History midterm

Columbian Exchange

The transfer of food, spices, diseases, plants, people, and animals, leading to the death of many indigenous people due to lack of immunity to European diseases.

New World

Refers to North America as discovered by Columbus, where he enslaved many Natives.

Mercantilism

Economic theory where European powers established colonies in the Americas to extract valuable resources and control trade for national profit.

Capitalism

An economic system where goods and services are privately owned for profit, driven by supply and demand.

Joint-Stock Companies

Companies that allowed investors to fund ventures such as establishing colonies, key to colonization efforts.

Chesapeake Colonies

The regions of Virginia and Maryland, founded in the early 1600s, primarily based on tobacco economy and reliant on slave labor.

Virginia Company

Founded in 1607, this company established Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in North America.

Jamestown

The first permanent English settlement in America, faced early struggles but prospered through tobacco cultivation.

House of Burgesses

Established in 1619 in Virginia, it was the first representative assembly in America that allowed landowners to elect representatives.

Powhatan

Chief of the Algonquin tribe and father of Pocahontas.

Bacon’s Rebellion

A 1676 armed protest in Virginia led by Nathaniel Bacon against Governor Berkeley's administration, leading to changes in land and labor policies.

Indentured Servant

Individuals who worked for a number of years in exchange for passage to the colonies, food, and shelter.

Pilgrims

Separatists from England who settled in Massachusetts and founded the Plymouth Colony in 1620.

Puritans

Religious reformers in the Massachusetts Bay Colony seeking to 'purify' Christianity.

Middle Colonies

Included New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware, known for diversified resources and ethnic traditions.

William Penn

An English Quaker who founded Pennsylvania as a haven for religious freedom.

Transatlantic Trade

The trade of enslaved Africans to the Americas, largely driven by European demand for labor.

Middle Passage

The brutal sea voyage during which enslaved Africans were transported to the Americas.

Navigation Acts

Laws passed by Britain regulating colonial trade to ensure it benefited England.

Salutary Neglect

British policy of ignoring colonial regulations, allowing for colonial autonomy.

Smuggling

The illegal trade of goods that violated colonial regulations.

Chattel Slavery

A system where individuals are treated as personal property, with no legal rights, their status inherited.

French and Indian War

A conflict from 1754-1763 between Britain and France, impacting colonial relations and leading to increased British taxation.

Treaty of Paris (1763)

Ended the French and Indian War, resulting in France ceding most of its North American territory to Britain.

Albany Plan of Union

An attempt to create a unified government for defense and trade, rejected by both colonies and Britain.

Proclamation of 1763

Law prohibiting colonial settlement west of the Appalachian mountains, leading to colonial anger.

Stamp Act

British law requiring colonists to purchase stamps for printed materials, provoking widespread protests.

Townshend Acts

Laws imposing duties on imported goods which resulted in increased colonial resistance.

Boston Massacre

A confrontation where British soldiers shot and killed five colonial protesters.

Tea Act

British law allowing the British East India Company to sell tea directly to the colonies, angering merchants and colonists.

Boston Tea Party

A protest against the Tea Act where colonists dumped tea into Boston Harbor.

Intolerable Acts

A series of punitive laws passed by Britain in response to colonial protests.

Taxation without Representation

A slogan protesting British taxes imposed without colonial representation in Parliament.

Social Contract Theory

An Enlightenment idea suggesting government's legitimacy comes from the consent of the governed.

Consent of the Governed

The principle that a government's authority derives from the approval of the people.

Sons of Liberty

A secret colonial organization formed to resist British policies.

Daughters of Liberty

Women who supported the American Revolution by boycotting British goods and promoting home production.

Committees of Correspondence

Networks established for communication among colonial leaders to organize responses to British policies.

Patriot

Colonists who fought for independence from British rule.

Loyalist

Colonists who remained loyal to the British crown during the American Revolution.

Thomas Paine’s Common Sense

A pamphlet advocating independence from Britain that sold over 500,000 copies.

Continental Army

The military formed by the Second Continental Congress, led by George Washington.

Declaration of Independence

The document adopted on July 4, 1776, declaring the colonies' independence from Britain.

Thomas Hobbes

An English philosopher who argued for a strong central authority to maintain order.

