Unit 4

Aaron Burr

Vice president under Thomas Jefferson who killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel and later was tried (and acquitted) for treason

American Shipping

U.S. maritime trade that expanded during the Napoleonic Wars but was threatened by British and French interference, including impressment

Camp Meetings

Large outdoor religious revivals held during the Second Great Awakening that emphasized emotional preaching and mass participation

Cane Ridge

An 1801 revival meeting in Kentucky that became one of the most famous and influential events of the Second Great Awakening

Deism

An Enlightenment belief that God created the universe but does not intervene in human affairs, influencing some Founding Fathers

Eli Whitney

An inventor who created the cotton gin and promoted interchangeable parts, advancing both slavery’s expansion and early industrial production

Embargo Act

A 1807 law passed under Thomas Jefferson that halted U.S. exports to avoid war with Britain and France but hurt the American economy

Handsome Lake

A Seneca religious leader who promoted moral reform and cultural revival among Native Americans in the early 1800s

Hartford Convention

A 1814 meeting of New England Federalists who opposed the War of 1812 and discussed constitutional amendments, weakening the party’s reputation as they threatened to secede New England. Ultimately the fall or “nail in the coffin” for the federalist party.

Impressment

The British practice of forcibly seizing American sailors for service in the Royal Navy, a major cause of the War of 1812

Industrialism

The growth of manufacturing and mechanized production in the early 19th century, particularly in the North

John Marshall

Chief Justice of the Supreme Court who strengthened federal authority through landmark decisions

Judicial Review

The Supreme Court’s power to declare laws unconstitutional, established in Marbury v. Madison

Judith Sargent Murray

An early advocate for women’s education and equality who argued that women were intellectually equal to men

Louisiana Purchase

The 1803 acquisition of French territory west of the Mississippi River, doubling the size of the United States

Marbury V Madison (SCOTUS)

The 1803 Supreme Court case that established judicial review and expanded the Court’s power

Mercy Otis Warren

A political writer during the Revolutionary era who supported republican ideals and criticized British authority

Neolin

A Delaware religious leader who inspired Native resistance to European influence in the 1760s

New Light Dissenters

Religious groups that supported revivalism during the Great Awakening and challenged established churches

Noah Webster

An educator and author who promoted American cultural independence through his dictionary and textbooks

Robert Fulton

An inventor who developed the first commercially successful steamboat, improving transportation and trade

Samuel Slater

An industrialist who brought British textile technology to the United States, helping launch American factory production

Second Great Awakening

A widespread religious revival movement in the early 1800s that emphasized personal salvation and inspired social reform movements

Tecumseh

A Shawnee leader who attempted to unite Native American tribes to resist U.S. expansion in the early 1800s

The Embargo

A reference to the Embargo Act of 1807, which attempted to pressure Britain and France by stopping American exports (By Thomas Jefferson, “O Grab Me!”)

The Prophet (Tenskwatawa)

A Shawnee religious leader and brother of Tecumseh who encouraged Native Americans to reject European customs and resist U.S. expansion

Toussaint L'Ouverture

The leader of the Haitian Revolution whose success influenced U.S. foreign policy and fears of slave revolts

War Hawks

A group of young congressional leaders who pushed for war against Britain in 1812 to defend national honor and expand territory

War Of 1812

A conflict between the United States and Britain caused by impressment, trade restrictions, and frontier tensions, reinforcing American nationalism

Washington Irving

An early American writer whose works helped develop a distinct national literature

William Henry Harrison

A U.S. military leader who defeated Native forces at the Battle of Tippecanoe and later became president

Adams-Onis Treaty

An 1819 agreement between the United States and Spain in which Spain ceded Florida to the U.S. and the boundary of the Louisiana Territory was defined

American System (Henry Clay's)

An economic plan proposed by Henry Clay that called for a national bank, protective tariffs, and federal funding for internal improvements to strengthen the national economy

