APUSH Period 4 Key Terms and Proper Nouns Part 1

i like my donuts with jam in the middle

Election of 1800/ “Revolution of 1800”

A pivotal presidential contest in which Democratic-Republican Thomas Jefferson defeated incumbent Federalist John Adams. It was a defining event that marked the first peaceful transfer of power between rival political parties in U.S. history. The bitter and highly partisan election demonstrated the stability of the new American democratic system despite deep ideological divisions. 

Louisiana Purchase

The 1803 land deal in which the United States, led by Thomas Jefferson, bought roughly 828,000 square miles of territory from France for $15 million, doubling the size of the nation. It fueled westward expansion and Manifest Destiny, but also raised constitutional questions about presidential power. President Thomas Jefferson faced a significant constitutional dilemma, as the purchase was not explicitly authorized by the Constitution, though he justified it through implied powers. The purchase included New Orleans, securing a crucial port city and ensuring American control over the Mississippi River for trade and commerce. 

Aaron Burr

Thomas Jefferson's Vice President and a contentious political figure. (His infamous duel with Alexander Hamilton in 1804 resulted in Hamilton's death. Following the duel and his failed attempt to create an independent nation in the West, Burr's political career was effectively ended. )

Barbary Pirates

Privateers from the Muslim states of North Africa (Morocco, Algiers, Tunis, and Tripoli) who attacked merchant ships in the Mediterranean and Atlantic from the 16th to the 19th centuries, primarily to capture Europeans for the slave market or for ransom. Their actions forced the nascent United States to pay tribute or fight, leading to the First Barbary War under Thomas Jefferson and a shift towards a more assertive American foreign policy.

Chesapeake-Leopard Affair

A naval confrontation in 1807 where the British warship HMS Leopard attacked and boarded the American frigate USS Chesapeake to impress its sailors. The attack, which occurred after the American ship's commander refused the search, killed three Americans and wounded eighteen, fueling anti-British sentiment and contributing to the tensions that led to the War of 1812.

Embargo Act of 1807

An act passed by President Jefferson that banned American ships from trading with foreign nations. The act was intended to protect U.S. ships from British and French harassment but severely damaged the American economy and was repealed in 1809. Many Americans blamed President Jefferson for the economic hardships, leading to a decline in his administration's support and increasing political polarization. 

Tecumseh

A prominent Shawnee leader and war chief who sought to unite Native American tribes in a confederation to resist U.S. territorial expansion. He became a symbol of Native American resistance, allied with the British during the War of 1812, and advocated for a return to traditional ways and a united front against assimilation.

Battle of Tippecanoe

A military engagement in 1811 where American forces, led by William Henry Harrison, defeated Tecumseh's followers at their village of Prophetstown. The battle weakened Tecumseh's confederation and boosted American confidence by justifying further westward settlement. The discovery of British weapons among Native warriors, intensified hostility towards Great Britain and fueled the call for war.

William Henry Harrison

The military leader who defeated Tecumseh at the Battle of Tippecanoe. His reputation as a war hero helped propel him to the presidency in 1840. 

War Hawks

A group of young, nationalist politicians, including Henry Clay and John C. Calhoun, who pushed for war against Britain in the years leading up to 1812. They were instrumental in steering the U.S. toward declaring the War of 1812. 

War of 1812

A military conflict fought between the United States and Great Britain from 1812 to 1815 over issues like maritime rights, impressment, American expansion, and British support for Native American resistance. It fostered a greater sense of American nationalism, weakened Native Americans, and improved economic self-sufficiency. Regional interests played a critical role during and after the War of 1812, particularly between Federalists in New England who opposed the war due to economic concerns and Democratic-Republicans who supported it. This divergence led to intense political debates about foreign policy and military strategy. After the war, opposition from Federalists culminated in their decline as a political force, paving the way for Democratic-Republican dominance and altering the landscape of American politics.

