Mercantilism - European economic policy of gaining power by gathering gold and silver. Your nation had to export more than import. Your nation had to have colonies for raw materials to make money off of.
Trans-Atlantic Trade – Any trade across the Atlantic Ocean.
Triangular Trade – Trans-Atlantic Trade between the 3 major points of Europe, Africa and the New World.
Navigation Acts – Laws set by England/Great Britain to control Trans-Atlantic Trade. Laws on ships and trade.
Indentured servants – Early workers in colonial America. People who could not afford a trip to the New World would offer labor for approximately 7 years in exchange for their trip to the colonies being paid for by a person of greater wealth, who they would work for.
Southern Colonies – based on agriculture, slavery abundant here.
Mid-Atlantic Colonies – more diverse, grew a lot of grain, more religious tolerance.
New-England Colonies – based on religious freedom. Fishing and trade economy.
Jamestown – first permanent English colony, did poorly at first but eventually made money off of tobacco.
Captain John Smith – organized and led Jamestown during hard times.
John Rolfe – brought tobacco to Jamestown and married Pocahontas.
Tobacco – product that saved Jamestown. Brought by John Rolfe.
Powhatan – name of Chief of the Powhatan tribe and the name of the local Native Americans at Jamestown before the English arrived.
Virginia Company – the group that established Jamestown under a charter from King James. It was a joint-stock company.
House of Burgesses – the first representative legislature in the New World. The residents of Jamestown elected representatives to make decisions for them since England was so far away.
Bacon’s Rebellion – Rebellion against Jamestown led by Nathaniel Bacon. Indentured servants revolted because they could not get the land they were promised and in turn attacked local Native American lands. Indentured servitude dies out as a result.
Lord Baltimore – founded Maryland (hence, Baltimore, Maryland).
Maryland – safe haven colony for Catholics.
Act of Toleration – law in Maryland that enforced freedom of religious practice for all Christians.
Lord Proprietors – name for the 8 nobles who were given the Carolinas.
Charleston – transportation hub in the Carolinas.
General James Oglethorpe – founder of Georgia.
Mayflower Compact – government agreed upon by the Pilgrims on the ship on their way to the New World. They agreed that their law would be based on majority rule.
John Winthrop – leader of the Puritans who settled Massachusetts Bay Colony.
“City Upon a Hill” – speech by John Winthrop on how puritans should behave in the New World to make a better life.
Salem Witch Trials – major hysteria in Salem, Massachusetts led to the death of 19 accused of being witches. Passed over quickly.
Metacom – He was also known as King Philip. He was the leader of the Native Americans who fought against the colonists in King Philip’s War. Killed.
King Philip’s War – War between Native Americans and colonists in New England. Native Americans lost and left New England.
Rhode Island – colony where religious dissenters (those who did not follow the religious norm) were sent from Massachusetts.
Roger Williams – a founder of Providence, Rhode Island.
Anne Hutchinson – a founder of Rhode Island.
Thomas Hooker – founder of Connecticut.
The Fundamental Orders of Connecticut – established elected legislature in Connecticut.
Pequot War – battle at Mystic Fort, Connecticut in which hundreds of Pequot were killed.
New Netherlands/New Amsterdam – colony in what is now New York that was settled by the Dutch (people from the Netherlands).
New York – name for New Amsterdam after it was taken over by the British. Major trade port.
William Penn – founder of Pennsylvania, Quaker.
Quaker – major religion that settled in Pennsylvania. Did not believe in war or paying taxes. Pacifists. Very tolerant.
Middle Passage – trade route from Africa to the New World (mostly the Caribbean and Brazil). African slaves were brought to the New World by ship.
Shotgun House – home with straight walkway through all rooms. Based on African architecture.
Salutary Neglect – practice of Great Britain allowing colonies to not be restricted as long as the economy was working. Practice of looking away as long as getting paid.
The Great Awakening – Time of religious revival in which colonists were moved to be closer to God. George Whitefield was a well-known preacher of this time with fire and brimstone sermons.
The Enlightenment – a philosophical movement which emphasized social contract.
French and Indian War – Dispute over the Ohio River Valley between France and Great Britain. Great Britain won but at the cost of a great debt.
The Treaty of Paris 1763 – Ended the French and Indian War.
Proclamation of 1763 – Line set in the Appalachian Mountains by the King that colonists were not supposed cross following the French and Indian War. The idea was to keep colonists from going to war with Native Americans and costing more money since they were already in debt.
