APUSH VOCAB

black codes

Laws enacted in the Southern states after the Civil War that restricted the rights and freedoms of African Americans, effectively maintaining a system of racial subordination.

City upon a hill

A phrase used by John Winthrop to describe the Puritan community in New England, which he envisioned as a model of Christian virtue and a beacon of hope for the rest of the world.

Encomiendas

Land grants given by the Spanish Crown to colonists in the Americas, allowing them to demand labor and tribute from Indigenous people.

Evangelicalism

A Christian movement emphasizing personal conversion, the authority of the Bible, and the necessity of spreading the gospel.

Headright system

A system of land grants used in the colonial era, where settlers were given parcels of land in exchange for bringing in laborers or paying for their passage.

Indentured servitude

A labor system where individuals worked for a predetermined number of years in exchange for passage to the New World and eventual land, often facing harsh conditions.

Joint-stock company

A business entity where different stocks can be bought and sold by shareholders, used primarily for funding colonial ventures.

Mercantilism

An economic theory that emphasizes the importance of accumulating wealth through trade, where colonies existed to benefit the mother country by providing raw materials and markets for goods.

Middle Passage

The transatlantic journey that brought enslaved Africans to the Americas, characterized by severe overcrowding and high mortality rates.

Proprietary colony

A type of colony owned by an individual or a group, who had complete governing rights granted by the monarch.

Puritanism

A religious reform movement originating in England that sought to purify the Church of England and emphasized strict religious discipline and adherence to moral codes.

Royal colony

A colony owned and administered by a royal governor and council, appointed by the monarch, with laws subject to approval by the crown.

Salutary neglet

A policy of non-enforcement of trade regulations and laws imposed by Britain on the American colonies, allowing them a degree of economic freedom.

Slavery

A system in which people are treated as property and forced to work for others without pay or rights, often associated with the transatlantic slave trade.

Tariffs

Taxes imposed on imported goods to raise revenue and protect domestic industries.

Bacon’s Rebellion

A 1676 uprising in Virginia led by Nathaniel Bacon against Governor Berkeley's administration, fueled by frustration over lack of protection from Native American attacks and the growing disparity between the wealthy and the poor.

Glorious Revolution in England

A political crisis in 1688 that resulted in the overthrow of King James II and the establishment of William and Mary as co-monarchs, ensuring Protestant rule and the further limitation of royal authority.

The Great Awakening

A series of religious revivals in the American colonies during the 18th century that emphasized individual piety and a personal relationship with God, which fostered a movement toward religious pluralism.

King Philip’s War

A conflict between New England colonists and Native American tribes led by Metacom (King Philip) in 1675-1676, resulting in significant destruction and loss of life, ultimately leading to the decline of Native American power in the region.

Pequot War

A conflict between English colonists and the Pequot tribe in 1636-1637, marked by brutal violence, that resulted in the near destruction of the Pequot and increased English settlement in New England.

Salem witchcraft trials

A series of hearings and prosecutions of people accused of witchcraft in colonial Massachusetts between 1692 and 1693, which resulted in the execution of 20 individuals and heightened fears of mass hysteria and injustice.

The “starving time”

refers to the winter of 1609-1610 in Jamestown, Virginia, when lack of food led to extreme starvation among settlers, and many died as a result.

Stono Uprising

A 1739 slave rebellion in South Carolina where enslaved Africans organized an armed march to Spanish Florida, leading to violent confrontations and heightened fears of slave revolts.

Anne Hutchinson

A Puritan spiritual leader in colonial Massachusetts who challenged the male-dominated religious authorities by advocating for women's rights to interpret the Bible and leading meetings in her home, resulting in her trial and banishment from the colony.

Benjamin Franklin

A Founding Father of the United States, inventor, and diplomat, known for his contributions to the American Enlightenment and his key role in the drafting of the Declaration of Independence.

Calvinists

members of a Protestant reform movement led by John Calvin, emphasizing predestination, the sovereignty of God, and the authority of Scripture.

Congregationalists

A group of Protestant Christians originating from the Puritan movement, advocating for self-governance in churches and a congregational form of church government.

George Whitefield

An Anglican cleric and evangelist who played a significant role in the Great Awakening, known for his powerful sermons and ability to attract large crowds.

Huguenots

French Protestants who followed Calvinist teachings, facing persecution in Catholic France.

John Rolfe

An English settler in Virginia, known for introducing tobacco as a cash crop and marrying Pocahontas, which helped establish peace between settlers and Native Americans.

John Smith

A soldier and explorer who played a crucial role in the establishment of the Jamestown colony in Virginia, known for his leadership and interaction with Native Americans.

Johnathan Edwards

A preacher during the First Great Awakening, known for his fire-and-brimstone sermons and emphasis on personal conversion and piety.

