Period 4 Terms (1–35)

Participatory democracy

The expansion of political participation to the common man, moving away from rule by the elite.

Henry Clay

A leading Whig politician and the 'Great Compromiser' who advocated for economic nationalism.

Second Great Awakening

A Protestant religious revival in the early 19th century that emphasized individual salvation and sparked social reforms.

Utopian movements

Communities formed to create a perfect, idealistic society based on cooperation and shared values.

Steam engines

An invention that allowed for power generation independent of water sources, revolutionizing transportation and manufacturing.

Railroads

A faster, year-round mode of transportation that connected the Northeast to the West, facilitating trade.

Telegraph

Communication device invented by Samuel Morse that used electrical signals to send messages instantly over long distances.

The American System

Henry Clay’s economic plan to unify the U.S. economy through a strong federal role.

Tariffs

Taxes on imported goods designed to protect domestic (mostly Northern) industries from foreign competition.

Antislavery Movements

A broad spectrum of efforts to limit or end slavery, ranging from gradual emancipation to colonization.

Abolitionist

Reformers who advocated for the immediate and uncompensated end to slavery.

Northern Manufacturing

The shift in the North from home-based production to the factory system, driven by water power and interchangeable parts.

Supreme Court Decisions

Rulings by the Marshall Court that established the supremacy of federal law over state law and protected contracts.

Democrats

Political party led by Andrew Jackson that championed the 'common man,' states' rights, and opposed the National Bank.

Human Perfectibility

The belief stemming from the Second Great Awakening that humans could improve themselves and society, leading to reform eras.

Free African Americans

Black populations in the North and South who were not enslaved but faced severe legal and social discrimination.

Interchangeable Parts

A manufacturing system using identical components that can be substituted for one another, allowing for mass production.

Agricultural inventions

Technological advancements that increased farming efficiency and crop yields, particularly in the West and South.

Semi-subsistence agriculture

Farming primarily to feed one's family with a small surplus for trade, which declined as the Market Revolution grew.

Market Revolution

The dramatic transformation of the U.S. economy from a subsistence economy to a national commercial and industrial network.

Internal improvements

Infrastructure projects (roads, canals, bridges) intended to facilitate trade and transportation.

Louisiana Purchase

The 1803 acquisition of French territory that doubled the size of the U.S. and secured control of the Mississippi River.

Southern cotton

The dominant cash crop of the South ('King Cotton') that fueled the textile industry and entrenched the institution of slavery.

Monroe Doctrine

A 1823 foreign policy statement warning European nations against further colonization or intervention in the Western Hemisphere.

Andrew Jackson

The 7th President, a symbol of the 'common man,' known for expanding executive power and the spoils system.

Whigs

Political party formed in opposition to Andrew Jackson (viewing him as 'King Andrew'), favoring a strong central government and the American System.

New National Culture

The emergence of a distinct American identity in art, literature, and language following the War of 1812.

Xenophobia

Intense dislike or fear of people from other countries, particularly directed at Irish and German immigrants in this era.

Canals

Man-made waterways that drastically reduced the cost of shipping goods and connected the East Coast to the Midwest.

Textile machinery

Machines adapted from British designs that spun thread and wove cloth, launching the U.S. industrial revolution.

Transportation networks

The interconnected system of roads, canals, and railroads that bound the different regions of the U.S. together economically.

National Bank

A federally chartered bank that regulated currency and credit, a major point of contention between Whigs and Democrats.

Seneca Falls Convention

The first women's rights convention in the U.S. (1848), launching the suffrage movement.

Missouri Compromise

A 1820 agreement to keep the balance of free/slave states by admitting Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state.

Temperance

A reform movement aimed at reducing or eliminating the consumption of alcohol.