APUSH terms periods 1-5

George Washington

First President of the United States, leader during the Revolutionary War, and presided over the Constitutional Convention of 1787.

Thomas Paine

Author of "Common Sense" and "The American Crisis," which urged Americans to fight for independence from Britain.

King George III

The King of Great Britain during the American Revolution, whose policies led to the colonies' push for independence.

Thomas Jefferson

Third President of the United States, principal author of the Declaration of Independence, and leader of the Democratic-Republican Party.

Alexander Hamilton

First Secretary of the Treasury, co-author of the Federalist Papers, and founder of the Federalist Party.

Benjamin Franklin

Founding Father, key diplomat during the Revolutionary War, and co-author of the Declaration of Independence.

James Madison

Fourth President of the United States, known as the "Father of the Constitution" for his role in drafting the document.

John Adams

Second President of the United States, a key advocate for independence and a co-author of the Declaration of Independence.

Paul Revere

Patriot and silversmith, famous for his midnight ride to warn of British troop movements before the Battle of Lexington and Concord.

Loyalists

Colonists who remained loyal to Britain during the American Revolution.

Patriots

Colonists who supported independence from Britain during the American Revolution.

Abigail Adams

Wife of John Adams, an early advocate for women's rights and education, and a trusted advisor to her husband.

Committees of Correspondence

A network of communication among American colonies to spread information about British actions and organize resistance.

Seven Years War (French and Indian War)

Conflict (1756-1763) between Britain and France in North America, which resulted in British victory but left Britain with significant debt.

Stamp Act

A 1765 British law that imposed a tax on printed materials in the American colonies, leading to widespread protests.

Intolerable/Coercive Acts

A series of punitive laws passed by Britain in 1774 to punish Massachusetts for the Boston Tea Party, including the closing of Boston's port.

The Revolutionary War

War (1775-1783) between Great Britain and its American colonies, leading to the creation of the United States of America.

Election of 1800

Controversial presidential election in which Thomas Jefferson defeated John Adams, marking the first peaceful transfer of power between political parties.

XYZ Affair

A diplomatic incident in 1797-1798 in which French officials demanded bribes from American diplomats, leading to anti-French sentiment.

Quasi-War

An undeclared naval war between the United States and France from 1798 to 1800, resulting from the XYZ Affair.

Boston Massacre

Incident on March 5, 1770, in which British soldiers killed five colonists, inflaming anti-British sentiments.

Stamp Act Crisis

A period of protests and boycotts in response to the 1765 Stamp Act, which taxed printed materials in the colonies.

Boston Tea Party

A 1773 protest in which American colonists, disguised as Native Americans, dumped British tea into Boston Harbor to oppose the Tea Act.

Proclamation of 1763

A British law forbidding colonial settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains, intended to prevent conflict with Native Americans.

The French Revolution

Revolution in France (1789-1799) that overthrew the monarchy, led to the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte, and influenced American politics.

Shay’s Rebellion

A 1786-1787 uprising in Massachusetts by struggling farmers protesting economic injustices and weak government under the Articles of Confederation.

Whiskey Rebellion

A 1794 uprising in western Pennsylvania in protest of a federal excise tax on whiskey, which was suppressed by President Washington’s forces.

Enlightenment

An intellectual movement in the 17th and 18th centuries that emphasized reason, individualism, and skepticism of authority, influencing American thought.

Deism

A religious philosophy that emerged in the Enlightenment, advocating a rational, non-interventionist God.

National Bank

The Bank of the United States, established in 1791 to stabilize and improve the nation's credit and facilitate the handling of government funds.

Anti-Federalists

Opponents of the Constitution who favored a decentralized government and feared the potential for tyranny in a strong central government.

Democratic-Republican Party

Political party led by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, advocating for states' rights and a limited federal government.

Alien and Sedition Acts

1798 laws aimed at restricting immigration and curbing criticism of the government, which were highly controversial and led to the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions supported by adams administration.

Loose constructionism

Interpretation of the Constitution that allows for broader federal powers and a flexible understanding of its provisions.

Strict/Broad constructionism

Emphasizes a narrow, literal interpretation of the Constitution, while broad constructionism allows for more expansive powers.

