Monster Vocab

What was the purpose of the joint-stock company in the early colonies?

To pool resources for the establishment of settlements and trade.

What was the Virginia Company known for?

One of the first joint-stock companies established to create settlements in Virginia.

What was an encomienda?

A labor system that rewarded Spanish colonists with the labor of Native Americans.

What economic system characterized the relationship between colonies and the mother country?

Mercantilism.

What is a proprietary colony?

A colony ruled by individuals or groups that were granted land by the crown.

What was King Philip’s War?

A conflict between Native American tribes and New England settlers from 1675 to 1676.

What was the Mayflower Compact?

An agreement made by the Pilgrims to govern themselves in America.

What was the Stono Rebellion?

A 1739 slave uprising in South Carolina.

What is indentured servitude?

A labor system where people worked for a specified time in exchange for passage to America.

Who was Ben Franklin and why is he significant?

A Founding Father known for his contributions as a statesman, inventor, and diplomat.

What was the headright system?

A system that granted land to individuals for paying their way to Virginia.

What was the First Great Awakening?

A religious revival in the American colonies during the 1730s and 1740s.

What is salutary neglect?

An English policy of relaxing enforcement of regulations in its colonies.

What is the significance of Salem in American history?

Known for the Salem witch trials of 1692.

What does 'city upon a hill' refer to?

A phrase by John Winthrop expressing the idea of a model society in America.

What was the House of Burgesses?

The first elected legislative assembly in the New World, established in Virginia.

What were the Navigation Acts?

Laws that regulated colonial trade and enabled England to collect taxes.

Who was Jonathan Edwards?

A preacher known for his role in the First Great Awakening.

What were the Powhatan Wars?

A series of conflicts between English settlers and Powhatan Confederacy.

What was the Act of Toleration?

A Maryland law that granted religious freedom to all Christians.

Why was tobacco significant in colonial America?

It became a major cash crop and economic driver in the South.

What was Bacon’s Rebellion?

A rebellion led by Nathaniel Bacon against Governor Berkeley's administration.

Who was John Winthrop?

A Puritan leader and the first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

Who was Roger Williams?

A religious leader who advocated for separation of church and state and founded Rhode Island.

What is Pennsylvania known for?

Founded by William Penn as a haven for Quakers and advocates of religious freedom.

What was Pontiac’s Rebellion?

A Native American uprising against British postwar policies in 1763.

What was the Albany Plan of Union?

An early proposal to unify the colonies for mutual defense, authored by Benjamin Franklin.

What was the Stamp Act?

A tax imposed by Britain on newspapers and legal documents in the colonies.

What was the Sugar Act?

A revenue-raising act that imposed taxes on sugar and molasses imported into the colonies.

What did the Declaratory Act state?

That Parliament had the right to legislate for the colonies, even after the repeal of the Stamp Act.

Who was Thomas Jefferson?

The principal author of the Declaration of Independence and the third President of the United States.

What is Thomas Paine known for?

His pamphlet 'Common Sense' that argued for American independence.

What were the Articles of Confederation?

The first constitution of the United States, established a weak federal government.

Who was George III?

The King of Great Britain during the American Revolution.

What did the Proclamation of 1763 establish?

It prohibited colonial settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains.

What was Shay’s Rebellion?

A revolt by Massachusetts farmers protesting economic injustices.

What were the Coercive Acts?

A series of punitive measures including the Boston Port Act, in response to the Boston Tea Party.

Who was Abigail Adams?

The wife of John Adams, advocates for women's rights.

What was the Virginia Plan?

A proposal for a bicameral legislative branch, favoring larger states.

What was the Great Compromise?

An agreement that established a two-house legislature with representation based on population and equal representation.

What was the significance of the First Continental Congress in 1774?

A meeting of delegates from twelve of the thirteen colonies to organize colonial resistance to British policies.

What was the Franco-American alliance?

An alliance between France and the American colonies during the Revolutionary War.

What was the Second Continental Congress in 1775?

An assembly of colonial representatives that managed the colonial war effort and moved incrementally towards independence.

What is the significance of the Navigation Acts?

They regulated trade between England and its colonies.

Who was Alexander Hamilton?

The first Secretary of the Treasury and a key figure in establishing the financial system.

What is virtual representation?

The British belief that Parliament represented all British subjects, even those not directly elected.

What was the Northwest Ordinance of 1787?

Legislation that established a procedure for admitting new states to the Union from the Northwest Territory.

What was the New Jersey Plan?

A proposal for a unicameral legislature with equal representation for each state.

What was the French and Indian War?

A conflict between Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763.

