APUSH period 4 - notes

Marbury v. Madison (1803)

  • Established judicial review, allowing SCOTUS to determine the constitutionality of acts by Congress or the President.

Jefferson’s Presidency

  • Attempted to unite Democratic-Republicans (Dem-Reps) & Federalists while limiting federal government power.
  • Louisiana Purchase:
    • Acquired from France.
    • Cost-effective due to France’s need to manage various issues, challenged Jefferson’s strict interpretation of the Constitution.
    • Doubled the size of the US and allowed for westward expansion by farmers.

John Marshall & SCOTUS

  • Chief Justice John Marshall, a Federalist, led a judiciary that conflicted with Jefferson’s aims.

Aaron Burr

  • Democratic-Republican but opposed Jefferson for abandoning core Dem-Rep ideals.
  • Involved in a failed conspiracy to combine New York with New England for secession.
  • Killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel, later accused of treason for attempting to acquire territory for himself but acquitted by SCOTUS.

Foreign Affairs During Jefferson's Presidency

  • Jefferson preferred neutrality, which was challenged by conflicts overseas.

  • Chesapeake-Leopard Affair:

    • British ship Leopard attacked USS Chesapeake, exacerbating tensions.
    • Jefferson attempted economic pressure instead of military action.

  • Embargo Act (1807):

    • Intended to halt trade with Britain and France; failed and damaged US economy.
    • Repealed in 1809, but trade with Britain and France was restricted via the Nonintercourse Act.

Madison’s Presidency

  • Madison faced similar issues as Jefferson, experiencing the effects of the Embargo Act, and sought to restore trade with France and Britain.
  • Macon’s Bill No. 2 (1810):
    • Allowed US trade to resume if one of the nations recognized US neutrality; ramifications included conflicts with Britain.

War of 1812

  • Causes:
    • Continuous violation of US neutral rights via impressment by Britain and conflicts with Native Americans encouraged by Britain.
  • Warhawks:
    • Young Congress members, led by Henry Clay & John C. Calhoun, who pushed for war to uphold American honor & expansion.
  • Declaration of War:
    • War was declared due to British disrespect of American rights and conflict in the frontier.

War’s Legacy

  • Enhanced US respect internationally; solidified nationalism.
  • The Federalist party virtually collapsed due to their opposition to the war.
  • Development of US industry increased, despite losses incurred during the war.

Opposition to the War

  • Federalists and “quids” opposed due to varied motivations, including economic interests and fears of federal overreach.
  • Strategies:
    • Hoped for French victories to weaken Britain; invasion of Canada was largely unsuccessful.

Key Battles and Events

  • Chesapeake Campaign:
    • British burned the capital, Washington D.C., but failed to capture Fort McHenry.
  • Southern Campaign:
    • Andrew Jackson achieved significant victories, elevating him as a national hero.

Treaty of Ghent

  • Ended the War of 1812, restoring pre-war territories; did not address impressment; deemed a stalemate.

Hartford Convention

  • Federalists from New England nearly seceded due to opposition to the war; led to the party’s decline after the war's conclusion.

Henry Clay’s American System

  • Proposed economic plan for internal improvements, protective tariffs, and a national bank.
  • Emphasized the need for tariffs to support industry and infrastructure development.

Era of Good Feelings

  • Marked reduction of political strife with the collapse of the Federalist party and emerging nationalism under James Monroe.
  • Cultural Nationalism:
    • Emergence of distinct American literature and art, inspiring westward expansion.
  • Economic Nationalism:
    • Enforced protective tariffs, like the Tariff of 1816, although faced opposition.

Panic of 1819

  • First economic crisis in US history; caused by over-speculation and reaction to the Bank’s credit policies, leading to widespread financial issues.
  • Resulted in calls for land reform and splitting within the Democratic-Republican party.

Political Changes in Dem-Reps

  • Old guard vs. new Dem-Reps; differing views on state rights and federal power.

Notable Supreme Court Cases

  • McCulloch v Maryland (1819): Established federal supremacy over states.
  • Gibbons v Ogden (1821): Affirmed federal power over interstate commerce.

Missouri Compromise

  • Addressed the balance of free/slave states; allowed Missouri as a slave state and established Maine as free.

Monroe Doctrine

  • Asserted US opposition to European interference in the Americas, setting a precedent for foreign policy.

Westward Expansion

  • Driven by economic opportunities, improvements in transportation, and accessible land following Native displacement.

Growth of Industry

  • Innovations fueled development; North became a manufacturing powerhouse.
  • Social Mobility:
    • Economic opportunities created pathways, though challenges persisted.
  • Slavery:
    • Increased demand despite assumptions it would diminish; agriculture remained reliant on slave labor.

Jacksonian Democracy

  • Emphasized popular participation and the voice of the average citizen; significant expansion of suffrage.

Important Events Under Jackson

  • The Nullification Crisis: asserted states’ rights versus federal authority; led to federal military response and eventual compromise.
  • Indian Removal Act (1830): Forced relocation of Native Americans, resulting in the Trail of Tears.
  • The Bank Veto: Jackson’s efforts against the National Bank contributed to economic instability, including the Panic of 1837.

Reform Movements

  • Sparked by the Second Great Awakening, various movements emerged:
    • Temperance: Promoting abstinence from alcohol.
    • Public Education and Asylums: Pursued by advocates like Horace Mann and Dorothea Dix.
    • Women’s Rights: Marked by the Seneca Falls Convention; significant figures included Elizabeth Stanton & Lucretia Mott.
    • Anti-Slavery: Multiple factions emerged, from moderate reformers to radical abolitionists like Frederick Douglass.

In summary, the Antebellum period saw profound social and cultural transformations led by reform movements, the promotion of abolition, women’s rights, and responses to religious changes, reflected throughout American society, especially in the North and West while creating tensions with the conservative South.