Francis Cabot Lowell

An industrialist who developed the Lowell textile mills in Massachusetts, advancing factory-based manufacturing in the United States

Gibbons Vs. Ogden

An 1824 Supreme Court case that strengthened federal power by ruling that Congress has authority to regulate interstate commerce

Henry Clay

A leading statesman known as the “Great Compromiser” who promoted the American System and helped craft major sectional compromises

John Quincy Adams

The sixth president of the United States who supported internal improvements and a strong national government

McCulloch Vs. Maryland

An 1819 Supreme Court decision that upheld the constitutionality of the national bank and reinforced federal supremacy over the states

Missouri Compromise

An 1820 agreement that admitted Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state while banning slavery north of the 36°30′ line in the Louisiana Territory

Monroe Doctrine

An 1823 policy declaring that European powers should not colonize or interfere in the Western Hemisphere

Sectionalism

Loyalty to regional interests over national interests, particularly between the North and South over issues like slavery and tariffs

Seminole War

A series of conflicts between the United States and the Seminole tribe in Florida, contributing to U.S. acquisition of the territory

Sequoyah

A Cherokee leader who created a written syllabary for the Cherokee language, strengthening Cherokee cultural identity

Stephen H. Long

An American explorer whose expedition labeled parts of the Great Plains the “Great American Desert,” discouraging early settlement

Tallmadge Amendment

A proposed amendment to the Missouri statehood bill that sought to limit the expansion of slavery, intensifying sectional debate

Transportation Improvements

Transportation improvements included roads, canals, and steamboats that boosted economic growth and national unity.

Andrew Jackson

Seventh president of the United States who expanded executive power, promoted the spoils system, opposed the national bank, and enforced Indian removal policies

Anti-Masonry

A political movement and party in the 1820s–1830s that opposed secret societies like the Freemasons and supported greater political transparency

Aroostook War

A largely bloodless 1838–1839 border dispute between Maine and British Canada over the U.S.–Canada boundary

Bank War

The political struggle between Andrew Jackson and Nicholas Biddle over the recharter of the Second Bank of the United States, resulting in its destruction

Caroline Affair

An 1837 incident involving a Canadian rebellion and a U.S. ship destroyed by British forces, heightening tensions between the U.S. and Britain

Daniel Webster

A leading Whig senator known for defending federal authority, supporting the national bank, and debating states’ rights

Democrats

The political party led by Andrew Jackson that favored limited government, states’ rights, and expansion of white male suffrage

Dorr Rebellion

An 1841–1842 protest in Rhode Island demanding expanded suffrage and more democratic reforms

"Five Civilized Tribes"

The Cherokee, Creek, Choctaw, Chickasaw, and Seminole tribes who adopted some European-American customs yet were forcibly removed from the Southeast

Indian Territory

Land west of the Mississippi River designated for relocated Native American tribes following the Indian Removal Act

John C Calhoun

A South Carolina statesman who advocated nullification and states’ rights, particularly in defense of slavery

John Tyler

The tenth president who assumed office after William Henry Harrison’s death and supported states’ rights policies

Martin Van Buren

The eighth president and Jackson’s successor whose presidency was dominated by the Panic of 1837

Nicholas Biddle

The president of the Second Bank of the United States who opposed Andrew Jackson during the Bank War

Nullification

The doctrine that states could invalidate federal laws they deemed unconstitutional, asserted during the Nullification Crisis

Panic Of 1837

A severe economic depression caused by bank failures, speculation, and Jacksonian financial policies

Removal Act

The 1830 law authorizing the forced relocation of Native American tribes to Indian Territory

Roger B Taney

Chief Justice of the Supreme Court who succeeded John Marshall and later authored the Dred Scott decision

Seminole War

A series of conflicts in Florida between U.S. forces and the Seminole tribe resisting removal

Specie Circular

An 1836 executive order requiring payment for public lands in gold or silver, contributing to economic instability

Spoils System

The practice of rewarding political supporters with government jobs following electoral victories

