Jacksonian Era Study Guide

Panic of 1819

Caused by falling cotton prices in England and irresponsible actions of state banks and the national bank, leading to a decline in demand for American goods.

Protective Tariff

Benefited Northern manufacturers by encouraging the purchase of American goods over European goods.

Order of Presidents during the Jacksonian Era

James Monroe, John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson, Martin Van Buren, William Henry Harrison, John Tyler.

Seminole War

Many Seminoles hid in swampland and marshes, leading to battles and skirmishes; most were captured and sent west, but some remained in Florida.

First National Convention

The Anti-Masonic party was the first to hold a national convention during the election of 1832.

Log Cabin Campaign

The election of 1840 where the Whig party presented Harrison as a humble backwoodsman, contrasting with the aristocratic Van Buren.

Nullification

The states could nullify or reject congressional acts they deemed unconstitutional, as proposed by John C. Calhoun.

Cherokee Nation

Adopted many white features, created a written language, converted to Christianity, built roads and schools, and adopted European farming methods.

Black Hawk War

An 1832 conflict involving the Fox and Sauk Indians attempting to reclaim land in northern Illinois.

Missouri Compromise

Proposed by Henry Clay to admit Maine as a free state and Missouri as a slave state, prohibiting slavery north of 36°30' in the Louisiana Territory.

Spoils System

The practice of giving government jobs to political supporters, initiated by Jackson.

Whigs

Political party that opposed Jackson, supported federal funding of internal improvements, and sought to limit presidential power.

Democrats

Followed the ideas of Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson, opposed to the Whigs. Didn't want federal funding for internal improvements but instead wanted states to fund their own roads.

Roger B. Taney

Attorney General in 1831, Jackson's legal advisor during the President's crusade against the Second Bank of the United States. Advised Jackson to withdraw the Government's deposits from the Bank.

John Quincy Adams

Son of former president and Monroe's secretary of state, announced his candidacy against William H. Crawford of Georgia. Won the election due to the 'corrupt bargain'.

Nicholas Biddle

President of the National Bank. Submitted the bank's charter to congress for a 20-year renewal. Jackson vetoed it, claiming it was unconstitutional.

John C. Calhoun

Jackson's running mate from South Carolina. Engaged in extensive mudslinging during the election against Adams. His win started the age of Jacksonian Democracy.

Robert Y. Hayne

Senator from South Carolina, rebuked New England's opposition to secession and proclaimed nullification as the only hope for self-preservation for the south and the west.

William Henry Harrison

Hero of the battle of Tippecanoe, elected in 1840 but died after one month in office from pneumonia. Presented as a humble backwoodsman in the Log Cabin Campaign.

Andrew Jackson

'Old Hickory', 7th President (1829-1837), was a general in the US army, known as the 'Hero of New Orleans' and 'friend of the common man'.

Sequoyah

Writer of the Cherokee Language. Developed a written Cherokee alphabet which allowed the Indians to publish newspapers and the Bible in their own language.

Election Results of 1824

Results of the election: 99 Jackson, 84 Adams, 41 Crawford, 37 Clay. Since no candidate won the majority, it was up to the House of Representatives.

Corrupt Bargain

Refers to the alleged deal between John Quincy Adams and Henry Clay to ensure Adams' election in 1824.

Log Cabin Campaign

The campaign strategy used by the Whigs to present William Henry Harrison as a humble, heroic backwoodsman.

Tariff of 1828

A tariff that Robert Y. Hayne denounced as harmful to the south and west, leading to discussions of nullification.

Jacksonian Democracy

The political movement during the presidency of Andrew Jackson that emphasized the rights of the common man.

Second Bank of the United States

The bank that Jackson opposed, leading to significant political conflict and his eventual withdrawal of government deposits.

Acting Secretary of the Treasury

Position held by Taney after Jackson named him to transfer the Government's deposits from the Second Bank to designated commercial banks.

Battle of Tippecanoe

A significant battle that established William Henry Harrison's reputation as a hero.

House of Representatives

The body that decided the outcome of the 1824 presidential election due to no candidate winning a majority.

Mudslinging

The practice of engaging in personal attacks during political campaigns, notably used in the election between Jackson and Adams.

