American History FInal Study Guide Units 1 - 6 (Mr. See)

Explain the concept of mercantilism.

Mercantilism is the belief that colonies exist to benefit the mother country by supplying raw materials and serving as markets for finished goods.

What were the differences between the economies in the Southern colonies, Middle colonies, and New England colonies?

Southern: plantations, cash crops, slavery; Middle: mixed farming, trade; New England: small farms, fishing, shipbuilding.

What is the importance of Jamestown? What crop saved the Jamestown colony from dying out?

Jamestown was the first permanent English settlement; tobacco saved the colony.

Who was John Locke? What were his ideas?

John Locke was an English philosopher who believed in natural rights (life, liberty, property) and that government should protect those rights.

What was the Columbian Exchange and what were some of the things exchanged?

The Columbian Exchange was the transfer of plants, animals, people, and diseases between Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas.

What was the purpose of the Great Awakening?

It was a religious revival that encouraged people to question authority and seek personal faith.

Why did new colonies such as Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Maryland form?

They formed for religious freedom and to escape persecution.

Who is Christopher Columbus and why is he important?

Columbus was an explorer who reached the Americas in 1492, leading to European colonization.

Why did slavery mainly take place in the South and not the North?

The South had large plantations needing labor, while the North had small farms and more industry.

What are cash crops? What are two examples that we discussed in class?

Cash crops are grown for profit; examples: tobacco and cotton.

How are indentured servants different from slaves?

Indentured servants worked for a set time for passage to America; slaves worked for life with no freedom.

What was the importance of the Mayflower Compact? Which group of people set it up?

It was the first agreement for self-government in America, set up by the Pilgrims.

The "Middle Passage" refers to what? Describe what it was like.

The Middle Passage was the sea journey of enslaved Africans to the Americas; it was crowded, unsanitary, and deadly.

What did Thomas Paine urge the American colonists to do in his pamphlet Common Sense?

He urged colonists to declare independence from Britain.

What were the greatest strengths of the Continental Army?

Knowledge of the land, strong leaders, and motivation for independence.

What were the greatest strengths of the British Army?

Experienced, well-trained, large numbers, and a strong navy.

What resulted from the Treaty of Paris?

Ended the American Revolution; Britain recognized U.S. independence and set new borders.

Describe what "no taxation without representation" means.

Colonists believed they shouldn't be taxed by Britain without having representatives in Parliament.

How did the French & Indian War lead to the American Revolution?

Britain taxed colonists to pay war debts, causing anger and demands for independence.

What did the Proclamation of 1763 declare?

Colonists could not settle west of the Appalachian Mountains.

"Salutary Neglect" refers to:

Britain's policy of leaving the colonies alone, allowing self-government.

What was Valley Forge? What was life like there?

Winter camp for Washington's army; soldiers faced cold, hunger, and disease.

Who were the Sons of Liberty?

A group of colonists who protested British taxes and laws, sometimes using violence.

Describe the Battle of Bunker Hill.

Early Revolutionary War battle; British won but suffered heavy losses, showing colonists could fight well.

Who were the Patriots? Who were the Loyalists?

Patriots wanted independence; Loyalists wanted to remain under British rule.

What is the significance of Yorktown, Virginia in regards to the Revolutionary War?

Last major battle; British surrendered to American and French forces.

Who wrote the Declaration of Independence? What was the purpose of writing it?

Thomas Jefferson wrote it to declare independence and explain the reasons for it.

Why were the Intolerable Acts passed? What were some of the things included in the Intolerable Acts?

Passed to punish Boston for the Tea Party; closed Boston Harbor, ended self-government, allowed quartering of soldiers.

What were the main causes of the Civil War?

Slavery, states' rights, and sectionalism.

How did the idea of states' rights contribute to the conflict between the North and the South?

The South wanted more state power; the North wanted a stronger federal government.

What role did slavery play in causing the Civil War?

Slavery was the main issue dividing North and South.

Who were the major leaders on both sides of the Civil War? What were their goals?

Union: Lincoln, Grant; Confederacy: Davis, Lee. Union wanted to preserve the nation; Confederacy wanted independence.

Think about Abraham Lincoln, Jefferson Davis, Ulysses S. Grant, and Robert E. Lee.

Lincoln: Union president; Davis: Confederate president; Grant: Union general; Lee: Confederate general.

What was the Emancipation Proclamation and how did it change the purpose of the war?

Freed slaves in Confederate states; made the war about ending slavery.

What were some of the experiences of African American soldiers during the Civil War?

Faced discrimination, lower pay, but fought bravely for the Union.

How did women contribute to the Civil War effort on both the Union and Confederate sides?

Served as nurses, spies, and managed homes and businesses.

Describe the impact of geography on battles like Gettysburg or Antietam.

Terrain affected movement, defense, and battle outcomes.

How did the Civil War impact civilians in both the North and the South?

Led to shortages, destruction, and loss of life.

What were the long-term effects of the Civil War on American society and government?

Ended slavery and strengthened the federal government.

What were the goals of Reconstruction after the Civil War?

Rebuild the South, integrate freed slaves, and reunite the nation.

