The Age of Jackson Vocabulary List

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Spoils System

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A practice where a political party gives government jobs to its supporters, friends, and loyal members after winning an election, rather than hiring based on merit.

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Trail of Tears

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The forced journey of Native American tribes, especially the Cherokee, from their homelands to lands west of the Mississippi River in the 1830s. Thousands died from hunger, disease, and harsh conditions.

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Indian Removal Act

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A law passed in 1830 that allowed the U.S. government to relocate Native American tribes from their lands in the southeastern United States to lands west of the Mississippi River.

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Tariff of Abominations

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A nickname for the high tariff (tax on imports) passed in 1828 that angered the South because it made imported goods more expensive, helping Northern industries but hurting Southern farmers.

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Sectionalism

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Loyalty to a region or section of the country rather than to the whole nation, often leading to disagreements between the North, South, and West over issues like tariffs and slavery.

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Nullification

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The idea that a state has the right to ignore or cancel a federal law if they believe it is unconstitutional. This was a major issue during the Nullification Crisis of the 1830s.

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Erie Canal

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A man-made waterway that connected the Hudson River to the Great Lakes, allowing for easier transportation of goods and people between the Northeast and the Midwest in the early 1800s.