Name:_________________________________________________________________ Date:__________ Class Period:______
Study Guide: The Antebellum Era (1781-1860)
Part A: Terms: Instructions: Below are important terms for the upcoming test. Know these terms well. On a
separate sheet of paper, write down at least one complete sentence explaining why each term is significant in the
history of The Antebellum Era (1781-1860).
1. Washington’s Cabinet
2. The Judiciary Act of 1789
3. Federalist Party
4. Democratic-Republicans
5. Whiskey Rebellion
6. Thomas Jefferson
7. Napoleon Bonaparte
8. The Federal Bank of the USA
9. The X, Y, Z Affair
10. Alien and Sedition Acts
11. Whigs
12. Louisiana Purchase
13. Marbury vs. Madison
14. The War of 1812
15. James Madison
16. The Treaty of Ghent
17. Francis Scott Key
18. Industry
19. Agrarian Economy
20. Henry Clay
21. The Monroe Doctrine
22. Cotton Gin
23. John Quincy Adams
24. Eli Whitney
25. The Missouri Compromise
26. The Corrupt Bargain
27. Andrew Jackson
28. The Trail of Tears
29. John C. Calhoun
30. Mormons
31. The Oregon Trail
32. Brigham Young
33. The Alamo
34. The Mexican-American War
35. Santa Anna
36. Stephen Austin
37. Immigration
38. Commonwealth vs. Hunt
39. Abolitionism
40. The Market Revolution
41. Lowell, Massachusetts
42. Samuel Morse
43. Uncle Tom’s Cabin
44. William Lloyd Garrison
45. Nat Turner
46. Frederick Douglas
47. Harriet Tubman
48. Elizabeth Cady Stanton
49. The Nullification Crisis
50. The Declaration of Sentiments (1848)
51. The Compromise of 1850
52. Topeka
53. The Republicans
54. The Know Nothing Party
55. Roger Taney
56. The Lincoln / Douglas Debates
57. The Dred Scott Decision
58. John Brown
59. Preston Brooks
60. Charles Sumner
Part B: Short Answer: Instructions: Answer the following questions on a separate sheet of paper.
1. Explain the difference between a loose interpretation of the Constitution and a STRICT interpretation of the
Constitution. Where did Alexander Hamilton and James Madison stand on this issue? How did this impact
their view of a Federal Bank?
2. Why was South Carolina angry about federal tariffs? What did they threaten to do in response to the tariffs?
3. What were some inventions that radically changed the USA during the Market Revolution?
4. What was abolitionism and how did it divide the USA?
Copyright ©, USHistoryTeachers.com
All Rights Reserved
ANSWERS:
Study Guide: The Antebellum Era (1781-1860)
Part A: Terms: Instructions: Below are important terms for the upcoming test. Know these terms well. On a
separate sheet of paper, write down at least one sentence explaining why each term is significant in the history of
The Antebellum Era (1781-1860).
1. Washington’s Cabinet: Washington’s cabinet
included men who helped him run the country.
His cabinet included Thomas Jefferson (State),
Alexander Hamilton (Treasury), and Henry
Knox (War).
2. The Judiciary Act of 1789: This created the
Supreme Court.
3. Federalist Party: This party wanted a strong
central government that benefited the rich. John
Adams was the only Federalist President.
4. Democratic-Republicans: This party wanted
strong state governments and Thomas Jefferson
was in this party.
5. Whiskey Rebellion: Alexander Hamilton placed
a tax on whisky. In 1794, whiskey producers in
western Pennsylvania attacked tax collectors and
13,000 troops were sent to force their rebellion
to cease.
6. Thomas Jefferson: He was the 3rd president of
the USA and made the Louisiana Purchase.
7. Napoleon Bonaparte: He sold the Louisiana
Purchase to the USA.
8. The Federal Bank of the USA: This was a
bank created by Alexander Hamilton.
9. The X, Y, Z Affair: Chief Justice John Marshal
met with French agents referred to as “X, Y, &
Z” and they wanted money. The men tried to get
the USA to bribe them to stop seizing ships.
They asked for $250,000.00. This was the
X,Y,Z Affair and angered America.
10. Alien and Sedition Acts: In the Alien and
Sedition Acts of 1798 & 1799, The Federalists
feared foreigners who supported the DemocraticRepublicans, so they took steps to limit the
power of immigrants. For instance, they raised
the citizenship requirement to 14 years residency
in the USA. They also gave the President power
to deport or jail any foreigner considered
“undesirable” to the USA.
Copyright ©, USHistoryTeachers.com
31. The Oregon Trail: Many people used this trail
to travel west.
32. Brigham Young: He was a Mormon leader
who led the effort to relocate in Utah.
33. The Alamo: This was a fort that was attacked by
Mexico resulting in the deaths of 187
Americans.
34. The Mexican-American War: A conflict
between the USA and Mexico in which the end
result meant Mexico had to move its border
further south.
35. Santa Anna: He was the President of Mexico
during the Mexican-American War.
36. Stephen Austin: He was a leader in Texas
encouraging people there to break away from
Mexico.
37. Immigration: This is the movement of people
from one country to another. Immigration
greatly increased in the mid-1800s.
38. Commonwealth vs. Hunt: This was a Supreme
Court case that asserted workers did have the
right to unionize.
39. Abolitionism: This was the movement to
abolish slavery.
40. The Market Revolution: This was an era in
which industry and technological innovation
greatly increased.
41. Lowell, Massachusetts: This was an area in
Massachusetts in which many factories were
established.
