Glossary
Canals
Artificial waterways constructed to allow the passage of boats or ships inland or to convey water for irrigation, significantly expanding trade routes in the early 19th century.
Example:
The Erie Canal connected the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean, transforming New York City into a major commercial hub and facilitating westward migration.
Democratic-Republicans
One of the two major political parties of the First Party System, led by Thomas Jefferson. They championed states' rights, agrarianism, and a strict interpretation of the Constitution.
Example:
Farmers and those who feared a powerful central government often aligned with the Democratic-Republicans, seeing them as defenders of individual liberty.
Democrats
A major political party of the Second Party System, led by Andrew Jackson. They emphasized individual liberty, states' rights, and limited federal government intervention.
Example:
Jacksonian Democrats often appealed to the common man, advocating for policies like universal white male suffrage and opposing elite privilege.
Federalists
One of the two major political parties of the First Party System, led by Alexander Hamilton. They advocated for a strong central government, a national bank, and a loose interpretation of the Constitution.
Example:
Many wealthy merchants and industrialists supported the Federalists because they believed a strong federal government would promote economic stability and growth.
First Party System
The period in American history from roughly 1792 to 1824, characterized by the emergence of two major national political parties: the Federalists and the Democratic-Republicans.
Example:
The intense debates over the national bank and foreign policy during George Washington's presidency solidified the divisions that led to the First Party System.
Louisiana Purchase
The acquisition by the United States of approximately 828,000 square miles of France's claim to the territory of Louisiana in 1803, doubling the size of the young nation.
Example:
Thomas Jefferson's decision to pursue the Louisiana Purchase was a landmark moment, expanding the nation's agricultural potential and westward ambitions.
Market Revolution
A drastic change in the manual labor system in the United States during the first half of the 19th century, characterized by a shift from subsistence farming to commercial agriculture and industrial production.
Example:
The rise of factories and the expansion of transportation networks were central to the Market Revolution, fundamentally altering how Americans produced and consumed goods.
Mexican Cession
The region of the present-day southwestern United States that Mexico ceded to the U.S. in 1848 under the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo following the Mexican-American War.
Example:
The discovery of gold in California shortly after the Mexican Cession fueled a massive migration westward and intensified debates over slavery's expansion.
Monroe Doctrine
A U.S. foreign policy statement issued in 1823, declaring that European powers should not colonize or interfere with independent nations in the Western Hemisphere.
Example:
President James Monroe's declaration of the Monroe Doctrine signaled a new era of American assertiveness in global affairs, particularly concerning Latin America.
New Forms of Labor
Changes in work organization and conditions during the Market Revolution, including the shift from artisanal production to factory work and the rise of wage labor.
Example:
The Lowell System, employing young women in textile mills, exemplified the new forms of labor that emerged with industrialization.
Railroads
A form of land transportation using trains on tracks, which emerged as a dominant mode of transport in the mid-19th century, connecting distant regions and fostering economic growth.
Example:
The rapid expansion of railroads across the United States created new markets for goods and spurred the growth of industries like coal and iron.
Reform Movements
Organized efforts during the 19th century aimed at improving society and correcting perceived injustices, often inspired by the Second Great Awakening.
Example:
The temperance movement, advocating for reduced alcohol consumption, was one of many reform movements that gained significant traction during this period.
Regional Identities
Distinct cultural, economic, and social characteristics that developed in different geographical areas of the United States, such as the industrial North, agricultural South, and expanding West.
Example:
The reliance on slave labor in the South and industrial manufacturing in the North contributed to increasingly divergent regional identities that would later fuel sectional conflict.
Second Great Awakening
A Protestant religious revival movement during the early 19th century in the United States, which led to increased church membership and inspired various social reform movements.
Example:
The emotional camp meetings of the Second Great Awakening drew thousands, fostering a sense of community and inspiring individuals to work for societal improvement.
Second Party System
The political era in the United States from the 1820s to the 1850s, primarily defined by the competition between the Democratic Party and the Whig Party.
Example:
The rise of Andrew Jackson and the subsequent opposition to his policies helped to solidify the Second Party System in American politics.
Steamboats
Water vessels powered by steam engines, which revolutionized river and coastal travel and trade in the early 19th century.
Example:
Robert Fulton's Clermont, an early steamboat, demonstrated the viability of steam power for commercial navigation on rivers like the Hudson.
Transportation Revolution
A period of rapid growth in the speed and convenience of travel because of new methods of transportation, including steamboats, canals, and railroads, during the early 19th century.
Example:
The Transportation Revolution dramatically reduced shipping costs and travel times, allowing goods and people to move across the country with unprecedented ease.
War of 1812
A military conflict fought between the United States and Great Britain from 1812 to 1815, primarily over maritime rights, impressment, and territorial disputes.
Example:
The burning of Washington D.C. by British forces was a significant event during the War of 1812, though the war ultimately ended in a stalemate.
Whigs
A major political party of the Second Party System, formed in opposition to Andrew Jackson's policies. They generally supported government intervention in the economy, internal improvements, and national expansion.
Example:
Henry Clay's 'American System' was a key platform for the Whigs, advocating for tariffs, a national bank, and infrastructure projects.
Women in the Workforce
The increasing participation of women in paid labor outside the home, particularly in textile factories, during the Market Revolution, though often under challenging conditions.
Example:
Many young, single women from rural areas became women in the workforce in New England factories, seeking economic independence before marriage.