Key Terms – Chapter 11: The Expanding Republic (1815–1840)

What was the Erie Canal and when was it completed?

A man-made waterway completed in 1825 that connected the Hudson River to Lake Erie, lowering transportation costs and aiding economic development.

What were the Lowell Mills?

Textile factories in Massachusetts employing young, unmarried women, symbolizing the rise of industrialization and wage labor.

What was the purpose of the Second Bank of the United States?

Chartered in 1816 to stabilize the currency and credit system, it became a political issue due to opposition by Andrew Jackson.

What did the Whig Party advocate for?

A political party formed in the 1830s that supported congressional supremacy, internal improvements, and moral reform, opposing Jacksonian Democrats.

What principles did the Democratic Party, led by Andrew Jackson, promote?

Advocated for states’ rights, limited government, and the interests of the 'common man,' evolving from Jeffersonian Republicans.

What was the Indian Removal Act of 1830?

A law that authorized the removal of Native American tribes from the Southeast to designated territory west of the Mississippi River.

What was the Trail of Tears?

The forced relocation of the Cherokee Nation in 1838, resulting in approximately 4,000 deaths due to harsh conditions.

What is nullification?

The belief that states could invalidate federal laws they deemed unconstitutional, leading to the Nullification Crisis in 1832.

What does 'Separate Spheres' refer to?

A gender ideology assigning women to the private sphere and men to the public sphere, reinforcing traditional roles during the market revolution.

What was the Second Great Awakening?

A Protestant religious revival in the early 19th century that focused on individual salvation and social reform.

What was the American Temperance Society?

A reform organization founded in 1826 aimed at curbing alcohol consumption, becoming a significant movement.

What was the focus of the New York Female Moral Reform Society?

Founded in 1834 to combat prostitution and promote sexual morality, expanding women's roles in public life.

What caused the Panic of 1837?

A financial crisis caused by bank collapses and speculative lending, exacerbated by Jackson's economic policies, leading to a severe depression.

Transportation in 1815

was slow and expensive; relied mostly on wagons and riverboats with minimal infrastructure development.

Transportation in 1830–1840

Internal improvements like the Erie Canal and growing railroad networks made transportation faster, cheaper, and helped connect regional economies.

Industry and Labor in 1815

Most work was agricultural or based on small artisan shops; little large-scale industry existed.

Industry and Labor in 1830–1840

began with textile mills like the Lowell Mills; rise of wage labor and factory jobs, including employment of women and children.

Economy in 1815

Local economies dominated; weak, unstable banking systems and limited access to credit.

Economy in 1830–1840

National market economy expanded; the Second Bank of the U.S. was created, but financial instability led to events like the Panic of 1837.

Politics in 1815

Political power was held by elites; limited suffrage; centralized federal authority.

Politics in 1830–1840

Rise of Jacksonian Democracy with expanded voting rights for white men; emergence of Democrats and Whigs; nullification crisis highlighted state vs. federal conflict.

Social Reform and Cultural Developments in 1815

Social structures were rigid; early stages of religious revival; women mostly confined to domestic roles.

Social Reform and Cultural Developments in 1830–1840

Second Great Awakening sparked reform movements like temperance and moral reform; women organized groups like the NY Female Moral Reform Society.