Battle of Horseshoe Bend

A major battle during the Creek War in 1814 where Andrew Jackson's forces decisively (and aggressively/excessively) defeated the Red Stick Creek Indians. The victory resulted in the forced cession of vast amounts of Creek land and solidified Andrew Jackson's reputation as a military leader. 

Treaty of Ghent

The peace treaty signed on December 24, 1814, that officially ended the War of 1812. It restored the pre-war status quo but did not address the issues that had caused the war. It paved the way for improved relations and a period of relative peace. 

Battle of New Orleans

A decisive American victory fought on January 8, 1815, after the Treaty of Ghent had been signed but before news of it reached the U.S.. The win boosted American morale and nationalism, contributing to Andrew Jackson's fame. 

Hartford Convention 

A series of meetings held by New England Federalists in late 1814 to discuss their grievances with the War of 1812 (upset due to negative economic impact of the war). The convention's timing, just before the war ended/Era of Good Feelings, made the Federalists appear unpatriotic and contributed to the party's eventual decline. Radical proposals for secession were voted down. 

Era of Good Feelings

The period of one-party rule under President James Monroe (1817–1825), following the War of 1812. Characterized by a sense of intense national unity and purpose after the war, but it was also marked by underlying tensions over issues like slavery and economic policy. 

Tariff of 1816/Protective tariff

The United States' first high, protective tariff, designed to shield American industries, particularly in the North, from cheaper British imports by taxing them at a high rate. While enthusiastically supported by the North, it was opposed by the agrarian South, who relied on foreign goods, highlighting growing sectional tensions and setting a precedent for future debates over protectionism versus free trade within Henry Clay's "American System".

Henry Clay’s American System

An economic plan aimed at promoting national economic growth through a national bank, protective tariffs, and government-funded "internal improvements" like roads and canals. It sought to unify the nation's economy but faced opposition, particularly from the South. 

Second Bank of the U.S.

The national bank established in 1816 as part of Henry Clay's American System. It aimed to regulate currency and manage federal funds, addressing problems such as inflation and providing a uniform national currency. By controlling credit and fostering a stable banking environment, the bank sought to promote economic growth and ensure financial security. Andrew Jackson vehemently opposed the Second Bank, viewing it as a corrupt institution that favored wealthy elites over common citizens. Its closure led to a series of economic crises.

Panic of 1819

The first major U.S. financial crisis, causing widespread unemployment, bankruptcies, and bank failures due to excessive land speculation (buying land expecting its value will increase over time so it can be sold without improvements), overextended bank loans, and declining agricultural prices after the War of 1812. The tightening of credit by the Second Bank of the United States worsened the situation, leading to public backlash against the bank and increased calls for banking reform and regulation.

Missouri Compromise

An agreement passed in 1820 that admitted Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state to maintain the balance of power between free and slave states in the U.S. Senate, and prohibited slavery in the remaining Louisiana Purchase territory north of the 36°30' latitude line. This agreement, orchestrated by Henry Clay, aimed to ease sectional tensions over slavery's expansion but ultimately highlighted the deep divisions that would later lead to the Civil War.

Adams-Onis Treaty (Florida Purchase Treaty), 1819

A treaty between the U.S. and Spain that ceded Florida to the U.S. and defined the boundary between U.S. and Spanish territory. It resolved a long-standing border dispute and enabled further U.S. expansion. 

Monroe Doctrine

An 1823 U.S. foreign policy statement declaring the Americas off-limits to further European colonization and interference, asserting the Western Hemisphere as a sphere of U.S. influence. It opposed any European attempts to colonize new nations in the Americas or interfere in the affairs of existing colonies, symbolizing growing U.S. nationalism and a proactive stance on protecting newly independent Latin American nations. 

John Quincy Adams

The son of President John Adams and a key diplomat during the early 19th century. He was the lead negotiator of the Treaty of Ghent and later served as Secretary of State and President.