Unit 1 US History Notes & Study Guide

Colonial government ideas

Concepts and frameworks that influenced the establishment of governance in early American colonies.

Declaration of Independence

A document declaring the thirteen American colonies as independent states, free from British rule.

Articles of Confederation

The original constitution of the United States, which created a weak federal government.

Constitutional Convention

A meeting in 1787 where the U.S. Constitution was created, addressing the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation.

Two-party system

A political system dominated by two major parties, established in the early federal government.

Louisiana Purchase

A land deal in 1803 in which the U.S. bought a vast territory from France, doubling the size of the nation.

War of 1812

A military conflict between the U.S. and Britain that tested the strength of the young nation.

Compromise of 1850

A series of legislative measures intended to avoid conflict between slave and free states.

Kansas-Nebraska Act

A law that allowed territories to decide on the legality of slavery, escalating tensions between North and South.

John Brown's raid

An 1859 attempt by abolitionist John Brown to initiate an armed slave revolt by capturing an arsenal.

1860 Election

An election that led to the secession of several Southern states after Abraham Lincoln was elected president.

Civil War

A conflict from 1861 to 1865 between Northern states (the Union) and Southern states (the Confederacy) over issues, including slavery.

Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation

An executive order by President Lincoln in 1863 that freed all slaves in Confederate-held territory.

Reconstruction

The period following the Civil War focused on rebuilding the South and integrating freed slaves into society.

Freedman's Bureau

A federal agency established to aid freed slaves in the South during Reconstruction.

Segregated societies

Social systems created to separate people based on race, resulting in discrimination against African Americans post-Reconstruction.