NJ Plan

Proposal at the Constitutional Convention that advocated for equal representation for all states, regardless of size.

VA Plan

Proposal at the Constitutional Convention that favored proportional representation based on state population.

Great Compromise

The agreement at the Constitutional Convention in 1787 to create a bicameral legislature with one house based on population and the other giving equal representation to states.

3/5ths Compromise

Agreement that counted three out of every five slaves as part of a state's population for purposes of taxation and representation in Congress.

Two-term tradition

Custom established by George Washington of serving only two terms as president, which became law with the 22nd Amendment in 1951.

National debt

The total amount of money the U.S. government owes, which increased significantly after the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812.

Common Sense

1776 pamphlet by Thomas Paine that argued for American independence and criticized monarchy, greatly influencing public opinion.

Declaration of Independence

1776 document declaring the American colonies' independence from Britain, written primarily by Thomas Jefferson.

The Constitution

The foundational document of the United States, establishing the framework for the government and the rights of its citizens.

Bill of Rights

The first ten amendments to the Constitution, guaranteeing essential freedoms such as speech, religion, and due process.

Articles of Confederation

The first constitution of the United States, which established a weak central government and was replaced by the current Constitution.

The Federalist Papers

A series of 85 essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay advocating for the ratification of the U.S. Constitution.

Northwest Ordinance

1787 law that provided for the governance of the Northwest Territory and the admission of new states to the Union.

Washington’s Farewell Address

1796 speech in which President George Washington advised the nation to avoid political parties and foreign alliances.

Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions

1798 resolutions written by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison in response to the Alien and Sedition Acts, arguing that states could nullify federal laws they deemed unconstitutional.

Manifest Destiny

The 19th-century belief that the United States was destined to expand across the North American continent, from the Atlantic to the Pacific.

Immigration

The movement of people into the United States, particularly from Europe and Asia during the 19th and early 20th centuries, contributing to the nation’s population growth.

Market Revolution

A transformation in the U.S. economy in the early 19th century, characterized by the expansion of markets, increased production, and the rise of factory systems.

Technology of the Market Revolution

Inventions such as the cotton gin, telegraph, steam engine, and mechanical reaper that revolutionized transportation, communication, and production.

Powers of the Federal Government

The scope of authority granted to the federal government by the U.S. Constitution, often debated between proponents of strong vs. limited central government.

Voting Requirements

Regulations governing who is eligible to vote, which evolved over time to include more white men, African Americans, and women.

Party Politics

The competition between political parties for power, with the early U.S. parties being the Federalists and Democratic-Republicans, later followed by the rise of Whigs and Democrats.

Federalists

Political party advocating for a strong central government, led by figures like Alexander Hamilton and John Adams.

Democratic-Republican Party

Political party founded by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, advocating for states' rights and a limited federal government.

“War Hawks”

Young congressmen from the South and West who pushed for war against Britain in the lead-up to the War of 1812, motivated by nationalism and economic interests.

Second Great Awakening

A religious revival movement in the early 19th century, emphasizing individual salvation, social reform, and the spread of evangelical Christianity.

Seneca Falls Convention

First women's rights convention held in 1848 in Seneca Falls, New York, where the Declaration of Sentiments was presented, advocating for women's suffrage and equality.

Transcendentalists

A group of writers and thinkers, including Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau, who emphasized individualism, nature, and spiritual self-reliance.

Lowell Mills

Factories in Lowell, Massachusetts, in the early 19th century that employed young women, known as "Lowell girls," in textile production.

Romanticism

A cultural and literary movement emphasizing emotion, nature, and individualism, often in contrast to Enlightenment ideals of reason and order.

Abolitionists

Individuals and groups who advocated for the immediate emancipation of enslaved people and the end of slavery in the United States.

Marbury v. Madison

1803 Supreme Court case in which the Court established the principle of judicial review, allowing it to declare laws unconstitutional.

Louisiana Purchase

1803 acquisition by the United States of the Louisiana Territory from France, doubling the size of the nation.

War of 1812

Conflict between the United States and Britain, caused by issues such as trade restrictions, impressment of American sailors, and territorial expansion.

Battle of New Orleans

Famous American victory in the War of 1812, led by Andrew Jackson, that occurred after the peace treaty had been signed but before news of it reached the combatants.

