APUSH ch.
SC Exposition and Protest (Erica)
Also known as Calhoun's Exposition, the South Carolina Exposition and Protest was written in 1828 by John C. Calhoun, the Vice President of the United States under John Quincy Adams. Calhoun did not formally state his authorship at the time, though it was known. The document was a protest against the Tariff of 1828, also known as the Tariff of Abominations. The document stated that if the tariff was not repealed, South Carolina would secede. It stated also Calhoun's Doctrine of nullification, i.e., the idea that a state has the right to reject federal law, first introduced by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison in their Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions.
Henry David Thoreau, "On Civil Disobedience" (Kirsten)
"On Civil Disobedience"- Henry David Thoreau was an American transcendentalist. His essay, "On Civil Disobedience" was written in 1846, after the annexation of Texas in 1845. Thoreau was one of the many who opposed this annexation. He went to jail for denying to pay his taxes in protest. In this essay, he states that individual rights must take action over state authority.
Election of 1828(Kirsten)
"Whole Hog for Jackson" Even though Jackson won the popular vote in the election of 1824, he lost the electoral vote to what he claims was the corrupt bargain. Four years later, Jackson came back to win the election of 1828. Because Jackson was so popular with the people and appealed to the common man, he made very few campaign promises. Supporters of Jackson spread rumors of John Quincy Adams while praising Jackson's manliness. "Vote for Jackson who can fight, not for Adams who can write." However, Jackson's opponents considered him a dangerous man for having executed so many while in the army. They also questioned his marriage and the morality of his wife, Rachel Jackson, who was legally still married to her first husband at the time of her marriage to Jackson. Almost 57 percent of the electorate cast ballots, this more than doubled from the election of 1824. This was a landslide victory for Jackson. This election was the first that demonstrated the coming of democratization and universal white male voting.
Treaty of New Echota, Trail of Tears
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Francis Cabot Lowell (Jaclyn)
A former Boston importer who smuggled British textile factory designs back to America in the early 1800s. He built the world's first factory capable of converting raw cotton into cloth by power machinery. This made textiles much easier to produce and in higher quantities. He also created a work force almost entirely of unmarried women, in a healthy, wholesome environment. This was the early beginnings of the industrial revolution for America and also a start to women working instead of staying in their homes.
Abby Kelley (Laurel)
Abby Kelley Foster was an abolitionist and social reformer in the mid-1800s. She worked with the American Anti-Slavery Society and worked with other well-known abolitionists such as William Lloyd Garrison and Angelina Grimke. She focused on not only abolition, but civil equality for blacks. She also was a pacifist in the sense she supported a peaceful approach to the abolition question. She stood out in a sea of women abolitionists because she spoke in front of crowds (men and women) to explain her mission. Along with being an abolitionist, Kelley was also a women's rights activist and influenced women like Susan B. Anthony to take a stance as well.
Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy in America (Laurel)
Alexis de Tocqueville wrote Democracy in America originally in French in 2 volumes published in 1835 and 1840. Tocqueville examines a democratic revolution that he believes had been occurring over the past 700 years. He spent 9 months in America traveling around the US studying prisons, American society, and politics. He focused on describing the social changes in a democratic nation as men became more equal. Tocqueville also noted the Puritan fundamentals that are integrated into American society.
"Cult of True Womanhood" (Kirsten)
Also known as the Cult of Domesticity. This was a collection of attitudes of the "true" womanhood with the home and family by Barbara Welter. At this time, women were expected to work within the home and raise upstanding, moral children. This cult argued that women were more morally pure and therefore closer to God and they should stay home and raise the next generation to be pure people. These ideas were enforced by medical science, doctors were concluding that women were more fragile than men and that they would be safer within the confinements of their own home. However, many women at the time this was written did not fit the mold of true womanhood. The "Cult of True Womanhood" limited women's aspirations for themselves and created a pursuit of perfection for women that was impossible to reach.
Jackson's Background (Erica)
Andrew Jackson was born on March 15, 1767 on the North/South Carolina border. His father died when he was a baby and he was orphaned at the age of 13 after his mother and brother were killed by the British. When he was younger, he read a copy of the Declaration of Independence to the illiterate townspeople. He was very much self-educated and did not care for President Washington. Having been born in the Carolinas, he later moved to Hermitage, Tennessee where he built a home for he and his wife Rachel. He was the first member of the House of Representatives from the state of Tennessee, the first Territorial Governor of Florida, he was the first President from west of the Appalachian Trail and the first Democratic President. He served as President from 1829-1837.
Joseph Smith, Mormonism (Kirsten)
At the age of 14, God and Jesus appeared to Presbyterian John Smith in a vision. They told him that all the Christian religions had fallen and not to join them. With his help, they could restore the true faith. This would be restored through Mormonism. When he was 17, the angel Moroni appeared to him and told him of two hidden gold plates that had the history of Native American Christianity on them. Many more religious figures appeared to Smith throughout his life, including John the Baptists and the Apostles, Peter, Paul, and James. The Book of Mormon is the official book of Mormonism. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints was made in 1830. Many joined the church at first but it was faced with opposition which forced the Mormons west.
The Second Great Awakening (Jaclyn)
Between the 1790s to the 1840s, a wave of religious fervor spread across the country. Led by Charles G. Finney, many religious revival meetings took place during this period of religious upheaval. The "Burnt Over District" in upstate New York was the center of this movement. The main focus of these revivals was that the Protestant sect was rejecting the Calvinist doctrine of predestination and held that salvation was in the individual's hands. This period was very influential to American history because many different sects of Christianity and other religions grew and spread rapidly around the country.
Cherokee Nation v. GA; Worcester v. GA (Laurel)
Both of these cases were brought by the Cherokee Tribe of Native Americans to oppose Georgia and Jackson in Indian Removal.In Cherokee Nation v. GA (1831), the Cherokees were represented by Chief John Ross. They tried to claim that the state of Georgia could not deny them rights within Georgia's boundaries. The Supreme Court did not hear the case on merits. It decided that the Cherokee was a dependent nation, with a guardian like relationship with the US. The court decided it might rule in favor of the Cherokees "in a proper case with proper parties."The Cherokees tried again in 1832 with Samuel A. Worcester representing the Cherokees. He made the case that is was unconstitutional for non-Native Americans from being present on Native American lands without a license. The court ruled that the individual states had no authority in Indian affairs. Although this went in favor of the Cherokees, Jackson was rumored to have said "Now let him [Marshall] enforce it." Jackson was the first President not to abide by court ruling.
