Period 4 Vocab (AmStud)

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Marbury vs. Madison (1803)

A landmark Supreme Court case in which the Court, led by Chief Justice John Marshall, established the principle of judicial review, allowing the Court to declare laws unconstitutional.

Chief Justice John Marshall

The fourth Chief Justice of the Supreme Court (1801-1835), he significantly strengthened the federal government and the judiciary through landmark cases like Marbury v. Madison, solidifying judicial review

Judicial Review

The Supreme Court's power to review laws and determine their constitutionality, establishing the judiciary as an equal branch of government.

Barbary Pirates

Pirates from North Africa who attacked U.S. and European ships, leading to conflicts with the United States and the eventual Barbary Wars during Thomas Jefferson's presidency.

Louisiana Purchase

The 1803 purchase by the U.S. from France of the vast Louisiana Territory for $15 million, doubling U.S. land and fueling westward expansion.

Lewis & Clark Expedition

An expedition led by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark (1804-1806) to explore the newly acquired Louisiana Territory, mapping routes and establishing American presence in the West.

Aaron Burr

Former Vice President under Thomas Jefferson, known for his duel with Alexander Hamilton in 1804 and later for his trial for treason due to suspected plans to create an independent nation in the West.

Impressment

The British practice of forcibly enlisting American sailors into the British Navy, a key factor in rising tensions that led to the War of 1812.

Embargo Act of 1807

Legislation enacted by President Jefferson prohibiting U.S. trade with all foreign nations in an effort to avoid war and pressure Britain and France, which ultimately hurt the U.S. economy.

James Madison

Fourth President of the United States (1809-1817) and primary author of the Constitution. His presidency included the War of 1812 against Britain.

War of 1812

A conflict between the United States and Britain (1812-1815) over issues like impressment and territorial disputes, solidifying U.S. independence and patriotism.

Tecumseh

A Shawnee chief who sought to unite Native American tribes to resist American expansion, fighting alongside the British during the War of 1812.

Battle of Tippecanoe

A battle in 1811 between U.S. forces led by William Henry Harrison and Native American forces under Tecumseh’s confederation, weakening Native resistance.

War Hawks

Members of Congress, primarily from the South and West, who advocated for war with Britain before the War of 1812, including Henry Clay and John C. Calhoun.

Francis Scott Key

Author of "The Star-Spangled Banner," which he wrote after witnessing the British bombardment of Fort McHenry during the War of 1812.

Treaty of Ghent

The 1814 treaty that ended the War of 1812, restoring pre-war borders but addressing none of the issues that initially caused the war.

Hartford Convention

A meeting of Federalists in 1814-1815 in Connecticut to discuss grievances against the War of 1812 and opposition to Madison's policies, leading to the decline of the Federalist Party.

Battle of New Orleans

The final major battle of the War of 1812, where U.S. forces led by Andrew Jackson defeated the British in January 1815, boosting national pride.

Macon’s Bill No. 2

An 1810 law that reopened American trade with Britain and France but promised to restrict trade with the enemy of whichever nation recognized U.S. neutrality first.

Erie Canal

A 363-mile canal completed in 1825, connecting the Hudson River to Lake Erie, revolutionizing trade, and contributing to the economic growth of New York

Samuel F. Morse

Inventor of the telegraph and Morse code, transforming long-distance communication in the 19th century.

Eli Whitney

Inventor of the cotton gin (1793), which revolutionized the cotton industry and increased the demand for slave labor in the South.

Cyrus Hall McCormick

Inventor of the mechanical reaper, which revolutionized agriculture by making it easier to harvest large quantities of grain.

Lowell System

An industrial labor model that employed young women in New England textile mills under strict rules, providing both housing and cultural activities.

Market Revolution

A period of rapid economic transformation in the early 19th century, characterized by industrialization, improved transportation, and regional economic specialization.

Industrial Revolution

A shift from agrarian economies to industrialized, machine-based production, beginning in the late 18th century and drastically changing American society and labor.

“Cult of Domesticity”

A 19th-century ideology promoting the role of women as homemakers and moral guardians, reinforcing the division between public and private spheres.

Irish Potato Famine

A devastating famine in Ireland (1845-1852) caused by a potato blight, which led to mass starvation and drove many Irish immigrants to the U.S.

Nativism

Anti-immigrant sentiment favoring native-born Americans, often targeting Irish and German immigrants in the 19th century.

Know-Nothing Party

A political party in the 1850s, also called the American Party, that promoted nativist policies and opposed Catholic and immigrant influence in America.

German Immigration

A wave of German immigrants in the 19th century, many of whom settled in the Midwest and brought cultural traditions, farming skills, and political ideas.

Irish Immigration

Driven by the Irish Potato Famine, many Irish immigrants came to the U.S. in the 1840s-50s, often settling in cities and facing discrimination.

John C. Calhoun

A prominent Southern politician, Vice President, and advocate for states’ rights and nullification, playing a major role in the sectional debates over slavery.

Henry Clay

A leading politician known for his efforts to compromise on issues like tariffs and slavery; he promoted the American System to strengthen the national economy.

Daniel Webster

A Northern politician and orator who supported a strong federal government and opposed nullification, aligning with Northern interests in tariff debates.

Tariff of 1816

The first protective tariff in U.S. history, designed to protect American industries from British competition after the War of 1812.

“American System”

Henry Clay's economic plan promoting tariffs, a national bank, and internal improvements to unify and strengthen the U.S. economy.

James Monroe

The fifth U.S. president (1817-1825) associated with the “Era of Good Feelings” and known for the Monroe Doctrine.

