleans

Andrew Jackson became a national hero after winning this battle two weeks after the peace treaty was signed.

Expansion of Suffrage

Voting qualifications eased between 1824 and 1828, increasing the voter base from 355,000 to 1.1 million.

First Frontier President

Andrew Jackson became the first president from the western frontier, elected in 1828.

Bank Monopoly Controversy

Jackson campaigned against the Second National Bank, viewing it as an unconstitutional monopoly.

Indian Removal Act of 1830

Signed by Jackson to fund the relocation of Native Americans from the Southeast to the Great Plains.

Trail of Tears (1838)

Forced relocation of 16,000 Cherokees leading to over 4,000 deaths.

Rise of the Whig Party

Formed in the mid-1830s to oppose Jackson's strong executive power.

Election of 1844

James K. Polk won presidency on an expansionist platform promising to annex Texas.

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848)

Ceded over 500,000 square miles of territory to the U.S. for $15 million.

The American System

Henry Clay's plan for protective tariffs, a national bank, and internal improvements.

Transportation Revolution

Construction of roads and canals that dramatically lowered shipping costs.

Cotton Gin

Eli Whitney's invention that sped up seed removal, expanding southern cotton production.

Labor Unions

Industrial workers began organizing into early unions to protest working conditions.

Slave Codes

Laws that classified enslaved people as property and restricted their rights.

Methods of Resistance

Enslaved people resisted through slow work, breaking tools, and running away.

Nat Turner's Rebellion (1831)

A violent slave revolt that led to stricter slave laws in the South.

Benevolent Societies

Mid-1800s movements formed to tackle social issues influenced by religious revivalism.

Educational Reform

Movement led by Horace Mann for tax-funded public elementary education.