Brigham Young, Mormon Trail, Utah (Allie Rose)
Brigham Young led the Mormons on their trail (one of many leading to civilization in the west) to Utah in order to settle Salt Lake City. He proved to be the first governor of Utah. In the Mormon trail the Mormons were forced to settle their own land that is today's Salt Lake City. To this day Salt Lake City still has the highest Mormon population in the United States.
Brook Farm (BJ)
Brook Farm was a transcendentalist utopian society founded in Massachusetts in 1841 by a former minister George Ripley and his wife. The plans for Brook Farm were based on the ideas of a French social reformer Charles Fourier. The inhabitants of Brook Farm shared the work and the profit of the farm in order to maximize leisure time. Members chose their jobs but were all paid the same amount- even the women. Thier profit came from agriculture, selling hand-made products, and charging tourists. Because the society was most appealing to writers and religious folks, however, there were few who prefered the farming jobs, and Brook Farm soon disbanded.
American Temperance Movement (Avery)
By 1820, the consumption of alcohol in America had raised to a unbelievable height. The average American in the 1820s drank 7 gallons of alcohol a year. Today, an average American only drinks 2.5 gallons of alcohol a year. Alcohol became an integral part of daily life in the early 19th century. In the morning, mid day, or night people would drink alcohol. Churches and organizations such as the American Society for the Promotion of American Temperance started to realize and be concerned with the problem at hand. They worked to spread the harms of alcohol and find solutions. Within a decade the temperance movement was able to take the average consumption down by four gallons a year.
Catharine Beecher (Leah)
Catharine Esther Beecher (1800-1878) was the oldest Beecher child. She attended one of the best schools of its time for girls and young women. When her mother died, she was responsible to take care of her siblings. Catharine wanted to prepare young women for the future and train them to become teachers. With the help of her siblings she opened Hartford Female Seminary in Connecticut, where she was a teacher. Catherine was also a writer on education, religion, health, and economics. Her best known works are "A Treatise on Domestic Economy" and "The American Woman's Home"
John Ross (Erin)
Chief John Ross was the principal leader of the Cherokee Nation with ⅛ Cherokee descent in the opposition to Indian removal. Growing up with mixed blood, Ross embraced both cherokee and european ways and proved his bravery in the Battle of Horseshoe bend. As the first elected Cherokee leader, John Ross was outspoken in promoting indian rights throughout the period of Indian Removal. The Ross party opposed the New Echota Treaty and were successful in an appeal to the Supreme court, but were eventually unsuccessful in their fight against removal and Ross led his people to exile in Oklahoma where he helped establish farms, businesses, and schools.
Henry Clay's American System (Helen)
Clay's American system or the "American Way" was an economic plan following the "Era of Good Feelings" that heavily impacted American policy in the early 19th century. Based on Alexander Hamilton's ideas, the plan had three main components- a tariff to protect and promote American industries, a strong banking system, and federal funding for infrastructure (roads, bridges, canals). This strategy for early American industrial efforts was key in developing a successful American market in the early 19th century and helped connect parts of the country that were not previously connected.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton (Isabel)
Elizabeth Cady Stanton began her career as a political activist in the 1840s. She helped organize the Seneca Falls Convention -- which was the first women's rights meeting. She also wrote many letters and speeches that were read at other conventions throughout the 1850s, and were published in anti-slavery and women's rights magazines. Stanton encouraged women to do things that were unheard of- enter medical school, cut their hair short, wear clothes that were easier to move in, and many other changes that seemed radical at the time. Stanton was one of the beginning advocates for women's rights, and helped start the movement for women's suffrage.
Dorothea Dix,
Dorothea Dix was woman in the 1800s who advocated for the mentally insane. She was the first person to suggest the idea of separating the mentally insane from criminals. She also helped with the furthering of lifesaving tools. She gradually worked towards this movement by using research to support her findings and establishing an asylum in Illinois. In addition to her dedication to the cause of asylum movement, she also was appointed the Superintendent of Army Nurses during the Civil War. Working to heal both Confederates and men of the Union.
Spoils System (McHale)
During Jackson's presidency, politicians were desperate to get more supporters in elections. At election polls they would provide benefits such as jobs to ensure people's votes. Candidates who were opposed to politicians bribing voters called this the Spoils System. This system significantly increased voter participation rates in these elections.
Romanticism (Jaclyn)
During the 1800s, romanticism emerged in the turn-of-the-century Europe which then spread to America. This was the belief in the innate goodness of man, nature, and traditional values. They focused on emotions and feelings over rationality which is the complete opposite of the Enlightenment. In fact, it was a reaction against the excesses of the Enlightenment which led to the push for social reforms. This got everyone looking to themselves for what was moral and right which led to many people realizing that they were being treated badly or that they did not have the same rights as someone else.
Peggy Eaton Affair (Morgan)
Early on in Andrew Jackson's first presidency in 1828, the Peggy Eaton Affair occurred. Peggy Eaton was the wife of Jackson's Secretary of War, John Eaton. She had been poorly treated by the wives of the other cabinet members because of her history as a call girl. Jackson stood up for her because this situation reminded him of the events during his presidential campaign that led to the death of his beloved wife, Rachel. So, he tried to force the cabinet wives to accept Eaton, but this caused his cabinet to resign, including his Vice President, John C. Calhoun. This resignation was symbolic of the growing difference in ideals between Calhoun and Jackson following the attempted secession by South Carolina.
Eli Whitney (Allie Rose)
Eli Whitney is known for his invention of the cotton gin in 1793. Although is was initially made by a slave to make production less vigorous, Whitney coined the invention. He invented this new technology while in a scandalous stay in Savannah, GA with Caty Greene. Little did Whitney or the slave know that the cotton gin would extend slavery for many more decades. Because of the cotton gin slaves were able to live longer and more profitable lives for their masters making slavery once again a good economic investment.
