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U.S. History EOC

Terms in this set (78)

Virginia
The first permanent English colony in North America. The Virginia Company wanted to go their only to find gold to ship back to England. They established a legislative assembly, similar to Parliament, The House of Burgesses. No gold was found, but tobacco became a major cash crop.
New England
The first New England colonies were established by the Puritans in present-day Massachusetts. Puritans were not tolerant of other religions. Rhode Island was founded by religious dissenters from Massachusetts who were more tolerant of different religious beliefs.
King Philip's War (1675-1676)
He was also known as Metacom. This war was an early and bloody conflict between English colonists and Native Americans. As a result many Native Americans fled the area allowing more colonist expansion.
Mid-Atlantic Colonies
Pennsylvania was founded by religiously tolerant Quakers led by William Penn. New York was settled by the Dutch, who called it New Amsterdam. In 1664, the British conquered the colony and renamed it New York. New York's location to the water made it a major port city.
Quebec
France settled up there for the fur trade.
Mercantilism
This theory held that the Earth had a limited supply of wealth in the form of natural resources, especially gold and silver, so the best way to become a stronger nation was to acquire the most wealth.
Growth of the African Population
When the colonists first established Virginia there were no African slaves. By 1700, however, there were thousands of African slaves throughout the British colonies. The vast majority of the slaves were in the Southern colonies and they helped support the agriculture business.
The Middle Passage
The sea voyage that carried Africans to North America was called the Middle Passage because it was the middle portion of a three-way voyage, also known as trans-Atlantic trade, made by the slave ships.
Benjamin Franklin
He sought ways to improve himself (individualism) and to rise in society (social mobility). Known for the invention of electricity.
The Great Awakening
The expansion of Christianity from Preachers throughout the colonies.
French and Indian War
The war resulted from a long-simmering rivalry between Great Britain and France and their competition for territory in North America. It broke out in 1754 when Great Britain challenged the French for control of the land that is now Ohio and western Pennsylvania. Native Americans tended to support the French because of the fur trade. Great Britain won the war. The Treat of Paris (1763) ended the French and Indian War. It forced France to turn over control of Canada to Great Britain. France also surrendered its claim to all land east of the Mississippi River, with the exception of the city of New Orleans.
Proclamation of 1763
This meant that Americans were forbidden from settling beyond the Appalachian Mountains in an effort to limit their conflicts with Native Americans as well as to keep colonists in designated areas to allow the government to gain much-needed revenue.
The Stamp Act
It required the colonists to print newspapers, legal documents, playing cards, and so forth on paper bearing special stamps. Buying the stamped paper was the equivalent of paying a tax.
The Intolerable Acts
They closed the port of Boston as punishment for the Boston Tea Party. These acts allowed British officials accused of major crimes to be tried in England and forced colonists to house British troops on their property.
Sons/Daughters of Liberty
American colonists opposed to British authority in Massachusetts formed a secret organization. To show their dislike of British rule, they damaged British property. The daughters of liberty wove homespun fabric to make clothes and other goods so the colonists would not need to rely on British imports. They were both behind the Boston Tea Party.
Common Sense
Written by Thomas Paine moved many Americans to join the resistance towards the British.
Declaration of Independence
Thomas Jefferson wrote the first draft and then made revisions suggested by John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and others. The text borrowed phrases from the influential writings of English philosopher John Locke. It explains thoroughly reasons for breaking away from Britain and all the things the King has done wrong towards the colonists.
George Washington and the Continental Army
When the American Revolution began, George Washington was named commander in chief of the Continental Army. He had wonderful leadership qualities and took inexperienced citizens and turned them into trained fighters. In the winter of 1777-1778, the Continental Army faced one of its most difficult trials at Valley Forge. They suffered from starvation, disease, and the lack of adequate shelter.
French Alliance
France decided to support the Americans during the Revolutionary War as a result of the American victory at the Battle of Saratoga in 1777.
American Victory(Revolutionary War)
Britain's plan to counter the French-American alliance was to have General Charles Cornwallis move the war to the southern states to try to separate those colonies from revolutionary forces in the North. Cornwallis pursued the Americans into Virginia but met with heavy resistance. Wishing to maintain communications with Great Britain by sea, the British general retreated to the coastal town of Yorktown. His forces were attacked by the combined French and American armies and a French fleet. Cut off from any reinforcements, Cornwallis was forced to surrender, and the American Revolution was nearly at an end in North America.
1783 Treaty of Paris
This document formally concluded the American Revolutionary War. The United States won its independence from Great Britain and gained control of land stretching to the Mississippi River. British ceded Florida to Spain and certain African and Caribbean colonies to France.
