Social Studies - Jacksonian Era

nominating convention

where party members choose the party’s candidates, it gave the common man a vote.

Jacksonian democracy

a period of expanding democracy in the 1820s and 1830s

Democratic Party

supporters of Andrew Jackson

spoils system

the practice of giving government jobs to political backers (Jackson wanted to reward his supporters)

Kitchen Cabinet

an informal group of trusted advisers who sometimes met in the White House kitchen

nullification crisis

conflict between South Carolina and the federal gov.

Whig Party

Favored the idea of a weak president and a strong Congress, made to oppose Jackson

Panic of 1837

a severe economic depression shortly after Van Buren took office

Indian Removal Act

the removal of Native Americans who lived east of the Mississippi River to lands West in 1830

Indian Territory

U.S. land in what is now Oklahoma where Native American were moved to

Trail of Tears

The Cherokee’s 800 mile forced march. (1/4 of 18,000 Cherokee died)

John C. Calhoun

Jackson’s vice president, he resigned after the nullification crisis, a state’s rights activist

Martin Van Buren

a Secretary of State, one of Jackson’s closest allies in his cabinet, 8th president of the U.S.

William Henry Harrison

an army general, was the 9th president, member of the Whig Party

Sequoya

a Cherokee who made a writing system for the Cherokee language

Black Hawk

a Fox and Sauk leader who fought instead of leaving his land but was eventually forced to leave

Osceola

A Seminole leader, didn’t sign a removal treaty and started the Second Seminole War, won the war and stayed in Florida

What does the State’s Right Doctrine state?

since the states had formed the national gov. state power should be greater than federal power

How did the gov. change to give the common man more power?

lowering or getting rid of the requirement that men had to own land, held nominating conventions

How were each of the 3 regions of America different?

South - based on farming

North - based on manufacturing

West - based on farming, farmed more things than south

What made Andrew Jackson such an attractive presidential candidate to the average American?

seen as the common man, hard working, believed in strong union and state’s rights

What were the benefits of the spoils system?

People who backed Jackson got government jobs

What were the downsides of the spoils system

Allowed people who didn’t know what they were doing to have government jobs

What is the main role of Jackson’s Kitchen Cabinet?

to advise Jackson

Why was the South opposed to Tariffs?

it made imported goods, that they needed for their farm, more expensive

What were Jackson’s opinions on the national bank?

He didn’t like it because it gave the federal gov. more power

Why did the U.S. gov. approve the Indian Removal Act?

It would get more land for America, and Jackson said, “incalculably strengthen the southwestern frontier."

What were some issues Native Americans faced when they were removed from their lands?

disease, hunger, and death

Why didn’t Jackson enforce the court ruling of Worcester v. Georgia

The ruling was the federal gov. made decisions over Native Americans. He believed it gave the federal gov. too much power, he liked a strong state gov.