Stamp Act – First direct tax on the colonists. Tax on paper goods.
Committees of Correspondence – group formed by colonists to communicate about British activities.
Sons of Liberty – groups of men who protested and boycotted against the British. Led actions such as the Boston Tea Party.
Daughters of Liberty – groups of women who protested the British by boycotting and creating homespun cloth etc.
Boston Tea Party – protest led by Sons of Liberty in which British Tea was dumped into Boston Harbor. Led to British issuance of the Intolerable Acts.
Intolerable Acts – Punished Boston for their actions with the Boston Tea Party, closed the port, took over courts, put soldiers in peoples homes.
Thomas Paine – American Enlightenment thinker. Wrote Common Sense.
Common Sense – Written by Thomas Paine and spread through the colonies thanks to the printing press. Gave people reasons to rebel against Britain.
John Locke – Enlightenment thinker. Influenced Jefferson’s work on Declaration of Independence. Life, liberty and property.
Thomas Jefferson – Author of Declaration of Independence. President. Led the Louisiana Purchase.
Committee of Five – Supposed to create reasons for Independence, led to Declaration of Independence. Members included: T. Jefferson, B. Franklin, J. Adams, Livingston, and Sherman.
Social Contract Theory – from John Locke. Idea that people and government have an agreement and people give up some freedoms for a government that will protect them and do as consented.
Benjamin Franklin – American Ambassador to France during American Revolution, negotiated for help from France. Also a founding father.
John Adams – also ambassador to Europe during War. 2nd President and 1st Vice President.
Valley Forge – training grounds for Washington’s army. Winter in Pennsylvania. Harsh conditions. Leaders included Washington, Lafayette and von Steuben.
Baron von Steuben – Trained continental soldiers.
Marquis de Lafayette – French colonel who helped continental/American soldiers during Revolution.
Crossing the Delaware/Battle of Trenton – Surprise attack by Washington on the British on Christmas. Continental victory.
Battle of Saratoga – American victory over British, turning point in the war because France openly joined American cause.
Battle of Yorktown – Final battle of the Revolution. Cornwallis surrendered to Washington.
Crispus Attucks – African American killed during the Boston Massacre.
1783 Treaty of Paris – Ended the American Revolution, recognized America as a nation and set new borders.
Land Ordinance of 1785/Northwest Ordinance – set rules for creating states. No slavery allowed in Northwest Territory, 60,000 population to apply for statehood, land for public schools.
Articles of Confederation – First American Government. Weak.
Shays’ Rebellion – Farmer rebellion over taxes, led by Daniel Shays, showed weakness of Articles of Confederation.
Great Compromise – blended the Virginia and New Jersey Plans to create representation rules for Constitution. 2 per state for senate and House of Representatives based on population.
3/5ths Compromise – determined population count for slavery. Each slave was counted as 3/5ths of a person towards state population and tax.
Anti-Federalists – Anti-Constitution or strong federal government.
Federalists – pro Constitution.
Federalist Papers – pro-Constitution writings that supported strong Federal government. Madison, Hamilton and Jay.
George Washington – First President. Also known for setting precedents for future presidents, such as two terms.
Washington’s Farewell Address – Washington’s final statements to the nation as retiring president. Said there should be no political parties and no long standing foreign alliances.
Alien and Sedition Acts – Under John Adams. Made stricter immigration laws and laws that limited speech.
Louisiana Purchase – doubled the size of the United States. Jefferson’s presidency. Bought territory from France for $15 million. Napoleon needed money for war.
Corps of Discovery – Lewis and Clark Expedition. Sent to find a water route to the Pacific, but there wasn’t one. Still found lots of new plant and animal species and Native American tribes.
War of 1812 – War between United States and Great Britain. Fought over Britain’s use of impressment on Americans, the desire to take Canada, Britain arming Native Americans and trade disputes
Impressment – forcing someone into the military (especially on ships War of 1812)
Monroe Doctrine – Statement made by Monroe to European nations telling them to stay out of America’s Hemisphere and not to colonize or interfere in the area.
Jacksonian Democracy – presidential/government ideals under Andrew Jackson’s presidency. Universal white male suffrage, Manifest Destiny, strong executive branch.
Nullification Crisis – Debate when South Carolina refused to pay a Tariff, or tax, because they said it was an abomination. John C. Calhoun supported the statement of nullification and Andrew Jackson threatened to use the Force Bill to send in troops. It was resolved peacefully.
