John Winthrop
He became the first governor of the Massachusetts Bay colony, and served in that capacity from 1630 through 1649. A Puritan with strong religious beliefs. He opposed total democracy, believing the colony was best governed by a small group of skillful leaders. He helped organize the New England Confederation in 1643 and served as its first president.
Old Deluder Act
law requiring Puritan towns to establish and maintain schools; foundation of public education in New England
First Great Awakening
Religious revival in the colonies in 1730s and 1740s; George Whitefield and Jonathan Edwards preached a message of atonement for sins by admitting them to God. The movement attempted to combat the growing secularism and rationalism of mid-eighteenth century America. Religious splits in the colonies became deeper.
Navigation Acts
Laws that governed trade between England and its colonies. Colonists were required to ship certain products exclusively to England. These acts made colonists very angry because they were forbidden from trading with other countries.
Proclamation of 1763
A proclamation from the British government which forbade British colonists from settling west of the Appalacian Mountains, and which required any settlers already living west of the mountains to move back east.
Thomas Paine's Common Sense
Pamphlet published in 1776 that persuaded American Colonists to support independence.
Declaration of Independence
1776 statement, issued by the Second Continental Congress, explaining why the colonies wanted independence from Britain.
Battle of Saratoga
American victory over British troops in 1777 that was a turning point in the American Revolution.
Social Changes brought about by the American Revolution
increased participation in politics and governance, the legal institutionalization of religious toleration, and the growth and diffusion of the population.
Republican Motherhood
The idea that American women had a special responsibility to cultivate "civic virtue" in their children
Northwest Ordinance
Enacted in 1787, it is considered one of the most significant achievements of the Articles of Confederation. It established a system for setting up governments in the western territories so they could eventually join the Union on an equal footing with the original 13 states
U.S. Constitution
The document written in 1787 and ratified in 1788 that sets forth the institutional structure of the U.S. government and the tasks these institutions perform. It replaced the Articles of Confederation.
Hamilton's Financial Plan
The government would take the debt of the nations and the states debt, make a national bank, and tax higher (which was the only one that did not pass thru congress)
Jay's Treaty
Treaty signed in 1794 between the U.S. And Britain in which Britain sought to improve trade relations and agreed to withdraw from forts in the northwest territory (IMPRESSMENT)
Pickney's Treaty
1795 - Treaty between the U.S. and Spain which gave the U.S. the right to transport goods on the Mississippi river and to store goods in the Spanish port of New Orleans
Washington's Farewell Address, 1796
Urged Americans to avoid excessive political party spirit and geographical distinctions. In foreign affairs, warned against long-term alliances with other nations -
Jefferson Presidency (1801-1809)
Presidency that eased tensions that existed during the previous Administration, doubled the territorial size of the United States, clashed with the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, prosecuted its former vice-president for treason, and attempted to stay out of a European conflict through isolationist legislation
Marbury v. Madison (1803)
Established judicial review; "midnight judges;" John Marshall; power of the Supreme Court.
McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)
the Supreme Court upheld the power of the national government and denied the right of a state to tax the federal bank using the Constitution's supremacy clause. The Court's broad interpretation of the necessary and proper clause paved the way for later rulings upholding expansive federal powers
Louisiana Purchase
1803 purchase of the Louisiana territory from France. Made by Jefferson, this doubled the size of the US.
Embargo Act
1807 act which ended all of America's importation and exportation. Jefferson hoped the act would pressure the French and British to recognize U.S. neutrality rights in exchange for U.S. goods. Really, however, just hurt Americans and our economy and got repealed in 1809.
Hartford Convention
Meeting of Federalists near the end of the War of 1812 in which the party listed it's complaints against the ruling Republican Party. These actions were largley viewed as traitorous to the country and lost the Federalist much influence
Monroe Doctrine
an American foreign policy opposing interference in the Western hemisphere from outside powers
American Colonization Society (1817)
A Society that thought slavery was bad. They would buy land in Africa and get free blacks to move there. One of these such colonies was made into what now is Liberia. Most sponsors just wanted to get blacks out of their country.