Cotton Gin (BJ)
Eli Whitney's cotton gin, invented by one of Whtiney's slaves in 1793, revived slavery from a dying practice to a thriving method of production. Before the cotton gin, the price of slaves had been increasing, but the demand and thus price of the products remained the same, and slavery was not running a high enough return rate. The slave who invented the cotton gin saw it as a practical machine that would make his job easier, ripping the seeds away from the useful cotton, but this invention was, in fact, responsible for the continuation of the American slave trade.
Elizabeth Blackwell (Erin)
Elizabeth Blackwell broke into the field of medicine to become the first woman to graduate from medical school in the United States, and She became a leading public health activist during her lifetime. Her decision to become a doctor was not easy as getting into a medical school was troublesome and she had to study independently with a doctor before getting accepted to the Geneva Medical college in 1847. Her admittance created an uproar with fellow students and the public, but she graduated in 1849. Blackwell established her private practice in New York City, opened a clinic that became known as the New York Dispensary for Poor Women and Children, and opened the New York Infirmary for Indigent Women and Children. Her legacy is perhaps most rooted in the medical school she opened for women and her admittance as the first woman on the British Medical Register.
Emma Willard (Erica)
Emma Willard was born in 1787 in Berlin, Connecticut. She was the sixteenth of seventeen children. She was an American Women's Rights Activist who dedicated her life to education. She founded the first school for women's higher education, the Troy Female Seminary in Troy, New York. She strived to improve the curriculum that was being taught at girl's schools and believed that women could master topics such as philosophy and mathematics that were not taught at traditional girls finishing schools. Her passion for women's education inspired her to write A Plan for Improving Female Education in 1819, a pamphlet that she presented to the members of the New York Legislature. Her plan included a proposal for a women's seminary to be publicly funded just as men's schools were. Despite her reputation in women's history, Willard was not a supporter of the women's suffrage movement during the mid-19th century. Willard believed that women's education was a much more important matter. Emma Willard died in 1870, and her original girls school, the Troy Female Seminary, is now called the Emma Willard School in her honor.
Pet Banks (Morgan)
Following the veto of the Bank Charter in 1836, Jackson began placing federal funds in pet banks. These banks seemed to follow political and personal connections of Jackson. His placement of the federal funds in these banks undermined the Bank of the United States, so they issued more and more paper money. This caused severe inflation, which in turn helped cause the Panic of 1837.
Roger B. Taney (Isabel)
From the 1830s to the 1850s, Roger B. Taney played some important roles in the federal government. President Jackson appointed him first to the position of Attorney General- where Taney helped Jackson dismantle the Second National Bank- and then to Secretary of the Treasury- where Taney withdrew all federal funds from the National Bank. Taney's actions during his time as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court are what he is most well-known for, though. During the Dred Scott vs. Sandford case, Taney declared that black people were inferior to white people, and had no place in white society. He also said that black people could not be citizens of states.
Log Cabin Campaign of 1840
Harrison was the first president to campaign actively for office. He did so with the slogan "Tippecanoe and Tyler too." Tippecanoe referred to Harrison's military defeat of a group of Shawnee Indians at a river in Ohio called Tippecanoe in 1811. Whigs declared that Harrison was "the log cabin and hard cider candidate," a man of the common people from the rough-and-tumble West. They depicted Harrison's opponent, President Martin Van Buren, as a wealthy snob who was out of touch with the people. In fact, it was Harrison who came from a wealthy, prominent family while Van Buren was from a poor, working family. But the election was during the worst economic depression to date, and voters blamed Van Buren, seeing him as unsympathetic to struggling citizens. Harrison campaigned vigorously and won. After giving the longest inauguration speech (about 1 hour, 45 minutes) in U.S. history, Harrison served only one month as president before dying of pneumonia on April 4, 1841.
Compromise Tariff of 1833 (Jaclyn)
Henry Clay and John C. Calhoun wrote this tariff after the Force Bill was passed. It was written to resolve the Nullification Crisis. This tariff guaranteed that all tariffs above 20% would be reduced by one tenth every two years. This was mostly to please South Carolina and other Southern states because it dropped the tariff on imports over the next decade. Ultimately the United States would accept this tariff and there would be no warfare between the Union and South Carolina. Eventually the tariff would be abandoned for another in 1842, but for the 9 years it was active, the Force Bill allowed the government to enforce it where needed and it was very effective.
Henry Clay (BJ)
Henry Clay, known as "the Great Compromiser", first contributed to politics with his American System, an economic plan in the beginning of the age of industrialization. Clay was largely responsible for the Missouri Compromise in 1820 that dealt with maintaining the slave vs. free state balance in Congress, creating the state of Maine and establishing that slavery would not step outside the boundary of the 36-30 line. In the election of 1824, he ran against JQ Adams, Jackson, William Crawford, and Calhoun, and when the votes turned out indecisive, he gave his votes to support JQ Adams in what was believed to be a corrupt bargain, because soon after, President Adams made Clay the Secretary of State. During the Nullification Crisis of Jackson's presidency, Clay wrote the Compromise on Tariff, meant to appease both S. Carolina and Jackson by reducing the offensive tax slowly over a period of time. After Jackson's first term, Clay opposed him again in the election of 1832 with the support of the national bank, calling Jackson "King Andrew the First". When Jackson was reelected, Clay formed the Whig party to oppose him. In his final days as a politician, Clay put together the Compromise of 1850, concerning admitting the territory won in the Mexican-American War as free or slave states.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (Sophie) ;
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was an American poet and educator who was the first American to translate Dante's Divine Comedy. He studied at Harvard and his poetry includes Voices of the Night and "Paul Revere's Ride." He was repeatedly criticized by the American
Herman Melville, Moby Dick (Emma)
Herman Melville wrote the novel Moby Dick in 1851. The book is about the character's desire to get revenge on the whale that bit off his leg and destroyed his boat. The issues of social class and God are present in the book as well. The book did not become famous until after Melville's death in which there was a period called "Melville's Revival". Moby Dick is one of the most famous books ever written and is known as one of the Great American Novels.
