Chapter Overview: U.S. Industrial Revolution and Political Changes

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and definitions related to the early chapters of U.S. history, focusing on industrialization, social reforms, and political compromises.

First Industrial Revolution

A period of significant industrial growth in the U.S., marked by technological advancements and shifts in economic practices.

Second Great Awakening

A religious revival movement in the early 19th century that emphasized personal faith and social reform.

Missouri Compromise

An agreement in 1820 to maintain the balance of power between slave and free states by admitting Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state.

Critical Mass

A concept referring to the minimum amount of people or resources required to start or sustain an activity.

Gibbons v. Ogden

A landmark Supreme Court case that established federal authority over interstate commerce.

Abolition

The movement to end slavery, notably gaining momentum during the Second Great Awakening.

Infrastructure

The basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a society, such as roads and bridges.

Cotton Gin

A machine invented by Eli Whitney in 1793 that automated the process of separating cotton fibers from seeds.

Temperance Movement

A social movement aimed at reducing or prohibiting the consumption of alcoholic beverages.

Transcendentalism

A philosophical movement that emerged in the 1830s and 1840s, emphasizing individual intuition and the inherent goodness of people and nature.