Pilgrims

A group of English settlers who established the Plymouth Colony in 1620, seeking religious freedom from the Church of England.

Pocohantas

A Native American woman who played a significant role in the early years of the Jamestown colony by connecting the settlers with the Powhatan tribe. She is often remembered for her relationship with John Smith and later marrying John Rolfe, which helped to establish peace between the settlers and her people.

Powhatan Confederacy

A powerful group of Native American tribes in Virginia, led by Chief Powhatan, that interacted and sometimes conflicted with English settlers in the early 17th century.

Puritans

A religious group seeking to purify the Church of England, they settled in New England in the early 1600s and played a significant role in shaping colonial life.

Roger Williams

A religious reformer and theologian who founded the Rhode Island colony, advocating for separation of church and state and fair treatment of Native Americans.

Separatists

A group of Protestant dissenters who sought to separate from the Church of England to establish their own independent congregations, playing a crucial role in early American colonial history.

Sir Walter Raleigh

An English adventurer and writer, he was instrumental in the attempts to establish an English colony in North America, notably the Roanoke Colony.

Cahokia

A pre-Columbian Native American city located near the Mississippi River, known for its large earthen mounds and as a significant trade center.

The Chesapeake

region in Virginia and Maryland, significant for early American settlements and tobacco cultivation.

Jamestown

The first permanent English settlement in North America, established in 1607 in Virginia. Jamestown played a crucial role in the growth of the colonial economy and tobacco farming.

The Lower South

a cultural and agricultural region in the southeastern United States, known for its plantation economy and reliance on slave labor.

Massachusetts Bay colony

A Puritan settlement founded in 1628, known for religious freedom and a theocratic government, it played a key role in early New England colonial life.

Middle colonies

A region in colonial America known for its diverse population, agricultural production, and religious tolerance, including states like New York and Pennsylvania.

New England colonies

a group of British colonies including Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire, characterized by Puritan settlements, small-scale agriculture, and a focus on trade and maritime activities.

Acts of Toleration

Laws passed to ensure religious freedom in various colonies, particularly in Maryland.

Dominion of New England

A short-lived administrative union of English colonies in New England, created by King James II in 1686 to streamline colonial governance and enforce trade regulations.

Edict of Nantes

A 1598 decree by Henry IV of France granting religious freedom to Protestants and ending religious wars in France.

Fundamental Orders of Connecticut

The first written constitution in America, established in 1638, which created a framework for government in the Connecticut colony.

Halfway Covenant

A form of partial church membership created by New England Puritans in 1662, allowing the children of baptized but unconverted church members to be baptized and become church members.

Maryland Toleration Act

A 1649 law that mandated religious tolerance for Trinity Church and guaranteed freedom of worship for all Christians in the Maryland colony.

Mayflower Compact

A 1620 agreement among settlers on the Mayflower to establish self-government and abide by the rules established for the Plymouth Colony.

Navigation Acts

A series of laws passed by the English Parliament in the 1650s aimed at regulating colonial trade and enabling England to collect taxes from the colonies.

Adams’s “midnight appointments”

Refers to the last-minute judicial appointments made by President John Adams in an effort to maintain Federalist influence in the judiciary before Thomas Jefferson took office.

Assembly line

A manufacturing process where parts are added in sequence, often used to increase efficiency in mass production.

Beard Thesis (of the Constitution)

A theory proposed by historian Charles A. Beard, suggesting that the U.S. Constitution was created primarily to serve the economic interests of its framers, rather than to protect democracy.

First Bank of the United States (BUS)

The first federally chartered bank in the United States, established in 1791, which played a key role in stabilizing the nation's economy and facilitating government financial operations.

Freeport Doctrine

A statement made by Stephen A. Douglas during the 1858 Lincoln-Douglas debates, asserting that territories could still exclude slavery despite the Dred Scott decision by refusing to adopt laws to protect it.

The Frontier Thesis

A theory proposed by historian Frederick Jackson Turner, arguing that the American frontier was integral to the development of the American character and democracy.

Gospel of Wealth

An essay by Andrew Carnegie that advocated for the responsibility of the wealthy to use their fortunes for the greater good of society.

Horizontal integration

A business strategy where a company acquires or merges with its competitors to increase market share and reduce competition.

Interchangeable parts

Manufactured components that are identical and can be used interchangeably in assembly, revolutionizing production processes.

Jeffersonian Republicanism

A political philosophy associated with Thomas Jefferson that emphasizes agrarianism, states' rights, and a limited federal government, promoting democratic participation among the populace.

Jingoism

An aggressive patriotism that favors an expansionist foreign policy and often promotes military intervention.

Judicial Review

The power of courts to assess whether a law is in accordance with the Constitution, established by the Supreme Court case Marbury v. Madison.

