Key Figures in American History

Key Figures in American History

• William Henry Harrison: Governor of Indiana Territory; known for defeating Tecumseh at the Battle of Tippecanoe.
• Francis Scott Key: Lawyer and poet; wrote "The Star Spangled Banner" after witnessing the British attack on Baltimore.
• Andrew Jackson: Seventh U.S. President (1829-1837); defeated the British at the Battle of New Orleans; increased presidential powers and opposed the national bank.
• Washington Irving: Prominent author and diplomat; creator of “Rip Van Winkle” and “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”; first American author recognized in England.
• James Monroe: Fifth U.S. President; known for the Monroe Doctrine, which opposed European colonization in the Americas.
• James Fenimore Cooper: Notable American novelist; famous for “The Last of the Mohicans,” exploring frontier life.
• John Marshall: Long-serving Chief Justice (1801-1835); instrumental in shaping U.S. law through landmark cases.
• John C. Calhoun: Advocate for the Fugitive Slave Law; argued for the necessity of slavery in the South based on class hierarchies.
• John Quincy Adams: Sixth U.S. President and Secretary of State; key figure in the Adams-Onis Treaty and the Monroe Doctrine.

Significant Supreme Court Cases

• McCulloch v. Maryland: Established federal supremacy; Maryland attempted to tax the national bank.
• Cohens v. Virginia: Affirmed the Supreme Court's authority to review state court decisions.
• Gibbons v. Ogden: Expanded interpretation of interstate commerce through a steamboat case.
• Fletcher v. Peck: Established the Court's power to declare state laws unconstitutional.
• Dartmouth College v. Woodward: Protector of corporate charters under the contract clause of the Constitution.

Wars and Conflicts

• Battle of Horseshoe Bend: Fought in 1814; decisive victory for Andrew Jackson against Creek Indians, ending the Creek War.
• Battle of Plattsburgh: Significant victory for American forces during the War of 1812.
• Battle of the Thames: Resulted in the death of Tecumseh, effectively ending the Indian confederation.

Treaties and Policies

• Treaty of Ghent: Ended the War of 1812, restoring prewar boundaries.
• Florida Purchase Treaty (Adams-Onis Treaty): Spain ceded Florida to the U.S.; U.S. dropped claims to Texas.
• Monroe Doctrine: Foreign policy statement asserting that Europe should not interfere in Western Hemisphere affairs.

Important Legislative Actions and Events

• Era of Good Feeling: Period marked by political unity during Monroe's presidency.
• Missouri Compromise: Compromise addressing the extension of slavery into new territories.
• Hartford Convention: Meeting of Federalists during the War of 1812, viewed as traitorous and weakening the party.
• Tallmadge Amendment: Proposed gradual emancipation of slaves in Missouri, perceived as a threat to sectional balance.
• Land Act of 1820: Authorized purchasing land at a minimal price, facilitating western expansion.
• Panic of 1819: Post-war economic depression attributed to overproduction and mismanaged national banking.

Economic Policies and Concepts

• Tariff of 1816: Protective tariff aimed at helping American industries post-war.
• Second Bank of the United States: Chartered in 1816; became a source of controversy and opposition, notably from Andrew Jackson.
• Ohio Fever: Phenomenon where European immigrants purchased large tracts of inexpensive land in America.

General Concepts

• Constitution: Written framework of government in the United States.
• Isolationism: Policy of non-involvement in international economic and political relations.