Texas History Quiz: Revolution and Manifest Destiny

Era of Good Feelings

• Spanning from 1815 to around 1828
• Marked by a period of American confidence following the War of 1812
• Characterized by reduced sectional divisions and political strife
• The Federalist Party dissolved, leaving the Democratic-Republicans as the dominant party
• James Monroe ran unopposed in 1816, signifying a perceived national unity

American Cultural Nationalism

• American art and literature emphasized American uniqueness and pride, distinguishing it from British culture
• Noah Webster's dictionary and "American Spelling Book" contributed to the development of distinct American English
• Washington Irving and James Fenimore Cooper were prominent figures who helped establish American literature on the world stage.
• Irving's Knickerbocker Tales and Cooper's Last of the Mohicans are notable works

Second Great Awakening

• Significant religious revival in the 1820s
• Characterized by large, emotional religious gatherings in tents
• Revived emphasis on personal religious experience and salvation
• Growth of Methodism and Baptists due to their focus on the common man

Cotton Gin

• Invented by Eli Whitney in 1793
• Revolutionized cotton production
• Resulted in increased demand for enslaved labor to meet the growing need for cotton cultivation
• Played a major role in the expansion of the southern cotton economy

Early Industrialization

• Economic boom in the early 1800s due to the industrial revolution
• Innovations such as the steamboat (Robert Fulton's Clermont) and telegraph (Samuel Morse) aided communication and transportation
• America showcased inventions and innovations it was proud of

Henry Clay's American System

• Proposed plan to boost the national economy
• Included internal improvements (infrastructure), protective tariffs, and a national bank, though many challenged the wisdom of this multifaceted plan

Five Ways the Government Controls the Economy

• Taxation (raising or lowering)
• Regulations (rules for businesses)
• Interest rates (setting high or low)

The Erie Canal

• Crucial for connecting the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean
• Significantly boosted trade and economic growth in the Great Lakes region
• Its completion spurred industrial and economic growth and development of significant cities

The Missouri Compromise of 1820

• Sought to balance the number of free and slave states, averting conflict
• Established a line prohibiting slavery north of Missouri's southern border, a compromise that only delayed more conflict, as it didn't resolve the root issues

The Monroe Doctrine

• Issued to warn European countries against intervention in the Americas
• Protected the newly independent Latin American republics
• Demonstrated a growing assertiveness of American foreign policy

The Election of 1824

• Marked the transition from the Era of Good Feelings to the Age of Jackson
• Multiple candidates ran; no one won a majority of electoral votes and the election was thrown to the House of Representatives
• Resulted in controversy including the "corrupt bargain" to solidify a president in office, and Andrew Jackson

Age of Jackson

• Period of increased democracy for white men
• Focus on the "common man"—often in opposition to the elite
• Reform movements emphasized issues such as alcoholism, slavery, and education

The Spoils System

• System of rewarding political supporters with government jobs.

The Webster-Haynes Debate

• Heated debate over nationalism, states' rights, and slavery

The Nullification Crisis

• Dispute over the federal government's authority to enforce tariffs
• South Carolina's assertion of the right to nullify federal laws

The Peggy Eaton Affair

• Scandal involving Jackson's cabinet and social tensions

Indian Removal Act and Trail of Tears

• Legislation authorizing the forced removal of Native American tribes from their ancestral lands
• The Trail of Tears is the tragic movement of these tribes and its associated deaths

The Bank War

• Andrew Jackson's opposition to the Second Bank of the United States
• He argued this was an instrument of eastern wealth against the South
• Eventually led to the closing of the Bank

Reform Movements

• Period of social and political reform movements to improve society
• Includes temperance, abolitionism, and women's rights

The Major Reform Movements

• Temperance (the effort to outlaw alcohol)
• Abolition (the movement to end slavery)
• Women's rights

Manifest Destiny and the South

• Belief that the United States was destined to expand its territory and influence across North America
• Often intertwined with issues of slavery and expansionist ideas
• Led to conflicts with Mexico (Mexican-American War) and disputes over the Oregon Territory

Mexican-American War

• Conflict between the United States and Mexico.
• The war resulted in the U.S. gaining vast territories such as California and New Mexico
• The war was highly controversial because of the issue of expansion

Civil War

• Conflict between the Union and the Confederacy (southern states)
• The war resulted from disagreements regarding states' rights, slavery, tariffs, and economic differences
• The war was fought over a period of four years

Reconstruction

• Period following the Civil War (1865-1877)
• Focused on rebuilding the South and integrating formerly enslaved people into society
• Many challenges and conflicts arose.

Reconstruction Era

• Aftermath of the Civil War, with the goal of rebuilding the South and integrating formerly enslaved individuals into society as citizens
• Marked by intense political conflict and tensions
• Issues like sharecropping, Black Codes, and Jim Crow Laws limited rights