APUSH Period 4 vocab

mass democracy

major shift in american politics during the 1820s-1830s toward broader voter participation

constituencies

group of voters, consumers, or citizens that a politician, political party, or institution represents

interest group

an organized group of people who share common policy goals and work to influence public policy and government decisions without running candidates for office themselves

federalists/democratic republicans

formed America's first party system during the 1790s, driven by sharp disagreements over the power of the national government, economic policy, and foreign affairs

democrats/whigs

democrats: Era / Timeframe: Formed in the late 1820s (led by Andrew Jackson) and dominated through the 1850s as part of the Second Party System.

• Core Philosophy: Favored a small national government, strict construction of the Constitution, states' rights, and an agrarian/farmer-based economy

whigs: Era / Timeframe: Formed in the 1830s specifically to oppose "King Andrew" Jackson; lasted until the mid-1850s

Core Philosophy: Favored a strong central government, economic modernization, and loose construction of the Constitution (much like the older Federalist Party)

second great awakening

a widespread Protestant religious revival movement in the United States that emphasized free will, individual moral responsibility, and emotional personal conversion over Calvinist predestination

liberal

the belief that active federal power and government intervention are necessary to regulate the economy, protect civil rights, and solve social problems like poverty

romantic beliefs

a 19th-century cultural and intellectual movement (roughly 1800–1848) that prioritized emotion, intuition, and individualism over cold logic and science

old world v. new world

The Old World

• What it is: Europe, Asia, and Africa (together called Afro-Eurasia).

• Why it matters in APUSH: These were the nations (like Spain, France, England, and Portugal) that had the technology, ships, and centralized governments to fund exploration, look for wealth (gold/silver), and spread Christianity.

• Key contributions: Brought livestock (horses, cattle, pigs), grain (wheat), metal tools, and devastating diseases (like smallpox) to the Americas

The New World

• What it is: North America, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean.

• Why it matters in APUSH: It was "new" only to the Europeans; millions of Indigenous peoples (such as the Aztecs, Incas, and various North American tribes) already lived and built complex societies there.

• Key contributions: Brought high-calorie crops (maize/corn, potatoes, tomatoes, tobacco) that completely changed diets and population growth in the Old World

interchangeable parts

identical, machine-made components that can be swapped out for one another without any custom filing or manual fitting

semi-subsistent agriculture

a farming system where families grow crops and raise animals mainly to feed and supply themselves, selling or trading only a small extra amount (a surplus)

specialization

focusing on producing one specific good or service rather than trying to make everything.

american system

an economic plan created by Henry Clay after the War of 1812 to make the United States self-reliant and economically unified

national bank

government-backed central financial institution

1820 Missouri compromise

a law passed by the U.S. Congress to keep a equal balance of power between "free" states (where slavery was illegal) and "slave" states (where slavery was legal)

andrew jackson

7th President of the United States (1829–1837), a former War of 1812 military hero, and the leader of the Democratic Party

henry clay

(1777-1852) - known as the great compromiser and architect of the American System

utopian movements

19th-century social experiments where groups of people withdrew from mainstream American society to build "perfect" or ideal communities based on cooperation, shared property, and new social or religious rules

seneca falls

the first women's rights convention in U.S. history

monroe doctrine

U.S. foreign policy statement introduced by President James Monroe in 1823. It declared that the Western Hemisphere (North and South America) was off-limits for future European colonization and military meddling

slave rebellions

armed uprising by enslaved people fighting to win their freedom by force

indian removal

the 19th-century federal policy—led by President Andrew Jackson—to force Native American nations off their ancestral homelands in the eastern United States and relocate them to government-designated "Indian Territory" (mostly present-day Oklahoma)