“Kitchen cabinet”

A term used to describe an informal group of advisors to President Andrew Jackson, who were not officially appointed and often met in the White House kitchen.

Loose construction

A broad interpretation of the Constitution that allows for implied powers of the federal government, differing from strict constructionism.

Lowell System

An early factory system developed in the 19th century that employed young women and provided them with housing and an education, primarily in textile manufacturing.

Manifest Destiny

The 19th-century doctrine that the expansion of the United States throughout the American continents was both justified and inevitable.

Nativism

A political policy favoring the interests of native inhabitants over those of immigrants, often characterized by anti-immigrant sentiment.

Non-consumption and non-importation

Policies adopted by American colonists in the late 18th century to resist British taxation by refusing to buy British goods or import them from overseas. These strategies were part of the broader resistance against British rule.

“Pet” banks

State banks selected by the U.S. Treasury to receive federal deposits, favored by President Andrew Jackson.

Popular sovereignty

The principle that the authority of the government is created and sustained by the consent of its people, often implemented through votes on issues such as slavery in new territories.

President’s cabinet

A group of advisors to the President consisting of the heads of the executive departments, responsible for helping him make important decisions and implement policies.

Second Bank of the United States (BUS)

The national bank chartered in 1816 to regulate credit and manage currency, which faced opposition from President Andrew Jackson and was ultimately dismantled in 1836.

Second Party system

A political party system in the United States from the 1820s to the 1850s, characterized by the competition between the Democratic Party and the Whig Party, which shaped political discourse and policy during that period.

Social Darwinism

A theory that applies the concept of natural selection to human society, suggesting that individuals or groups achieve advantage over others as a result of genetic or biological superiority.

Spoils system

A political practice where winning candidates reward supporters with government jobs, popularized by President Andrew Jackson in the 1820s.

Standard Oil Co.

A company founded by John D. Rockefeller in 1870, which dominated the oil industry in the United States and became a symbol of monopoly power.

States’ rights

The political doctrine advocating that states hold the ultimate authority over their own affairs, often in opposition to federal authority. This principle played a significant role in debates over slavery and the Civil War.

Strict construction

A way of interpreting the Constitution that emphasizes a literal and narrow reading of its text, limiting the powers of the federal government.

Trust

A legal arrangement where one party holds property or assets for the benefit of another, often used in the context of monopolistic practices and business combinations.

Turner Thesis

The argument proposed by historian Frederick Jackson Turner stating that the American frontier was key to shaping the nation's democracy and character.

U.S. Steel Corporation

A major American steel producer formed in 1901, it consolidated multiple steel companies and played a crucial role in the industrial development of the United States.

Utopian communities

Social organizations aimed at creating a perfect society, often based on idealistic principles.

Vertical integration

A business strategy where a company controls multiple stages of production or distribution within the same industry, often enhancing efficiency and reducing costs.

War profiteering

The act of making unfair profit from the sale of goods or services during times of war, often by exploiting shortages or high demand for materials.

Washington’s Farewell Address

A letter written by President George Washington in 1796 advising against political parties and foreign alliances.

“White man’s burden”

A phrase used to justify imperialism, suggesting that it is the responsibility of white colonizers to civilize non-white populations.

Yellow journalism

A style of sensationalist news reporting that exaggerates or fabricates stories to attract readers and influence public opinion, particularly prevalent in the late 19th century.

Annapolis Convention

A meeting held in 1786 to discuss the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and to promote the drafting of a new constitution.

Antietam

A pivotal battle fought on September 17, 1862, during the American Civil War, known for being the bloodiest single day in American history and leading to a strategic Union victory.

Atlanta Exposition/Compromise

A famous speech delivered by Booker T. Washington in 1895 advocating for vocational training for African Americans and emphasizing cooperation with whites.

Battle of New Oreleans

A significant battle fought on January 8, 1815, during the War of 1812, where American forces, led by Andrew Jackson, achieved a decisive victory against the British.

“Bleeding Kansas”

Refers to the violent confrontations between pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions in the Kansas Territory during the 1850s, as a result of the Kansas-Nebraska Act.

Boston Massacre

A deadly confrontation on March 5, 1770, where British soldiers killed five colonists in Boston, heightening tensions between Britain and the American colonies.

Boston Tea Party

An event on December 16, 1773, where American colonists, frustrated with British taxation, dumped 342 chests of tea into Boston Harbor as a protest against the Tea Act.

Boxer Rebellion

An uprising in 1900 by a Chinese secret society aimed at ending foreign influence in China, resulting in violent clashes and intervention by foreign powers.

Chesapeake Affair

A diplomatic incident in 1807 involving the British warship HMS Leopard attacking the American USS Chesapeake, which escalated tensions between the United States and Britain.