Horace Mann (BJ)
Horace Mann was a Massachusetts lawyer and Whig politician who was considered to be the leading education reformer for his work in establishing a free public school system that was soon adopted by every northern state. Although he recognized the difference in social classes that was becoming larger and larger due to industrialization, he wanted all children to have an equal chance in education. He also made the point that education from a school rather than a child's parents would eliminate the influence of parents who did not instill in their children the proper discipline.
Charles River Bridge Co. v. Warren Bridge Co (Sophie)
In 1785, the Charles river bridge company was granted a charter to build a bridge connecting Boston to Cambridge. When the commonwealth of Massachusetts sanctioned another company to build the Warren bridge (1828), the Charles River Bridge Co. claimed that the Massachusetts legislature had broken its contract, thus it had been violated. The court, under Chief Justice Roger B Taney, ultimately sided with the Warren Bridge Co, and claimed that the Charles River bridge Co. did not have exclusive rights to the charter
(Cumberland) National Road (Emma)
In 1806, Thomas Jefferson passed an act to build the Cumberland National Road. The highway originally was a road between the Potomac and Ohio Rivers. It then later became a road that connected Baltimore to St. Louis. The Cumberland National Road was the first major highway funded by the US federal government and a major piece in the American system. It also was important in setting the stage for Manifest Destiny.
Gibbons v. Ogden (Jaclyn)
In 1824, New York state was trying to set up a monopoly for a steamboat company that controlled navigation. The ruling was that this monopoly was unconstitutional because in the Commerce Clause it states that Congress has the power to regulate any aspect of commerce, such as transportation, across state lines. The monopoly would have conflicted with the regulation of the state, therefore, it was ruled as unconstitutional. This established government's control over the interstate system and will be very beneficial for future cases.
Force Bill (Leah)
In response to South Carolina declaring the tax on imported goods null and void, Jackson persuaded Congress to enact a Force Bill. The Bill authorized Jackson to use the army and navy to collect the taxes. South Carolina later proceed to "nullify" the Force Act. This bill was ironic because Jackson believed in states' rights and limited government, yet he offered an example of willingness to go to war to preserve what he had considered the national government's legitimate powers.
Mother Ann Lee Stanley (Isabel)
In the 1700s, Mother Ann Lee Stanley founded the American Shakers, drawing inspiration from the British Shaker movement. She grew more influential after she had a vision of herself as the second coming of Christ (in feminine form). After settling in New York, she continued to evangelize and grow the American Shakers. The Shakers peaked in the 1830s, with 19 communities and about 6,000 Shakers.
Whigs (Isabel)
In the 1830s, Henry Clay and other anti-Jacksonians founded the Whig party. The name was taken from the British Whig party, which is anti-monarchist (the American Whigs were anti-"King Andrew"). The party was founded by people who were united in their anti-Jackson sentiments, since they did not like Jackson's ignoring of the Constitution, Supreme Court, or Indian rights. They approved of the National Bank, federal infrastructure and tariffs. The Whigs did win two Presidential elections (1840 -- William Henry Harrison and John Tyler, 1848 -- Zachary Taylor), but died out in the 1850s due to lack of unity and lack of support.
Transportation Revolution (Isabel)
In the 19th Century, many new technological innovations allowed goods and people to be transported faster and cheaper. The steamboat, canals and roads are just some examples, and can be grouped with other inventions like the steel plow and the new grain thresher. These new inventions allowed goods to travel cheaper and faster. They also allowed people to move faster, and thus cities became bigger and more settlers moved West.
Jackson's use of Presidential Veto (avery)
In the 19th century, Andrew Jackson used his veto power more than any President had ever done before. He used his power of veto 12 times while president. His most important and well known veto is his veto of the recharter of the bank of the US. Jackson's use of the veto expanded the power of the executive branch. He was the first to veto bills he simply didn't like. Before it was used when the president believed the bill was unconstitutional. By using his veto in this multitude and this way, he changed the president's power for him and for all those that came after him.
Kitchen Cabinet (Avery)
In the early 1800's Andrew Jackson was president of the US. He tried to stand up for Peggy Eaton while she was being ridiculed and gossiped about in what is known as the Peggy Eaton Affair. However, when he tried to get his cabinet members and their wives to accept her, most of them resigned their positions. He then brought in a lot of his friends and buddies to be his new cabinet. This new cabinet was called his "kitchen cabinet." This is an example in history when a ruler uses the soil system for his advisors and fellow leaders.
John Humphrey Noyes (Avery)
In the early to middle 19th century, utopian communities began to pop up throughout the US. John Humphrey Noyes founded one of the most well know utopian communities at this time- the Oneidas. Located in Oneida, New York and Putney, Vermont, the Oneida community strove to be perfect. All of the members of the society were married to everyone in the other sex of the community in an idea called "complex marriage." Two people had to be approved to have offspring together. After a while, they even experimented with control traits in the offspring in the community by selective mating. In 1879, Noyes fled the community because he was because he committed adultery and couldn't face the consequences.
Election of 1832 (Helen)
In the election of 1832, incumbent President Andrew Jackson won re-election against Henry Clay. Jackson won 219 of the 286 electoral votes in his landslide victory. Clay supporters claimed that Jackson was a dictator and the country would fall apart under him. Jackson and Van Buren saw "Hickory Clubs" form across the country in support of Jackson. This election leads to the formation of the Whig party.
Jackson Inauguration (Allie Rose)
Jackson, determined to defeat Henry Clay, won the election of 1828 because of his political status but also his reputation as a war hero. Representing the "common man" he invited all of the attenders of the inauguration back to the White House for a party. During this time the White House was trashed and the police had to use more alcohol to lure out the people to the lawn. Conservatives were horrified at this event and this also changed the image of the White House.
