APUSH Exam 2 Study Guide (Pulled)

Seven Years’ War

A global conflict (1756–1763) between major European powers, primarily Great Britain and France.

French and Indian War

The North American theater of the Seven Years' War (1754–1763), primarily a conflict between British colonists and French forces allied with Native Americans.

Albany Congress

A 1754 meeting to coordinate defense among British colonies and negotiate with the Iroquois.

Treaty of Paris (1763)

The agreement that ended the Seven Years’ War, with France ceding Canada and territories east of the Mississippi to Britain.

Proclamation of 1763

A British policy attempting to limit colonial settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains following the Seven Years’ War.

Taxation without Representation

A slogan by colonists asserting it was unjust for Britain to tax the colonies without elected representatives in Parliament.

Sugar Act (1764)

A law that lowered the tax on molasses but strengthened enforcement and prosecution of smuggling.

Stamp Act (1765)

A tax requiring that many printed materials carry a paid stamp, viewed as a direct tax on colonists.

Declaratory Act (1766)

An act asserting Parliament's authority to legislate for the colonies in all cases, following the repeal of the Stamp Act.

Townshend Acts (1767)

Laws imposing duties on imported goods and strengthening customs enforcement.

Boston Massacre

A deadly confrontation in 1770 where British soldiers killed several colonists, used for propaganda by Patriots.

Tea Act (1773)

An act allowing the British East India Company to sell tea with a tax included, leading to colonial protests.

Boston Tea Party (1773)

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

Coercive Acts (1774)

Laws passed by Britain to punish Massachusetts, known as the Intolerable Acts, which unified colonial resistance.

Republicanism

A political philosophy emphasizing government serving the public good and relying on the virtue of citizens.

Natural Rights

The belief that individuals possess inherent rights, including life, liberty, and property, which governments must protect.

Social Contract

A theory by John Locke asserting that government authority stems from the consent of the governed.

Common Sense

A pamphlet by Thomas Paine arguing for independence from Britain and the illegitimacy of monarchy.

Declaration of Independence

The document asserting the colonies' intention to separate from Britain, outlining grievances and asserting rights.

Articles of Confederation

The first governing framework of the U.S. (ratified 1781), focusing on state sovereignty with a weak national government.

Shays’ Rebellion

An uprising in 1786–1787 by debt-burdened farmers in Massachusetts, highlighting weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation.

Constitutional Convention

A gathering in 1787 to address the failures of the Articles, resulting in the drafting of the U.S. Constitution.

Federalism

The distribution of power between national and state governments, as established by the U.S. Constitution.

Checks and Balances

The system ensuring that each branch of government can limit the powers of the others to prevent tyranny.

The Great Compromise

The agreement creating a bicameral legislature with proportional representation in the House and equal representation in the Senate.

Three-Fifths Compromise

An agreement counting three-fifths of enslaved persons for representation and taxation purposes.

Bill of Rights

The first ten amendments to the Constitution, ensuring individual liberties and limiting government power.

Washington’s Proclamation of Neutrality

A declaration in 1793 that the U.S. would remain neutral in conflicts between European powers.

Whiskey Rebellion

An uprising in 1794 against a federal excise tax on whiskey, illustrating the federal government’s authority to enforce laws.

Second Great Awakening

A religious revival movement in the early 19th century emphasizing personal redemption and social reform.

Abolitionism

The movement to end slavery, gaining momentum in the 1830s with a focus on moral opposition and political action.

Manifest Destiny

The 19th-century belief that the U.S. was destined to expand across North America.

Missouri Compromise

The 1820 agreement admitting Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state, maintaining balance in Congress.

Nullification Crisis

A confrontation in the early 1830s between South Carolina and the federal government over states' rights and tariff laws.

Compromise of 1850

A package of five laws passed to defuse tensions related to slavery and territorial expansion after the Mexican-American War.

Dred Scott Decision

An 1857 Supreme Court ruling declaring that African Americans could not be American citizens and Congress could not prohibit slavery in the territories.