Lowell Mill System
textile mills that employed, housed, and heavily controlled young female workers
Corrupt Bargain
Refers to the presidential election of 1824 in which Henry Clay, the Speaker of the House, convinced the House of Representatives to elect Adams rather than Jackson.
Jackson's Presidency (1828-1836)
He focused on the "Common Man;" removal of Indians, removal of federal deposits in BUS, annexation of territory, liberal use of veto.
Jackson vs. National Bank
Jackson regarded the Bank as a monopoly and wished for the establishment to be taken down.
Tariff of Abominations
Tariff passed by Congress in 1828 that favored manufacturing in the North and was hated by the South
Nullification Crisis
A sectional crisis during the presidency of Andrew Jackson created by the Ordinance of Nullification, an attempt by the state of South Carolina to nullify a federal law - the tariff of 1828 - passed by the United States Congress.
Slavery Conditions
Some live in prison-like conditions, others have some flexibility In smaller plantations, farmers work alongside slaves
Missouri Compromise
"Compromise of 1820" over the issue of slavery in Missouri. It was decided Missouri entered as a slave state and Maine entered as a free state and all states North of the 36th parallel were free states and all South were slave states.
Election of 1840
William Henry Harrison (Whig) vs. Martin Van Buren (Democrat); result: Whig victory & a truly national two-party system.
The Know-Nothings
1840s-1850s *A political movement that supported Americans and American ideals over what it was as the influence of immigrants *Also grew power from those dissatisfied with the perceived unresponsiveness of local leadership *Influenced by German and Irish Catholic immigration during the period; Know-Nothings suspected the immigrants of anti-Americanism and feared the influence of the Pope in Rome *The name of the movement came from its roots in secrecy' in its early days, members were supposed to answer that they did not know about the organization if asked by outsiders *The movement grew in size and political representation in 1854 and 1855, but it was split by the slavery issue, and most members joined the Republican Party by the 1860 presidential election
Transportation Innovations (early 1800s)
waterways (canals, steamboats) and railroads
Manifest Destiny
A notion held by a nineteenth-century Americans that the United States was destined to rule the continent, from the Atlantic the Pacific.
Goals of James K. Polk
Get California, get Oregon, annex Texas, make Mexico pay for losses in Texas, lower the tariff
Mexican War (1846-1848)
Conflict between the US and Mexico that after the US annexation of Texas, which Mexico still considered its own; US troops fought primarily on foreign soil; covered by mass-circulation newspapers; Whigs opposed
Wilmot Proviso
1846 proposal that outlawed slavery in any territory gained from the War with Mexico
Compromise of 1850
(1) California admitted as free state, (2) territorial status and popular sovereignty of Utah and New Mexico, (3) resolution of Texas-New Mexico boundaries, (4) federal assumption of Texas debt, (5) slave trade abolished in DC, and (6) new fugitive slave law; advocated by Henry Clay and Stephen A. Douglas
Kansas-Nebraska Act
1854 - Created Nebraska and Kansas as states and gave the people in those territories the right to chose to be a free or slave state through popular sovereignty.
Dred Scott v. Sanford
Supreme Court case that decided US Congress did not have the power to prohibit slavery in federal territories and slaves, as private property, could not be taken away without due process - basically slaves would remain slaves in non-slave states and slaves could not sue because they were not citizens
Republican Platform of 1860
tried to appeal to as many people in north as possible-high tariffs, internal improvements, homestead bill, pacific RR; popular sovereignty
Lincoln's goals for the Civil War
Preserve the Union and end slavery
Advantages of the North in the Civil War
a)larger population, b)most of the factories to make supplies, c)most of the railroads located in the north, d)strong Navy, e)more money, f)they had an established government
Advantages of the South in the Civil War
Better military leaders 2. most of the war fought in the south on familiar terrain 3. more skilled horsemen and riflemen
Emancipation Proclamation (1863)
Declared all slaves in rebelling states to be free but did not affect slavery in non-rebelling Border States. The Proclamation closed the door on possible compromise with the South and encouraged thousands of Southern slaves to flee to Union lines.