Unit 9 Flashcards
How did the election of Andrew Jackson as President signal a new day in American politics?
It reflected the greater power of the people and it showed the growing political power of the west
What was Jackson’s idea on how jobs in the federal government should be fulfilled?
That they should be rotated out on a regular basis and the winning party should be able to fill positions with its supporters
In the nullification controversy, what state opposed Jackson?
South Carolina
What did John Calhoun believe about the enforcement of Federal law?
That a state had the right to nullify or refuse to enforce a Federal law it believed was unconstitutional
Why did Andrew Jackson oppose the Bank of the United States?
Because he though it was unconstitutional, it did not provide a sound and uniform currency, it got involved in politics, and he was leery of all paper money
What was the term used for state banks that received Federal deposits?
Pet banks
What was the effect of Jackson’s monetary policies?
National economic downturn, inflation, and a serious depression, called the panic of 1837
What was the best known incident of Indian removal?
“The Trail of Tears”
What political party held the first national nominating convention?
The Anti-Masons
Who was Old Kinderhook?
Martin Van Buren
What two key positions did Van Buren hold in the Jackson administration?
He was Secretary of State and Vice President
What new political party opposed the Jacksonian Democrats?
The Whigs
How did the Whigs hope to win the presidency in 1836?
By nominating Whig candidates in hopes that each would be more popular than Van Buren, so that no candidate would have a majority of electoral votes
The administration of Martin Van Buren in 1836 was hurt by what event?
The Panic of 1837
What government office handled Federal revenues and cash flows?
The independent treasury
Who were the 1840 presidential nominees?
Martin Van Buren, William Henry Harrison, and John Tyler
What happened to William Henry Harrison soon after he took office?
He died of pneumonia after giving a long speech in bad weather without a hat
How did John Tyler and the Whig party get along?
Poorly. John Tyler was a roadblock to the Whig agenda and was cast out of the Whig party
What issue did the Democrats hope to ride back into power in 1844?
Westward expansion
What is manifest destiny?
It is the idea that God’s destiny for the United States extends across the continent
Over what trail did settlers travel from Independence, Missouri, to what is now the American northwest?
The Oregon Trail
What two countries jointly oversaw the Oregon Territory?
The United States and Great Britain
A land grant in Texas was given by the Mexican government to whom?
Moses Austin
Who encouraged Americans to settle in Texas?
Stephen Austin
Who were the Texians, and what did they establish?
Texas-Americans. They established the Republic of Texas as an independent nation
What battle did the Texians lose? What battle did the Texians win?
They lost at the battle of the Alamo and won at the battle of San Jacinto River
What position did the New Mexican government take regarding the independence of Texas?
They refused to accept the independence of Texas
Who was president of the Republic of Texas?
Sam Houston
Who were the two major party candidates for President in 1844?
Democrat James Polk and Whig Henry Clay
How was the Oregon question resolved?
Great Britain and the U.S. divided Oregon between them at the 49th parallel
When was Texas offered annexation and statehood?
1845
What was the controversy that led to the Mexican War?
What the border was between Mexico and Texas
In what year did the Mexican War begin, and in what year did it end?
It began in 1846; it ended in 1848
What did the U.S. receive as a result of the Mexican War?
Texas, California, and the New Mexico area in between for $15 million
What has been the importance of protest in American history?
To display people’s rejection of a certain stand or law in hopes that the government will listen and change
How can protest lead to change?
By people and the government becoming aware of the problem and striving to change it
