Social Studies Gu9ide

What is a revolution in the context of society?

A major change in society, politics, or the economy that happens quickly.

What defines an industrial revolution?

A period of rapid technological and industrial growth that changes how goods are produced.

What are the four essential components needed for an industrial revolution?

Natural resources, labor, capital, and technology.

What were the three catalysts for American industrialization?

New inventions, improved transportation, and available capital.

How did the cotton gin impact slavery in the South?

It increased cotton production and strengthened the system of slavery.

Who invented the cotton gin and interchangeable parts?

Eli Whitney.

What was the significance of interchangeable parts in manufacturing?

They made production faster and repairs easier, boosting manufacturing.

What realization did the U.S. come to after the War of 1812 regarding industry?

The U.S. needed to rely less on foreign goods and build its own industry.

What was the first factory in the United States?

The Slater Mill, founded in 1790 in Pawtucket, Rhode Island.

What were the consequences of factory growth during the industrial revolution?

Increased production and urbanization, but also poor working conditions.

Why did textile factories flourish in New England?

Due to its rivers, labor supply, and shipping ports.

What was the role of the Erie Canal in American trade?

It connected the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean, boosting trade and settlement.

What was the Triangle Trade?

The exchange of goods and enslaved people between Africa, Europe, and the Americas.

What was the Middle Passage?

The brutal sea journey enslaved Africans were forced to take to the Americas.

What was the American Colonization Society's goal?

To send freed African Americans to Africa (Liberia).

What was the significance of the Underground Railroad?

It aimed to help enslaved people escape to Canada or Mexico, where slavery was illegal.

What did the Fugitive Slave Act require?

Citizens to return escaped enslaved people to their owners.

Who was Harriet Tubman?

An escaped enslaved woman who led others to freedom on the Underground Railroad.

What was the Second Great Awakening?

A religious revival that inspired many reform movements.

What was the purpose of the Seneca Falls Convention?

It was the first women's rights meeting that issued the Declaration of Sentiments.

What did the Maine Law (1851) accomplish?

It banned the sale of alcohol in Maine, inspiring similar laws in other states.

What was the Common School Movement?

A movement that promoted free public education for all children.