Key Events and Figures in Early American History

Strict constructionism

A legal philosophy that interprets the Constitution in a literal and narrow way.

Quasi-War

An undeclared naval conflict between the United States and France from 1798 to 1800.

Alien and Sedition Acts

Laws passed in 1798 that restricted speech critical of the government and targeted immigrants.

Kentucky Resolution

A political statement that argued states could nullify federal laws deemed unconstitutional written by Thomas Jefferson.

Aaron Burr

The third Vice President of the United States, known for killing Alexander Hamilton in a duel and later accused of treason.

Toussaint L'Ouverture

A leader of the Haitian Revolution who successfully led a slave revolt against French colonial rule, which resulted in Haiti becoming the first free Black republic.

Nat Turner

An enslaved man who led a rebellion in Virginia in 1831, resulting in the deaths of many people, heightening tensions over slavery.

Denmark Vesey

An African American who planned a large slave revolt in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1822, though authorities suppressed it before it started.

Alexis de Tocqueville

A French political thinker and historian known for his works on American democracy, Democracy in America, analyzing U.S. political and social structures..

Stephen Foster

First American to make a living as a songwriter Composer of American folk songs like Oh! Susanna and Camptown Races.

American System

Henry Clay's economic strategy promoting tariffs, a national bank, and infrastructure improvements.

Henry Clay

A prominent American statesman and politician known for his role in the American System and the Missouri Compromise.

John C. Calhoun

A political leader from South Carolina who advocated for states' rights and nullification.

Daniel Webster

A leading American statesman and orator known for his support of the Union and opposition to nullification.

Mike Fink

Known as the "King of the Keelboatmen," he was famous for his strength, rowdy personality, and daring exploits on the rivers of Ohio and Mississippi. His larger-than-life persona made him a central figure in frontier folklore, where stories of his wild adventures and brash behavior became exaggerated over time.

Era of Good Feelings

A period in American history (1817-1825) marked by national unity and a lack of partisan conflict.

Missouri Compromise of 1820

An agreement that allowed Missouri to enter the Union as a slave state and Maine as a free state, maintaining the balance.

John Quincy Adams

The sixth President of the United States and a key figure in the formulation of the Monroe Doctrine.

Simon Bolivar

A South American revolutionary leader who played a key role in the independence of several Latin American countries.

Monroe Doctrine

A U.S. policy that opposed European colonialism in the Americas, asserting that any intervention would be seen as a threat.

Battle of Horseshoe Bend

A decisive battle in the War of 1812 where Andrew Jackson defeated the Creek Nation.

Battle of New Orleans

The final major battle of the War of 1812, occurring after the peace treaty was signed but before news reached the U.S.

Martin Van Buren

The eighth President of the United States and a key organizer of the Democratic Party.

David Crockett

A frontiersman and folk hero who fought and died at the Battle of the Alamo.

Sam Houston

A military leader and politician who played a key role in the Texas Revolution and served as President of Texas.

Elias Boudinot

A Cherokee leader who advocated for the rights of Native Americans and was involved in the Treaty of New Echota.

Worcester v. Georgia

An 1832 Supreme Court case that ruled that the state of Georgia could not impose its laws on Cherokee tribal lands.

Nullification Crisis

A political confrontation in the early 1830s between South Carolina and the federal government over tariffs.

Osceola

A leader of the Seminole people during the Second Seminole War against the United States.

William Henry Harrison

The ninth President of the United States, known for his brief term and for leading American forces at the Battle of Tippecanoe.

John Tyler

The tenth President of the United States, who assumed office after Harrison's death.

Paternalism

A policy or practice of governing individuals in a manner akin to a father's relationship with his children, often used to justify slavery.

Mudsill Defense

A justification for slavery that argued that society needs a lower class to support the upper classes.

George Fitzhugh

A Southern social theorist who defended slavery as a beneficial institution for both slaves and society.

State of Missouri v. the slave Celia

An 1855 court case in which a slave was tried for killing her master, raising issues of slavery and legal rights.

Curse of Ham

A biblical justification used to support slavery, based on the story of Noah's curse on Ham's descendants.