NYS Regents U.S. History and Government Review

A comprehensive set of practice flashcards covering the major sections of U.S. History from Colonial America through the 1960s, based on the NYS Regents Exam Review Packet.

What was the primary motive of the English businessmen who settled Jamestown, Virginia?

To make money by growing and selling tobacco in an area with fertile soil.

Why did the Puritans settle the Massachusetts Bay colony?

They were seeking religious freedom for themselves.

Which European group initially settled New Amsterdam on Manhattan island for fur trading?

The Dutch traders.

According to the transcript, what geographic features bordered the colonies on the east and west?

The Atlantic Coast on the east and the Appachian Mountains on the west.

Under the policy of mercantilism, what were the two main reasons a "mother country" like England held colonies?

1. To get raw materials; 2. To create new markets (places to sell their products).

What did the British policy of salutary neglect entail?

The British left the Americans alone in their day-to-day lives as long as raw materials were shipped to England and Americans bought only British-made products.

What was the purpose of the Triangular Trade?

Merchants brought raw materials from the American colonies to Europe, European goods to Africa, and transported captured Africans to the colonies to work as slaves.

How did the Mayflower Compact contribute to early American democracy?

It was an agreement by Puritan settlers to follow the idea of self-government.

What was the significance of the House of Burgesses in Virginia?

It was the first elected legislature in the American colonies and a first step towards representative government.

How did the British relationship with the American colonists change after the French and Indian War ended in 1763?

The British abandoned salutary neglect and imposed new taxes like the Stamp Act, Sugar Act, and Tea Act to pay for the war.

Who was assigned the job of writing the Declaration of Independence?

Thomas Jefferson.

According to the Declaration of Independence, what are "natural rights"?

Rights that every human being is born with that are "unalienable," such as "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."

What Enlightenment idea from Jean-Jacques Rousseau is contained in the Declaration of Independence?

The social contract, which says people owe loyalty only to a government that acts in their best interests.

What was the primary weakness of the government under the Articles of Confederation?

It had only one branch (legislative), no power to collect taxes, and states held most of the power, resulting in a weak central government.

What was the Northwest Ordinance?

A law under the Articles of Confederation that defined the procedure for adding new states into the nation.

How did the Great Compromise resolve the debate between large and small states?

It created a bicameral legislature with a House of Representatives (proportionate representation based on population) and a Senate (equal representation for each state).

What did the Anti-Federalists demand before agreeing to the Constitution?

A Bill of Rights to protect people against government abuse.

What are the three branches of government established by the Constitution to provide separation of powers?

The executive, legislative, and judicial branches.

What was George Washington’s suggested foreign policy for the United States?

Isolationism—staying out of the affairs of Europe and remaining neutral.

How did the views of Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson differ regarding the Constitution?

Jefferson was a strict constructionist who believed the Constitution should be followed closely; Hamilton was a loose constructionist who believed in a strong, flexible government.

What are three examples of the "unwritten Constitution"?

The president’s cabinet, the two-party system, and judicial review.

Which Supreme Court case established the power of judicial review?

Marbury v. Madison, under Chief Justice John Marshall.

What was the concept of manifest destiny?

The idea that God had given the U.S. the right to expand to the Pacific Ocean, even if it meant taking the territory of others.

What were the major gains of the Louisiana Purchase of 1803?

The U.S. doubled in size, gained New Orleans, and obtained control of the Mississippi River.

Which war resulted in Mexico being forced to give up over 1/3 of its territory, including modern-day California?

The Mexican-American War (leading to the Mexican Cession in 1848).

What was the Supreme Court ruling in the Dred Scott case?

It ruled that slaves were not citizens and had no rights, and that slavery would always be legal because property rights could not be violated.

What were the three Reconstruction Amendments and what did they cover?

The 13th (abolished slavery), 14th (guaranteed equal protection and citizenship), and 15th (guaranteed voting rights for African American men).

What was the significance of the Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) ruling?

The Supreme Court upheld segregation laws, stating that "separate but equal" facilities were legal.

What is the difference between laissez-faire capitalism and social Darwinism?

Laissez-faire is the idea that government should not interfere in business; social Darwinism is the belief that the rich deserve their wealth because they are the "fittest."

Which two business leaders were often called "robber barons" due to their unfair practices?

Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller.

What was the goal of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882?

To outlaw all immigration from China for reasons of race.

Who wrote the muckraking book The Jungle, and what reform did it inspire?

Upton Sinclair; it inspired the Meat Inspection Act and the Pure Food and Drug Act.

What was the purpose of the 17th Amendment during the Progressive Era?

To allow for the direct election of senators to reduce government corruption.

What did the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine state?

That the U.S. had the right to be the "policeman" in the Western Hemisphere and interfere in the affairs of Latin American and Caribbean countries.

What was the result of the Schenck v. United States case?

The Supreme Court ruled that freedom of speech could be restricted if it presented a "clear and present danger" to national security.

What was the Scopes Monkey Trial a symbol of?

The battle between science (evolution) and religion (creation) in the U.S. during the 1920s.

What was the Harlem Renaissance?

A movement of African American arts, culture, and literature centered in Harlem, involving figures like Langston Hughes and Duke Ellington.

What were the main causes of the Great Depression?

Overproduction of consumer goods and farm crops, too much credit, and speculation on the stock market.

What was the purpose of FDR’s New Deal program?

To provide work relief (jobs), direct relief (money), and bank reform (FDIC) to help the U.S. survive the Depression.

Which Supreme Court case ruled that the internment of Japanese-Americans during WWII was legal?

Korematsu v. United States (1944).

What was the GI Bill?

A law that gave WWII veterans a free college education and money toward buying a house.

What was the goal of the Marshall Plan during the Cold War?

To stop the spread of communism (containment) by providing economic aid to Europe.

What was McCarthyism?

A "witch hunt" for communists inside the U.S. during the 1950s that led to the violation of people's rights.

Which Supreme Court case overturned Plessy v. Ferguson?

Brown v. Board of Education (1954), which made school segregation illegal.

What was the goal of Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society campaign?

To make a "War on Poverty" through programs like Head Start, Medicaid, and Medicare.

Why did Congress pass the War Powers Act of 1973?

To limit the president's power to commit troops to war following the Vietnam War.