Indian Removal Act – Jackson’s forced removal of Native Americans in the Southeast. Led to the Trail of Tears.
Worcester vs Georgia – Supreme Court said the Cherokee had a right to their land. Jackson ignored this and created the Tail of Tears.
Industrial Revolution – turn from agriculture to manufacturing.
American System – need to know Henry Clay is the main American name with this. Idea of connecting manufacturing in America geographically and use tariffs to take care of American economy.
Second Great Awakening – much like the first Great Awakening. This one leads to reform movements in America including Abolitionism and Temperance.
Horace Mann – voice for public education. Argued for mandatory attendance and better training for teachers.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton – led the Seneca Falls Convention, movement for Women’s suffrage.
Fredrick Douglas – abolitionist, former slave. Editor of the newspaper, North Star.
Missouri Compromise – Forbade slavery above the 36-30 line. Maine was created as a free state. Missouri was created as a slave state.
John C. Calhoun – Senator from South Carolina, Vice President when he supported the Nullification Crisis.
Sectionalism – division between northern and southern states. Especially caused by the south’s use of slavery.
War with Mexico – began with a dispute over the Mexico-Texas border. America won and gained SW territory.
Wilmot Proviso – proposed there should be no slavery in the SW territory gained from war with Mexico but this was not accepted and slavery did enter the area. This is an example of sectionalism.
Compromise of 1850 – California entered the union as a free state, SW territory would decide slavery based on popular sovereignty, no slave trade was allowed in DC, Fugitive Slave Act enacted.
Kansas-Nebraska Act – popular sovereignty in Kansas-Nebraska Territory, removed the 36-30 line from Missouri Compromise. Led to Bleeding Kansas.
Popular Sovereignty – the people in the territory get to vote on whether or not slavery would be allowed in the area.
Dred Scott Case – Dred Scott sued for his and his wife’s freedom, they were denied by the Supreme Court who said that they were slaves and therefore not citizens, so their case was thrown out.
John Brown’s Raid – on Harper’s Ferry, Virginia. Raided the arsenal for guns to give slaves to revolt. No one showed up, they were caught and he was killed.
Abraham Lincoln – 16th President. His election in 1860 was the moment when South Carolina left the union and the Civil War began.
Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address – stated there was hope to put the Union back together, and that the country would be whole again.
Habeas Corpus – suspended by Lincoln during the war, it is supposed to protect people arrested by giving them charges.
Ulysses S. Grant – leader of the Union Army during Civil War
Robert E. Lee – Confederate General. From Virginia, refused to fight against his home state.
Thomas Stonewall Jackson – Southern general (Confederate) killed by friendly fire at Chancellorsville.
William T. Sherman – Union General, burned Atlanta and had March to the Sea across Georgia.
Jefferson Davis – only Confederate president.
Fort Sumter – first shots of the Civil War, South Carolina island fort
Antietam – bloodiest one day battle of the Civil War, led to the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation.
Vicksburg - Grant led attack on Vicksburg, MS. River was caught by the Union and split the South in half.
Gettysburg - must deadly battle of the war. Led to the Gettysburg Address. The South was on the run and never invaded the North again.
Battle for Atlanta - Sherman led siege on Atlanta to destroy the railways. Burned it down.
Emancipation Proclamation - Lincoln's work that was a reaction to the Battle of Antietam. Freed slaves only in areas of rebellion. Gave moral reason to fight.
Reconstruction - Period following the Civil War in which the South was rebuilt, physically and politically.
Presidential Reconstruction - Started by Lincoln. Andrew Johnson led this, was seen as more lenient on the South.
Radical Republican Reconstruction - Congressional Reconstruction. Wanted to punish the South, put South under military rule.
Morehouse College - created during Reconstruction in Georgia. Part of Freedman's Bureau.
Freedmen's Bureau - helped feed, cloth , education, etc former slaves and those impacted by the Civil War in the South.
13th Amendment - ended slavery
14th Amendment - granted citizenship to former slaves
15th Amendment - voting rights for former slaves (males only)
Black Codes - laws that kept African Americans in a state of slavery following the Civil War.
Ku Klux Klan - terrorist group that was created by former Confederate soldiers to intimidate Republicans
Andrew Johnson - President during Reconstruction. Became President upon the assassination of Lincoln.
Election of 1876 - Election of Hayes, end of Reconstruction