U.S. History to 1877 Cheat Sheet by BPlummer2020

Andrew Jackson

r. 1829-1837. "Old Hickor­y" Democrat that believed Indians should be pushed west of the Missis­sippi River and African Americans should be freed and sent abroad or remain slaves. He was a nation­alist that believed states should be the center of the government and that the government shouldn't interfere with personal lives.

John C Calhoun

Spokesman for a slave plantation in the South. He defended slave planta­tions against anti-s­lavery. He protected the South from tariffs during the 1830s and had tariffs lowered for the next 10 years.

John Brown

Placed on trial for treason to the state of Virginia because of an armed assault on the federal arsenal at Harper's Ferry. He was executed on October 1859 by hanging. This turned him into a martyr for the North. (was a slave and led slaves)

Dred Scott

1799-0­9/1­7/1858. "Dred Scott Decisi­on". An enslaved African American man in the U.S. who unsucc­ess­fully sued for his freedom and that of his wife and daughters. In Scott v. Sanford case of 1857, Scott claimed he and his wife should be granted their freedom because they lived in Illinois and Wisconsin territory for 4 years, where slavery was illegal. The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) decided 7-2 against Scott, finding that no one of African lineage could claim citize­nship in the U.S., therefore Scott could not bring his case to SCOTUS. Also: Scott's temporary residence outside of Missouri couldn't bring his emanci­pation under the Missouri Compro­mise, which SCOTUS ruled uncons­tit­utional as it would improperly "­deprive Scott's owner of his legal proper­ty".

Abraham Lincoln

r. 1861-1865. 16th president of the United States, commander and chief during the American Civil War for the union. After the Battle of Antiem, he created the Emanci­pation Procla­mation to enlist African Americans to join the Union Army (this also released them from slavery). He wrote the Gettysburg Address in 1863, two days after the Battle of Gettysburg for the Soldier's National Cemetary for Union Soldiers killed at Gettys­burg. 5 days after Robert E. Lee surren­dered from the Civil War, Lincoln was killed by John Wilkes Boothe on April 14, 1865 at Fords Theater. He got his secondary presidency term in March of 1865. His death lead to Andrew Johnson's presidency and led to the downfall of Recons­tru­ction (which Lincoln wanted to begin after the Civil War ended and AJ fudged up)

Second Great Awakening

1800s. Self-i­mpr­ove­ment, self-r­eli­ance, and self-d­ete­rmi­nation. Begun at the turn of the century. Originally led by leaders alarmed by low attendance at church. Reverend Charles Grandison Finney held month long revivals in 1821. Led to the emergence of Mormonism.

Panic of 1819

As a result from the War of 1812. Bank of the U.S. partic­ipated in a specul­ative fever that swept the country after the War of 1812 ended. Early in 1819, as European demand for American farm products returned to normal levels...the economic bubble burst. The Panic disrupted the political harmony of previous years (people continued to distrust banks). The Supreme Court ruled in McCulloch v. Maryland that the Bank of the U.S. was consti­tut­ional.

Gold Rush

1848-1849. A rapid movement of people to a newly discovered goldfield in California and Colorado. This was a quest for gold and manifest destiny.

Louisiana Purchase

Purchased in 1803 for $15 million. This territory stretched from Canada and Missis­sippi to the Rocky Mountains. Thomas Jefferson purchased the territory due to a rising ear for Napolean and the French influence in the New Orleans area and interf­erence in American commerce. This ended the French presence in America and doubled the size of America. Jefferson believed he went beyond the Consti­tution, but believed it was necessary for the greater good of America.

Adams-Onis Treaty

1819. John Quincy Adams negotiated this so that Spain would give U.S. Florida and Georgia. Spain knew they couldn't keep this property and protect it, so they sold the area, as well as Oregon for $5 million. We gave up Texas for this treaty, but will gain it again soon.

Missouri Compromise

1820. Missouri admitted to the union as a slave state. To maintain the balance, Maine was admitted as a free state. Congress prohibited slavery north of the 36 30 latitude in remaining Louisiana purchase territory.

American System

Economic system put in by Henry Clay. His vision was to create a protective tariff--he wanted to be a part of the national bank, started giving subsidies for national transp­ort­ation projects to try to create a better economy.

Wilmot Proviso

1846. Congre­ssman David Wilmot of Pennsy­lvania proposed a resolution prohib­iting slavery from all territ­ories acquired from Mexico. In 1848, opponents of slaver4y's expansion organized the Free-Soil Party.

Kansas Nebraska Act

Law sponsored by Illinois senator Stephen A. Douglas to allow settlers in newly organized territory North of the Missouri border decided the slavery issue for themse­lves. Fury over the resulting repeal of the Missouri Compromise of 1820. Led to violence in the Kansas territory (1854)

Conscr­iption Act

1862. Congress enacted this act which subjected all white males between the ages of 18-35 for military service for three years

Nat Turner Rebellion

Aug 22, 1831. Virginia slave preacher (God had shown him to lead a slave rebellion) He went from farm to farm assaulting white inhabi­tants. The victims were mainly women and children. Sent a shock wave throug­hout. He was executed after killing about 60 whites with his followers. This was the last large scale rebellion. Virginia tightened its chains about slavery. Turner was a slave that was slightly educated. They cracked down on slave religious services and education.

Astor Place Riot

1849. Began from a rivalry between British and American actor. Deadliest riot to date in America and pitted immigrants against the nativists or both of them against the upper classes who control the military and police forces. It led to creation of the 1st police force armed with deadly weapons. It showed struggle between classes, nativists, and immigr­ants.

Harper's Ferry

Virginia, was attacked by John Brown and followers with an armed assault (federal arsenal)

American Coloni­zation Society

1816. An organi­zation dedicated to sending freed slaves to Africa. Also prompted the abolition of slavery. Soon establ­ished Liberia on West Coast of Africa. Named Capital after James Monroe (Monrovia)

Whigs

1834. Lead by Henry Clay, William Henry Harrison, Daniel Webster, and Horace Greely. They were head quartered in Washington D.C. The party formed to oppose Andrew Jackson and his democratic policies. The Whig party favored federalist traditions for internal improv­ements. Supported Congress holding supremacy over the President. Favored modern­ization and economic protec­tionism to help manufa­ctu­ring. Party disbanded in 1850s after being divided over slavery.

1823. Thomas Johnson and William M'Intosh. A question of whose land claim was more valid. By using the doctrine of discovery, it is deemed that no private citizens can purchase land from a Native tribe, only the government can do it. Focuses on land that was initially purchased in the Northwest Territory in the colony of Virginia.

June 1830. Led by Chief John Ross. the Cherokee Nation sued Georgia for passing discri­min­atory laws against their tribe. However, the court ruled that Native Americans could not sue a state as they weren't a sovereign nation. The result was deeming the Native tribes as "­special but depend­ent­", putting the Native Americans in a special status: not slaves, not citizens, but wards of the federal govern­ment.

Cotton Gin

1793. Eli Whitney, Yale graduate working in Georgia. Cotton Gin consisted of rollers and brushes that separated seed from cotton. Made growing and selling on large scale. Revolu­tio­nized American slavery. Unprec­edented expansion that reopened from 1803-1808 in South Carolina. Cotton Kingdo­m=s­lavery.