Articles of Confederation
First Constitution of the newly founded America. It very heavily reflected their fear of a strong national government from the King of England. As a result their was no executive branch established, lacked tax enforcement, and a national currency. With so much power to the states enforcing the laws became impossible because the states would just refuse to pay taxes.
Shay's Rebellion
Daniel Shays led more than a thousand farmers who, like him, were burdened with personal debts caused by economic problems stemming from the states Revolutionary War debts. Shays and his men tried to seize a federal arsenal in Massachusetts. The ability for the government being unable to put this down led to a need for change.
Constitutional Convention
Held in 1787 in Philadelphia delegates from all thirteen states met to discuss revisions to the Articles of Confederation. However they decided to write a new constitution for the country. During the Constitutional Convention, delegates became organized into two groups: Federalists and Anti-Federalists. Federalists wanted strong national government while the Anti-Federalists wanted to maintain the sovereignty of the individual states. They were concerned with losing individual rights so the Bill of Rights was the perfect compromise and was added onto the Constitution. This was known as the Great Compromise developed by James Madison. The theory of separation of powers was from Montesquieu.
Presidency of George Washington
He is the first President of the United States. He was elected because of his roles as leader of the Continental Army and the writing of the Constitution. As a President he had to suppress the Whiskey Rebellion from taxes on alcohol. He used the military to do so and proved that this new system of government was the ideal balance.He had a strong belief in non-intervention when it came to conflicts between European countries.
Presidency of John Adams
The election of 1796 was a bitter contest between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, Adams won but by a small margin. His administration was plagues by conflicts with France and Great Britain that crippled the nation's economy and did not get along with his Vice President Thomas Jefferson which caused problems. During his Presidency the idea of states rights came around.
Northwest Ordinance
The first U.S. governmental territory outside the original states was the Northwest territory. This law demonstrated that their national government encourage westward expansion. The ordinance banned slavery in that territory. Additionally, the Northwest Ordinance mandated the establishment of public schools in the territory.
Louisiana Purchase
Around 1800 the French ruler Napoleon controlled New Orleans and much of the land west of the Mississippi River. In 1803, Napoleon agreed to sell the United States not only New Orleans, but the entire Louisiana Territory for $15 million. As a result the United States nearly doubled in geographic area.
Lewis and Clark Expedition
Jefferson sent them to explore Louisiana and the western lands all the way to the Pacific Ocean. They charted trails, mapped rivers and mountain ranges, wrote descriptions of unfamiliar animals and plants, and recorded facts and figures about the various Native American tribes.
War of 1812: Causes
In 1812, America declared war on Great Britain, which was already at war with France. Four main reasons: first Americans objected to restrictions Britain was enforcing to prevent neutral American merchants from trading with the French. Second, the Americans were outraged by British policy of impressment. Third, the British were equipping the Native Americans with firepower making it dangerous for the Americans. Fourth, Americans wished to drive thew British out of North America altogether by conquering Canada while the British Army was fighting the French in Europe.
War of 1812: Results
A major result of the war of 1812 was the end of all U.S. military hostility with Great Britain. Never again would Britain and the United States wage war. There was a surge of nationalism particular because of the victory of Andrew Jackson at the Battle of New Orleans.
National Infrastructure (movement West)
In this period, many families moved West of the Appalachian Mountains to claim land in the new American territories stretching to the Mississippi River. Private companies began building trails for the travelers to use at a cost though.
Erie Canal and the Rise of New York City
The most famous canal built in this era was the Erie canal, which connected the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean. It was opened in 1825 and stretches from Lake Erie to the Hudson River, which flows into the Atlantic Ocean at New York City. It greatly lowered transportation costs. Until 1790, New York City was the capital of the United States.
Monroe Doctrine
In 1823, President James Monroe warned the nations of Europe not to meddle in the politics of North and South America. Monroe said that the United States would remain neutral in wars between European nations and their American colonies, but if battles took place in the New World, the United States would view such battles as hostile actions against the United States.
Eli Whitney and the Industrial Revolution
The period in the 19th century when power-driven machines operated by semi-skilled or unskilled workers replaced hand tools operated by skilled workers. American inventor Eli Whitney best illustrates the rise of industrialism with his invention of the cotton gin and interchangeable parts for muskets. The invention of the cotton gin led to an increase in slavery because the plantations were able to make more cotton therefore needing more pickers.
Manifest Destiny
Belief held by many Americans that God desired for them to continue their movement West.
Temperance Movement
Led by women who believed that alcohol was the main reason for the separation of families. And so they refused to marry men that drank. A good effort but was not very successful.
Abolition Movement
The movement to end slavery, was very early but did impact the future abolishing of slavery. Inspired the women's movement as well.
Public School Movement
This meant that all children were required to attend free schools supported by taxpayers and staffed by trained teachers.