John Locke

An English philosopher advocating for natural rights and governmental powers deriving from the people's consent.

Natural Rights

Fundamental rights to life, liberty, and property that governments must protect.

Lord Cornwallis

British General who surrendered at Yorktown, leading to the end of the American Revolutionary War.

Crossing the Delaware (Battle of Trenton)

George Washington's surprise attack against Hessians in 1776, boosting morale for the Continental Army.

Saratoga

A major American victory in 1777 that convinced France to ally with the United States.

Marquis de Lafayette

French general who provided crucial support and assistance to the American Revolution.

Yorktown

The last major battle of the American Revolution, resulting in British surrender and American victory.

Treaty of Paris (1783)

Officially ended the Revolutionary War and recognized American independence.

Liberty

The state of being free from oppressive control.

Democratic Republic

Political party founded by Thomas Jefferson advocating for limited federal power and states' rights.

Articles of Confederation

The first governing document of the United States, establishing a weak national government.

Shay’s Rebellion

An armed uprising in 1786 against economic injustices, revealing weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation.

Constitutional Convention

A 1787 meeting to address government weaknesses and create the U.S. Constitution.

Federalism

A system of government where power is shared between a central authority and states.

Separation of Powers

The division of government responsibilities into distinct branches to prevent any one group from gaining too much power.

Montesquieu

French philosopher advocating the separation of powers in government.

Prohibition of International Slave Trade

A law in the U.S. Constitution prohibiting the importation of slaves after 1808.

Checks and Balances

A system ensuring no branch of government becomes too powerful.

3/5 Compromise

Agreement during the Constitutional Convention on how slaves would be counted for representation and taxation.

Great Compromise

A combination of the Virginia and New Jersey Plans establishing a bicameral legislature.

Limited Government

A political principle restricting governmental power to protect individual liberties.

Federalists

Supporters of a strong central government and the ratification of the Constitution.

Anti-Federalists

Opponents of the Constitution fearing strong central authority would threaten individual freedoms.

Ratification

The formal approval process required for the Constitution to take effect.

Federalist Papers

A series of essays advocating for the ratification of the Constitution.

The Federalist

Collection of essays written to support the Constitution.

Alexander Hamilton

A Founding Father who advocated for a strong federal government and economic policies.

James Madison

A Founding Father known as the 'Father of the Constitution' and the fourth U.S. President.

Bill of Rights

The first ten amendments to the Constitution protecting individual rights.

Federalist Party

Political group supporting a strong federal government and founding principles.

Democratic-Republican Party

Political party advocating for states' rights and agrarian interests, led by Thomas Jefferson.

Hamilton’s Financial Plan

A strategy aimed at stabilizing the U.S. economy through debt assumption, a national bank, and tariffs.

Whiskey Rebellion

A 1794 uprising against the federal excise tax on whiskey, demonstrating federal authority.

Alien and Sedition Act

Laws empowering the government to deport aliens and prosecute critics, seen as an infringement on free speech.

Regionalism/Sectionalism

The development of distinct regional identities and interests, particularly regarding slavery.

Jay’s Treaty

An agreement to resolve lingering issues with Britain after the Revolutionary War.

Pinckney’s Treaty

Treaty with Spain establishing borders and securing U.S. access to the Mississippi River.

French Revolution

A period of political turmoil in France that had mixed reactions in the U.S.

Non-Intervention (Neutrality) Policy

George Washington's approach to foreign relations, avoiding involvement in European conflicts.

XYZ Affair

A diplomatic scandal involving bribes demanded by French officials from U.S. diplomats.

Washington’s Farewell Address

A letter advising against political parties and foreign alliances at the end of Washington's presidency.

Virginia/Kentucky Resolutions

Statements asserting states could nullify federal laws perceived as unconstitutional.

Marshall Court

The period of the U.S. Supreme Court led by Chief Justice John Marshall, strengthening federal authority.

Marbury v. Madison

A landmark case that established the principle of judicial review in the U.S.

Louisiana Purchase

The 1803 acquisition of territory from France that doubled the size of the United States.

Judicial Review

The power of the Supreme Court to determine the constitutionality of laws and actions.

Pre-Columbian Civilizations/Age of Exploration

Refers to Native American societies before European contact, which were marked by diverse cultures and social structures.