James Fenimore Cooper, The Last of the Mohicans (McHale)
James Fenimore Cooper was a popular writer in the early 1800s. He was very interested in the transition of America into manifest destiny, thus he wrote many novels about the lifestyle of frontiersmen and Native Americans. Cooper attended Yale but was expelled after three years. Among his most famous novels is The Last of the Mohicans, a historic and romantic novel set during the French & Indian War. This novel received a wide variety of critical reception nevertheless it remains one of the most popular novels of all time.
John C. Calhoun (Laurel)
John C. Calhoun was a part of the second wave of national leaders following the Founding Fathers. He rose to power during Jackson's presidency of 1828 as Vice President. During this term, although the Tariff of Abominations had been signed in by Adams, Jackson had inherited the problems that came with it. Instead of being a unified front, Jackson and his cabinet all took different stances on the issue. Calhoun became the leading supporter of South Carolina and nullification. Once the Peggy Eaton affair occurred, it became a cover for Jackson to question Calhoun and prove he had committed treason. Calhoun left his position in the Cabinet, still believing South Carolina had the upper hand in the debate and that he would have a profitable political career set for himself. Unfortunately for Calhoun, he chose the wrong side to advocate for. Jackson came down hard on Federal power and ignored South Carolina's protest. As this happened, Calhoun's cause and power diminished. Martin Van Buren inherited Calhoun's position in office and Jackson's favoritism as the next leader of the US. Calhoun had a short political career where he could have really made a name for himself if he had instead supported Jackson instead of South Carolina.
Louisa May Alcott (BJ)
Louisa May Alcott was an early American novelist, best known for her book Little Women. Born in Pennsylvania to two transcendentalists, the effects of her father's strict disciplines and growing up among the bright minds of the time lead her to strive for perfection. She was an abolitionist and a feminist and she used her writing to spread her ideas.
Edgar Allan Poe (Morgan)
Many attribute Edgar Allen Poe to poetry such as "The Raven" or "The Bells", but few know that Poe was involved with the Civil War. Born in 1809 and orphaned early, Poe had a rough childhood. By the time the Civil War started, he had some help from a widow and her daughter. During this time, he was able to publish a book of poetry and found a successful literary magazine. At the start of the war, Poe went south and joined the Continental Army. He became a disliked leader, but nonetheless a leader. He was later wounded in the war, but survived. He wrote poetry throughout his time in the war and up until his death.
Margaret Fuller, The Dial (Allie Rose)
Margaret Fuller was both a women's rights activist as well as an editor in the 19th century. After gaining the reputation of being the most "well-read" person in England she was the first woman ever allowed to use the library at Harvard. Not only did she support the rights of women but also the abolition as well as rights and care for the mentally insane. The most well known of her accomplishments was being Ralph Waldo Emerson's editor for The Dial, his trancidenlist journal to later become a literary critic at The New York Tribune. Fuller lead the women's right movement and was the subject of many later literary characters due to her spitfire personality.
Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter, The Blithedale Romance (Avery)
Nathaniel Hawthorne is one of the best known authors in pre-civil war America. He was born in Salem and led a lonely and shy life. He even joined the transcendentalists and married a woman he met in the community. His books tackled and brought light to many of the society's problems and dilemmas. In his most well known books, The Scarlet Letter and The Bilthedale Romance he takes on some of these problems. In his books he writes about women's roles, religion, sexuality, guilt, and social reforms. His "imaginative representations of moral problems" took the society by storm and continues to be one of the best known authors today.
Nativism (Laurel)
Nativism is a political stance in which settlers and inhabitants of a country have priority over immigrants. Nativists oppose immigration because they feel immigrants are too different and are taking jobs. They base a lot of their knowledge on stereotypes and preconceived notions. They are also afraid that the new culture the immigrants are bringing with ruin, tarnish, or change the existing culture. They was a particular nativist culture in the US in the 1850s with a wave of immigration from northwest Europe came to the US. Often Catholic, nativists did not want Catholicism and Catholic views brought into their livelihood.
New Harmony (McHale)
New Harmony was founded by the Harmony Society, a Christian group persecuted by the Lutheran church in Europe. The group moved to America in hopes of building the perfect, communal town. Along with New Harmony in Indiana they created several other utopian societies in Pennsylvania. New Harmony thrived for about ten years until its founder, Robert Owen, sold it due to pressures from the government on westward expansion.
Noah Webster (McHale)
Noah Webster was a politician, editor, and author but he is most famously known for his lexicography. After Webster finished his studies at Yale, he yearned to be lawyer and was mentored under many different attorneys. However he struggled to find a career in law, so he went on to found a private school. As a gift to his new school, Webster wrote a speller (a grammar book for primary school kids). When more people bought his book than he expected, Webster decided to edit it even further until it became a full dictionary.
Maysville Road Veto (Sophie)
On May 27, 1830, Jackson vetoed a bill that would have allowed the Federal government to purchase stock in Maysville, Washington, Paris, and the Lexington Turnpike company. The Lexington Turnpike company had been organizing a construction of a road that would have connected Lexington and Maysville, KY. Jackson vetoed the bill because he claimed that using federal funds to complete the project was unconstitutional. However, some say that this veto was more personal than political, which may have been attributed to a grudge against Henry Clay and the American System.
Godey's Lady's Book (Jaclyn)
Published by Louis A. Godey from Philadelphia in 1830, this book/ magazine was the most widely circulated magazine in the United States before the Civil War. This was very important because it showed that women could step into a leadership role and possess it well. Also, it showed that women were able to handle money and be in business just as well or even better than the men.
Robert Fulton (Morgan)-
Robert Fulton was an engineer who was born in Pennsylvania. He experimented with steamboat designs during the late 1700s and early 1800s. His designs were not proven to be effectual until his ship, the Clermont, navigated the Hudson River in 1811. Then, the commercial aspects of the steam engine were demonstrated. Fulton's invention revolutionized trade by making upstream commerce possible on major rivers and across oceans.
Robert Owen (Emma)
Robert Owen was a factory owner in 1824 who founded the Owenites in Indiana. He was apart of the Industrial Revolution in England and saw the ill treatment of workers. He established a model community, New Harmony, where there was not a difference between the rich and the poor. The community tried to be a utopia where everyone was treated equal. The community did not last long, but Owen's beliefs present in the community influenced labor movements, women's rights, and education reform.
