Key Historical Terms from American History

This set of flashcards covers key historical terms that are essential for understanding early American history and significant historical developments during this period.

Hartford Convention

A series of meetings held in 1814-1815 by the New England Federalist Party to discuss grievances regarding the War of 1812.

Treaty of Ghent

The 1814 agreement that ended the War of 1812 between the United States and Great Britain.

Battle of New Orleans

A major battle fought in 1815 after the Treaty of Ghent was signed, where American forces, led by Andrew Jackson, won a decisive victory.

Era of Good Feelings

A period in the United States from 1817 to 1825 characterized by political harmony and national expansion.

Adams-Onis Treaty

The 1819 agreement between the United States and Spain that ceded Florida to the U.S. and defined the western limits of the Louisiana Purchase.

Monroe Doctrine

The 1823 policy that warned European nations against colonization or interference in the Americas.

Pan-Indian Movement

A movement among Native American tribes seeking to unify against European American encroachment.

Battle of Tippecanoe

A battle in 1811 between American forces led by Governor William Henry Harrison and Native American warriors associated with Shawnee leader Tecumseh.

Corrupt Bargain

The alleged deal between John Quincy Adams and Henry Clay in the 1824 presidential election in which Clay's support for Adams guaranteed him the presidency.

Tariff of Abominations

The nickname for the Tariff of 1828, which raised duties on imported goods and angered southern states.

Second American Party System

The political system that emerged in the 1820s involving the Democratic Party and the Whig Party.

Spoils System

The practice of a winning political party giving jobs and appointments to its supporters as a reward for their loyalty.

Nullification Crisis

A political dispute in the early 1830s between South Carolina and the federal government regarding the state's right to nullify federal laws.

Force Bill

An 1833 act allowing the president to use military force to enforce federal tariffs in South Carolina.

Compromise Tariff of 1833

A law that aimed to resolve the Nullification Crisis by reducing tariffs over a decade.

Bank War

The political struggle in the 1830s between President Andrew Jackson and supporters of the Second Bank of the United States.

Reasons for the war of 1812

British interference with American trade

Impressment of American sailors

British support of Native American resistance

U.S. desire to prove national strength

Territorial expansion hopes (especially toward Canad