What was the Three-fifths compromise?

An agreement that counted three-fifths of a state's slave population for representation and taxation.

What was the significance of the Proclamation of 1763?

It restricted colonial expansion westward.

What are the Federalist Papers?

A series of essays arguing in favor of the ratification of the U.S. Constitution.

What is strict construction?

A literal interpretation of the Constitution.

What was the National Bank of the US?

A financial institution established to help stabilize the nation’s economy.

What is the Bill of Rights?

The first ten amendments to the Constitution that guarantee individual rights.

What was the French Revolution?

A period of radical social and political change in France from 1789 to 1799.

What is loose construction?

A broad interpretation of the Constitution.

What is Washington, D.C. known for?

The capital city of the United States, established during the presidency of George Washington.

What is Executive Privilege?

The right of the president to keep certain communications confidential.

Who were the Federalists?

Supporters of the Constitution during the ratification debates.

What does the Executive branch do?

Enforces the laws of the federal government.

What is nullification?

The idea that states can invalidate federal laws they deem unconstitutional.

What was Pinckney’s Treaty?

A treaty with Spain that resolved territorial disputes and granted Americans the right to navigate the Mississippi.

What was the Neutrality Proclamation?

A declaration by President Washington that the U.S. would remain neutral in foreign conflicts.

What were the Articles of Confederation?

The first governing document of the United States, which created a weak central government.

What is the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 significant for?

It provided a method for admitting new states and outlined rights for territories.

What is Republican Motherhood?

The idea that women had a role in teaching children the values of citizenship.

What were the Alien and Sedition Acts?

Laws that targeted immigrants and limited free speech during the Adams administration.

What was the Treaty of Greenville, 1795?

A treaty between the U.S. and Native American tribes that ended the war and established land boundaries.

Who was John Adams?

The second President of the United States and a founding father.

Who were the Anti-federalists?

Opponents of the Constitution who favored stronger state governments.

What was Jay’s Treaty?

A treaty that sought to settle outstanding issues between the U.S. and Great Britain.

What was the Whiskey Rebellion?

A violent tax protest in the U.S. beginning in 1791 and ending in 1794.

What were the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions?

Statements asserting that states could nullify federal laws they found unconstitutional.

What does GW’s Farewell Address warn against?

Partisan politics and foreign entanglements.

What is the Twelfth Amendment?

Amendment that established separate Electoral College votes for President and Vice President.

What was the significance of Madison vs. Marbury?

Established the principle of judicial review.

What was the Louisiana Purchase?

A land deal in 1803 where the U.S. acquired territory from France.

What was the Corps of Discovery?

An expedition led by Lewis and Clark to explore the newly acquired western territories.

What was the Embargo Act of 1807?

A law that prohibited American ships from trading in all foreign ports.

Who was John Marshall?

The fourth Chief Justice of the United States known for his role in establishing the judiciary.

What is American manufacturing?

The production of goods in factories, contributing to economic growth.

What is the American system?

An economic plan that aimed to protect American industry and improve infrastructure.

Who were Henry Clay and John C. Calhoun?

Prominent politicians who were key figures in American politics and policy-making.

What was the Monroe Doctrine?

A policy that warned European powers against intervening in the Americas.

What was McCulloch vs. Maryland?

A Supreme Court case that established federal supremacy over state laws.

What is referred to as the Era of Good Feelings?

A period of political unity and national pride following the War of 1812.

What was the Missouri Compromise?

An agreement that allowed Missouri to enter as a slave state and Maine as a free state.

What was the corrupt bargain?

An alleged deal between John Quincy Adams and Henry Clay in the election of 1824.

What was the Adams-Onis Treaty?

A treaty in which Spain ceded Florida to the United States.

What does the Democratic Party represent?

A major political party advocating for more progressive reforms and social equality.

What were the Coercive Acts?

Laws passed by Britain to punish Massachusetts for the Boston Tea Party.

What is the spoils system?

The practice of a successful political party giving public office to its supporters.

Who was Samuel Slater?

An industrialist known for bringing textile manufacturing technology to America.

What are slave codes?

Laws that defined the status of slaves and the rights of masters.

What is Jacksonian Democracy?

The political philosophy that expanded suffrage and promoted the rights of the common man during Andrew Jackson's presidency.

Who was Horace Mann?

An advocate for public education reform in the 19th century.

What is the Whig Party?

A political party formed in the 1830s in opposition to the policies of Andrew Jackson.

What is a market economy?

An economic system where supply and demand guide production and pricing.

What was the Hudson River School?

A mid-19th century American art movement emphasizing landscape painting.