19th-Century American History: Jacksonian Era, Market Revolution, and Reform Movements

A comprehensive set of 51 vocabulary flashcards covering the key terms, movements, legislation, figures, and events of early to mid-nineteenth-century United States history.

Utopian Communities and perfectionism

Social experiments in the 19th century aimed at creating ideal societies based on communal living and shared values, such as the Shakers and Oneida Community.

Shakers / Ann Lee

A religious sect founded by Ann Lee in the 18th century known for their celibacy, communal living, and simple lifestyle.

Oneida Community / John Humphrey Noyes

A utopian community founded by John Humphrey Noyes in the 1840s that practiced communal living and complex marriage.

New Harmony / Robert Owen

A utopian community founded by Robert Owen in 1825 that aimed to create a perfect society based on cooperation and equality.

Brooke Farm

A transcendentalist utopian community founded in the 1840s that emphasized artistic and intellectual pursuits.

Dorothea Dix

An advocate for the mentally ill who worked to reform mental health care and improve conditions in asylums in the 19th century.

Cult of Domesticity

A prevailing value system in the 19th century that emphasized women's roles as homemakers and moral guardians of the family.

Seneca Falls Convention

The first women's rights convention held in 1848, where activists like Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott discussed women's suffrage and rights.

Declaration of Sentiments

A document signed at the Seneca Falls Convention that outlined the rights women should be entitled to, modeled after the Declaration of Independence.

Horace Mann

An educational reformer known for advocating public education and establishing the principles of the modern school system.

Temperance

A social movement aimed at reducing or prohibiting the consumption of alcohol, gaining momentum in the 19th century.

American Temperance Union

An organization founded in 1826 to promote the temperance movement and reduce alcohol consumption in the United States.

Maine Laws

Laws enacted in Maine in the 1850s that aimed to restrict the sale and consumption of alcohol.

Deism

A philosophical belief in a rational God who created the universe but does not intervene in human affairs, popular among Enlightenment thinkers.

Second Great Awakening

A religious revival movement in the early 19th century that emphasized individual piety and social reform, leading to increased participation in religious activities.

Mormons / Joseph Smith

A religious group founded by Joseph Smith in the 1830s, known for their unique beliefs and practices, including the Book of Mormon.

Transcendentalism / Emerson and Thoreau

A philosophical movement that emphasized the inherent goodness of people and nature, with key figures including Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau.

The Lowell System

A labor production model employed in the textile industry in the early 19th century, characterized by the employment of young women in factories.

"Old Immigrants"

Refers to immigrants from Northern and Western Europe, particularly the Irish and Germans, who came to the U.S. in the early to mid-19th century.

Nativism / "Know Nothing Party"

A political movement and party in the 1850s that opposed immigration and promoted the interests of native-born Americans.

Frederick Douglass

An escaped slave who became a leading abolitionist, orator, and writer, advocating for the rights of African Americans.

Sojourner Truth

An African American abolitionist and women's rights activist known for her speech 'Ain't I a Woman?' advocating for equality.

"Gag Rule"

A rule passed by Congress in the 1830s that prohibited the discussion of anti-slavery petitions, limiting debate on the issue.

Paternalism

A social system in which those in power (often white slave owners) justified their control over others (enslaved people) as a benevolent act.

Slave Rebellions

Attempts by enslaved people to resist or overthrow their oppressors, notable examples include Gabriel Prosser, Denmark Vesey, and Nat Turner.

American Colonization Society

An organization founded in 1816 that aimed to resettle free African Americans in Africa, leading to the establishment of Liberia.

William L. Garrison / The Liberator

A prominent abolitionist and the founder of 'The Liberator', an anti-slavery newspaper that advocated for immediate emancipation.

American Antislavery Society

An organization founded in 1833 that aimed to end slavery in the United States through advocacy and education.

Transportation during Market Revolution

Improvements in infrastructure such as roads, steamboats, canals, and railroads that facilitated trade and movement across the United States.

Characteristics of the Old South

Demographics, economy, and social structure of the Southern states, heavily reliant on agriculture and characterized by a plantation system.

Southern Social Structure

The hierarchy in the South consisting of planters, subsistence farmers, poor whites, and enslaved individuals, each with distinct roles and statuses.

"Tippacanoe and Tyler too"

A campaign slogan for the Whig candidates William Henry Harrison and John Tyler in the 1840 election, referencing Harrison's military victory at the Battle of Tippecanoe.

Jacksonian Democracy

A political philosophy that emphasized the rights of the common man and expanded suffrage to more white males, often at the expense of Native American rights.

New Technology during Market Revolution

Innovations such as the cotton gin, steel plow, mechanical reaper, and telegraph that transformed agriculture and communication in the 19th century.

Market Revolution / Market Economy

A period of rapid economic growth in the early 19th century characterized by the shift from subsistence farming to a more commercial and industrial economy.

Panic of 1837

A financial crisis in the United States that led to a severe economic depression, largely caused by speculative lending practices and the collapse of the banking system.

The Whigs / Election of 1840

The Whig Party emerged as a political force opposing Jacksonian Democrats, with the 1840 election featuring William Henry Harrison and John Tyler.

The Whig Platform

The political agenda of the Whig Party, which emphasized economic protectionism, internal improvements, and opposition to the expansion of slavery.

"Log Cabin and Hard Cider"

A campaign slogan used by the Whigs during the 1840 presidential election to portray William Henry Harrison as a man of the people.

Jackson's Bank Veto

President Jackson's 1832 veto of the recharter of the Second Bank of the United States, which he viewed as a corrupt institution that favored the wealthy.

Pet Banks

State banks selected by President Jackson to receive deposits of federal funds after he dismantled the Second Bank of the United States.

Specie Circular

An 1836 executive order issued by Jackson requiring that payment for government land be made in gold or silver, contributing to the Panic of 1837.

Force Bill

A law passed in 1833 that authorized President Jackson to use military force to enforce federal laws in South Carolina during the Nullification Crisis.

Indian Removal Act / Trail of Tears

A law passed in 1830 that authorized the forced removal of Native American tribes from their ancestral lands to designated Indian Territory, leading to the suffering and death of thousands.

Worcester v. Georgia

An 1832 Supreme Court case that ruled that the state of Georgia could not impose its laws on Cherokee tribal lands, affirming the sovereignty of Native American nations.

Tariff of Abominations

The nickname given to the Tariff of 1828, which raised tariffs on imported goods and was seen as harmful to Southern economies.

Calhoun's SC Exposition

A document written by John C. Calhoun that argued for the right of states to nullify federal laws they deemed unconstitutional.

Webster-Hayne Debate

A famous debate in 1830 between Senator Daniel Webster and Senator Robert Hayne over the issue of states' rights versus national unity.

Spoils System

A political practice where a political party gives government jobs to its supporters as a reward for their loyalty.

Maysville Road Veto

A veto by President Andrew Jackson in 1830 against a bill to fund the construction of a road in Kentucky, arguing it was a local project and not a federal responsibility.

Nullification Crisis

A confrontation between South Carolina and the federal government in 1832-1833 over the state's attempt to nullify federal tariffs.