United States History: Election Periods and Key Events

A comprehensive set of flashcards summarizing key terms and events from the early 19th century U.S. political landscape.

Election of 1824

An election marked by controversy, leading to accusations of a 'corrupt bargain'.

King Caucus

The system used to select presidential candidates in the early 1800s.

Corrupt Bargain

A term referring to the alleged deal between John Quincy Adams and Henry Clay to manipulate the election.

Election of 1828

The election notable for its fierce campaigning and the emergence of the Democratic Party.

Kitchen Cabinet

A term for the unofficial advisors to President Andrew Jackson.

John Henry Eaton

A member of Jackson's Kitchen Cabinet and Secretary of War.

John C. Calhoun

A prominent political figure who was a leading advocate for states' rights.

Daniel Webster

A statesman known for his debates and oratory, opposing the theories of nullification.

Nullification Crisis

A confrontation between South Carolina and the federal government over tariff laws.

Tariff of 1828 (Tariff of Abominations)

A protective tariff that angered Southern states.

Compromise Tariff of 1832

Legislation intended to reduce tensions from the Nullification Crisis.

Ordinance of Nullification

South Carolina's declaration rejecting the federal tariffs.

Force Bill

A law allowing the President to use military force to enforce federal laws.

Indian Removal Act

A law permitting the forced relocation of Native American tribes from their ancestral lands.

Cherokee Nation v. Georgia (1831)

A Supreme Court case that denied Cherokee sovereignty.

Worcester v. Georgia (1832)

A Supreme Court case affirming the rights of the Cherokee Nation.

Trail of Tears

The forced relocation of Native Americans from their homelands, resulting in many deaths.

Democrats

The political party that emerged from the Democratic-Republicans, led by Andrew Jackson.

Black Hawk War

A brief conflict between the United States and Native American tribes in Illinois.

Dartmouth College v. Woodward (1819)

A Supreme Court case that protected private universities from state interference.

Bank War

The political struggle over the recharter of the Second Bank of the United States.

2nd Bank of the United States

A national bank chartered in 1816 that became a focal point in the Bank War.

Nicholas Biddle

The president of the Second Bank who faced opposition from Andrew Jackson.

Anti-Masonic Party

The first third party in the U.S., opposing the secretive Masonic order.

Specie Circular / Panic of 1837

An order requiring payment for government land to be in gold or silver, leading to financial panic.

Second American Party System

The period of party competition dominated by Democrats and Whigs.

Samuel F. B. Morse

An artist and inventor known for developing the telegraph.

Washington Irving

A writer known for his short stories and historical fiction.

James Fenimore Cooper

An American novelist known for his historical novels about frontier life.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

A philosopher and poet who was a leading figure in the Transcendentalist movement.

Thomas Cole

An artist known for founding the Hudson River School of landscape painting.

Whigs

A political party that emerged in opposition to the Democrats, favoring modernization.

Election of 1840

An election characterized by the log cabin and hard cider campaign strategy.

Log Cabin and Hard Cider Campaign

A campaign strategy used by the Whigs to portray candidate William Henry Harrison as a man of the people.

Panic of 1837

A financial crisis in the United States that led to a severe economic depression.

Asher Durand

A painter known for his landscapes and a member of the Hudson River School.

Charles River Bridge v. Warren Bridge

A Supreme Court case that favored new companies over monopolistic practices.

Hudson River School

A mid-19th century American art movement emphasizing romantic landscapes.

Pet Banks

State banks selected by the U.S. Department of Treasury to receive deposits.

Webster-Hayne Debate

A famous debate in the Senate over states' rights and federal power.

Roger Taney

The Chief Justice who delivered the majority opinion in the Dred Scott v. Sandford case.