Jackson Democracy
It sought to a stronger presidency and executive branch and a weaker Congress. Out of respect for the common man, it also sought to broaden public participation in government, so voting rights were expanded to include all adult white males, not just landowners. Some saw him as the champion of the common man, but others saw him as King Andrew.
Women's Suffrage Movement
This emerged in the first half of the 19th century out of the women's frustration that the U.S. Constitution did not guarantee women many rights and did not allow women to vote in elections. In 1848, women, and male supporters, met in Seneca Falls, New York, at the Seneca Falls Conference. Its chief organizer was Elizabeth Cady Stanton. There they wrote the Declaration of Sentiments which called for women to have the right to vote and set equality with men.
Abolition Major Supporters
William Lloyd Garrison- a writer and editor who founded regional and national abolitionist societies and published an antislavery newspaper that printed graphic stories of bad treatment received by slaves.
Frederick Douglas- a former slave, worked for Garrison, giving eloquent speeches on behalf of equality for African Americans and other minorities. He published autobiographies and his own anti-slavery newspaper.
The Grimke Sisters- they were southern women who lectured publicly throughout the northern states about the evils of slavery they had seen growing up on a plantation.
Missouri Compromise of 1820
The state constitution proposed by Missouri allowed slavery. There had to be a balance of slavery and non-slavery states. Under this Maine would be admitted as a non-slavery state.
Nat Turner Rebellion
African American preacher Nat Turner beveled his mission on Earth was to free his people from slavery. He led a slave rebellion on four Virginia plantations. About 60 whites killed, and Turner was captured, tried, and executed. From this the slave owners enforced more strict rules for fear of this taking place again.
Nullification Crisis
Vice President John C. Calhoun argued with President Andrew Jackson about the rights of states to nullify (cancel) federal laws they opposed. This resulted when southern states sought to nullify a high tariff Congress had passed on manufactured good imported from Europe. This tariff helped northern manufacturers, but hurt southern plantation owners. Therefore Sectionalism arose in the nation.
Mexican-American War
In 1845, the United States took Texas into the Union and set its sights on the Mexican territories of New Mexico and California. U.S. annexation of Texas and other factors led to war in 1846. The United States eventually won the war, this region was ceded to the United States as a part of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.
Wilmot Provisio
During the Mexican-American War, Congress debated over what type of states would New Mexico and California would be. The anti-slavery position was outlined in a proposal but the House of Representatives failed to approve it.
Compromise of 1850
The expansion in the west fueled political tensions between free and slave states. Many members of Congress became increasingly concerned that the issue of slavery threatened the survival of the nation. Both sides of the argument agreed to five laws addressing the concern. 1-California was admitted as a slave state, 2-Utah territory and New Mexico territory were organized with slavery to be decided by popular sovereignty, 3- Texas's boundaries were established and the federal government assumed Texas's preannexation debts, 4-the slave trade abolished in Washington D.C., and 5- the Fugitive Slave Act was strengthened. Effective for only a short period of time though.
Kansas-Nebraska Act
In 1854, Congress again took up the issue of slavery in new U.S. states and territories. This time the territories were Kansas and Nebraska, Congress approved this act which repealed the Missouri Compromise of 1820. Popular sovereignty was the deciding factor which allowed the people to decide if it was free or not.
Dred Scott Decision
In 1857, the U.S. Supreme Court issued the Dred Scott Decision, settling a lawsuit in which an African American slave named Dred Scott claimed he should be a free man because he had lived with his master in slave states and in free states. The court rejected Scott's claim, ruling that no African American-even if free- could ever be a U.S. citizen.
John Brown
He fought abolition with violence, killed many people for his cause. In 1859 he led a raid on a federal armory at Harper's Ferry, Virginia. They seized federal weapons and ammunition killing 7 people. He wanted to supply the slaves with weapons. But the raid failed and he was captured by the U.S. Marines and he was eventually tried and hanged for murder.
Preserving the Union
President Abraham Lincoln was elected in 1860. South Carolina voted to seceded from the United States, followed by Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and then Texas. They formed their own country called the Confederate States of America. When they attacked the U.S. Army base at Fort Sumter, South Carolina, in April 1861, the long feared Civil War began. Lincoln's new goal was to reunite the nation.
Emancipation Proclamation
Lincoln used his emergency powers to issue the Emancipation Proclamation. It emancipated (freed) all slaves held in the Confederate states. He thought that the slaves could flee to the north.
Habeas Corpus
Not all Northerners supported President Lincoln's efforts to preserve the Union, some were Confederate sympathizers. Throughout the war, in some states Lincoln suspended the constitutional right of habeas corpus- the legal right that anyone imprisoned must be taken before a judge to determine if the prisoner is being legally held in custody.
