American History 1st Semester Exam Review

These flashcards cover major concepts, events, and terms from American history as reviewed in the lecture notes.

Natural Rights

Basic rights inherent to all individuals, often attributed to John Locke. Life, Liberty, Property

Social Contract

An agreement among individuals to form a society and abide by its rules, as proposed by John Locke.

Grievances

Complaints expressed by the colonists against King George III in the Declaration of Independence.

Northwest Ordinance

Legislation that established a framework for governance in the Northwest Territory and influenced the Constitution.

Articles of Confederation

The first governing document of the United States, creating a confederation of sovereign states.

Problems with the Articles of Confederation

Weaknesses included lack of federal power to tax, regulate commerce, and enforce laws.

Constitution

The supreme law of the United States, providing a framework for government.

Federalism

A system of government where power is divided between a central authority and constituent political units.

Federalist Papers

A series of essays written to promote the ratification of the U.S. Constitution.

Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists

Debate over national defense, taxation and the role of the executive branch.

Bill of Rights

The first ten amendments to the Constitution, ensuring individual rights, agreed upon after the Constitution was created.

Limitations on Federal Government Power

The Constitution includes checks and balances to prevent government overreach.

13th Amendment

Abolished slavery in the United States.

14th Amendment

Granted citizenship and equal protection under the law to all persons born or naturalized in the U.S.

15th Amendment

Prohibited the federal and state governments from denying a citizen the right to vote based on race.

Plessy v. Ferguson

A landmark Supreme Court case that established the 'separate but equal' doctrine.

Jim Crow Laws

State and local laws enforcing racial segregation in the Southern United States.

Miscegenation Laws

Laws prohibiting interracial marriage.

Ku Klux Klan

A white supremacist group seeking to undermine Reconstruction and maintain white supremacy.

Compromise of 1877

Agreement that resolved the disputed 1876 presidential election, resulting in the withdrawal of federal troops from the South.

Homestead Act

Legislation that provided land to settlers for a small fee.

Dawes Act

A law aimed at assimilating Native Americans by allotting them individual plots of land.

Indian Residential Schools

Institutions aimed at assimilating Native American children into Euro-American culture.

Battle of Little Bighorn

A significant battle between U.S. forces and Native American tribes, leading to a major victory for the Native Americans.

Ghost Dance Movement

A spiritual movement among Native Americans aimed at restoring their former way of life.

Wounded Knee

Site of a massacre of Native Americans by U.S. troops; symbolizing the end of the Indian Wars.

Immigration and Industrialization

The relationship where immigration provided labor for industrial growth in the late 19th Century.

Nativism

The policy of protecting the interests of native inhabitants against those of immigrants.

Chinese Exclusion Act

Federal legislation that restricted immigration from China.

1924 Immigration Act

Established quotas that limited immigration to the U.S. based on national origins.

Quota System

A system that limited the number of immigrants from specific countries.

Tenements

Crowded, low-cost urban apartment buildings, often associated with poor living conditions.

Cultural Diffusion

The spread of cultural beliefs and social activities from one group to another.

Urbanization

The process of population movement from rural to urban areas.

Andrew Carnegie

Industrialist who led the expansion of the American steel industry.

John D. Rockefeller

Wealthy oil magnate known for establishing Standard Oil Company.

Laissez-Faire Capitalism

An economic system with minimal government intervention.

Monopolies and Trusts

Business entities that eliminate competition, often harming consumers.

Labor Unions

Organizations formed to protect and advance workers' rights.

Collective Bargaining

The process of negotiation between employers and a group of employees.

Homestead Strike

A labor strike at Carnegie Steel that turned violent and reflected labor unrest.

Scientific Management

Management theory that analyzes workflows to improve efficiency.

Progressive Movement

A social and political movement aimed at addressing issues caused by industrialization.

Muckraker

Journalists who exposed corruption and societal issues during the Progressive Era.

The Jungle

A novel by Upton Sinclair that exposed the unsanitary conditions in the meatpacking industry.

Lewis Hine

Photographer known for documenting child labor conditions.

Jacob Riis

Photographer and journalist who exposed the living conditions in New York City tenements.

Secret Ballot

A voting method that ensures voter privacy.

17th Amendment

Established the direct election of U.S. Senators.

Imperialism

The policy of extending a country's influence through diplomacy or military force.

Isolationism

A foreign policy approach of remaining apart from the affairs of other countries.

Social Darwinism

The belief that social progress results from survival of the fittest.

Big Stick Diplomacy

Teddy Roosevelt's foreign policy approach, emphasizing negotiation backed by the threat of force.

Causes of the Spanish-American War

Contributing factors included the sinking of the USS Maine and support for Cuban independence.

Treaty of Paris (1898)

Resulted in the U.S. gaining territories such as Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines.

Panama Canal

Built to provide a shortcut for naval and commercial ships between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

Hawaii

The U.S. sought control of Hawaii for its strategic location and sugar production.

Causes of WWI

M.A.N.I.A: Militarism, Alliances, Nationalism, Imperialism, Assassination.

Unrestricted Submarine Warfare

Germany's policy of sinking ships without warning, impacting U.S. neutrality.

Zimmermann Telegram

A secret German proposal to Mexico for military alliance against the U.S.

Paris Peace Conference

Meeting of Allied Powers post-WWI to negotiate peace treaties.

Treaty of Versailles

The 1919 treaty ending WWI, imposing heavy reparations on Germany.

U.S. Senate and Treaty of Versailles

Refused to ratify due to concerns over League of Nations' power.

America in WWI

Participation marked the U.S.'s emergence as a significant world power.

Spanish Influenza

A deadly flu pandemic occurring in 1918-1919, resulting in millions of deaths worldwide.

19th Amendment

Granted women the right to vote in the United States.

1st Red Scare

A period of intense fear of communism and radical political activism.

Great Migration

Mass movement of African Americans from the rural South to urban North.

Harlem Renaissance

Cultural revival of African American music, literature, and art in the 1920s.

Henry Ford

Revolutionized the automobile industry through assembly line production.

Scopes Trial

A legal case about teaching evolution in schools, highlighting the clash between science and religion.

Prohibition

The nationwide ban on alcohol production and sale, enacted by the 18th Amendment.

Repeal of Prohibition

Accomplished by the 21st Amendment, ending the dry era.

Effects of Prohibition

Rise in organized crime and speakeasies; contributed to changing social attitudes.

Transforming the Automobile Industry

Ford's assembly line reduced costs and made cars accessible to many Americans.

Charles Lindbergh

Famous for his solo transatlantic flight in the Spirit of St. Louis.

Talkie

A movie with synchronized sound, most famously represented by The Jazz Singer.

KDKA

The first commercial radio station in the U.S.; revolutionized media.

Hoovervilles

Shantytowns built during the Great Depression, named after President Hoover.

Great Depression

An economic downturn that began in 1929 and lasted throughout the 1930s.

GDP

Gross Domestic Product; used to gauge the health of a country's economy.

Speculation

Investment in stocks with the hope of making quick profits.

Buying Stocks on Margin

Purchasing stocks by borrowing money, contributing to the 1929 crash.

Bank Closures

Contributed to the worsening of the Great Depression by reducing public trust.

Installment Plan

A method of paying for goods over time, which caused long-term financial issues for consumers.

Inflation vs. Deflation

Inflation is the increase in prices; deflation is the decrease in prices.

Monetary Policy

The process by which the Federal Reserve manages the economy's money supply.

Federal Reserve's Mistake

Interest rate hikes during the Great Depression that restricted lending.