-
Period: to
Thomas Jefferson Becomes Third President of the U.S.
Thomas Jefferson served two terms as president. His election constitutes the first peaceful transfer of power from one political party to another in the United States. During his presidency, he continued Washington's foreign policy and made no permanent alliances with other countries. Jefferson's belief about government were very different. He believed that "the best government was one that governed least." -
Marbury vs. Madison
This was the first major decision by the Supreme Court under Chief Justice John Marshall. It gave the Supreme Court the power of judicial review, which is the ability to declare laws or acts of the president unconstitutional. -
Louisiana Purchase
Thomas Jefferson purchased the Louisiana Territory from France for $15 million. Jefferson used his treaty-making skills to make the deal. This purchase doubled the size of the United States. After the purchase, he sent Lewis and Clark along with Sacogewia to explore, make maps, record scientific data, and communicate with Native Americans. They discovered many new plants and species of animals and paved the way for the settlement of this territory. -
Embargo Act of 1807
Because the British were impressing our sailors into their navy, and the French were attacking American shipping, Jefferson banned all trade with Europe. This almost destroyed the American economy. -
Period: to
James Madison Becomes Fourth President of the United States
Known as the "Father of the Constitution," he was the last of the founding fathers to serve as President. He was a member of the Democratic-Republican party and served two terms as President. -
Period: to
War of 1812
This was considered the Second War for Independence and was fought to stop the impressment of U.S. sailors. The U.S. wanted to seize Canada from Britain, so they tried to invade Canada but failed. The British retaliated by capturing Washington D.C. and burning it. Dolly Madison acted quickly to save important documents from being destroyed. Most of the fighting was on the Great Lakes and in New York and Washington D.C. The Treaty of Ghent was signed in 1814, ending the war. No one won. -
Period: to
The Era of Good Feelings
This era marked a period in the political history of the United States that reflected a sense of national purpose and a want for unity among Americans in the aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812. This era ends with the disputed election of 1824. -
Period: to
James Monroe Becomes the Fifth President
James Monroe was an American statesman, lawyer, and diplomat who served as the fifth president of the United States from 1817 to 1825. He was a member of the Democratic-Republican Party and was the last president of the Virginia dynasty. -
McCulloch vs. Maryland
This was a fight between the state of Maryland and the Bank of the U.S. Maryland did not want the Second Bank of the U.S. in their state competing with their banks. They attempted to tax the bak to drive it out of business, but the bank refused to pay. Maryland sues and the case ends up at the Supreme Court, which rules that Maryland has no power to tax the bank. This case defined and strengthened the power of the federal government. -
Purchase of Florida
Spain, afraid the U.S. would take Florida, offered to sell it for $5 million. if the U.s. would recognize their ownership of Texas. We agreed and Florida became part of the U.S. -
The Missouri Compromise
In this compromise, Missouri would be admitted to the Union as a slave state, and Maine would be admitted as a free state. This kept the balance in the U.S. Congress. A line was drawn at 36°30′N across the Lousiana Territory. No slavery would be allowed above the line except in Missouri. Slavery would be allowed below the line. -
The Monroe Doctrine
This was a presidential policy issued by James Monroe. It was a warning to European powers that the US would oppose any attempts to colonize or restore Spanish rule in countries in the Western Hemisphere. Countries in Latin America (South/Central) had fought for and achieved their independence, and the U.S. saw themselves as the protector of these countries. The U.S. was telling countries in Europe and Russia to keep their hands of the Western hemisphere. -
Gibbons vs. Ogden
Two men, Gibbons and Ogden, were both given license to operate ferry boats between New Jersey and New York. One license came from the state of New York, and the other came from the federal government. The case went to the Supreme Court. The court said that since the ferry operated between two states that the federal government controlled this trade (interstate commerce). It defined the power of the federal government to control interstate trade. -
Period: to
John Quincy Adams Becomes the Sixth President of the United States
John Quincy Adams, the sixth president of the U.S., was a member of multiple political parties over the years. He was also a diplomat, a Senator, and a member of the House of Representatives. During the election, Andrew Jackson received the most popular votes, but neither received a majority of the electoral votes. Consequently, the House of Representatives chose the President. Henry Clay used his influence as Speaker of the House to get John elected President, making Jackson furious. -
Completion of the Erie Canal
Construction on the Erie Canal began on June 4, 1817, and it was finished on October 26, 1825. The canal is 40 feet wide, 4 feet deep, and 363 miles long. It connects Lake Eire to the Hudson River, to the Atlantic. Because it connected the industrial north to the agrarian west, it led to the growth of cities along the canal route and increased the population of the west. -
Period: to
Andrew Jackson Becomes the Seventh President of the United States
Because Jackson and his supporters were angry over the stolen election of 1824 and the corrupt bargain, they spent the next four years campaigning. By the time of the election of 1828, Jackson's party "the Democrats" had formed, and the Republican party died out. The time period of Jackson's presidency became known as the "Age of the Common Man." -
Period: to
Martin Van Buren Becomes the Eighth President of the United States
Martin Van Buren became the eighth President of the United States after serving as the eighth Vice President and the tenth Secretary of State, both under President Andrew Jackson. While the country was prosperous during the presidency of “Little Magician,” less than three months later the financial panic of 1837 ruined the prosperity. -
William Henry Harrison Becomes the Ninth President of the United States
William Henry Harrison, an American military officer and politician, was the ninth President of the United States. He was the oldest President to be elected at the time. On his 32nd day, he became the first to die in office. -
Period: to
John Tyler Becomes the Tenth President of the United States
John Tyler became the tenth President of the United States after President William Henry Harrison died in April 1841. He was the first Vice President to succeed to the Presidency after the death of his predecessor. He was nicknamed “His Accidency." -
Period: to
James K. Polk Becomes the Eleventh President of the United States
Commonly called the first “dark horse,” President James K. Polk was the last of the Jacksonians to sit in the White House, and the last strong President until the Civil War. -
Period: to
The Civil War
The American Civil War was the result of sectional differences and questions not fully resolved when the United States Constitution was ratified in 1789. The main issues involved slavery and states rights. With the defeat of the Southern Confederacy and the passage of the XIII, XIV, and XV amendments to the Constitution, the Civil War’s lasting effects included abolishing the institution of slavery in America and redefining the United States as a single, indivisible nation. -
Reconstruction Era Begins
The period after the Civil War, 1865 - 1877, was called the Reconstruction period. Abraham Lincoln started planning for the reconstruction of the South during the Civil War as Union soldiers occupied huge areas of the South. Lincoln strongly desired to bring the Nation back together again as quickly as possible. Consequently, in December 1863, he offered his plan for Reconstruction, which required that the States new constitutions prohibit slavery.
