Definitions of Key Terms

• Louisiana Purchase: The acquisition of the French territory of Louisiana by the United States in 1803, which doubled the size of the nation.

• Marbury v. Madison (1803): A landmark Supreme Court case that established the principle of judicial review, allowing the Court to invalidate laws it found unconstitutional.

• John Marshall: Chief Justice of the United States from 1801 to 1835, known for strengthening the federal judiciary and establishing the principle of judicial review.

• Impressment: The act of coercively drafting individuals into military service, particularly referring to the British practice of forcing American sailors into the Royal Navy.

• Chesapeake Affair: A 1807 incident involving the British warship HMS Leopard attacking the American frigate USS Chesapeake, leading to increased tensions between the U.S. and Britain.

• Embargo Act 1807: A law that prohibited American ships from trading in all foreign ports, intended to protect U.S. interests but resulted in economic depression.

• Tecumseh: A Shawnee chief who sought to unite Native American tribes against the encroachment of settlers on their lands in the early 19th century.

• Battle of Tippecanoe: Fought in 1811 between American forces led by Governor William Henry Harrison and Native Americans associated with Tecumseh; solidified Harrison's reputation.

• War Hawks: Members of Congress in the early 19th century who favored war against Britain, particularly leading up to the War of 1812.

• Hartford Convention: A series of meetings in 1814-1815 where New England Federalists discussed their grievances against the war and the federal government, leading to the decline of the Federalist Party.

• McCulloch v. Maryland (1819): A Supreme Court case that upheld the power of the federal government to establish a national bank and ruled that states could not tax federal institutions.

• Gibbons v. Ogden (1824): A Supreme Court case that established federal authority over interstate commerce, emphasizing the importance of the Commerce Clause.

• Era of Good Feelings: The period after the War of 1812 characterized by national unity, a one-party system, and a focus on economic growth.

• Clay’s American System: An economic plan proposed by Henry Clay that included a strong banking system, protective tariffs, and internal improvements to promote national growth.

• Adams-Onis Treaty: An 1819 agreement between the U.S. and Spain that ceded Florida to the United States and defined the boundary between the two countries.

• Nativism: A political policy favoring the interests of established inhabitants over those of immigrants, particularly prominent in the 19th century in America.

• Lowell (Waltham) System: An industrial workforce system in the early 19th century that employed young women in textile mills under supervised conditions.

• Monroe Doctrine: A U.S. foreign policy statement made in 1823 declaring that further European colonization in the Americas would be considered an act of aggression.

• Tariff of 1816: The first protective tariff in U.S. history, intended to shield American industry from foreign competition.

• Erie Canal: A man-made waterway completed in 1825 that connected the Hudson River to Lake Erie, facilitating trade and transportation in New York.

• Missouri Compromise: A legislative agreement in 1820 that allowed Missouri to enter the Union as a slave state and Maine as a free state, maintaining the balance of power.

• Panic of 1819: The first major financial crisis in the U.S. marked by bank failures, unemployment, and a decline in agriculture and manufacturing.

• Market Revolution: A period of rapid economic development in the early 19th century characterized by the expansion of markets and increased production through mechanization and transportation improvements.