| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| democratic beliefs | Ideals emphasizing popular sovereignty, individual rights, and representative government that influenced American society in the early 19th century. |
| geographical mobility | The movement of people from one region or location to another, including westward expansion and migration to urban areas. |
| individualistic beliefs | Philosophical ideas emphasizing personal autonomy, individual responsibility, and self-improvement that influenced American reform movements. |
| market revolution | The transformation of the American economy from subsistence farming and local trade to a national market economy based on commercial production and exchange. |
| rationalism | An Enlightenment philosophy emphasizing reason and logic as the primary sources of knowledge, influencing early 19th-century American thought. |
| Second Great Awakening | A Protestant religious revival movement in early 19th-century America that emphasized personal conversion and moral improvement, inspiring social and reform movements. |
| social mobility | The ability of individuals to move up or down in social and economic status within a society. |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| agricultural production | The cultivation and harvesting of crops and livestock for commercial purposes. |
| foreign policy | Government strategies and decisions regarding relationships, alliances, and conflicts with other nations. |
| foreign trade | The exchange of goods and services between the United States and other nations. |
| gender and family relations | The social roles, relationships, and dynamics between men and women within households and families. |
| intellectual movements | Organized developments in philosophy, science, and ideas that shaped how people understood society and the economy. |
| manufacturing | The production of goods in factories using industrial methods, which became a major driver of economic growth in the Northern United States. |
| market revolution | The transformation of the American economy from subsistence farming and local trade to a national market economy based on commercial production and exchange. |
| national culture | Shared beliefs, values, customs, and practices that Americans developed to define themselves as a unified nation during the early 19th century. |
| participatory democracy | A system of government in which a broader range of citizens have the right to vote and participate in the political process, expanded in this period through suffrage reform. |
| political parties | Organized groups of citizens united by common ideals and goals that compete for political power and influence. |
| property ownership | The holding of land or possessions as a basis for determining voting rights or social status. |
| regional identities | The cultural and social characteristics that distinguish different geographic regions and their populations. |
| religious movements | Organized groups or trends centered on religious beliefs and practices that gain followers and influence over time. |
| republic | A form of government in which power rests with citizens and their elected representatives rather than with a monarch or single ruler. |
| settlement patterns | The distribution and arrangement of human populations across geographic areas. |
| slavery extension | The debate and contests over whether slavery would be permitted in newly acquired western territories, a major political conflict of the period. |
| suffrage | The right to vote in political elections, which expanded from property-based qualifications to include all adult white men during this period. |
| trade patterns | The established routes and systems through which goods are exchanged between regions and nations. |
| transportation systems | Networks and infrastructure, such as canals, railroads, and roads, that facilitate the movement of goods and people. |
| westward expansion | The movement of British colonists into the interior regions of North America, particularly west of the Appalachian Mountains. |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| abolitionist movements | Organized efforts to end slavery and emancipate enslaved people, particularly in the Northern states during the early 19th century. |
| democratic beliefs | Ideals emphasizing popular sovereignty, individual rights, and representative government that influenced American society in the early 19th century. |
| emancipation | The act of freeing enslaved people from bondage and granting them freedom. |
| free African Americans | African Americans who were not enslaved, primarily concentrated in Northern states during the early 19th century. |
| individualistic beliefs | Philosophical ideas emphasizing personal autonomy, individual responsibility, and self-improvement that influenced American reform movements. |
| market revolution | The transformation of the American economy from subsistence farming and local trade to a national market economy based on commercial production and exchange. |
| rationalism | An Enlightenment philosophy emphasizing reason and logic as the primary sources of knowledge, influencing early 19th-century American thought. |
| reform movements | Organized efforts by groups of people seeking to improve society by changing laws, institutions, or individual behaviors during the early 19th century. |
| Second Great Awakening | A Protestant religious revival movement in early 19th-century America that emphasized personal conversion and moral improvement, inspiring social and reform movements. |
| Seneca Falls Convention | A women's rights convention held in 1848 in Seneca Falls, New York, where participants expressed ideals of gender equality and drafted the Declaration of Sentiments. |
| temperance | A reform movement advocating for the reduction or elimination of alcohol consumption to improve individual morality and social conditions. |
| utopian movements | Religious and social communities established in the 19th century based on idealistic visions of a perfect or ideal society. |
| voluntary organizations | Groups formed by citizens who joined together voluntarily to promote social and political reform causes. |
| women's rights movement | Social and political movement advocating for equal rights and opportunities for women, including suffrage and legal protections. |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| abolitionist movements | Organized efforts to end slavery and emancipate enslaved people, particularly in the Northern states during the early 19th century. |
| changes | Transformations or alterations in conditions, experiences, or circumstances over a period of time. |
| communities | Groups of people, often enslaved or free African Americans, who formed social and cultural bonds for mutual support and protection. |
| continuities | Elements, patterns, or conditions that remained consistent or unchanged over a period of time. |
| enslaved people | Individuals held in bondage and forced to labor without freedom or compensation. |
| family structures | The organization and relationships within families, including kinship bonds that African Americans worked to maintain and protect. |
