HIS 211 Exam 2

The Albany Plan of 1754

Drafted by Benjamin Franklin, called for a council of delegates from each colony to discuss Native relations and a common defense. A proposed 12 colonies government. 

The Stamp Act

Required all printed material be stamped by stamp purchased from British tax agents. Hard for colonists to avoid. Paid for British troops’ living in the American colonies. Was heavily protested by colonists. 

Sons of Liberty

Loose organization of colonists that resisted the Stamp Act, the Townsend Act (were responsible for Boston Tea Party), and kept a weapons depot to use against British.

Declaratory Act

Stunned by the American resistance, in 1766 Parliament repealed the Stamp Act, mostly because it was not working. The partner Declaratory Act noted that Parliament possessed the power to pass laws for the colonies “in all cases.”

Boston Massacre

On March 5, 1770, a fight between a snowball-throwing crowd of Bostonians and British troops led to an armed confrontation that killed five Bostonians. Colonists realized they were fired on by their own people/were not considered equals to the British.

The Regulators

Backcountry people in the Carolinas that refused taxes, disrupted courts, and kidnapped British officials.

Battle of Alamance Creek

Regulators attempted to negotiate with NC British Governor Tryon. Tryon required Regulators surrender their weapons. They refused. Led to a battle that Tryon did win.

Lord North

Prime Minister under KGIII who recognized need to control American colonists in order to control economics of the colonies. Sends troops upon reading Declaration of Independence. Resigns when colonies are lost after French intervention.

The “Madness” of KGIII

May have had porphyria or some form of mood/bipolar disorder. Possibly epilepsy but lived far longer than is common for epileptics. Prone to fits. Bottom line: he would have bouts of madness/illness and then would be back to normal.

Townsend Act

Tax on tea, a staple of colonist diet and social life. Intended to fund soldier presence in the colonies.

Boston Tea Party

On December 16, 1773, the Sons of Liberty dressed as Natives and threw expensive tea into the ocean. British did not react because they had no orders/admiral, but news of this was sent back to Britain quickly.

The Intolerable Acts

Punishment following Boston Tea Party. The port of Boston was closed to all trade, the Massachusetts Charter was suspended, and the quartering of soldiers was demanded of the colonists. A mistake because M.A was not the only colony rebelling.

Lexington & Concord

Site of the battle in which the British won the conflict but attempted and failed to seize colonist weapons. British had trouble too because they did not know the terrain and found their cannons were improperly prepared.

The “Midnight Ride”

Quote by RW Emerson describing Paul Revere warning the people of Lexington and Concord that the British are coming via the Charles River to seize colonist weapons.

Common Sense

Widely distributed pamphlet anonymously written by Thomas Paine (who had immigrated to Colonies from Britain w/help of Benjamin Franklin. Questions the point and necessity of monarchs.

Declaration of Independence

Challenges monarchy and KGIII specifically (he is blamed for slavery), but originally was not meant to incite a war and separation, but a milder form of independence.  

Washington’s Crossing

On Christmas of 1776, Hessian Germans (British allies in the war) are celebrating, and Washington knows this is a good time to attack. He leads troops across Delaware River at night for a surprise attack and victory.

Valley Forge

Following victory at Saratoga, continental army had a difficult winter at Valley Forge 1777-1778 which resulted in 2500 deaths.

Battle of Saratoga

Summer of 1777, second victory after Washington’s crossing. Convinces the French to support the colonist uprising. 

Southern Strategy

British believe rebellion problems are only in the North, and the South will have loyalists and good weather. Instead, they find few loyalists, Quakers who mislead them, and a swampy environment rich with disease.

Lord Cornwallis

A most decorated soldier with a big ego sent to end the war. Despite some embarrassing losses during the war, including his surrender in the final battle, Cornwallis will still have a career. 

Lord Dunmore

British governor of Virginia that offered freedom to enslaved people if they joined the British.

The “Country Dance”

Washington plays off of Cornwallis’ ego by not sending troops to meet him when he arrives in the South. Cornwallis and his men instead march through the countryside and are bedeviled by many things (e.g., climate, unsympathetic Quakers).

Nathaneal Green

Washington’s secretary; from Puritan background and classically educated. First sent to encounter Cornwallis.

Guilford Courthouse

British led by Cornwallis march into area of present-day Greensboro (of which it was not yet); Greene is there to meet them. He encircles the British which forces them to fire on each other. Greene retreats/scatters his men and Cornwallis considers this a victory but he lost a ton of men and has to leave to resupply anyway.

Yorktown

Following Guilford Courthouse, French send their navy to Yorktown, where Cornwallis is headed, expecting to meet British navy instead. Cornwallis holds out for about a month, but eventually has to surrender. 

Treaty of Paris 1783

Ends the war; Parliament has decided war is too costly to continue. United States of America is now formed and claims land to the Mississippi river.

Articles of Confederation

League of friendship between states. Created a congress that represented each state by one vote. Did not produce a strong enough central government to regulate commerce or manage possibility of war. 

Shay’s Rebellion

Shays, former Revolution Captain, led a rebellion - “Sound Money” - by 2000 farmers against laws many felt were unfair to farmers, such as excessive property tax, polling taxes, and unstable currency. They were stopped but this indicated a problem.

James Madison

Friend of Jefferson; believed in a strong national government. Urged a constitution and wrote Federalist Paper 10, which argued a strong government could prevent faction fighting whilst maintaining diversity.

Alexander Hamilton

Wanted nation to be an economic powerhouse, and wanted a strong government that worked with America’s wealthy. He was crucial in the formation of the Bank of America and its 20-year charter.

The Enlightenment

Fostered beliefs in common humanity, the possibility of societal progress, the remaking of oneself, and the importance of one’s social and ecological environment. (But also led to (pseudo)scientific racism.)

