U.S. History STAAR & Final Exam Review Packet KEY

These flashcards cover key terms, concepts, and significant events related to U.S. History as outlined in the provided lecture notes.

What was the significance of the Mayflower Compact?

It contributed to the growth of representative government by establishing a framework for self-governance among the Pilgrims.

What are the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut?

The first written constitution in the colonies, authored by Thomas Hooker, that extended voting rights to non-church members.

What were the main reasons for European exploration during the colonization period?

To spread Christianity, increase wealth (gold), find new sea routes to Asia, and expand empires by claiming new territory.

Who founded Maryland as a haven for Catholics?

Lord Baltimore.

What was the significance of the Virginia House of Burgesses?

It was the first colonial legislature and served as a model for other colonial legislatures.

What led to the development of the plantation system in the Southern colonies?

Long growing seasons and fertile soil made it suitable for cash crops like tobacco and rice.

What is mercantilism?

An economic system that required colonies to send raw materials to England while purchasing manufactured goods from England.

What was salutary neglect?

A policy that allowed colonies to self-govern as long as they continued to produce wealth for England, leading to a strong tradition of self-government.

What was the significance of the First Great Awakening?

It promoted the idea of equality in God's eyes, leading colonists to question the established authority and government structures.

What was the primary complaint of the colonists regarding representation?

The slogan "No Taxation without Representation" reflected their opposition to laws passed in Parliament without elected leaders.

Who wrote the pamphlet Common Sense?

Thomas Paine.

What did the Dred Scott v. Sanford decision entail?

It denied citizenship to African Americans and declared that slaves were considered property, ruling the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional.

What was the main purpose of the Monroe Doctrine?

To warn European nations to stay out of the Western Hemisphere and assert U.S. dominance in the region.

What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?

It freed the slaves in the rebelling states during the Civil War but did not apply to border states.

What was the result of the Constitutional Convention of 1787?

The formation of a new Constitution that established a stronger federal government with checks and balances.

What was significant about Shays' Rebellion?

It highlighted the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and demonstrated the need for a stronger national government.

What are the Reconstruction Amendments?

The 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments, which abolished slavery, granted citizenship rights, and protected voting rights for African Americans.

What did the Compromise of 1850 achieve?

It admitted California as a free state and included popular sovereignty for other territories while ending the slave trade in Washington, D.C.

Who were the scalawags and carpetbaggers during Reconstruction?

Scalawags were Southerners who collaborated with Republicans, and carpetbaggers were Northerners who moved South to take part in politics.

What led to the creation of the Republican Party?

Opposition to the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which allowed for the expansion of slavery into new territories.