Eli Whitney

1794 - invented cotton gin in response to demand from Englands textile mills 

- sped up process

-- put cotton in high demand, making it a new cash crop

- profitability of cotton ensured slavery would continue

Federalist Paper #10

1788 - Federalist Papers written by Madison under pen name Publius

- written to convince the public to support the Constitution

- argued that to "extend the sphere" (extend size and diversity of republic) would secure democracy

- many groups meant no single group could take over

- "Extend the sphere" justified western expansion

Northwest Ordinance

1787 - established territory  of 3-5 states North of Ohio River and east of Mississippi River

- Showed US intent to settle the area

- Territory inhabitants would be citizens, not colonists

- Purchased land from Indian tribe (could not be taken without consent)

- Prevented slavery in the area

Lewis and Clark expedition

1804 - Lewis and Clark sent with crew by Jefferson to explore western territory bought for $15 million in Louisiana purchase

- land from Gulf of Mexico to Canada all the way over to the Rockies

- returned in 1806 with detailed maps, drawings, and journal entries about findings

- these were printed and handed out

- Sacagawea had been Shoshone Indian guide

Indian Removal Act

1830 - Jackson reversed Jefferson's indian policy of assimilation

- funded removal of Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Cree, and Seminol indians (NC, GA, FL, AL, MS)

- these indians not savages, many had tried assimilation

- with Cherokee tribe led to court cases

Worchester vs. Georgia

1832 - court case following the Indian Removal Act of 1830

- Indians were distinct people with separate political identity

- should not be affected by US laws and polocies

- supreme court Chief Marshall ruled with indians

- President Jackson told him he could enforce it then (no help  from government)

- President Jackson went against Constitution in this statement

Second Great Awakening

1820's - 1830's

- Intersection of religion, individualism, industrialization
- wave of popular religious revivals 

Emancipation Proclamation

1862 - signed, in effect 1863

- announed right after big Northern win at Antietam

- freed slaves in Confederate states, not northern states

- was not in effect for 800,000 slaves in border states either

- faced some opposition in north, many knew it was military necessity

- went to contraband camps, Freedman's Village

Embargo Act

1807 - ban on all American ships to foreign ports

- put in place by President Jefferson in reaction to British blocking US trade to Europe and refusal to recognice US as sovereign nation

- goal: to force Europe to lift blockates and stop impressment

- result: Europe didn't notice, crippled shipping towns in US, Jefferson's popularity plummeted

Laura Secord

1813 - war hero of war of 1812 in Canada

- born in Massachusetts

- father moved family to Canada during Revolutionary war because loyalist

- she warned British of impending American attack that led to the victory at Battle of Beaver Dams

Triangle Trade

- main slavery route to America's

- rum and cloth from Britain --> North African island

- traded it for slaves --> slaves from Africa to Americas

- traded slaves for cotton and sugar

- took raw materials back to Britain to be namufactured

Dred Scott Decision

1854 - supreme court ruling against Scott (7-2)

- 1833: went with master to live in Illinois and Wisconsin (free states)

- when brought back to Missouri Scott sues master for freedom

- loses court in Missouri, appeals to Supreme court

- loses 7-2

- supreme Justice Roger Taney opinion: illegalization of slavery in other territories not valid, right of property extended to travel (with  master

- one of three main conflicts that led to Civil War

Harper's Ferry, Virgina

October, 1859 - John Brown and 18 others seize armory in Harper's Ferry

- ordered others to liverate slaves, take slaveholders hostage

- Col. Lewis Washington only man taken prisoner

- waited for slaves to rise up, slaves never responded

- army and navy responed under Lt. Col. Robert E. Lee

- Brown was tried, convicted, and hanged

- North horrified initially but takes his side after, South mollified until Northern attitued shifts and angers South

Compromise of 1850

1850 - Californai was admitted as a free state

- Fugitive slave law passed, abolished slave trade in D.C.

- New Mexico and Utah could apply for statehood under popular soverignty

- worked initially, but not in the long run

Battle of Saratoga

1777 - turning point in Revolutionary war

- Brit. General Burgoyne south from Canada to meet Brit. General Howe

- Howe moved forces from New York City to Philadelphia without telling Burgoyne

- Occupied Philadelphia, congress fled but Burgoyne exposed

- Burgoyne surrounded at Saratoga and taken over by Americans

- British realize we're not easy to beat

- French gave aid, boosted American moral

Shay's Rebellion

1787 - rebellion in west. Massachusetts led by Daniel Shay made of farmers

- in repsonse to increase in taxes to pay state debt from war

- shut down courts initially, but then 1,000 arrested

- used symbols for libery from 1760's

- showed political divisions within the country

- strengthened nationalist arguments, influenced writing of Constitution

- needed to curb "excesses of democracy"

Manifest Destiny

term coined in 1800's - belief that United States was destined to expand across continent

- used to justify war with Mexico in 1840s as well

- denounced by Whigs Clay, Webster, Lincoln

- Calhoun (democrat) also against

- stopped use around mid 1800s