The Treaty of Ghent

1814 agreement that ended the War of 1812, restoring pre-war boundaries between the United States and Britain.

Monroe Doctrine

1823 foreign policy statement by President James Monroe declaring that the Western Hemisphere was closed to European colonization and interference.

“Corrupt Bargain”

Term used by Andrew Jackson's supporters to describe the 1824 election, where John Quincy Adams was elected president by the House of Representatives despite losing the popular vote.

Bank War

The political struggle during the 1830s between President Andrew Jackson and supporters of the Second Bank of the United States, which Jackson opposed and ultimately destroyed.

Nullification Crisis

A conflict in the early 1830s between South Carolina and the federal government over the state's attempt to nullify federal tariffs, challenging federal authority.

Force Bill

1833 law that authorized President Andrew Jackson to use military force to enforce federal tariffs during the Nullification Crisis.

Indian Removal Act

1830 law that authorized the forced relocation of Native American tribes from the southeastern United States to territories west of the Mississippi River.

Treaty of New Echota

1835 treaty signed by a small group of Cherokee leaders, ceding their lands to the United States in exchange for land in the west, leading to the Trail of Tears.

Lewis and Clark

Explorers commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson to explore the western territories of the United States following the Louisiana Purchase.

James Madison

Fourth President of the United States, known as the "Father of the Constitution" for his role in drafting and promoting the U.S. Constitution.

John Quincy Adams

Sixth President of the United States, son of John Adams, and a key diplomat who helped negotiate the Treaty of Ghent.

Henry Clay

American statesman and orator, known for his role in developing the Missouri Compromise, the Compromise of 1850, and his support for the American System.

Andrew Jackson

Seventh President of the United States, known for his populist appeal, his role in the Indian Removal Act, and his opposition to the national bank.

Justice John Marshall

Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court from 1801 to 1835, known for strengthening the power of the federal government through landmark decisions such as Marbury v. Madison.

Elizabeth Cady Stanton

Women's rights activist and co-organizer of the Seneca Falls Convention, where she presented the Declaration of Sentiments advocating for women's equality.

Joseph Smith

Founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormonism) in the 1820s, leading to the establishment of a religious movement.

Alexis de Tocqueville

French political thinker who traveled to the U.S. in the 1830s and wrote "Democracy in America," analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of American democracy.

Sojourner Truth

Abolitionist and women's rights activist, born into slavery, who became famous for her speeches, including "Ain't I a Woman?"

Frederick Douglass

Former enslaved person who became a prominent abolitionist, writer, and speaker advocating for the emancipation of slaves and the rights of African Americans.

William Lloyd Garrison

Prominent abolitionist and editor of the "Liberator," a newspaper advocating for the immediate abolition of slavery and the equality of all people.

Marbury v Madison

Landmark case that established judicial review, giving the Supreme Court the power to declare laws unconstitutional, strengthening the judiciary's role in government.

Manifest Destiny

The belief that the expansion of the United States across the North American continent was both justified and inevitable, often tied to a sense of mission or divine will.

Gold Rush

A period of mass migration to California following the discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill in 1848, significantly impacting the economy and settlement patterns of the region.

Wilmot Proviso

A proposed amendment in 1846 that sought to ban slavery in any territory acquired from Mexico, fueling sectional tensions.

Mexican-American War

A conflict (1846-1848) between the United States and Mexico over territorial disputes, resulting in the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo and significant land gains for the U.S.

Missouri Compromise

An 1820 agreement admitting Missouri as a slave state, Maine as a free state, and establishing the 36°30’ parallel as the line separating free and slave territories in the Louisiana Purchase.

Compromise of 1850

A series of measures including the admission of California as a free state, the Fugitive Slave Act, and popular sovereignty in certain territories, aimed at easing tensions over slavery.

Kansas-Nebraska Act

An 1854 law that allowed settlers in Kansas and Nebraska to decide the slavery issue through popular sovereignty, effectively nullifying the Missouri Compromise.

Stephen Douglass

A U.S. senator from Illinois known for promoting the Kansas-Nebraska Act and participating in the Lincoln-Douglas debates.

Abolitionists

Individuals and groups who advocated for the immediate end of slavery in the United States, often through activism and literature.