1. Education

Glossary of the 1800s

In some ways the 19th century had its own language, as terms and events which would have been common knowledge 150 years ago have faded into history. On this page are links to definitions which will help to broaden your understanding of the times.

Abolitionist

Definition of abolitionist.

American Lyceum Movement

The American Lyceum Movement was a thriving social movement to spread education through lectures and other programs. Learn about the lyceums and the difference they made in early America.

Anaconda Plan

Definition of Anaconda Plan

Antebellum Era

Definition of Antebellum Era.

Bleeding Kansas

Definition of Bleeding Kansas

Boycott

Definition of Boycott

Brokered Convention

Definition of Brokered Convention

California Gold Rush

Definition of California Gold Rush

California Trail

Definition of California Trail

Chartist Movement, or Chartism

Definition of Chartist Movement or Chartism

Clipper ship

Definition of clipper ship.

Code Duello

Definition of Code Duello

Compromise of 1877

Definition of Compromise of 1877

Conestoga Wagon

Definition of Conestoga wagon

Congreve Rocket

Definition of Congreve Rocket, British Weapon Referred to in the "Star-Spangled Banner."

Copperhead

Definition of Copperhead

Daguerreotype

Definition of daguerreotype.

Dark Horse Candidate

History of the term dark horse candidate and its 19th century origins.

Decoration Day

Definition of Decoration Day

Dime Novel

Definition of dime novel.

East India Company

Definition of East India Company

Emancipation Proclamation

Definition of The Emancipation Proclamation

Embargo Act of 1807

The Embargo Act of 1807 was Thomas Jefferson's misguided plan to punish Britain for interfering with American trade.

Era of Good Feelings

Definition of Era of Good Feelings

Fenian Movement

Definition of Fenian Movement.

Fire-Eaters

Fire-Eaters

Forty Acres and a Mule

Definition of Forty Acres and a Mule

Franklin Expedition

Definition of the Franklin Expedition.

Freedmen's Bureau

Definition of Freedmen's Bureau

Fugitive Slave Act

Definition of Fugitive Slave Act.

Gadsden Purchase

Definition of Gadsden Purchase

Grand Army of the Republic

Definition of the Grand Army of the Republic

Great Game, The

Definition of The Great Game

Impressment of Sailors

Definition of Impressment of Sailors

King Cotton

Definition of King Cotton

Knights of Labor

Definition of Knights of Labor

Know-Nothing Party

Definition of the Know-Nothing Party.

Land League

Definition of Land League.

Louisiana Purchase

Definition of Louisiana Purchase

Lowell Mill Girls

Definition of Lowell Mill Girls and the Lowell System of Labor

Luddites

Definition of Luddites

Manifest Destiny

Definition of Manifest Destiny.

McCormick Reaper

Definition of McCormick Reaper

Molly Maguires

Definition of Molly Maguires

Monroe Doctrine

Definition of Monroe Doctrine

Mountain Men

Definition of mountain men.

Mugwumps

Definition of Mugwumps

National Road

Definition of National Road

Nullification Crisis

Definition of Nullification Crisis

Opium War

Definition of Opium War.

Oregon Trail

Definition of Oregon Trail.

Packet ship or packet liner

Definition of packet ship or packet liner.

Penny post

Definition of penny post.

Pogrom

Definition of Pogrom

Prairie Schooner

Definition of Prairie Schooner

Privateers

Definition of Privateers

Radical Republicans

Definition of Radical Republicans

Reconstruction

Definition of Reconstruction

Santa Fe Trail

Definition of Santa Fe Trail.

Scotland Yard

Definition of Scotland Yard

Scrimshaw

Definition of scrimshaw.

Secession

Definition of Secession

Sharecropping

Definition of Sharecropping

The Spoils System

Definition of Spoils System

Stump Speech

Definition of Stump Speech

Tariff of Abominations

Definition of Tariff of Abominations

Transcendentalist

Definition of Transcendentalist

Transportation (as Punishment)

Definition of transportation as punishment

Treaty of Ghent

Definition of Treaty of Ghent

Van Diemen's Land

Definition of Van Diemen's Land.

Victorian

Definition of Victorian

War Hawks

Definition of War Hawks

Wet Plate Collodion Process of Photography

Definition of Wet Plate Method (of Photography

Whig Party

Definition of the Whig Party

Yosemite Valley Grant Act

Definition of Yosemite Valley Grant Act

Young Ireland

Definition of Young Ireland.

Discuss in my forum

©2012 About.com. All rights reserved.

A part of The New York Times Company.