History Midterm study guide

War of 1812

Conflict between the United States and Great Britain from 1812 to 1815 over issues including trade restrictions and territorial expansion, ultimately leading to increased American nationalism.

Panic of 1819

The first major peacetime financial crisis in the United States, marked by bank failures, mortgage delinquencies, and foreclosures.

Missouri Compromise

A legislative agreement passed in 1820 to maintain the balance of power between slave and free states by admitting Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state.

Cotton Gin

A machine invented by Eli Whitney in 1793 that rapidly separates cotton fibers from seeds, revolutionizing the cotton industry and increasing the demand for slave labor.

Eli Whitney

An American inventor best known for creating the cotton gin, which significantly impacted the agricultural economy and slavery in the South.

Henry Clay

An American statesman and politician known as the "Great Compromiser" for his role in crafting major legislative compromises, including the Missouri Compromise.

The American System

An economic plan proposed by Henry Clay that aimed to promote industrial growth and improve internal improvements through tariffs, a national bank, and infrastructure development.

Sectionalism

loyalty to a specific region or section of a country, rather than to the nation as a whole

Lowell Mills

created the first union of working women in American history.

Erie Canal

provided water transportation between the Hudson River on the east and Lake Erie at the western end

Election of 1824/Corrupt Bargain

In 1824 no one got enough electoral votes so the House of Representatives picked the president. Henry Clay helped John Quincy Adams win, and then Adams made clay. Secretary of State people called it the corrupt bargain because they thought clay and Adams made a deal to steal the election from Andrew Jackson.

Election of 1828

In 1828 Andrew Jackson beat John Quincy Adams to become president. It was a big win for Jackson showing that regular people had more power in politics.

Election of 1832

In 1832 Andrew Jackson won his second term as president defeating Henry Clay. A big issue was the “bank war” where Jackson fought against the national bank.

Bank Wars

Jackson didn’t like the national bank because he thought it favored the rich, so he shut it down causing a lot of controversy.

Indian removal acts

In 1830, Andrew Jackson signed the Indian Removal Acts which forcefully made the Indians move to Oklahoma

Trail of Tears

The Cherokee tribe had to march westward in harsh conditions and 4,000 people died of starvation, death and diseases.

South Carolina Nullification Crisis

SC refused to pay the tariff of 1828 and Andrew Jackson threatened to send troops there.

Whig Party

Party formed because they didn’t like Andrew Jackson

Martin Van Buren

Was the 8th president and was elected President after Andrew Jackson. He was president during the 1837 crisis

William Henry Harrison

first Whig party president to win presidency. He was stupid because he gave a 2 hour inaguration speech in the cold and got pneumonia and died 31 days in office.

John Tyler

President without a party. He avoided war. Tried to purchase Texas from Mexico but Mexico said no.