Cherokee Alphabet

The written system developed by Sequoyah that allowed the Cherokee people to publish in their own language.

Cherokees

They adopted many features of white civilization, built communities with roads and schools, developed prosperous farms using European methods of agriculture, and resisted removal based on earlier promises in treaties with the United States.

John Tyler

A states' rights Virginian and friend of Henry Clay, he became president after William Henry Harrison died after being in office for 1 month.

Martin van Buren

A shrewd New York senator known as the 'Little Magician' for his skillful political strategies, he urged Jackson to focus on a symbolic campaign emphasizing Old Hickory as the friend of the common man.

Daniel Webster

Senator from Massachusetts, known as America's finest orator, he insisted that the people of the United States ratified the constitution as a whole, stating that a state could neither secede nor nullify an act.

Davy Crockett

Colonel, American politician, military officer, and frontiersman, known as the 'king of the wild frontier', who fought for the fair treatment of the poor.

American System

Created by Henry Clay, it consists of three parts: protective tariffs, renewal of the National Bank, and internal improvements.

Caucus

A closed meeting of party leaders that selected presidential and vice presidential nominees for its party from 1796-1820, criticized as a 'self appointed, self elected, self delegated club'.

Independent Treasury

Established in 1846, it was a system for managing the US government's money supply, aimed at separating government finances from private banks.

Indian Removal Policy

A policy pursued vigorously by Jackson, involving the movement of Indian tribes to the west of the Mississippi river, enacted through the Indian Removal Act of 1830.

Kitchen Cabinet

Jackson's close circle of friends and advisors, including newspaper editors and prominent democrats, who were criticized for their influence in his administration.

Christian Missionaries

They were the strongest defenders of the Cherokees, writing articles in support of Cherokee rights and petitioning Congress.

Whigs Party

A political party that added John Tyler as a running mate to broaden the ticket's appeal, aiming to outgeneral the general party.

Old Hickory

A nickname for Andrew Jackson, emphasizing his image as the friend of the common man during his presidential campaign.

Hartford Convention

A meeting in 1815 where Daniel Webster supported the decision to secede if Congress denied its demands.

Texas Revolution

A conflict in which Davy Crockett fought, representing the struggle for independence from Mexico.

Treaties with Indians

No less than 94 treaties were made with the Indians during the Indian Removal Policy, some of which were enforced forcibly.

Political Infighting

The conflict for power within Jackson's administration, particularly between Martin Van Buren and Vice President John C. Calhoun.

Symbolic Campaign

A campaign strategy emphasized by Martin van Buren for Jackson, focusing on appealing to common man rather than divisive issues.

Congressional Caucus

A system that selected presidential nominees for the party, which was discredited after the 1824 election.

Virginia Dynasty

Refers to the three members - Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe - who served a total of 24 years as presidents, selected by the caucus system.

Political Insiders

Members of Jackson's Kitchen Cabinet, including prominent democrats and newspaper editors, who influenced his presidency.

National convention

Where the state delegates gathered to nominate the party's presidential and vice presidential candidates.

Tariff

A tax on imported goods.

Third party

Political group not affiliated with the other major political groups.

Anti-Masonic Party

A third party that rose in opposition to Masons, opposed Catholic immigration, and supported federal funding for internal improvements.

Tariff of Abominations

Passed in 1828.

Nullification

The act of declaring a federal law void within a state.

Force Bill

Proposed by Andrew Jackson in response to South Carolina declaring they would secede if tariff duties were collected.

Election of 1832

Introduced three new political ideas: the third party (Anti-Masonic Party), Platform, and National Convention.

Cherokee

The Indian tribe that tried to keep lands with the help of missionaries.

William Lloyd Garrison

Believed the treatment of blacks was terrible and called slave owners 'the meanest of thieves and the worst of robbers'. “The Liberator”

Romantics

Believed in deep emotions, passion, and intuition over logic and reason, and saw nature as a source of beauty and inspiration.

Pony Express

Created by William Russell in 1860, it was a stable of 500 horses and a series of 160 stations that delivered mail in 10-12 days.

Second Great Awakening

A spiritual revival that swept through the nation shortly after the Constitution was ratified, creating many religions and emphasizing moral and social reforms.