Samuel F.B. Morse (Sophie)
Samuel Morse was the inventor of Morse code, as well as a co-inventor of the single-wire telegraph system. Born in Charleston, Massachusetts, Morse was first a painter before he was an inventor.
Samuel Slater (Erica)
Samuel Slater was an immigrant from England that established America's first factory at Pawtucket, RI. Since British law made it illegal to export the plans for industrial machinery, Slater, a skilled mechanic, built from memory a power-driven spinning jenny, one of the key inventions of the early industrial revolution. Slater's spinning factories produced yarn which was then sent to traditional hand-loom weavers and farm families to be woven into cloth. This "outwork" systemed typified early industrialization.
Sojourner Truth (Morgan)-
Sojourner Truth was born a slave in New York around 1799. She obtained her freedom from the state's emancipation law of 1827. Following her release, Truth became an abolitionist and insisted that the movement focus on the poorer women. She wanted to refute the idea that women were too delicate to work outside the home. Thus, she was not only an abolitionist, but also a women's rights advocate. What was so significant is that she was a female, black woman who attempted to make a difference where her double minority significantly undermined her words in the eyes of white males.
Susan B. Anthony (Helen)
Susan B. Anthony was a civil rights activist and feminist leader who played a vital role in 19th women's rights moments to extend suffrage to women. She co-founded the first women's temperance movement and gave hundreds of speeches in both the U.S. and Europe. She was a driving force in getting women's rights recognized and enacted in the U.S. and around the world.
"The burned-over district" (Leah)
The "Burned Over District" was an area of western New York that was strongly influenced by the revival of the Second Great Awakening. Disciples of Christ and Mormons are among the sects that trace their roots to the phenomenon.
Election of 1824 (Leah)
The 1824 Election was the final collapse of the Republican Federalists, and was also known as "The Corrupt Bargain". The Candidates running in the election were Henry Clay, J.Q. Adams, John C. Calhoun, and William Crawford. The winner of the popular vote was Andrew Jackson, followed by John Quincy Adams. No candidate had received a majority of votes in the Electoral College, meaning the House of Representatives had to choose the president. Henry Clay gave his support to J.Q. Adams and the House of Representatives choose Adams as the President. Two weeks later, Adams appointed Henry Clay as his Secretary of State. Jackson cried out corruption and calls this the "Corrupt Bargain".
African Methodist Episcopal Church (Erin)
The African Methodist Episcopal Church was founded by Richard Allen in 1816 after he was forcibly removed from his former church because he prayed at the altar rail, a place reserved for whites. The founding of the church came when free blacks were constructing their own institutional lives centered on mutual aid and educational societies because of their exclusion from schools and other public facilities. The church was established as the first major denomination in the western world that was founded over social beliefs rather than theoretical differences and it protested discrimination and slavery.
Unitarian Church (Laurel)
The American Unitarian Association was founded in 1825 in the US and Canada as a religious denomination. Often categorized as a "liberal" denomination of Christianity, it follows the idea of the trinity, but rejects other typical Christian fundamentals. For example, they believe in the prophetism of Jesus, but not in his divinity. They believe that science and rational thinking work alongside religion in God.
Bank Recharter Bill (Emma) -
The Bank recharter bill was introduced by Henry Clay and vetoed by Andrew Jackson in 1832. The bill to renew the 2nd National of Bank of the United States was introduced earlier than it had to be, and it allowed for a political debate. Andrew Jackson vetoed the bill, and it killed the National Bank. Jackson's veto of the bill was also the first time in American history where a president vetoed a bill because he didn't like it not because the bill was unconstitutional. It allowed for future presidents to have more authority and for politics to become important in their decisions.
Erie Canal (avery)
The Erie canal was opened in 1825. It was a project to connect and industrialize the north. It was able to connect the Greats Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean. Monroe wouldn't give a federal grant for the project because he thought that it was crazy. However, after 8 years, 3,000 workers, and four engineers they proved them wrong by building this magnificent 363 mile canal. This great defeat in industrialization would soon go on to spur many other economic growth and industrialization.
Indian Removal Act of 1830 (Helen)
The Indian Removal Act of 1830 was signed by President Jackson as a means to displace Native Americans from their homelands. The act authorized the President to negotiate removal treaties with Native American tribes living east of the Mississippi River. In these treaties, Indians were to give up their lands in exchange for western lands. This act was one attempt in a series of many to purge Indians from their land in the mid-1800s.
Know Nothing Party (Erin)
The Know nothing party (or American Party/ Secret order of the Star Spangled Banner) of lower/middle class white protestants flourished in the 1850s from anti-immigrant and anti-Roman Catholic sentiments. The group believed that immigrants were a threat to economic and political security and called for restrictions on immigration, exclusion of the foreign born from public office, and a 21 year residency requirement. Though the group experienced little success, their congressional strength diminished by 1856. Differences in the party contributed to their dissolution and Anti-slavery members joined the republican party, while southern members joined the pro-slavery Democratic party.
The McGuffey Reader (Emma)
The McGuffey Reader was a series of textbooks used during the 18th and 19th centuries in American schools. These graded textbooks had different volumes that increased in difficulty, and they were used for first through sixth grade. The textbook focused on phonics and vocab. The McGuffey Reader sold over 120 million copies which puts it in the same category for the number of copies sold as Webster's Dictionary and the Bible.
Waltham Plan (Leah)
The Waltham Plan (1820) was a revolutionary change for American industry because it cut labor costs by hiring women and girls to work in the textile industry. The girls lived in boarding houses with strict rules. These types of factories sprung up in Lowell and other places in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
National Republicans (Emma)
The National Republicans was a political party formed in opposition to Jackson in 1828. Some of the leaders of this party included John Quincy Adams, Henry Clay, and Daniel Webster. They were in favor of a strong national government, the bank of the US, tariffs, and moral reforms. They also thought that the best and privileged should be in charge of the government. The National Republicans led to the formation of the Whig party.
