front 1 American Colonization Society (ACS) | back 1 An organization established in 1816 with the goal of assisting free African Americans to emigrate to Africa. The ACS played a significant role in the founding of Liberia, a country on the west coast of Africa. |
front 2 McCulloch v. Maryland | back 2 A landmark Supreme Court case in 1819 that established the principle of national supremacy and the validity of implied powers. The ruling stated that states could not tax the national bank, strengthening federal authority. |
front 3 Haitian Revolution | back 3 A successful anti-slavery and anti-colonial insurrection by self-liberated slaves against French colonial rule in Saint-Domingue, now the sovereign nation of Haiti, from 1791 to 1804. It was the first successful slave revolt in the Americas. |
front 4 Embargo Act | back 4 An 1807 law passed by the United States Congress that imposed a general embargo on all foreign nations, initiated by President Thomas Jefferson. It was intended to pressure Britain and France to respect American rights during the Napoleonic Wars but led to economic hardship in the U.S. |
front 5 Louisiana Purchase | back 5 The acquisition of the Louisiana territory by the United States from France in 1803. The U.S. paid approximately $15 million for the territory, effectively doubling the size of the nation and opening up land for westward expansion. |
front 6 National Road | back 6 Also known as the Cumberland Road, it was the first major improved highway in the United States built by the federal government. Construction began in 1811 and it served as a main transport path to the West for thousands of settlers. |
front 7 Corps of Discovery | back 7 The expedition led by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark from 1804 to 1806 to explore the newly acquired western portion of the United States after the Louisiana Purchase. It provided valuable information about the geography, biology, and ethnic groups of the western territories. |
front 8 Multiplier Effect | back 8 An economic term referring to the increase in final income arising from any new injection of spending. It reflects how initial spending can lead to a greater increase in national income and consumption. |
front 9 Judiciary Act | back 9 Refers to the Judiciary Act of 1789, which established the federal judiciary of the United States. It set the number of Supreme Court justices and established the lower federal courts. |
front 10 Cotton Gin | back 10 An invention by Eli Whitney in 1793 that revolutionized the cotton industry by greatly speeding up the process of removing seeds from cotton fiber. It significantly contributed to the growth of slavery in the southern United States. |
front 11 Marbury v. Madison | back 11 A 1803 Supreme Court case that established the principle of judicial review in the United States, meaning that American courts have the power to strike down laws, statutes, and some government actions that they find to violate the Constitution. |
front 12 American System of Manufacturing | back 12 A set of manufacturing methods that evolved in the 19th century in the United States, characterized by the use of interchangeable parts and mechanization for mass production, paving the way for modern industrialization. |
front 13 Capitalist System | back 13 An economic system characterized by private or corporate ownership of capital goods, investments that are determined by private decision rather than by state control, and prices, production, and the distribution of goods that are determined mainly by competition in a free market. |