UNIT 4 APUSH VOCAB

54-40’ or Fight!

A slogan used in the Oregon boundary dispute, advocating for U.S. control of the entire Oregon Territory.

Battle of the Alamo

A pivotal event in the Texas Revolution where Texan defenders fought against the Mexican army.

Aaron Burr

The third Vice President of the United States who famously killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel.

Cherokee Nation v. Georgia

A Supreme Court case that recognized the Cherokee Nation as a distinct community but denied them sovereignty.

American System

An economic plan promoting national economic growth through a strong banking system, tariffs, and internal improvements.

Election of 1824

Controversial presidential election decided by the House of Representatives; included John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson.

American Antislavery Society

An organization founded in 1833 to advocate for the abolition of slavery.

Embargo Act

A law passed in 1807 that prohibited American ships from trading in all foreign ports.

Boom and bust

An economic cycle characterized by periods of rapid growth followed by sharp contractions.

Lewis & Clark Expedition

An exploration of the western territories of the U.S. commissioned by Thomas Jefferson.

American Colonization Society

An organization founded to promote the migration of free African Americans to Africa.

Force Bill

Legislation passed in 1833 allowing the President to use military force to enforce federal laws.

Corrupt bargain

A term used to describe the alleged deal between John Quincy Adams and Henry Clay in the 1824 election.

Nat Turner’s Rebellion

A violent slave rebellion led by Nat Turner in Virginia in 1831.

Andrew Jackson

The seventh President of the United States known for his populist style and policies.

Hartford Convention

A series of meetings by New England Federalists during the War of 1812 to discuss grievances.

Cult of domesticity

A 19th-century ideal that emphasized women's roles as homemakers and moral influencers.

Nullification Crisis

A political crisis in the early 1830s over states' rights and federal tariff laws, particularly in South Carolina.

Charles Finney

A leading preacher in the Second Great Awakening known for his revival meetings.

Indian Removal Act

A law passed in 1830 that authorized the removal of Native Americans from their lands.

Era of Good Feelings

A period of national unity and political peace in the early 19th century during Monroe's presidency.

Panic of 1819

The first major financial crisis in the United States, leading to bank failures and high unemployment.

David Walker

An African American abolitionist known for his pamphlet advocating for immediate abolition.

Louisiana Purchase

The 1803 acquisition of French territory that doubled the size of the United States.

Gag rule

A rule passed by Congress in the 1830s that prevented the discussion of anti-slavery petitions.

Panic of 1837

A financial crisis that led to widespread bank failures and economic depression.

Democrat Party

A political party that emerged from the Democratic-Republican Party, advocating for agrarian interests and states' rights.

Marbury v. Madison

A landmark Supreme Court case that established the principle of judicial review.

Impressment

The British practice of forcibly recruiting American sailors into the navy.

Seneca Falls Convention

The first women's rights convention held in 1848, which issued the Declaration of Sentiments.

Democratic-Republican Party

A political party founded by Thomas Jefferson advocating for agrarianism and states' rights.

McCulloch v. Maryland

A Supreme Court case that established the federal government's implied powers.

Jacksonian Democracy

The political movement that expanded suffrage and promoted the common man during Andrew Jackson's presidency.

Seminole Wars

A series of conflicts between the U.S. and the Seminole tribe in Florida over land and sovereignty.

Dorothea Dix

A social reformer who advocated for the improvement of mental health care in the U.S.

Missouri Compromise

An agreement in 1820 that aimed to maintain the balance between slave and free states.

Judicial review

The power of the courts to determine the constitutionality of laws.

Trail of Tears

The forced relocation of Cherokee Indians from their homelands to designated Indian Territory.

Eli Whitney

Inventor of the cotton gin, which revolutionized the cotton industry.

Non-Intercourse Act

A law that lifted the embargo on trade with all nations except Britain and France.

Labor unions

Organizations formed by workers to protect their rights and interests.

War of 1812

Conflict between the U.S. and Britain, influenced by trade restrictions and impressment.

Federalist Party

The first political party in the United States, advocating for a strong central government.