“Era of Good Feelings”

A period of political unity during Monroe's presidency, marked by a decline in partisan conflict after the War of 1812.

Oregon Country

A region in the Pacific Northwest jointly occupied by the U.S. and Britain until the U.S. claimed it in 1846, part of Manifest Destiny.

Panic of 1819

The first major U.S. economic crisis, caused by declining exports and speculative lending practices, which led to widespread bank failures.

Missouri Compromise 1820

A compromise admitting Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state, maintaining the balance and establishing the 36°30′ line for future territories.

Gibbons v. Ogden (1824)

A Supreme Court case that reinforced the federal government’s authority over interstate commerce, expanding federal power.

Monroe Doctrine 1823

A U.S. foreign policy statement warning European powers against further colonization or interference in the Americas.

Andrew Jackson

The seventh U.S. president (1829-1837), known for his populist appeal, the Indian Removal Act, and the expansion of presidential powers.

“Corrupt Bargain”

The alleged deal between John Quincy Adams and Henry Clay in the 1824 election, where Clay supported Adams, who then made him Secretary of State.

John Quincy Adams

The sixth U.S. president (1825-1829), known for his foreign policy achievements as Secretary of State and his advocacy for infrastructure and education.

Spoils System

A system introduced by Jackson that awarded government jobs to political supporters, often leading to patronage and corruption.

Nullification Crisis

A confrontation in the 1830s between South Carolina and the federal government over the state’s attempt to nullify federal tariffs.

Trail of Tears

The forced relocation of Native American tribes, especially the Cherokee, to lands west of the Mississippi, resulting in significant suffering and death.

Indian Removal Act

An 1830 law signed by Jackson authorizing the forced relocation of Native Americans from the Southeast to west of the Mississippi.

Martin Van Buren

The eighth U.S. president (1837-1841) who faced the economic hardships of the Panic of 1837 and supported Jacksonian democracy.

Tariff of 1832

A tariff designed to remedy some of the issues in the Tariff of 1828, but it failed to satisfy Southern opponents and led to the Nullification Crisis.

Anti-Masonic Party

The first third party in the U.S., founded in the 1820s, opposing Freemasonry and championing political reform and anti-elitism.

Specie Circular

An 1836 executive order by Jackson requiring land purchases to be made in gold or silver, leading to economic instability and the Panic of 1837.

Panic of 1837

A financial crisis caused by speculative lending practices, bank failures, and Jackson’s economic policies, resulting in a severe depression

Uncle Tom’s Cabin

An anti-slavery novel by Harriet Beecher Stowe (1852) that influenced Northern attitudes toward slavery and fueled abolitionist sentiment.

“Peculiar Institution”

A term used to describe slavery in the South, emphasizing its uniqueness to the region.

Paternalism

A belief held by some slaveholders that they acted as paternal figures to enslaved people, justifying the institution of slavery as "benevolent."

Yeomen Farmers

Independent farmers in the South who owned small plots of land and generally did not own slaves, often forming the backbone of Southern society.

Mulattoes

People of mixed African and European ancestry, who often occupied a unique social position within slave and free black communities.

“Spirituals”

Religious songs developed by enslaved African Americans, blending African musical traditions with Christian themes as a form of expression.

Nat Turner’s Rebellion

An 1831 slave rebellion led by Nat Turner in Virginia, resulting in stricter slave laws and widespread fear among white Southerners.

Transcendentalism

A philosophical movement emphasizing individualism, nature, and intuition, with key figures like Emerson and Thoreau.

Shakers

A religious group known for communal living, celibacy, and simple life practices, known for their craftmanship and distinct architecture.

Second Great Awakening

A religious revival movement in the early 19th century, encouraging reform movements and personal salvation

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

A religious group founded by Joseph Smith in the 1830s, also known as Mormons, who later migrated to Utah.

American Temperance Society

An organization founded in 1826 to promote abstinence from alcohol and address social issues linked to alcoholism.

Horace Mann

An advocate for public education reform, promoting free, quality education for all as essential to democracy and social progress.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

A leading Transcendentalist writer and thinker who promoted self-reliance, individualism, and a close connection with nature.

Henry David Thoreau

A Transcendentalist author known for works like Walden and his advocacy of civil disobedience against unjust laws.

Emily Dickinson

An American poet of the mid-19th century known for her unconventional style and introspective themes.

Edgar Allan Poe

An influential writer and poet known for his gothic and horror-themed works, contributing to American Romantic literature.

Dorothea Lynde Dix

A reformer who advocated for the mentally ill, campaigning for improved asylum conditions and treatment.

Elizabeth Cady Stanton

A leading figure in the women’s rights movement, co-organizer of the Seneca Falls Convention, and author of the Declaration of Sentiments.

Abolition

The movement to end slavery, gaining traction in the early to mid-19th century, and leading to increased tensions between North and South.

William Lloyd Garrison

An abolitionist and editor of The Liberator, who called for immediate emancipation and equality for enslaved people.

Frederick Douglass

A former enslaved person who became a leading abolitionist, writer, and speaker advocating for African American rights and equality.

Underground Railroad

A network of safe houses and secret routes that helped enslaved people escape from the South to freedom in the North and Canada.

Harriet Tubman

An abolitionist and former enslaved person who helped hundreds escape to freedom through the Underground Railroad.

Sojourner Truth

An abolitionist and women’s rights advocate who was born into slavery and became known for her powerful speeches.

Seneca Falls Convention

The first women's rights convention held in 1848 in New York, organized by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott, which issued the Declaration of Sentiments advocating for women's equality.