42. Samuel Morse: He invented the telegraph and
Morse Code.
43. Uncle Tom’s Cabin: This was a book written
by Harriet Beecher Stowe that exposed the evils
of slavery.
44. William Lloyd Garrison: He was a strong
abolitionist and publisher of the liberator.
45. Nat Turner: He was a slave who led a slave
rebellion against his masters.
All Rights Reserved
11. Whigs: In 1832, asserting Jackson had too much
power, the Whig party formed as a split from the
Democrats.
12. Louisiana Purchase: Thomas Jefferson led the
effort to purchase this region from Napoleon and
France.
13. Marbury vs. Madison: This was the Supreme
Court Case that established Judicial Review.
14. The War of 1812: This was a conflict between
the USA and Britain that occurred when Britain
kept taking USA ships at sea.
15. James Madison: Madison had a strict
interpretation of the constitution and was the
president during the war of 1812
16. The Treaty of Ghent: This ended the War of
1812.
17. Francis Scott Key: He wrote the Star Spangled
Banner.
18. Industry: This is when factories are used to
mass produce items in the economy.
19. Agrarian Economy: This is when the economy
is based on agriculture.
20. Henry Clay: A legislator from Kentucky, he
contributed to many compromises including the
Missouri Compromise, ending the nullification
crisis, and the Compromise of 1850.
21. The Monroe Doctrine: This was issued by
President Monroe to assert that the USA did not
want European nations heavily involved in the
western hemisphere.
22. Cotton Gin: This was a machine that made the
removal of seeds from cotton more efficient.
23. John Quincy Adams: He was the 6th President
of the USA.
24. Eli Whitney: He invented the cotton gin.
25. The Missouri Compromise: This was a
compromise that stated new states above 36’30
would be free and states under that line could
have slaves.
26. The Corrupt Bargain: This was an accusation
in which Jackson asserted it was a corrupt deal
when Henry Clay helped John Quincy Adams
defeat Jackson for the presidency.
27. Andrew Jackson: He was the 7th President of
the USA. He challenged the Federal Bank and
led efforts to initiate the Indian Removal Acts.
46. Frederick Douglas: He was a runaway slave
who was a strong abolitionist.
47. Harriet Tubman: She was a very famous
runway slave and conductor on the Underground
Railroad.
48. Elizabeth Cady Stanton: She was a famous
leader for women’s rights.
49. The Nullification Crisis: This was when South
Carolina refused to recognize federal tariffs.
50. The Declaration of Sentiments (1848): This
was when the Seneca Falls Convention created a
statement declaring why women deserved equal
rights.
51. The Compromise of 1850: This was a
compromise in which the North agreed to follow
the fugitive state law more closely if California
could be a state.
52. Topeka: This was the anti-slavery capital of
Kansas.
53. The Republicans: This was the party that
became dominantly anti-slavery.
54. The Know Nothing Party: This was a party
that was pro-nativism.
55. Roger Taney: He was the Supreme Court leader
in the Dred Scott Decision.
56. The Lincoln / Douglas Debates: In these
debates, Lincoln and Douglas debated Popular
Sovereignty in Illinois.
57. The Dred Scott Decision: This was the
Supreme Court ruling that slaves could not seek
freedom in the federal courts.
58. John Brown: He led a failed slave revolt in
Harper’s Ferry, Virginia.
59. Preston Brooks: He attacked Charles Sumner in
Congress over the issue of slavery
60. Charles Sumner: He was attacked by Preston
Brooks for speaking against slavery in Congress.
28. The Trail of Tears: Many Native Americans died
on this path as the Indian Removal Act forced them
to migrate west.
Copyright ©, USHistoryTeachers.com
All Rights Reserved
29. John C. Calhoun: He claimed South Carolina
should threaten to secede during the nullification
crisis.
30. Mormons: A religious group that settled in Utah.
Part B: Short Answer: Instructions: Answer the following questions on a separate sheet of paper.
1. Explain the difference between a loose interpretation of the Constitution and a STRICT interpretation of the
Constitution. Where did Alexander Hamilton and James Madison stand on this issue? How did this impact
their view of a Federal Bank?
In a strict interpretation, you can only do what the constitution prescribes. In a loose interpretation you can do
anything not specifically prohibited. Alexander Hamilton had a loose interpretation and felt the USA could have a
Federal Bank, since it was not prohibited in the Constitution. James Madison had a strict interpretation and believed
this meant there could be no Federal Bank, since it was not prescribed in the Constitution.
2. Why was South Carolina angry about federal tariffs? What did they threaten to do in response to the tariffs?
South Carolina believed the federal tariffs on cotton hurt their trade with Britain. They threatened to nullify and
refuse recognize the tariffs. These efforts were led by John C. Calhoun. Likewise, they even hinted that secession
would be a possible path or retaliation. Andrew Jackson promised federal intervention would come about if they did
this.
3. What were some inventions that radically changed the USA during the Market Revolution?
The telegraph made communication very quick. The introduction of factories led to mass produced items. The use
of the cotton gin made cotton production more efficient. The use of steamboats greatly increased trade and travel.
4. What was abolitionism and how did it divide the USA?
Abolitionism was the movement to end slavery. It had the support of many in the North who lived in an industrial
economy. The South was agrarian based and many did not support the abolitionist efforts. People like Frederick
Douglas, William Lloyd Garrison, Harriet Tubman, Harriet Beecher Stowe, and others argued slavery was immoral
and inhumane and must end.
Copyright ©, USHistoryTeachers.com
All Rights Reserved