Oneida Community (Morgan)-
The Oneida Community was founded in 1848 by John Humphrey Noyes in Putney, Vermont. This community did not believe in private property or traditional marriage. Instead, he taught his community to believe in the "complex marriage" in which every member of the community was married. This meant that any man could propose sexual relations to any woman who had the right to accept or reject that offer. He believed that the dangers of the real world involved "exclusive affections". By the 1860s, this community was practicing an early form of eugenics by determining which couples could have children. This community survived until 1881 with an extremely dictatorial environment.
Panic of 1837
The Panic of 1837 was a recession that lasted five years and was a direct result of speculation and Andrew Jackson's economic policies. Andrew Jackson detested the national bank and vetoed the bill that would recharter the bank; banks then began taking advantage of the expiration date and began to give discounts that increased exponentially in value. As president, Andrew Jackson implemented a policy called Specie Circular that required all purchases of government land to be made in gold and silver. After several years, this caused mass inflation, and the United States experienced its second recession in twenty years under President Martin Van Buren.
Seneca Falls Convention, Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions (Sophie)
The Seneca Falls Convention was organized by a women's rights group in 1848 in Seneca Falls, NY. This group included Lucretia Mott, a famous Quaker who often spoke publically. This was rare during the 1840's, which signifies the importance of the event. The women came up with the Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions, a document which advocated women's right to vote, and it received ⅓ of the people's (in the convention) votes.
Shakers (Sophie)
The Shakers were the most successful of religious communities; it included at least 5000 people and their territory stretched from Maine to Kentucky. They believed that God had a "dual" personality, thus both sexes were spiritually equal, and completely abandoned traditional family life. Men and woman lived separately and adopted children rather than a "natural" increase. In the religious services, which give the Shakers their name, men and women were separated by sex and engaged in frenzied dancing.
Tariff of Abominations (Erin)
The Tariff of Abominations was South Carolina's name for the Tariff of 1828 which showed their abhorrence towards the tax. The tariff would raise taxes on imported manufactured goods made of wool and other raw materials, and was disapproved by many southern states because of their reliance on cotton and manufactured goods. The strong opposition and threat of secession from southern states and especially South Carolina came from the belief that the South could no longer compete with the North because higher prices paid by southern consumers would benefit the north, and that the federal government must be weakened before it takes action against slavery. Vice President John C. Calhoun emerged as a leading nullification theorist while President Jackson threatened military action against nullification. The belief that the Tariff of 1828 was a "Tariff of Abominations" propelled the nullification crisis and debate over State v. Federal rights.
Webster-Ashburton Treaty 1842
The Webster-Ashburton treaty was between the U.S. and Great Britain establishing the northeastern boundary of the U.S. and providing for Anglo-U.S. cooperation in the suppression of the slave trade. The treaty established the present boundary between Maine and Canada, granted the U.S. navigation rights on the St. John River, provided for extradition in enumerated nonpolitical criminal cases, and established a joint naval system for suppressing the slave trade off the African coast. The treaty was negotiated by Daniel Webster, at that time secretary of state, and Baron Ashburton of England.
Webster-Hayne Debate
The Webster-Hayne debate was conflict between Robert Hayne and Daniel Webster caused by "The Tariff of Abominations." The tariff was passed in 1828 and raised taxes on manufactured goods, which harmed the south population and helped the northern factories. This resulted in the nullification crisis, wherein South Carolina declared the tariff unconstitutional and called for secession. The resistance was dissolved by Jackson, however, it caused discussion on state versus government rights, including the Webster-Hayne debate. Hayne defended state sovereignty and its rights to of nullification, and Webster argued that the union was inseparable and that nullification was treasonous.
Extension of Franchise (voting) (BJ)
The election of 1828 was the first of a new kind of election. For the first time, candidates start to campaign. They used political cartoons to attack their opponents and promote their popularity, and because news was beginning to travel faster, more people were sucked into the excitement. In addition, Jackson was well loved around the country by the common people, as he seemed to be a representation of the common man. Also, many states were beginning to allow citizens with certain qualifications vote for the presidency rather than just legislatures and representatives. The combined effects of all of these factors lead to more voters than ever before and a win for Jackson.
Lowell, Massachusetts (Kirsten)
The end of the Embargo Act in 1807 and the War of 1812 led to the rise of large scale American factories producing cotton cloth. They created a single factory in Waltham, Massachusetts and it eventually expanded to a new factory town called Lowell in Massachusetts. In this town, they built a group of modern textile factories that brought together many aspects of manufacturing. By 1850, Lowell had fifty two mills and employed more than 10,000 workers. Soon, Lowell became a model for small industrial cities that started appearing in the Northeast. This was part of the American system of manufacturers. These factories relied on mass production and interchangeable parts of their machinery. Lowell became known for the women workers in their textile mills.
Ralph Waldo Emerson, Walden' (Leah)
Walden (1854) is an American book written by Henry David Thoreau. It details his experience in living in a cabin owned by his friend/mentor Ralph Waldo Emerson. Thoreau immerses himself in nature, hoping to gain an understanding of society through personal reflection. His other goals included simple living and self-sufficiency.
Charles G. Finney (Erica)
The son of Connecticut farmers, Charles Grandison Finney was the leading evangelist of the Second Great Awakening. He had been inspired to preach after attending a religious revival in 1821. Like the evangelists of the First Great Awakening, Finney warned of hell in vivid language while offering the promise of salvation to converts who abandoned their sinful ways. He became a national celebrity after his success in Oneida County in Upstate New York and started the movement for the Second Great Awakening. The Second Great Awakening democratized American Christianity, making it truly a mass enterprise.
Angelina and Sarah Grimke
These 19th century Southern American Quakers were early advocates of abolitionism and women's rights. Throughout their lives , they traveled throughout the North lecturing about their first hand experiences with slavery on their family's plantation. They received abuse and ridicule for their efforts, but continued to advocate for women and slaves. There was a 13 year difference between these two South Carolinian sisters. Angelina, the elder sister, wrote her most famous pamphlet "Appeal to the Christian Women of the South" urging white Southern women to help end slavery. Angelina married fellow abolitionist Theodore Weld in 1838 and since he was not a Quaker, she was expelled from the Society of Friends for marrying him. Her sister Sarah was expelled as well for attending the wedding. They spent the rest of their lives fighting for equality until Sarah's death in 1873. They were among the very first to see the connection between abolitionism and women's rights.
