American History Mid-Term Study Guide 3

Electoral Votes

The votes cast by electors in the Electoral College; Abraham Lincoln received 0 in the South.

Common Sense

A pamphlet by Thomas Paine advocating for American independence from British rule.

Declaration of Independence

Document primarily written by Thomas Jefferson declaring the colonies' independence from Great Britain.

King George II

The King of England during the American Revolution.

Sugar Act

A law imposing a tax on molasses and other sugar products.

Second Continental Congress

Gathering that established the Continental Army and appointed George Washington as commander in chief.

Jefferson Davis

Elected president of the Confederate States during the Civil War.

Abraham Lincoln

President of the United States during the Civil War.

William McKinley

Republican presidential nominee in 1896 supporting the gold standard.

George Custer

Colonel who led troops in a battle against Native Americans and ignited a gold rush.

Chief Red Cloud

Native American leader who opposed white settlement on Sioux hunting grounds.

William Jennings Bryan

Former congressman from Nebraska and Democratic presidential nominee in 1896.

Captain Fetterman

Army officer involved in the Fetterman Massacre against Native Americans.

Crazy Horse

Lakota leader who fought against Custer and played a key role in the Fetterman Massacre.

Oliver Hudson Kelley

Founder of the Patrons of Husbandry, known as the Grange.

Sitting Bull

Leader of the Hunkpapa Sioux tribe who resisted the Treaty of Fort Laramie.

Homestead Act

Legislation that provided 160 acres of land to heads of households in the West.

Ghost Dance Movement

Native American spiritual movement predicting the return of ancestors and buffalo.

Great Plains

Region in the central US where Native Americans historically lived.

Carlisle School

Institution that forced Native Americans to assimilate into American culture.

Buffalo Soldiers

African American soldiers who served in the U.S. Army and fought in Native American wars.

Ft. Laramie Treaty

Agreement that recognized Sioux rights to their lands in exchange for peace.

Dawes Act

Legislation aimed at assimilating Native Americans by allotting them individual plots of land.

Farmers' Alliances

Groups organized to support farmers' financial interests and reforms.

Bonanza Farm

Large-scale farms that primarily grew a single crop.

Gold Standard

A monetary system where currency value is directly linked to gold.

Wounded Knee Massacre

The final major battle of the Great Plains, resulting in the deaths of many Native Americans.

Battle of Little Big Horn

Famous battle also known as Custer's Last Stand.

Populism

Political movement advocating for the rights and power of the common people.

Exoduster

African Americans who migrated from the South to Kansas after the Civil War.

Soddy

A type of home made from compressed prairie turf that was common on the plains.

Bessemer Process

Steel-making process that involves injecting air into molten iron.

Transcontinental Railroad

Railroad that connected the east and west coasts of the United States.

Credit Mobilier

A scandal involving shareholders of the Union Pacific Railroad.

Munn v. Illinois

Supreme Court case upholding state regulation of railroads.

Interstate Commerce Act

Law regulating the railroad industry and ensuring fair rates.

Sherman Anti-Trust Act

Legislation that made it illegal to form monopolies that stifled competition.

Pullman Strike

Major railroad strike in 1894 that disrupted rail traffic.

Thomas Edison

Inventor credited with developing the first practical electric light bulb.

George Pullman

Businessman who developed a factory for railroad sleeping cars.

Andrew Carnegie

Industrial leader who dominated the steel industry in the U.S.

John D. Rockefeller

Founder of Standard Oil, pivotal in the U.S. oil industry.

Samuel Gompers

Labor leader who founded the American Federation of Labor.

Eugene V. Debs

Labor leader involved in strikes and the socialist movement.

Mary Harris Jones

Labor activist who campaigned for workers' rights, especially for women.

Skyscraper

A tall building, notably designed by architects like Louis Sullivan and Daniel Burnham.

Booker T. Washington

African American educator advocating for vocational training for black individuals.

W.E.B. Du Bois

First African American to earn a doctorate from Harvard, co-founder of the NAACP.

Ida B. Wells

Journalist and civil rights advocate who campaigned against lynching.

Joseph Pulitzer

American newspaper publisher known for establishing sensational journalism.

Mark Twain

American author known for his classic novels and humor.

Americanization Movement

Effort to assimilate immigrants into American culture.

Graft

Corruption in politics for personal gain.

Tenement

Overcrowded urban housing, typically poorly maintained.

Political Machine

An organization that influences local politics by providing favors to constituents.

Grandfather Clause

Law allowing individuals to bypass literacy tests if their grandfathers had voted before 1867.

Plessy v. Ferguson

Supreme Court case that upheld racial segregation under the 'separate but equal' doctrine.

Prohibition

The legal ban on the production and sale of alcoholic beverages.

Bull Moose Party

Progressive political party formed by Teddy Roosevelt.

New Freedom Plan

Woodrow Wilson's plan for economic and social reforms.