What were the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments, and how did they try to expand freedom and equality?

13th: ended slavery; 14th: citizenship; 15th: voting rights for Black men.

How did Black Codes and Jim Crow laws limit the freedom of African Americans after the Civil War?

Restricted rights and enforced segregation.

What was the role of the Freedmen's Bureau during Reconstruction?

Helped former slaves with jobs, education, and legal issues.

How did industrialization change the American economy in the late 1800s?

Growth of factories, cities, and big business.

Why did so many immigrants come to the U.S. during this time period, and what challenges did they face?

Came for jobs and freedom; faced poverty and discrimination.

What were working conditions like in factories during the Gilded Age? How did labor unions respond?

Poor and dangerous; unions formed to demand better pay and conditions.

What role did entrepreneurs and big business leaders (like Carnegie and Rockefeller) play in shaping America?

Built industries, created jobs, sometimes exploited workers.

How did the transcontinental railroad affect migration, the economy, and Native Americans?

Increased migration and trade; displaced Native Americans.

What were the experiences of Native Americans as the U.S. expanded westward after the Civil War?

Lost land and were forced onto reservations.

What were the main causes of World War I?

Militarism, alliances, imperialism, nationalism.

Why did the U.S. try to remain neutral at the start of WWI?

Wanted to avoid foreign conflicts.

What events led the U.S. to enter World War I?

Zimmermann Telegram, sinking of Lusitania, unrestricted submarine warfare.

How did WWI affect the U.S. economy and industries?

Boosted production and created jobs.

What was the purpose of the Espionage and Sedition Acts during WWI?

Limited anti-war speech and actions.

How did propaganda influence American support for the war?

Encouraged patriotism and support for the war effort.

What was the significance of the Treaty of Versailles for Germany and the world?

Blamed Germany, imposed harsh penalties, and led to future tensions.

Why did the U.S. Senate reject the League of Nations?

Feared loss of U.S. independence in foreign affairs.

What were the social effects of WWI on African Americans and women?

More jobs, migration to cities, and increased rights for women.

What were the main causes of the Great Depression?

Stock market crash, bank failures, overproduction.

How did the Stock Market Crash of 1929 contribute to the Depression?

Wiped out savings and investments, led to unemployment.

What were "Hoovervilles" and what do they represent?

Shantytowns for the homeless; symbolized poverty.

How did President Roosevelt's New Deal try to solve problems of the Great Depression?

Created jobs, provided relief, reformed the economy.

What were the CCC, TVA, and Social Security Act?

CCC: jobs for young men; TVA: built dams; Social Security: retirement benefits.

How did the Dust Bowl affect farmers and migration patterns?

Destroyed crops, forced farmers to move west.

What were the causes of World War II?

Treaty of Versailles, rise of dictators, aggression by Axis powers.

What led the U.S. to enter WWII after years of neutrality?

Attack on Pearl Harbor.

How did American factories and workers contribute to the war effort?

Produced weapons and supplies for the Allies.

What was the impact of Japanese American internment during WWII?

Japanese Americans were forced into camps, lost homes and jobs.

How did WWII change the role of the U.S. in world affairs by 1945?

U.S. became a world superpower and leader.

What was the Cold War, and how was it different from a traditional war?

Tension and competition between U.S. and USSR; no direct fighting.

What was the purpose of the Marshall Plan?

Help Europe rebuild after WWII.

How did the Berlin Airlift and Berlin Wall symbolize Cold War tensions?

Showed division between East and West.

What was NATO, and why was it created?

Military alliance to defend against Soviet threat.

What caused the Korean War, and what was the outcome?

North Korea invaded South Korea; ended in stalemate.

How did the arms race and space race intensify the Cold War?

U.S. and USSR competed in weapons and technology.

What was the Cuban Missile Crisis, and how was it resolved?

Soviet missiles in Cuba; ended with U.S.-Soviet agreement to remove them.

Why did the U.S. become involved in the Vietnam War?

To stop the spread of communism.

How did the Vietnam War divide public opinion in the U.S.?

Many protested war; country was split.

What was the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, and why is it controversial?

Gave president power to use force in Vietnam; based on disputed events.

What were the major goals of the Civil Rights Movement?

End segregation and gain equal rights.

How did court cases like Brown v. Board of Education impact segregation?

Ended school segregation.

What strategies did civil rights activists use to demand change?

Marches, sit-ins, boycotts, legal action.

How did Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X differ in their approaches?

King: nonviolence; Malcolm X: more militant, self-defense.

What were the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965?

Ended segregation; protected voting rights.

What did the women's rights movement fight for in the 1960s and 70s?

Equal rights and opportunities for women.

How did the Watergate scandal change public trust in government?

Decreased trust due to government corruption.

What were key cultural changes during the 1960s and 70s?

More rights for minorities and women, new music and lifestyles.

How did the Cold War shape American life at home (Red Scare, duck-and-cover drills)?

Fear of communism, civil defense drills.

What were the major successes and challenges for the U.S. by the end of the 1980s?

Won the Cold War, but faced economic and social issues.