John Locke

Enlightened thinker and secretary to a Lords Proprietor that was opposed to monarchy and a government shrouded in mysticism; government should rest on popular consent and should be rebelled against if it doesn’t. His ideas influenced the constitution. 

The Bill of Rights

Amendments (first ten) proposed by federalists to the Constitution that protected/defined individual rights (whilst the Constitution itself outlined government rights and responsibilities). 

Federalist Papers

Essentially advertisements arguing for the Constitution (public readings allowed a largely illiterate population to ‘read’ them).

Federalist Party

Believed in strong federal government with three branches; supported the constitution.

Anti-Federalists

Were against the Constitution because it did not (originally) give individual rights to citizens.

Slave Cultures

In Chesapeake region, family-centered and close to white yeoman farmers. In rice country/Georgia & SC, weak family ties and low birth rate, little contact with whites (from fear of malaria), more independence and often spoke native languages. In north, small population and weak culture.

Hector de Crevecoeur

Frenchman who visited USA and introduced idea of melting pot. Stated the typical American was a farmer of European origin or descent, leaving out enslaved people and Natives (though he spoke against slavery).

Alexis de Tocqueville

Another French writer who visited USA. Admired its churches, stable economy, individuality, and equality. He believed American treatment of enslaved and Natives was hypocritical and so would die out quickly.

Slavery in Early Republic

The American Revolution coalesced the South’s identity as a distinct region with a slave labor force. The Constitution would put an end to the importation of slaves, but also extend the protection of slavery to existing slaveholders.

The Northwest Ordinance

Called for the creation of states that would later be MI, OH, WI, IN, and IL, hoping territorial expansion and representative democracy would grow together. Prohibited slavery here.

Washington’s Presidency

Became president in 1789, and spoke about hopes for continuing representative democracy. Washington urged against internal political and international conflicts.

“Venerate the Plough”

Madison and especially Jefferson were less interested in Hamilton’s economic powerhouse government ideals, and were more in favor of an expanding America dominated by farmers. 

Alien and Sedition Acts

The Alien Act granted the President unilateral authority to deport non-citizens who were subjects of foreign enemies. The Sedition Act attacked the core of free speech and a free press—the right to criticize the government.

Election of 1800

Adams, disliked because of Alien & Sedition Acts, was defeated by Jefferson and Burr. Burr was originally supposed to be a vice president candidate, and ended up in a tie with Jefferson in the election. A tie breaking vote had to happen in House of Representatives, controlled by Federalists bitter at Jefferson. Yet they cracked from the pressure of the people, who preferred Jefferson.

Lewis & Clark Expedition

Jefferson called for these two explorers and their corps to explore new territory acquired in LA purchase. They went beyond all the way to the Pacific. Overall very successful. They were led in part by the Native Sacagawea.

Louisiana Purchase

From Napoleon, Jefferson purchased French territory and greatly expanded the nation, allowing for more land upon which to “venerate the plow.”

Embargo Act

Closed U.S. ports to all exports and restricted imports from Britain in response to conflict between Britain and France. Hurt USA, not these European powers.

War of 1812

Started by conflict with Britain reducing American trade during British/French conflict. Natives and British ally to fight USA. Britain also marches on capital and burns White House. However, both Britain and USA ultimately decided to seek peace. Ultimately established USA as a power in its own right. (An unnecessary but successful battle in New Orleans, led by Andrew Jackson, is moralizing for USA.)

Nat Turner’s Rebellion

Led slave revolt, going into the houses of enslavers and killing them.

Rip Van Winkle

Story by Washington Irving demonstrating the substantial social and technological changes that rapidly occurred in the USA following the Revolution.

Erie Canal

Large waterway from Great Lakes to NY, allowing for relatively fast shipping of goods. Inspired building of many more canals in the Americas.

Steam Engine

Powered modes of transportation that "annihilated space and time.” Allowed for unprecedented movement of goods and people.

Textile Factories

First rudimentary factory open in 1790 in RI. Over time these factories expanded (mostly in New England). They were powered by water mills and became some of the first corporations in the USA.

The “Cotton Kingdom”

Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin (hoping to make enslaved people’s lives easier), but instead demand for slavery rose as cotton became more easy to produce and Europe was buying it.

Transcendentalists

Writers like Emerson and Thoreau called for Americans resisting market demands (including those that required exploiting nature and expanding) and focus on intellectual pursuits.

Election of 1824

Jackson runs against John Quincy Adams. No candidate gets majority in electoral college, so House selects Adams. Jackson denounced as mere “military chieftain.” Jackson feels he was swindled.

Election of 1828

Jackson runs against Adams again. Jackson is praised for his manliness while Adams denounced for being an intellectual and accused of having mistresses. Jackson called a murderer (from duels) and husband to a bigamist. But this time Jackson wins.

Jacksonian America

Jackson presents himself as people’s president and sympathetic to the poor. But he was deeply racist and imperious. Fond of the veto.

Bank of the United States

A quasi-public corporation chartered by Congress to manage the federal government's finances and provide a sound national currency. Chartered for another 20 years (after first expired) following the War of 1812. Jackson thinks Bank is tool of the wealthy and vetoes it being chartered again.

Missouri Compromise

When Missouri was added as a slave state, this threatened the balance of free/slave states. So Maine was added as a free state and the 36-30 line was created. Slavery would be prohibited in other new states north of this line, but it would be permitted in new states to the south.

Trail of Tears

Natives forcibly relocated from a number of areas, including Georgia, where gold was believed to be in their lands, to Oklahoma area. Jackson pushes for this, though it doesn’t happen until after end of his presidency.

Monroe Doctrine

US policy that states it would not tolerate further acts of colonization by overseas powers.