History Revision: Ancient China to the American Civil War

A comprehensive set of practice flashcards covering Ancient Chinese civilizations, Imperial and Modern China, Native American culture and its decline, Westward Expansion, and the triggers for the American Civil War.

Which philosophies were prominent in Ancient China, and what did they teach?

Confucianism taught respect for elders, kindness, and education, while Taoism emphasized harmony with nature and simplicity.

Who was the first emperor to unify China and establish the Qin Dynasty?

Emperor Qin Shi Huang (also known as Shi Huangdi) unified China in 221 BCE.

In the context of Imperial China, what is the 'Dynastic Cycle'?

The idea that dynasties would rise and fall due to factors such as natural disasters, peasant uprisings, and weak rulers.

When was the People's Republic of China founded and by whom?

It was founded on October 1, 1949, by the Communist Party of China led by Mao Zedong.

What were the specific goals of the economic reforms led by Deng Xiaoping (1978-1992)?

They aimed to modernise and open up the Chinese economy, attracting foreign investment and encouraging entrepreneurship.

How did nomadic Native Americans view music and dance?

They believed music and dance were a huge part of culture and served as the language of the spirits.

What was the consequence of the expansion of railroads for the buffalo population?

Railroads cut through buffalo habitat, track builders ate buffalo for food, and settlers hunted them from trains for sport, which significantly reduced the population.

What did the Dawes Act of 1887 do to Native American reservations?

It divided reservations into smaller plots to be given to Native Americans to encourage cultivation, freeing up other sections for white settlers to acquire.

What tragic event occurred at 'Wounded Knee' as a result of the US Army's response to Ghost Dance rebellions?

Nearly 200 Native Americans, including children, were killed, along with around 25 US Army soldiers.

What was 'Manifest Destiny'?

The belief that Americans had a God-given right and duty to expand westwards across the North American continent, spreading civilization, Christianity, and progress.

What were the terms of the Homestead Act of 1862?

It offered 160 acres of land for free to settlers who lived on it and farmed it for at least five years, after which they could buy it outright.

Define 'Boom towns'.

Towns that grew very quickly because of a sudden discovery of valuable resources, such as gold, silver, or oil.

What was the 'popular sovereignty' introduced by the 1854 Kansas-Nebraska Act?

The idea of letting the people living in the new territories of Kansas and Nebraska vote to decide if slavery was allowed or not.

What event on April 12, 1861, triggered the start of the American Civil War?

Gunboats ordered by Jefferson Davis fired at Fort Sumter, a Union fort in South Carolina.

Name two female abolitionists mentioned in the lecture and their primary contributions.

Harriet Tubman (escaped slavery and helped others escape) and Harriet Tubman is the only female listed; Frederick Douglass (escaped and became a key speaker) and William Garrison (editor of 'The Liberator') were also mentioned.

What total distance did the Oregon Trail cover?

The trail stretched for 2,170 miles from Missouri to Oregon.

According to the transcript, how many miles of railroad track had been laid across America by 1871?

45,000 miles of track.

What was the population requirement for a territory to become a state in the Old West?

A population of over 60,000.