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The Second Great Awakening
A rise in religious fervor that lasted until the 1830s, the Second Great Awakening saw mass conversion to multiple sects of Christianity through tent revivals and camp meetings. Focused on a more populist approach to reaching out to citizens in what became known as evangelism, reaching out to new groups like Native Americans, Women, and Black Americans to find new roles in religion. Centered around the concept that good works bring salvation, leading to a participation in many reform movements. -
Romantic Movement
A movement of the early 19th century that has it's origins in Europe the Romantic Movement symbolized a shift in literature, art, and thought where instead of focusing upon rationality and reason, the virtue of nature and the importance of listening to one's emotions became important and valued compared to the more clinical thought of the Enlightenment. Famous American romantics include Edgar Allan Poe and Emily Dickinson, who sought to explore emotion and passion through their works. -
Women's Rights Movement
A movement that gained traction during mid-19th century that stated that women were treated unfairly compared to meant under the laws of the U.S. government and called for radical change, breaking away from preconceived notions of womanhood. Inspired in part by the large participation of women in other reform movements like temperance. Suffered later on from a lack of unity over the issue of slavery with some women for various reasons being abolitionists while others were slaveholders. -
Cult of Domesticity
Also called the Cult of True Womanhood, was a 19th century gender norm among middle and upper class women where the role of a woman was to be a wife and mother and manage everything at home while being pleasant to be around and perfect in every way. Was not seen among poor women who often had to work for long hours in various odd jobs, while for women in the Cult of Domesticity going to work was seen as shameful. Limited the movement of women in society by trapping educated women as housewives. -
Impressment
A practice from the early 19th century where British sailors would force captive American soldiers into service to England without consent or choice in the matter. Caused increased tensions between the U.S. and Great Britain that contributed to the War of 1812, during which impressment was a tactic used by the British. Also led to the Embargo Act of 1807 where the U.S. halted trade with Great Britain over the issue, leading to economic disaster. Impressment ended with the War of 1812. -
Industrialization
A period of rapid technological advancement starting in the early 1800s in Europe that crossed over into the U.S. and led to the modernization of American society from an agrarian culture to a industrial one with the phasing out of the cottage system and the formation of factories that caused increased mass production of goods and the rise of rapid advancements in society and technology that improved living conditions for many. Permanently shifted Jefferson's agrarian U.S. into industry. -
Market Revolution
A movement alongside and influenced by the Industrial Revolution, the Market Revolution symbolized a shift in production and economics within the U.S. with the rise of commercialized agriculture over family farms, regions focusing in on the production of certain crops, and the rise of the Immigrant workforce to be used within rapidly growing and urbanizing cities. Shifted economic dynamics, gender dynamics, the role of the household, and marked a departure from the underdeveloped U.S. market. -
Louisiana Purchase
The purchase from France by President Jefferson of the Louisiana territory for 15 million dollars with the promise to incorporate the formerly French citizens into the Union. Organized by James Monroe and Robert Livingston who originally were trying to buy New Orleans and the surrounding land for trade purposes, lead to the doubling of America's size and the need for settlers to go West in Manifest Destiny to claim it. Also brought in more territory for the slave/free state debate later on. -
Antebellum Movement
A frame of time after the War of 1812 and before the Civil War where sectionalism between the North and the South began to gradually rise alongside multiple reform movements across the country such as improved treatment for the mentally ill, free public schooling, temperance, and women's rights. Brought about multiple reforms to American society while slowly moving towards the radical differences between the North and South that led to Civil War. -
Era of Good Feelings
A time period post-War of 1812 where the American attitude was marked by optimism and a strong nationalistic pride in the U.S. with almost complete political unity as Democratic Republicans became the dominant political party within the U.S. Was also marked by the American System, the establishment of roads, canals, tariffs, the Bank of U.S., and other means proposed by Henry Clay to establish economic strength. Ended with the Corrupt Bargain of 1824 with the rise of Jacksonian Democracy. -
Missouri Compromise
A way of keeping the peace between the slave and free states caused by Missouri wanting to join the Union as a slave state where there would be an equal number of slave and free states maintained and that all states North a line on the Southern border of Missouri had to be freed states, with the exception of Missouri. Meant to preserve the balance and peace within the Union, but only led to increased sectionalism and a growing divide between the two groups. -
Monroe Doctrine
A declaration in president Monroe's state of the Union address which established the U.S. having authority over the Western Hemisphere, stating the European colonization and takeover of any territories would be seen as hostile and lead to the U.S. fighting to boot Europe out. The U.S. would stay out of European business and avoid preexisting colonies and in return Europe had to do the same, establishing American isolationism for the next few decades as desired by President Washington. -
"Corrupt Bargain"
A political scandal from the Election of 1824 where it was suspected Speaker of the House Henry Clay, a former U.S. president candidate in the election convinced congressmen to choose John Quincy Adams for President over Andrew Jackson in order for Clay to become Adams' Secretary of State. No crime was committed the allegations soiled Henry Clay's reputation politically as it was believed that Clay threw his campaign away to then ensure Adams got the win so Clay could be Secretary of State. -
Indian Removal Act
Done during President Andrew Jackson's term, allowed for the trade of Native American lands west of the Mississippi in exchange for the U.S. gaining the land that the Native American tribes currently possessed. Led in part to the Trail of Tears as thousands of Native Americans now had to leave their homes for unknown regions by foot, while also being the start of the Native American Reservations that still exist to this day. -
Spoils System
Commonly associated with President Andrew Jackson and Jacksonian Democracy, the spoils system was the giving away of positions in government to supporters of a certain political candidate who had been able to achieve their spot in office, with the system allowing politicians to award their supporters with power as a thanks for their votes. The system symbolized a shift from earlier political practices where positions were for life and given to friends, allowing rotation of officials. -
Specie Circular
An issue started by Jackson and carried out under president Martin van Buren, it required that to buy land one had to pay in proper specie, or gold and silver rather than use bank notes which states could print without them having the proper backing/value. Decreased purchases of public land and land speculation, however caused mass debate over the value of paper money and eventually gave way to the Panic of 1837. -
Panic of 1837
Collapse of multiple banks and businesses after the Specie Circular due to the forced usage of gold or silver to ensure purchases were valid with backing, leading to mass value collapse due to the commonness of land speculation and the reliance on paper money issued by sate banks from government money. Led to mass unemployment, business shutdown, fall in cotton prices, and the fall of the Bank of the U.S. -
Asylum Movement
A reformist movement centered around the proper care for the mentally ill championed by people like Dorothea Dix who sought to focus upon the care and treatment of the mentally ill rather than simply imprisoning them in jails as was the current standard. Exposed to the public the poor conditions of prisons and mental facilities, leading to the increase of asylums to properly help those in need and better conditions for the mentally ill and criminals. -
Seneca Falls Convention 48'
After the refusal to allow women to speak at the World Anti-Slavery Convention, Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Candy Stanton organized the convention to focus upon the improvement of woman's rights in the U.S., leading to the "Declaration of Sentiments" modeled after the Declaration of Independence where the activists listed the injustices towards women and called for equal rights in work, education, legal status, and other radical ideas alongside other reform movements like temperance. -
"On Civil Disobedience"
An essay by American romantic and transcendentalist Henry David Thoreau where he argues that most governments are by nature corrupt and that it is the duty of moral citizens that when pressured by their governments to take part in such corruptness to refuse to be involved by actions like not paying taxes, inspiring other political and social reformers with his passive resistance. Was motivated by his disgust with slavery and his refusal to pay taxes to fund the Mexican-American War.
