Untitled Flashcards Set

What were the main motivations for European exploration?

Economic gain, religious conversion, and political expansion.

Describe American Indian life before European contact.

Diverse cultures, reliance on agriculture, hunting, trade, and spirituality tied to nature.

What were the economic and social conditions in Jamestown?

Harsh winters, famine, disease, reliance on tobacco, and class struggles.

What made Pennsylvania unique among the colonies?

Religious tolerance and egalitarian principles.

What is the 'City Upon a Hill'?

A vision of a moral example set by the Puritan colonies.

What was the significance of the Maryland colony?

A refuge for Catholics with the Act of Toleration in 1649.

What was mercantilism?

An economic policy where colonies existed to benefit the mother country through trade regulation.

What were the Navigation Acts?

Laws to control colonial trade and enforce mercantilism.

What was the Proclamation of 1763?

A British edict forbidding colonial expansion west of the Appalachians.

What was the Albany Plan of Union?

A proposal for colonial unity against French threats, ultimately rejected.

What was the significance of the Stamp Act Crisis?

It united colonists against taxation without representation.

What were the Townshend Duties?

Import taxes that escalated tensions with the colonies.

What was the Boston Massacre?

A deadly confrontation that fueled anti-British sentiment.

What was the purpose of Thomas Paine's 'Common Sense'?

To advocate for American independence from Britain.

What were the key ideas of the Declaration of Independence?

Equality, inalienable rights, and grievances against King George III.

Why was the Battle of Saratoga significant?

It was the turning point of the Revolutionary War, securing French support.

What happened at Valley Forge?

The Continental Army endured a harsh winter and emerged stronger.

What was the significance of the Battle of Yorktown?

It marked the British surrender and the end of the war.

What were the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation?

Weak central government, inability to tax, and no regulation of trade.

What was the Great Compromise?

An agreement for a bicameral legislature with proportional representation in one house and equal representation in the other.

What was the 3/5ths Compromise?

Slaves counted as three-fifths of a person for representation.

What was Hamilton’s financial plan?

National bank, assumption of state debts, and excise taxes.

What did Washington warn against in his Farewell Address?

Political parties and foreign alliances.

What were the Alien and Sedition Acts?

Laws that limited free speech and targeted immigrants.

What were the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions?

Statements asserting states' rights to nullify federal laws.

What was the significance of the Louisiana Purchase?

It doubled the size of the U.S. and opened new land for settlement.

What was Marbury v. Madison?

A Supreme Court case that established judicial review.

What caused the War of 1812?

British impressment of sailors and trade restrictions.

What was the Missouri Compromise?

An agreement to maintain the balance between free and slave states.

What was the Hartford Convention?

A meeting of Federalists opposing the War of 1812.

What were the Utopian movements?

Efforts to create ideal societies, including abolition and women's rights.

What were the Lowell Mills?

Early industrial factories employing young women.

What was the Indian Removal Act?

A law that forcibly relocated Native Americans to lands west of the Mississippi.

What was the Nullification Crisis?

A confrontation over states' rights and tariffs.

What was the Bank Veto?

Jackson’s rejection of the Second Bank of the United States.

Who were the Whigs?

A political party advocating for infrastructure and economic development.

What was Manifest Destiny?

The belief in the U.S. right to expand westward.

What led to the independence of Texas?

Tensions between American settlers and the Mexican government.

What were the causes of the Mexican-American War?

Border disputes and U.S. annexation of Texas.

Why was the Kansas-Nebraska Act significant?

It allowed popular sovereignty to decide slavery, leading to violence.

What was Bleeding Kansas?

Violent clashes over slavery in Kansas.

What was the Dred Scott Decision?

A Supreme Court ruling that African Americans were not citizens and Congress couldn’t regulate slavery in territories.

What was the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850?

A law requiring the return of escaped slaves.

What was John Brown’s Raid?

An attempt to start a slave uprising at Harpers Ferry.

What was the Sumner-Brooks Affair?

A violent altercation in Congress over slavery.

What was the Election of 1860?

Lincoln’s election led to Southern secession.

What was the Compromise of 1850?

Measures to address slavery and territorial issues.

Why was California's statehood significant?

Its admission as a free state upset the balance.

What is popular sovereignty?

The idea that states could decide on slavery.

What were communal experiments?

Attempts to create utopian communities like Brook Farm.

What was the Second Great Awakening?

A religious revival movement promoting reform.

What was the significance of the Seneca Falls Convention?

It marked the beginning of the women's rights movement.

What were the major excuses used by the South to defend slavery?

Economic necessity, biblical justification, and 'positive good' theory.

What was Henry Clay’s American System?

Policies promoting tariffs, a national bank, and infrastructure.

What was the impact of the Gold Rush on California?

Rapid population growth and economic boom.

What caused sectional tensions in the 19th century?

Disputes over slavery, tariffs, and state rights.

How did the abolition movement gain traction?

Through literature like 'Uncle Tom’s Cabin' and activism.

What was the role of the temperance movement?

To reduce alcohol consumption and promote moral reform.

What was the impact of industrialization on American society?

Economic growth, urbanization, and changing labor roles.

What were the long-term consequences of the Civil War?

Abolition of slavery, strengthened federal government, and Reconstruction challenges.