APUSH Study Flashcards: Corrupt Bargain to Mexican-American War

A collection of key vocabulary flashcards that outline important people, events, and concepts related to the period from the Corrupt Bargain to the Mexican-American War.

Andrew Jackson

7th President; 'Old Hickory'; champion of the common man; known for his use of the veto during the Bank War and leader of Indian Removal.

John C. Calhoun

Jackson’s Vice President who resigned; author of The South Carolina Exposition; champion of nullification and states' rights.

Henry Clay

The 'Great Compromiser'; leader of the Whig Party; architect of the Compromise Tariff of 1833 and the American System.

Nicholas Biddle

President of the Second Bank of the United States; Jackson's primary antagonist during the 'Bank War'.

Sam Houston

Commander-in-chief of the Texas army; first president of the Republic of Texas; victor at the Battle of San Jacinto.

John Tyler

'His Accidency'; the first Vice President to take office due to a president's death; a Democrat in Whig clothing.

James K. Polk

'Young Hickory'; expansionist Democrat; known for accomplishing all four of his presidential goals including the acquisition of California.

Santa Anna

Mexican dictator/general who fought against Texan independence and later against the U.S. in the Mexican-American War.

Zachary Taylor

'Old Rough and Ready'; hero of the Battle of Buena Vista; later became President.

Winfield Scott

'Old Fuss and Feathers'; led the amphibious landing at Veracruz and captured Mexico City.

The Corrupt Bargain

Alleged deal between J.Q. Adams and Henry Clay to manipulate the result of the 1824 election in Adams' favor.

Tariff of Abominations

High protective tariff enacted in 1828 that prompted South Carolina to threaten nullification.

The Trail of Tears

The forced 800-mile march of the Cherokee Indians to Indian Territory; thousands died during the journey.

The Bank War

Jackson’s effort to dismantle the Second Bank of the U.S. by vetoing its recharter and removing federal deposits.

Specie Circular

1836 executive order requiring government land purchases to be made in 'hard' currency, contributing to the Panic of 1837.

The Alamo

Fortress in San Antonio where a small group of Texans were defeated by Santa Anna’s army; it became a rallying cry for Texan independence.

'54° 40' or Fight!'

Slogan used by expansionists who demanded that the U.S. take all of the Oregon Territory from Britain.

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

1848 treaty that ended the Mexican-American War; the U.S. gained the Mexican Cession and paid $15 million.

The Hermitage

Andrew Jackson’s plantation home located in Tennessee.

Pet Banks

State banks that were pro-Jackson where federal funds were deposited after being withdrawn from the Bank of the United States.

Lone Star Republic

Independent nation of Texas from 1836 to 1845 before becoming a U.S. state.

Nueces River

The border Mexico claimed for Texas; the disagreement between this and the Rio Grande led to the Mexican-American War.

Mexican Cession

The territory including California, Nevada, Utah, and Arizona ceded to the U.S. by Mexico in 1848.

Aroostook River Valley

The location of the 'Lumberjack War' between Maine and Canada, resolved by the Webster-Ashburton Treaty.