U.S History Andrew Jackson Era

“corrupt bargain”

The agreement made after the Election of 1824 in which Henry Clay helped the House of Representatives elect John Quincy Adams as president, and Adams then appointed Clay as Secretary of State

5 Civilized tribes

Five Native American tribes—Cherokee, Seminole, Creek, Choctaw, and Chickasaw—that adopted many Euro-American customs such as Christianity, written constitutions, plantation farming, and slavery

Adams-Onís Treaty

An agreement in which Spain ceded Florida to the United States, and the U.S. gave up its claim to the Oregon Territory

American System

Henry Clay’s three-part plan to unify the nation after the War of 1812, including protective tariffs, a national bank, and federal funding for transportation improvements

Andrew Jackson

Seventh president of the United States, known as “Old Hickory,” who appealed to common voters, expanded executive power, opposed the national bank, and enforced Indian removal

Bank of the United States

A federally chartered bank created to regulate the nation’s money supply; Jackson opposed it, removed federal funds, and allowed it to expire in 1836

Dartmouth College v. Woodward

A Supreme Court case that upheld the sanctity of contracts and ruled that states could not interfere with private charters

Erie Canal

A 363-mile canal built between 1817 and 1825 that connected the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean via the Hudson River, boosting trade and transportation

Factory system

A system of production where goods are made in large factories using machines rather than hand tools, allowing for mass production

Fletcher v Peck

A Supreme Court case that reinforced the protection of contracts and limited state power, contributing to federal authority over states

Force Bill

law passed in 1833 allowing President Jackson to use the army and navy to enforce federal tariffs against South Carolina during the Nullification Crisis

Gibbons v Ogden

Supreme Court case that ruled the federal government has the power to regulate interstate commerce

Henry Clay

A powerful political leader who promoted the American System, helped pass the Missouri Compromise, and played a key role in the Election of 1824

Indian Removal Act of 1830

law that authorized the forced relocation of Native American tribes west of the Mississippi River, leading to the Trail of Tears

Industrial Revolution

period of economic change marked by the shift from hand tools to machines, factory production, and cheaper goods through economies of scale

James Monroe

Fifth president of the United States during the “Era of Good Feelings” and the leader who announced the Monroe Doctrine

John Quincy Adams

Sixth president and former Secretary of State who helped negotiate major treaties and was elected president through the House of Representatives in 1824

John C Calhoun

Vice president under Jackson, a strong supporter of states’ rights, and leader of the nullification movement against federal tariffs

John Tyler

The vice president who became president after William Henry Harrison’s death and opposed many Whig economic policies

Kitchen Cabinet

An informal group of trusted advisors Andrew Jackson relied on instead of his official cabinet

Martin Van Buren

Jackson’s chosen successor who became president in 1836 and faced the Panic of 1837

McCullough v Maryland

Supreme Court case ruling that states cannot tax the national bank and that federal law is supreme over state law

Missouri Compromise

agreement that admitted Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state, preserving the balance between slave and free states 

Monroe Doctrine

A foreign policy stating that Europe should not interfere in the Western Hemisphere and that the U.S. would not interfere in existing European colonies

National Road

A federally funded road built between 1811 and 1838 to improve transportation and westward travel

Nationalism

A belief that the federal government should be strong and that national interests are more important than state interests

New England

A region that industrialized early due to factories, swift rivers for power, and the rise of textile mills like those in Lowell, Massachusetts

Nicholas Biddle

President of the Bank of the United States and hates Andrew Jackson

Panic of 1837

A severe economic depression marked by bank failures, unemployment, and loss of savings during Van Buren’s presidency

Samuel Slater

An industrial spy who memorized British factory designs and built America’s first textile mill in 1793

Specie Circular

A policy requiring payment for public land in gold or silver, which contributed to the Panic of 1837

Spoils System

The practice of rewarding political supporters with government jobs, widely used during Jackson’s presidency

Tariffs

Taxes on imported goods used to protect American industries, which angered southern states and led to the Nullification Crisis

William Henry Harrison

The first Whig president, elected in 1840, who died one month after taking office

Whigs

A political party formed to oppose Andrew Jackson and limit presidential power, led by Henry Clay and Daniel Webster

Worcester v Georgia

A Supreme Court case that ruled Georgia had no authority over Cherokee lands, a decision Jackson refused to enforce

Peggy Eaton Affair

A social scandal involving the rejection of Peggy Eaton by cabinet wives, leading to the resignation of most of Jackson’s cabinet

Maysville Road Veto

Jackson’s veto of federal funding for a Kentucky road, arguing that the federal government should not fund local projects