Key Themes in American History Units 1-4

Declaration of Independence

Document asserting American colonies' independence from Britain.

FRED J values

Core principles guiding American democracy and freedom.

Shays' Rebellion

1786 uprising against economic injustices in Massachusetts.

Constitutional Convention

1787 meeting to draft the U.S. Constitution.

Great Compromise

Established bicameral legislature balancing state representation.

3/5 Compromise

Counted slaves as three-fifths for representation purposes.

Election of 1800

First peaceful transfer of power between parties.

Indian Removal Act

1830 law facilitating Native American relocation westward.

Trail of Tears

Forced march of Cherokee to designated Indian Territory.

Manifest Destiny

Belief in U.S. expansion across North America.

Active resistance

Direct opposition to oppression through confrontational means.

Passive resistance

Nonviolent opposition to authority or oppressive systems.

Abolitionist Movement

Campaign to end slavery in the United States.

Missouri Compromise (1820)

Legislation balancing slave and free states' admission.

Fugitive Slave Law

Required return of escaped slaves to owners.

Dred Scott Case

Supreme Court ruling denying citizenship to African Americans.

Battle of Gettysburg

Turning point battle in the Civil War.

Reconstruction

Post-Civil War effort to rebuild and integrate South.

13th Amendment

Abolished slavery in the United States.

Progressivism

Movement aimed at social reform and addressing injustices.

Harlem Renaissance

Cultural movement celebrating African American art and identity.

Women's Suffrage

Movement advocating for women's right to vote.