Civil War: North Leaders
President: Abraham Lincoln
Generals: Ulysses S. Grant & William Tecumseh Sherman
Civil War: South Leaders
President: Jefferson Davis
Generals: Robert E. Lee & Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson
Key Battles Civil War
Fort Sumter: April 1861, a federal fort in the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina. Confederate forces staged a 24-hour bombardment against it and by attacking federal property, had committed an act of open rebellion. To uphold the Constitution, President Lincoln believed he had no choice but to call fro troops to respond against the Confederacy. As a direct result, the Civil War began.
Antietam: September 1862, Robert E. Lee marched his forces to Antietam Creek, Maryland, where he fought the first major battle in the north. The outcome of this battle was Lincoln using the Emancipation Proclamation.
Gettsyburg: July 1863, Robert E. Lee hoped that an invasion of Union territory would significantly weaken Northern support for the war effort. He wanted to get support from Great Britain or France. It was the deadliest battle of the American Civil War.
Vicksburg: May-July 1863, Ulysses S. Grant laid siege to Vicksburg, Mississippi, because the army that controlled its high ground over a bend in the Mississippi River would control traffic on the whole river. Union Victory.
Atlanta: July-September 1864, William Sherman besieged Atlanta, Georgia. His goal was to disrupt the Confederacy's capacity to resupply its troops throughout the South. He burned buildings and tore up railways. This decided who the winner was.
Gettsyburg Address
In November 1863, it was another event by which he shaped popular opinion in favor of preserving the Union. It was to dedicate the memorial for those who fought at Gettsyburg.
Reconstruction
13th Amendment: abolished slavery and involuntary servitude in the United States
14th Amendment: defined U.S. citizenship as including all persons born in the United States, including African Americans, guaranteed that no citizen could be deprived of his or her rights without due process.
15th Amendment: removed restrictions on voting based on race, color, or ever having been a slave, granted the right to vote to all male U.S. citizens over the age of 21.
Morehouse College
Founded in Atlanta in 1867 for African American men in the fields of education and ministry.
Freedman's Bureau
It was created by Congress in 1865 to help African Americans the transition to freedom.
Impeachment of President Andrew Jackson
Radical Republicans impeached Johnson when he ignored laws they had passed to limit presidential powers.
Resistance to Racial Equality
Black Codes: laws written to control the lives of freed slaves in ways slaveholders had formerly controlled the lives of their slaves. Depriving them of their right to vote.
Ku Klux Klan: White southerners would attack black families during the night in protest for their freedom.
Railroads
The transcontinental railroad was finished in 1869 in Utah and it connected the East and the West.
Steel
This was used for the railroads so this business boomed and quickly became a monopoly.
Oil
John D. Rockefeller founded the Standard Oil Company. He created a monopoly.
Electricity
He invented the electrical light bulb, the phonograph, and motion pictures.
Native American Resistance
The Sioux leader, Sitting Bull, then fought U.S. troops, led his people to a brief exile in Canada, and finally agreed to settle on a reservation. Wounded Knee was a bloody execution by the American soldiers.
New Immigrants
Ellis Island immigrant station is located in the New York Harbor.
Asian American Rights
In the 1800s , Asian Americans anti-immigrant sentiment. They encouraged Congress to pass the Chinese Exclusion Act.
American Federation of Labor
The head of this is Samuel Gompers. His goal was to use strikes to convince employers to give workers shorter workdays, better working conditions, higher wages, and greater control of the workplace responsibilities. Unskilled workers were allowed to join, it wasn't exclusive. Pullman Strike backfired because the company just hired new workers.
Progressive Reforms
Jane Addams established the Hull House in Chicago. When enough citizens supported an initiative, the government had to present the issue to the public as a referendum on which the public can vote. This also prevented government officials from ignoring the desires of citizens. Citizens could remove public officials from office before their terms expired by organizing a recall election. This allowed citizens to control who serves in government. Another progressive reforms was the direct election election of senators.
Muckrakers
Writers who wrote the truth about the ugly things hiding. Upton Sinclair and Ida Tarbell are two of those.
African American Rights
The Jim Crow Laws were segregation laws established by southern states government. Plessey vs. Ferguson ruled in favor of "separate but equal."
Philippine-American War
The first battles of the Spanish-American War took place in the Philippines, another Spanish colony in which Spain refused to grant independence to rebels fighting a revolutionary war. The Philippines was a U.S. territory until 1946.
U.S. Actions in Latin America
President Teddy Roosevelt feared European countries would take advantage of this instability to gain power and influence in the region. Panama Canal was the major engineering project of this period.
World War I
When the war first started in 1914 the U.S. stayed neutral. In 1917 Germany resumed unrestricted warfare leading into America entering the war.
Isolationism
During World War
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