Glossary
Abolitionism
The social and political movement dedicated to the immediate and complete emancipation of all enslaved people and the end of racial discrimination.
Example:
Figures like William Lloyd Garrison and Frederick Douglass were prominent leaders in the abolitionism movement, using newspapers and speeches to advocate for the freedom of enslaved individuals.
Cultural Movements
Shifts in artistic, literary, philosophical, or intellectual trends that reflect changing societal values and ideas. They often influence how people perceive the world.
Example:
The rise of Romanticism, with its emphasis on emotion and nature, was a significant cultural movement that influenced American literature and art, moving away from Enlightenment rationalism.
Democracy
A system of government where power is vested in the people, who rule either directly or through freely elected representatives. In this period, it saw an expansion of suffrage to more white men.
Example:
Andrew Jackson's presidency symbolized a new era of democracy, as common white men gained more political influence and participated more widely in elections.
Industrialization
The process of shifting an economy from agrarian and hand-made production to machine-based manufacturing in factories. This transformation led to significant changes in labor, society, and urban development.
Example:
The rise of textile mills in New England, powered by water and later steam, exemplified the rapid industrialization of the American economy in the early 19th century.
Manifest Destiny
The 19th-century belief that the United States was divinely ordained to expand its dominion and spread democracy across the North American continent. This ideology fueled westward expansion.
Example:
The fervent belief in Manifest Destiny drove American settlers to push into territories like Oregon and California, convinced it was their nation's destiny to control the continent.
Mexican-American War
A conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848, primarily over the annexation of Texas and the disputed border. It resulted in significant territorial gains for the U.S.
Example:
The Mexican-American War concluded with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which ceded vast territories, including California and New Mexico, to the United States, fulfilling a key aspect of Manifest Destiny.
Monroe Doctrine
A U.S. foreign policy statement issued in 1823, warning European powers against further colonization or interference in the Western Hemisphere. It asserted American dominance in the Americas.
Example:
When European nations considered intervening in newly independent Latin American countries, the Monroe Doctrine served as a clear warning from the United States to stay out of the region.
Nationalism
A strong sense of pride, loyalty, and devotion to one's nation, often accompanied by a belief in its superiority or unique identity. It promoted unity and a shared American identity.
Example:
Following the War of 1812, a surge of nationalism swept the country, leading to increased support for internal improvements like the Erie Canal and a stronger federal government.
Romanticism
An artistic and intellectual movement that emphasized emotion, individualism, the glorification of nature, and the past, often reacting against the rationalism of the Enlightenment.
Example:
American authors like Edgar Allan Poe and Nathaniel Hawthorne, with their focus on intense emotions and the mysterious, were key figures in the Romanticism literary movement.
Second Great Awakening
A Protestant religious revival movement during the early 19th century that emphasized personal salvation and individual responsibility. It inspired numerous social reform movements.
Example:
The fervent sermons delivered at camp meetings during the Second Great Awakening motivated many to join the temperance movement, believing moral reform was essential for societal improvement.
Sectionalism
Loyalty or support for a particular region or section of the country, rather than for the nation as a whole. This often led to conflicts of interest between different regions.
Example:
The intense debates over the expansion of slavery into new territories highlighted the growing sectionalism between the industrial North and the agricultural South, each prioritizing its own economic and social systems.
Social Movements
Organized efforts by groups of people to bring about or resist fundamental changes in society. These movements often arise from shared grievances or ideals.
Example:
The abolitionist movement, advocating for the end of slavery, was a powerful social movement that gained significant momentum during this period, challenging the moral fabric of the nation.
Temperance Movement
A social reform effort aimed at reducing or prohibiting the consumption of alcoholic beverages, driven by concerns over public morality and social order.
Example:
Preachers and reformers in the temperance movement often argued that alcohol consumption led to poverty, crime, and family breakdown, urging individuals to sign pledges of abstinence.
Transcendentalism
An American philosophical and literary movement of the 19th century that emphasized individualism, self-reliance, and the inherent goodness of people and nature. It encouraged intuition over empirical observation.
Example:
Henry David Thoreau's retreat to Walden Pond, documented in his book Walden, perfectly embodied the Transcendentalism ideal of living simply and in harmony with nature to achieve spiritual insight.
Urbanization
The process by which populations shift from rural areas to cities, leading to the growth and development of urban centers. This was often driven by industrialization.
Example:
As factories offered new job opportunities, many rural Americans and immigrants moved to cities like New York and Boston, contributing to rapid urbanization and the challenges of overcrowding.
Women's Rights Movement
A social reform effort advocating for the equal political, economic, and social rights of women. It gained significant traction during this period, often linked with other reform efforts.
Example:
The Seneca Falls Convention in 1848, organized by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott, marked a pivotal moment for the women's rights movement, issuing a Declaration of Sentiments demanding equality.