Ch. 11 vocabulary review

Favorite son Candidate who received the backing of his home state rather than that of the national party

majority More than half

plurality Largest single share

mudslinging Attempts to ruin an opponent’s reputation with insults

landslide An overwhelming victory

bureaucracy A system in which nonelected officials carry out laws

Spoils system The practice of replacing government employees with the winning candidate’s supporters

Nominating convention The system in which delegates from the states selected the party’s presidential candidate

States’ rights The idea that the states have many rights and powers that are independent of the federal government

relocate To move someone to another place to live

Guerrilla (tactics) Type of war tactics in which fighting forces make surprise attacks and then retreat into hiding

Log cabin campaign An attempt to show presidential candidate William Henry Harrison as a “man of the people”

Jacksonian Democracy The era of American politics when Andrew Jackson was in charge

Nullification Crisis South Carolina nullified a federal tariff law & threatened to secede from the Union / Jackson threatened to send in troops

Republic of Texas The nation formed after Texas gained independence from Mexico

Abolitionists People who actively worked to abolish or get rid of slavery

Trail of Tears Route the Cherokees took to Indian Territory after being forced from their land in the East (4,000 died)

Suffrage The right to vote

Caucus System where major political candidates are chosen by committee members of Congress

nullify Cancel

Secede To break away

tariff Fee paid by merchants who imported goods

veto To reject a bill

Laissez-faire The government should interfere as little as possible in the nation’s economy

depression A period in which business and employment fall to a very low level

Suffrage The right to vote