Transcendentalism (Erica)
Transcendentalism was a religious and philosophical movement that was developed during the late 1820s and 1830s in the Eastern region of the United States as a protest against the general state of culture and society. Among the transcendentalists' core beliefs was the inherent goodness of both people and nature. Transcendentalists believed that society and its institutions particularly organized religion and political parties, ultimately corrupting the purity of the individual. They had faith that people are at their best when truly "self-reliant" and independent. It is only from such real individuals that true community could be formed.
Martin Van Buren's Presidency (Allie Rose)
Van Buren was the 8th president serving from the time of 1837-1841. He managed to maintain all of Jackson's previous cabinet except for one member. He also had his presidency during the time of the Panic of 1837 which caused major inflation to the economy. Advocated for lower taxes and free trade but also fought for peace both nationally and internationally. Denied Texas the right to join the union and was against slavery.
Martin Van Buren Background(Kirsten)
Van Buren, like Jackson appealed to the common man. He was the son of a tavern keeper and farmer. He became heavily involved in New York politics. By 1821, he was elected to the US Senate. By 1827, he became the main northern leader for Andrew Jackson. He became the tenth Secretary of State under Jackson. He soon became Jackson's most trusted advisor. He was very good at managing political parties, by bringing together political leaders from different regions in support of the common man candidates (like Jackson). By the election of 1828, Van Buren had heavy political standing in the Democratic Party. During Jackson's 2nd term as president, Van Buren served as his Vice President. When Van Buren became the president, he inherited the Panic of 1837. He spent most of his presidency trying to fix the problems that led to the panic. He was defeated in 1840 by the Whig Party.
Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass (Helen)
Walt Whitman's "Leaves of Grass" is a poetry collection written in the late 1800's and was influenced by Emerson and the Transcendentalist movement. It was noticed for its discussions about delight in sensual pleasures during a time in which such displays would unacceptable. Unlike previous poetry, which emphasized religious symbolism and morality, this collection of poems emphasized the body and the material world.
Washington Irving (Isabel)
Washington Irving was born right at the end of the Revolutionary War. He spent much of his life writing, but also was the US ambassador to Spain and was secretary of the US legislation to England. Irving wrote many short stories under a variety of pseudonyms but is best known for The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle. He was one of America's first great writers, and showed how writing could be a full-time profession.
Nicholas Biddle, Second Bank of the U.S (McHale)
When it came time to renew the second national bank's charter, President Jackson was opposed to it because he believed that bankers contributed little to the nation's economy and only profited by exploiting the labor of others. Many of the common people called the Bank the "Monster Bank" to reflect their views on it. The head of the Bank was Nicholas Biddle, who was nearly as stubborn as Jackson. Biddle and his allies persuaded congress to approve a bill extending the Bank's charter another twenty years; however, Jackson vetoed the bill ensuring himself a reelection in 1832.
William Ellery Channing (Helen)
William Ellery Channing was a Unitarian preacher and leading Unitarian theologian in the early 19th century. He was well known for his passionate sermons and his numerous public speeches and as a leading liberal thinker of his day. He was an early transcendentalist whose ideas anticipated some of the ideas of later adopted by Ralph Waldo Emerson and others.
Specie Circular
an order issued by President Andrew Jackson in 1836 and carried out by Martin Van Buren. It required payment for government land to be in gold and silver. The Specie Circular was a reaction to the excessive speculations of land after the Indian Removal, which was mostly done with soft currency. With this proclamation, the devaluation of paper currency increased, as did inflation and prices. Many blamed it for the Panic of 1837, which was dealt with by the next president, Van Buren.
Biddle's Bank (2nd BUS) Nicholas Biddle was the president of the national bank in the 1820's and 1830's. As president of the bank, Biddle controlled the country's money supply. President Jackson hated Biddle and his bank
he believed the bank had too much power and only benefited the wealthy. Biddle had a heavy influence on congress and gave out many loans to the rich in powerful. Ultimately, Jackson and Biddle's differences caused the over-speculation and inflation, which resulted in the Panic of 1837.
Nullification
is the theory that each state had the right to decide whether to obey a federal law or to declare it null and void. Jefferson and Madison set forth this idea in the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions. During the Nullification Crisis of 1832, South Carolina wanted to nullify the Tariff of Abominations of 1828 which they saw as a violation of states' rights. Vice President John C. Calhoun backed them up by writing the South Carolina Exposition and Protest, however, no other state backed up South Carolina. President Andrew Jackson issued a statement to them stating that nullification and disunion were treason. Henry Clay's Compromise on Tariff (for gradual rate reduction) was passed in 1833 and South Carolina rescinded its nullification ordinance, and the crisis subsided.
Interchangeable Parts (McHale) During the 19th century's industrial revolution, machines began to replace craftsmen in factories. This was due to the new interchangeable parts
pre manufactured parts that were completely identical. This made assembling weapons very easy and it required little to no skill. It also allowed for weapons to be made faster and for parts to be replaced easier.
Frederick Douglass
was a freed slave who was one of the most famous and influential black abolitionists of his time. Douglass was self-educated, gave speeches advocating equal rights for blacks, and published an autobiography. Douglass also conversed with Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War and recruited blacks for the Union Army. After the Civil War, Douglass took a new stance on equalityhe advocated women's rights as well. Douglass was an inspiration and icon for the black population, and his speeches and work as an activists furthered the rights of men and women.
Lucretia Mott
was abolitionist and feminist who advocated equal rights for all. She helped organize the First Anti-Slavery Convention of American Women and National Women Suffrage Association with Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. She also held the first Seneca Falls Convention with Stanton, wherein the attendees created the Declaration of Sentiments--a play on the Declaration of Independence which prompted outrage. In 1864 alongside other abolitionist and women's rights activists , Mott helped organize and create one of the earliest co-educational colleges, Swarthmore College, to advocate the right of equal opportunity and non-discrimination.