| free African Americans | African Americans who were not enslaved, primarily concentrated in Northern states during the early 19th century. |
| political efforts | Organized actions and advocacy aimed at influencing government policy and changing legal or social status. |
| rebellions | Organized armed resistance or uprisings by enslaved people against their enslavement. |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| agricultural staples | Primary crops grown for export and economic profit, such as cotton, tobacco, and rice in the Southern economy. |
| Appalachians | The mountain range in eastern North America that served as a boundary for colonial settlement and westward expansion. |
| arable land | Land suitable for farming and crop production. |
| environmental factors | Geographic and climate conditions that influenced colonial settlement patterns, economic development, and social structures. |
| geographic factors | Physical characteristics of a region such as climate, terrain, and natural resources that influence economic and social development. |
| overcultivation | The practice of farming land intensively without allowing it to recover, leading to soil depletion and reduced fertility. |
| plantation | A large agricultural estate in the South that produced cash crops, typically worked by enslaved labor. |
| slavery | The institution of forced labor in which people were held as property and exploited for economic gain in the British colonies. |
| Southern regional identity | A distinctive cultural and economic identity developed by the South based on agricultural production, slavery, and social hierarchy. |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| agricultural production | The cultivation and harvesting of crops and livestock for commercial purposes. |
| American identity | The shared characteristics, values, and sense of belonging that define what it means to be American, shaped by historical events and cultural developments. |
| foreign policy | Government strategies and decisions regarding relationships, alliances, and conflicts with other nations. |
| foreign trade | The exchange of goods and services between the United States and other nations. |
| manufacturing | The production of goods in factories using industrial methods, which became a major driver of economic growth in the Northern United States. |
| market revolution | The transformation of the American economy from subsistence farming and local trade to a national market economy based on commercial production and exchange. |
| national culture | Shared beliefs, values, customs, and practices that Americans developed to define themselves as a unified nation during the early 19th century. |
| participatory democracy | A system of government in which a broader range of citizens have the right to vote and participate in the political process, expanded in this period through suffrage reform. |
| political parties | Organized groups of citizens united by common ideals and goals that compete for political power and influence. |
| slavery extension | The debate and contests over whether slavery would be permitted in newly acquired western territories, a major political conflict of the period. |
| suffrage | The right to vote in political elections, which expanded from property-based qualifications to include all adult white men during this period. |
| territorial expansion | The process of acquiring and incorporating new lands into a nation's control, particularly through military victory or diplomatic negotiation. |
| transportation systems | Networks and infrastructure, such as canals, railroads, and roads, that facilitate the movement of goods and people. |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Constitution | The fundamental governing document of the United States, whose interpretation was a central issue in early republic policy debates. |
| diplomatic efforts | Official negotiations and relations conducted by the U.S. government to establish influence and control over North America in the early 1800s. |
| exploration | The act of traveling to and investigating unfamiliar territories, in this context referring to European voyages to the Americas. |
| federal government | The central national government of the United States with authority over the states. |
| federal laws | Laws enacted by the national government that were established to take precedence over state laws in the early republic. |
| judicial review | The power of the Supreme Court to determine the meaning of the Constitution and establish the primacy of the judiciary in constitutional interpretation. |
| Louisiana Purchase | The 1803 acquisition of the Louisiana Territory from France, which expanded U.S. territory and prompted debates over federal power and westward expansion. |
| state laws | Laws enacted by individual states, which were subordinate to federal laws according to Supreme Court decisions in the early republic. |
| Supreme Court | The highest court in the United States, which established its authority to interpret the Constitution and determine the meaning of federal law. |
| tariff | A tax imposed on imported goods, a major policy debate in the early republic regarding federal economic power. |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| American System | A plan to unify and strengthen the U.S. economy through federal investment in infrastructure, protective tariffs, and a national bank. |
| economic policy | Government decisions and actions regarding taxation, spending, banking, and commerce in the new republic. |
| federal government | The central national government of the United States with authority over the states. |
| Missouri Compromise | A congressional agreement that temporarily resolved tensions between pro-slavery and anti-slavery forces by admitting Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state. |
| political compromise | An agreement between opposing political groups in which each side makes concessions to reach a settlement. |
| regional interests | The economic, political, and social priorities specific to different geographic areas of the country that often influenced political leaders' positions on major issues. |
| slavery | The institution of forced labor in which people were held as property and exploited for economic gain in the British colonies. |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| American Indian removal | The forced displacement of Native American tribes from their ancestral lands, often to territories west of the Mississippi River, as part of U.S. territorial expansion. |
| foreign policy | Government strategies and decisions regarding relationships, alliances, and conflicts with other nations. |
| foreign trade | The exchange of goods and services between the United States and other nations. |
| Monroe Doctrine | An 1823 U.S. foreign policy declaration warning European powers against colonizing or interfering in the Americas and asserting American dominance in the Western Hemisphere. |