Federal Reserve System

Central banking system established to regulate the economy.

Spanish-American War

Conflict resulting in the U.S. gaining territories such as Puerto Rico and the Philippines.

DeLome Letter

A letter criticizing President McKinley, contributing to the U.S. entering the Spanish-American War.

Teller Amendment

Provision stating that the U.S. would not annex Cuba post-war.

Platt Amendment

Legislation granting the U.S. the right to intervene in Cuban affairs.

Dollar Diplomacy

Taft's foreign policy promoting American financial interests in foreign countries.

Yellow Journalism

Sensationalized news reporting that influenced public opinion and policy.

Emilio Aguinaldo

Leader of the Philippine Revolution against Spanish colonial rule.

Jose Marti

Cuban nationalist leader advocating for Cuban independence.

George Dewey

Naval commander during the Spanish-American War.

William Howard Taft

Governor-General of the Philippines and later U.S. President.

Teddy Roosevelt

26th President known for progressive reforms and his role in the Spanish-American War.

Sanford Dole

President of Hawaii who supported annexation by the U.S.

Queen Liliuokalani

Last monarch of Hawaii before U.S. annexation.

William Seward

Secretary of State known for purchasing Alaska.

Pancho Villa

Mexican revolutionary general known for raids into the U.S.

Treaty of Paris

Treaty ending the Spanish-American War.

USS Maine

U.S. naval ship whose explosion sparked the Spanish-American War.

Electoral Votes

Votes cast by electors in the Electoral College, which ultimately determine the outcome of presidential elections in the United States. Notably, during the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln received no electoral votes from the Southern states.

Common Sense

A widely read pamphlet authored by Thomas Paine in 1776 that argued for American independence from British rule, using compelling logic and clear language to persuade the colonists.

Declaration of Independence

A historic document, primarily authored by Thomas Jefferson in 1776, that formally announced the American colonies' separation from Great Britain. It articulates principles of individual rights and government by consent.

King George II

The monarch of Great Britain during the early stages of the American Revolution; he faced significant opposition from American colonists who sought independence.

Sugar Act

A legislative act passed in 1764 that imposed taxes on molasses and other sugar products imported into the American colonies, which was intended to raise revenue and curb smuggling.

Second Continental Congress

A significant assembly of colonial delegates that convened in 1775 to manage the Revolutionary War effort, establish the Continental Army, and appoint George Washington as its commander in chief.

Jefferson Davis

The president of the Confederate States of America during the Civil War, who struggled to maintain the Confederacy’s political unity and military effectiveness against the Union.

Abraham Lincoln

The 16th President of the United States, who led the country during the Civil War and worked to preserve the Union while promoting the emancipation of enslaved people.

William McKinley

The Republican presidential nominee in the election of 1896, who strongly supported the gold standard as the basis for the nation's currency.

George Custer

A U.S. Army colonel infamous for leading troops into battle against Native Americans, most notably during the Battle of Little Bighorn, which triggered a mass gold rush.

Chief Red Cloud

A prominent Native American leader of the Sioux who fiercely opposed the encroachment of white settlers onto Sioux hunting grounds and led a successful campaign against the U.S. military.

William Jennings Bryan

A prominent politician and former congressman from Nebraska who became the Democratic nominee for president in 1896, advocating for the interests of farmers and the working class.

Captain Fetterman

An army officer involved in the Fetterman Massacre, a significant battle during the Indian Wars where his command was overwhelmed and killed by Native American forces.

Crazy Horse

A legendary Lakota leader who is renowned for his role in fighting against General Custer and for his leadership in the Fetterman Massacre, symbolizing Native resistance.

Oliver Hudson Kelley

The founder of the Patrons of Husbandry, also known as the Grange, which aimed to advocate for the interests and rights of farmers in the late 19th century.

Sitting Bull

A revered leader of the Hunkpapa Sioux tribe, known for his resistance against U.S. policies, especially the Treaty of Fort Laramie which sought to limit Sioux territory.

Homestead Act

Legislation passed in 1862 granting 160 acres of public land to any adult head of household in the West willing to improve the land through farming or other means.

Ghost Dance Movement

A spiritual movement among Native Americans in the late 19th century that expressed hopes for the return of ancestors and the restoration of traditional lands and ways of life.

Great Plains

The expansive region in the central United States characterized by flat lands and scarce trees, which was historically inhabited by various Native American tribes.

Carlisle School

A Native American boarding school established in Pennsylvania aimed at assimilating Native American children into American culture through education and erasure of their indigenous identities.

Buffalo Soldiers

Troops in the U.S. Army, primarily composed of African Americans, who served in the post-Civil War era and fought in conflicts with Native Americans as well as during the Spanish-American War.

Ft. Laramie Treaty

An 1868 agreement between the U.S. government and the Sioux Nation, recognizing the Black Hills as part of Sioux territory in exchange for peace and cessation of hostilities.