APUSH Chapter 13 Terms

Nativism

definition: the belief that native-born Americans are superior to foreigners- movement based on hostility to immigrants, especially Irish & Catholic ones importance: nativists considered immigrants as despots overthrowing the American republic;resulted in the formation of anti-immigrant societies, most notably the "know nothing" party

Santa Anna

definition: a general who seized power of Mexico as a dictator, he restricted the power of individual states, igniting a series of rebellions in Mexican states importance: responsible for provoking the Texas Revolution- was successful in the battle of the Alamo yet was defeated by the Texans at the battle of San Jacinto

Commonwealth v. Hunt

definition: Massachusetts SC case ruled that labor unions were not illegal monopolies that restrained trade importance: however, less than 1% of work force belonged to a union, so unions impact was sharply limited; friction between native-born & immigrant workers split the antebellum working class

Know Nothing Party

definition: a former political party active in the 1850s in the NORTH which opposed immigration and Catholic influence. They answered questions from outsiders about the party by saying "I know nothing" importance: this hostility rekindled the spirit of European religious wars, resulting in clashes between the Protestants and Catholics. Also, just as the south has its racism issues, the North does too

Battle of San Jacinto

definition: a surprise attack by Texas forces on Santa Anna's camp. Santa Ana's men were surprised and overrun in twenty minutes. Santa Anna was taken prisoner and signed an armistice securing Texas independence. importance: battle which resulted in Texan independence and enabled the U.S. to annex Texas

Californios

definition: a term used to identify Hispanics living in California importance: felt little allegiance to Mexico, portraying that California was clinging to Mexico by the thinnest of threads and would soon join the U.S., and by the mid-1840s, these Californios faced a growing number of American settlers with definite political sympathies

Wilmot Proviso

definition: amendment that attempted to prohibit slavery from territories acquired from Mexico; introduced by Pennsylvania congressman David Wilmot importance: never passed, but it created tensions between North and South over the issue of slavery, led to the conclusion that the Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional

John C. Fremont

definition: an explorer, army major, and surveyor known as "The Pathfinder." In the Election of 1856, he would run as the first Republican candidate for president against the Democratic candidate James Buchanan; he would lose the election to Buchanan, but he would go on to serve as governor of the Arizona Territory. importance: During the Mexican War, this captain played a crucial rule in overthrowing Mexican rule in California (the Bear Flag Revolt of 1846). Following California's independence from Mexico, he and a group of American naval officers and local Americans collaborated together to form the short-lived Bear Flag Republic, establishing U.S. control over CA

"Whig Plan"

definition: proposal to replace Van Buren's Independent treasury with some sort of national fiscal agency, such as the Bank of the U.S., as well as a revised tariff that would increase government revenues but remain low enough to permit the incorporation of foreign goods importance: never worked because Whig president William Henry Harrison died after 1 month in office and his successor, John Tyler, favored the Democratic philosophy of states's rights, a disaster for the whig Plan by vetoing a new national bank and vetoing a bill to lower tariffs to 20%

Alamo

definition: the site of Texan defeat during the Texan Revolution- Santa Anna's forces laid siege to San Antonio, whose 200 Texan defenders retreated into an abandoned mission, the Alamo. After repeated attacks, the remaining Texans including Davy Crockett were wiped out and a few weeks later, and Mexican troops massacred some 350 Teas prisoners. importance: success on the Mexican army's part, yet it motivated the Texans to fight back at the Battle of San Jacinto, where they won

Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo

definition: the treaty negotiated between Mexico and the United States during the Mexican War importance: confirmed the American title to Texas and yielded the enormous area stretching westward to Oregon and the Pacific Ocean (this area was called the Mexican Cession) but America agreed to pay $15 million for the territory and to assume the claims of its citizens

Manifest Destiny

definition: this expression was popular in the 1840s. Many people believed that the U.S. was destined to secure territory from "sea to sea," from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean importance: this rationale drove the acquisition of territory as for many, expansion presented an opportunity to preserve the agricultural character of the American people & thus to safeguard democracy