| Western Hemisphere | The half of Earth containing North and South America, which became a focus of U.S. foreign policy and influence. |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| agricultural inventions | Technological innovations designed to increase the efficiency of farming and crop production. |
| banking | Financial institutions and services that grew alongside Northern manufacturing and commerce to support economic expansion. |
| canals | Artificial waterways constructed as transportation infrastructure to extend markets and foster regional interdependence. |
| cotton production | The cultivation and harvesting of cotton, particularly in the Southern states, which became a major driver of national and international commerce. |
| entrepreneurs | Individuals who organized and invested in new business ventures to create the market revolution in production and commerce. |
| interchangeable parts | Standardized components that could be used in place of one another, increasing production efficiency and reducing manufacturing costs. |
| manufacturing | The production of goods in factories using industrial methods, which became a major driver of economic growth in the Northern United States. |
| market revolution | The transformation of the American economy from subsistence farming and local trade to a national market economy based on commercial production and exchange. |
| railroads | Transportation networks supported by legislation and judicial systems that extended markets and linked regions more closely together. |
| regional interdependence | Economic relationships between different regions where each relies on the other for goods and services, fostered by transportation networks. |
| roads | Transportation infrastructure supported by legislation and judicial systems to extend and enlarge markets. |
| shipping industries | Commercial enterprises involved in transporting goods, which expanded in Northern states in connection with cotton production and manufacturing. |
| steam engines | Machines powered by steam that increased the efficiency of production methods in manufacturing and transportation. |
| telegraph | A communication technology that transmitted messages over long distances, increasing efficiency in commerce and coordination. |
| textile machinery | Mechanical innovations designed to increase the efficiency of cloth production. |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Appalachians | The mountain range in eastern North America that served as a boundary for colonial settlement and westward expansion. |
| business elite | A small group of wealthy entrepreneurs and industrialists who accumulated significant capital and power during the Market Revolution. |
| domestic ideals | Cultural values and expectations regarding family life and women's roles that emphasized the separation of public and private spheres during the Market Revolution. |
| innovation in agriculture | The development of new farming techniques and tools that increased agricultural productivity and transformed rural American society. |
| innovation in commerce | The development of new methods of trade, distribution, and economic exchange that expanded markets and connected distant regions. |
| innovation in technology | The development and application of new technological methods and tools that changed production and commerce during the Market Revolution. |
| laboring poor | A large and growing population of workers, including factory workers and laborers, who earned subsistence wages during the Market Revolution. |
| manufacturing | The production of goods in factories using industrial methods, which became a major driver of economic growth in the Northern United States. |
| middle class | A social and economic group characterized by professional occupations, managerial positions, clerical work, and access to education and consumer goods. |
| Ohio and Mississippi rivers | Major river systems in North America along which new communities developed during westward expansion in the early nineteenth century. |
| semi-subsistence agriculture | A farming system in which families produced primarily for their own consumption with limited surplus for market sale. |
| separation of public and private spheres | The ideological division between the workplace and market economy (public) and the home and family life (private) that developed during the Market Revolution. |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| adult white men | The expanding electorate in the early 19th century as voting rights were extended beyond property owners to include all white male citizens of voting age. |
| participatory democracy | A system of government in which a broader range of citizens have the right to vote and participate in the political process, expanded in this period through suffrage reform. |
| political parties | Organized groups of citizens united by common ideals and goals that compete for political power and influence. |
| property ownership | The holding of land or possessions as a basis for determining voting rights or social status. |
| suffrage | The right to vote in political elections, which expanded from property-based qualifications to include all adult white men during this period. |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| American Indian populations | Native American peoples who were subject to federal control and relocation policies during this era. |
| American Indian resistance | Native American opposition to federal policies and westward expansion that led to military conflicts and forced relocation efforts. |
| Democrats | A political party that emerged in the 1820s-1830s, led by Andrew Jackson, with particular views on federal power and governance. |
| internal improvements | Federally funded infrastructure projects such as roads and canals that became a contested issue in debates about the scope of federal authority. |
| national bank | A central financial institution that became a major point of political debate regarding federal economic power and control. |
| policy debates | Ongoing political discussions and disagreements about government decisions and their implementation. |
| role of the federal government | The extent and nature of powers exercised by the national government, including questions about centralization versus state authority. |
| tariff | A tax imposed on imported goods, a major policy debate in the early republic regarding federal economic power. |
| Whigs | A political party that emerged in the 1820s-1830s, led by Henry Clay, with contrasting views to the Democrats on federal power and governance. |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| human perfectibility | The Romantic belief that individuals and society could be improved and perfected through education, reform, and moral development. |
| liberal social ideas | Progressive European philosophical concepts emphasizing individual rights, democratic principles, and social reform. |
| national culture | Shared beliefs, values, customs, and practices that Americans developed to define themselves as a unified nation during the early 19th century. |
| Romanticism | An intellectual and artistic movement emphasizing emotion, imagination, individualism, and the belief in human perfectibility and progress. |