Taney Court

The Supreme Court under Chief Justice Roger B. Taney, known for decisions favoring states’ rights and limiting federal regulatory power

Trail Of Tears

The forced relocation of the Cherokee and other tribes to Indian Territory, resulting in widespread suffering and death

Webster-Ashburton Treaty

An 1842 agreement between the United States and Britain that resolved border disputes between Maine and Canada

Webster-Hayne Debate

An 1830 Senate debate between Daniel Webster and Robert Hayne over states’ rights and the nature of the Union

Whigs

A political party that opposed Andrew Jackson, supported congressional supremacy, and favored economic modernization

William Henry Harrison

A Whig president elected in 1840 who died shortly after taking office, setting the precedent for presidential succession

Agricultural Specialization

The practice of regions focusing on specific cash crops or products (such as cotton in the South and wheat in the Midwest), increasing efficiency and interregional trade in the Market Revolution

Canal Age

The early 19th-century boom in canal construction that improved transportation, lowered shipping costs, and stimulated economic growth

Commonwealth v Hunt

An 1842 Supreme Court case that ruled labor unions were legal and could strike, strengthening organized labor

Corporations

Business organizations recognized by law as separate legal entities, allowing investors limited liability and encouraging economic growth

"Cult Of Domesticity"

A 19th-century belief that women’s proper role was in the home, emphasizing piety, purity, submissiveness, and domestic responsibility

Early Skilled Worker Unions

Organizations formed by artisans to protect wages and working conditions as industrialization threatened skilled labor

Erie Canal

An 1825 canal connecting the Great Lakes to the Hudson River, dramatically lowering transportation costs and boosting New York’s economy

Factory System

A method of production that brought workers and machines together in centralized locations, increasing efficiency and output

Free Labor

The Northern belief that individuals could improve their social and economic status through hard work, without reliance on slavery

Godey's Lady's Book

A widely circulated women’s magazine that promoted domestic ideals and middle-class values in the 19th century

Immigrant Labor

The growing workforce of Irish and German immigrants who filled low-wage factory and construction jobs during industrial expansion

Interchangeable Parts (How It Revolutionized Production)

Standardized machine-made parts that could be easily replaced, making mass production faster, cheaper, and more efficient

Know-Nothings (Political Party)

A nativist political party in the 1850s that opposed immigration and Catholic influence in American politics

Lowell System

A textile production system employing young unmarried women in factories with strict supervision; over time, long hours and wage cuts led to labor protests

Machine Tools

Precision instruments used to produce standardized metal parts, advancing industrial manufacturing

Middle Class

A growing social group of professionals, merchants, and managers who benefited from economic expansion and embraced reform movements

Nativism

The belief that native-born Americans were superior to immigrants, leading to anti-immigrant sentiment and political movements

Old Northwest

The region north of the Ohio River and east of the Mississippi River, settled rapidly after the Northwest Ordinance

P.T. Barnum

An American showman who popularized mass entertainment and commercialized popular culture

Samuel F.B. Morse

An inventor who developed the telegraph and Morse code, revolutionizing long-distance communication

Sarah Bagley

A labor activist and former Lowell mill worker who advocated for improved working conditions and shorter hours

Social Mobility

The ability of individuals to improve their economic and social status; while the Market Revolution expanded opportunities, mobility was often limited by class, race, and gender

Steamboats (And Effect On America)

Improved upstream river travel, expanded trade networks, and accelerated westward expansion

Steel Plow (And How It Revolutionized Agriculture)

A durable plow that cut through tough prairie soil, enabling large-scale farming in the Midwest

Truck Farming

The cultivation of fruits and vegetables for sale in distant markets, made profitable by improved transportation networks

Women's "Separate Sphere"

The ideology that women belonged in the private, domestic realm while men dominated public life, shaping gender roles in the 19th century

Cult Of Honor

A Southern cultural code emphasizing personal reputation, family honor, and social status, influencing politics, dueling, and gender roles