Andrew Jackson and the Era of Expansionism

Andrew Jackson

7th President, Democrat from Tennessee, military leader.

Jacksonian Democracy

Political movement advocating for the common man.

Spoils System

Appointment of friends to government positions.

Veto Power

Jackson vetoed more bills than first six presidents combined.

Manifest Destiny

Belief in America's divine mission to expand westward.

James Polk

11th President, expansionist, focused on territorial acquisition.

Oregon Trail

Main migration route to the west in 1830s-1840s.

Texas War for Independence

Conflict leading to Texas' independence from Mexico.

Treaty of Velasco

Recognized Republic of Texas after independence.

Mexican War

Conflict over Texas boundary leading to territorial gains.

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

Ended Mexican War; U.S. acquired New Mexico and California.

Gadsden Purchase

U.S. acquired southern New Mexico and Arizona.

Indentured Servants

Laborers contracted for seven years, both races.

Triangular Slave Trade

Trade of slaves, crops, and goods between continents.

Colonial Slavery

Racially based slavery established in the Americas.

Antebellum Slavery

Pre-Civil War slavery, primarily in the South.

Cotton Gin

Invented in 1792, increased cotton production.

Sectionalism

Growing cultural and economic divide between North and South.

Planter Aristocracy

Wealthy slave owners controlling Southern economy.

Abolition Movement

Efforts to end slavery, led by African Americans.

Underground Railroad

Network aiding enslaved people escape to freedom.

Gabriel Prosser

Planned a slave rebellion in Virginia, executed.

Denmark Vesey

Free man who organized a slave revolt in 1822.

Nat Turner

Led a significant slave rebellion in Virginia.

Impact of Resistance

Increased fear among Southern whites, tightened restrictions.

Charles River Bridge Case

Supreme Court case preventing monopolies on bridges.

Settler Colonialism

Displacement of Indigenous peoples by settlers.

Economic Opportunity

Government actions supporting equal economic access.

Civil War

Conflict (1860-1865) leading to the end of slavery.