Oregon Treaty

An agreement between the U.S. and Britain that established the Oregon Territory boundary.

Manifest Destiny

The belief that the expansion of the United States across the American continents was justified.

Frederick Douglass

An African American social reformer, abolitionist, and writer.

Second Bank of the United States

The national bank created in 1816 to stabilize the American economy.

Monroe Doctrine

A U.S. policy opposing European colonialism in the Americas.

Freedmen

Former enslaved people who were emancipated during or after the Civil War.

Specie Circular

An executive order by Andrew Jackson requiring payment for government land in gold or silver.

Pet banks

State banks selected by the U.S. Department of Treasury to receive surplus government funds.

Harriet Tubman

An abolitionist and political activist known for her role in the Underground Railroad.

Tariff of 1828 (Tariff of Abominations)

A protective tariff that was aimed at protecting Northern industries but angered Southern states.

Revivalism

A religious movement that sought to rekindle faith among believers in the early 19th century.

Henry Clay

A prominent politician and statesman known for his role in crafting compromises during the 19th century.

Worcester v. Georgia

A landmark Supreme Court case ruling that state laws had no jurisdiction in Native American territories.

Second Great Awakening

A religious revival movement that encouraged social reforms in the early 19th century.

Henry David Thoreau

A Transcendentalist author known for his book 'Walden' and his philosophy of simple living.

Spoils system

The practice of giving government jobs to political supporters and friends.

Horace Mann

An education reformer who advocated for universal public education.

States’ rights

The idea that states have certain rights that the federal government cannot infringe upon.

Hudson River School

A mid-19th century American art movement known for its landscape paintings.

Temperance

The social movement advocating for the reduction or prohibition of alcohol consumption.

James K. Polk

The 11th President of the United States, known for his expansionist policies.

Transcendentalism

A philosophical movement emphasizing intuition and the inherent goodness of people and nature.

John C. Calhoun

A political theorist and statesman known for his defense of slavery and states’ rights.

Brook Farm

A utopian community founded in the 1840s that practiced Transcendentalist ideals.

Underground Railroad

A network of secret routes and safe houses used by enslaved people to escape to freedom.

John Marshall

Chief Justice of the Supreme Court known for establishing the principle of judicial review.

Erie Canal

A man-made waterway that connected the Hudson River to Lake Erie, enhancing trade.

Universal male suffrage

The legal right for all adult males to vote regardless of economic status.

John Quincy Adams

The sixth President of the United States and a prominent advocate for modernization and education.

Lowell, Massachusetts

A town known for its early 19th-century textile mills and the factory system.

Utopian communities

Societies formed around idealistic principles, often seeking social perfection.

John Tyler

The 10th President of the United States, known for his unexpected ascent to the presidency.

National Road

The first major improved highway in the U.S., facilitating westward expansion.

Nationalism

A political ideology that emphasizes the interests and culture of a nation.

Martin Van Buren

The eighth President of the United States and a key figure in the founding of the Democratic Party.

Oregon Territory

A vast area of land in the Pacific Northwest claimed by both the U.S. and Britain.

Sectionalism

Loyalty to a specific region of the country rather than the nation as a whole.

Mormons

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, known for their migration to Utah.

Republic of Texas

An independent nation from 1836 to 1845 before it became a U.S. state.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

A leading figure in the Transcendentalist movement emphasizing individuality and nature.

Samuel Slater

An industrial pioneer who established the first successful textile mill in America.

Shakers

A religious sect known for their communal living, celibacy, and simple lifestyle.

Sojourner Truth

An African American abolitionist and women's rights activist known for her speeches.

Tecumseh

A Shawnee leader who sought to unite Native American tribes against U.S. expansion.

War Hawks

Members of Congress who pushed for war against Britain in 1812.

Whig Party

A political party formed in opposition to the Democratic Party in the 1830s.

William Henry Harrison

The ninth President of the U.S. who died just a month after taking office.

William Lloyd Garrison

An abolitionist and journalist known for his anti-slavery newspaper 'The Liberator'.

Nat Turner

An enslaved man who led a rebellion in Virginia, resulting in severe retaliations.