Calhoun

Became the major spokesman for the interests of the south.

Clay

Chosen as the presidential candidate at the National Republican Convention.

Jackson

Chosen as the presidential candidate at the Democratic Convention and won the election by a landslide.

Van Buren

The new Vice President after Jackson's election.

Platform

A written statement describing where the party stood on various issues.

Federal funding of internal improvements

Opposed by many states who argued it was their responsibility and would hinder economic growth.

Corrupt bargain

The belief that John Quincy Adams and Henry Clay made a deal to secure Adams' presidency.

Economic growth argument

Some argued that federal funding for roads and canals would hinder economic growth.

New Harmony

Created by Robert Owen, it was a small group of utopian reformers that sought to create a perfect society based on common ownership of property. Formally called The Harmony Society before being bought by RO. (Only lasted 2 years and lost $200,000).

Eli Whitney

Famous for creating the Cotton Gin and Interchangeable parts (for guns).

Deism

Belief that reason rather than scripture was the way men came to know God and that God created the world but rarely if ever became personally involved with its affairs.

Camp Meeting

A series of religious services lasting several days and often held outdoors that were popular during the second great awakening. These meetings were held in rural areas and could last for days or even weeks, attracting thousands of people.

Erie Canal

The most famous canal in early America, connecting Albany, NY to Lake Erie; also known as 'Clinton's Big Ditch'. Brought prices so low, it inspired other canals to be built.

Stephen Foster

An American composer known as the 'Father of American Music.' He wrote some of the most famous folk and minstrel songs of the 19th century, including 'Oh! Susanna', 'Camptown Races', and 'My Old Kentucky Home'.

DeWitt Clinton

Ran in the election of 1812. 'Father of the Erie Canal', politician and governor of New York.

John Deere

Invented the Self-Scouring Steel Plow and founded John Deere & Company, making farming more profitable, quicker, and easier.

Dorothea Dix

Reformer of Mental Health, she was a school teacher and author who wrote, lectured, and lobbied for more awareness of mentally ill people just thrown in asylums.

Frederick Douglass

An escaped slave, abolitionist, writer, and orator who became one of the most influential voices against slavery.

Robert Fulton

Perfected the steamboat in 1807, called the Clermont, and presented it on the Hudson river where it successfully sailed upstream to Albany.

Horace Mann

An educator, reformer, and politician known as the 'Father of American Public Education.' He played a key role in shaping the U.S. public school system during the early 19th century.

Cyrus McCormick

Founder of the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company, and inventor of the mechanical reaper (a horse-drawn device that allowed one man to cut and stack 10-12 acres of grain in a single day).

William McGuffey

An educator and minister who created McGuffey Readers, a series of textbooks used to teach reading, writing, and Christian Values.

Samuel Morse

An artist, inventor, and scientist who made Morse code and the telegraph.

Morse Code

A method used in telecommunication to encode text characters as sequences of two different signal durations, called dots and dashes.

Telegraph

A device for long-distance transmission of textual messages without the physical exchange of an object bearing the message.

Utopian Socialism

A political philosophy that aims to create a perfect society through communal ownership and cooperative living.

Abolitionism

A movement to end slavery and promote equal rights for all individuals.

Temperance

A social movement against the consumption of alcoholic beverages.

Women's Rights

A movement advocating for equal rights and opportunities for women, including suffrage and legal equality.

Industrialization

The development of industries in a country or region on a wide scale.

Westward Expansion

The 19th-century movement of settlers into the American West, driven by the belief in Manifest Destiny.

Samuel Slater

"Father of the American Industrial Revolution". Carefully memorized the construction of the Textile Machines and escaped to the US where he rebuilt it by memory. Textiles became America's first major industry because of him.

Harriet Tubman

Born into slavery, but escaped in 1849. Spoke at anti-slavery meetings and smuggled dozens of slaves in 13 trips using the underground railroad. Served as a scout and spy during the Civil War.

Nat Turner

African American slave and the leader of a rebellion in 1831, known as Nat Turner's Rebellion, where 60 white and 100 black people died. Many of the leaders were hung, and because of this, laws were passed that prevented teaching slaves to read and write.