APUSH

Native Americans

Indigenous peoples of America who migrated from Asia through an ice bridge, with 60-120 million Natives belonging to 2000 tribes, primarily hunters and gatherers.

Three Sister Farming

Agricultural technique involving the cultivation of maize (corn), beans, and squash together, practiced by Native Americans.

Matrilineal Society

Social structure where power and family lineage are traced through the female side, as seen in some Native American tribes like the Iroquois.

Age of Exploration

Period initiated in 1492 by Columbus's voyage, driven by Europe's need for new trade routes to Asia due to the Ottoman Empire blocking the Silk Road.

Columbian Exchange

Global exchange of goods between Europe and America, introducing new items like horses, guns, and diseases to America, and corn, tomatoes, and tobacco to Europe.

Jamestown

First English settlement in the New World, founded in 1607 in Virginia by the Virginia Company, initially focused on finding gold but later thrived on tobacco cultivation.

Encomienda System

Spanish system of forced labor imposed on Native Americans, requiring them to dedicate a certain amount of time to Spanish interests.

French and Indian War

Conflict between France and Britain (1754-1763) in America, leading to British control over the Ohio River Valley and ultimately contributing to the American Revolution.

Triangular Trade

Trade route between Europe, Africa, and the Caribbean, involving the exchange of goods like sugar and slaves, shaping the economies of these regions.

Salutary Neglect

British policy of lax enforcement towards American colonies, allowing them to govern themselves as long as they remained profitable to Britain, lasting over 160 years.

Treaty of Paris

Signed in 1763, ended the French and Indian War, resulting in France losing all land in North America to Britain, including Canada.

Proclamation of 1763

Issued by Britain, forbidding colonists from settling in the Ohio River Valley until peace was made with Native Americans.

Sugar Act

Imposed by Britain in 1764, it was the first revenue tax on the colonists, leading to protests and eventual repeal.

Stamp Act

Enacted in 1765, it imposed a tax on all paper products in the colonies, leading to violent protests and the famous slogan "No taxation without representation."

Boston Tea Party

A protest in 1773 where colonists dressed as Natives and dumped tea into Boston Harbor to protest the Tea Act, leading to the Intolerable Acts.

Articles of Confederation

The first national constitution of the United States, which created a weak central government with limited powers, leading to the need for a stronger national government.

Northwest Ordinance of 1784

Established a system for governing the Northwest Territory, including the prohibition of slavery and the promotion of education.

Shays' Rebellion

An armed uprising in 1786-1787 in Massachusetts led by Daniel Shays, highlighting the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and the need for a stronger central government.

Constitutional Convention

Held in 1787 in Philadelphia to revise the Articles of Confederation, resulting in the drafting of the U.S. Constitution.

Bill of Rights

The first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution, guaranteeing individual rights and freedoms, added to address concerns of Anti-Federalists.

Democrat-Republicans

Farmers from the South and West, led by Jefferson and Madison, who favored state power over federal power, strict construction of the constitution, and supported France over England.

Whiskey Rebellion

Lower-class farmers in the South and West violently rebelling against the government due to the imposition of excise taxes on whiskey to fund the Bank of the United States.

Washington's Farewell Address

Washington's warning against "entangling alliances," advising the US to stay out of European affairs and cautioning against the formation of political parties.

Jay's Treaty

Agreement between the US and Britain where Britain agreed to leave western forts, compensate merchants for seized goods, and the US paid pre-Revolutionary War debts to Britain.

Alien and Sedition Acts

Laws passed to restrict immigrants and make speaking out against the government illegal, targeting Democratic-Republicans and those against war.

Marbury v madison

Landmark Supreme Court case establishing judicial review, allowing the Court to rule on the constitutionality of laws.

Louisiana Purchase

Acquisition of the Louisiana Territory from France for $15 million, doubling the size of the US and showcasing Jefferson's use of implied powers.

War of 1812

Conflict between the US and Britain, marked by impressment, attacks on US ships, and the burning of Washington, ending with the Treaty of Ghent in 1814.

Monroe Doctrine

US policy warning European powers against interfering in the Western Hemisphere and declaring the Americas off-limits for further colonization.

Spoils System

Practice introduced by Andrew Jackson to reward political supporters with government jobs, increasing loyalty but criticized for lack of qualifications and checks on power.

Jacksonian Democracy

Refers to the era characterized by the expansion of presidential power, emphasis on the common man, and the protection of states' rights during Andrew Jackson's presidency.

Indian Removal Act

Legislation signed by Andrew Jackson in 1830 to forcibly relocate Native American tribes, particularly the Cherokee, from their ancestral lands to territories west of the Mississippi River.

Cherokee Nation v Georgia

Landmark Supreme Court case in 1831 where the Cherokee Nation sued the state of Georgia over laws infringing on their rights, highlighting the conflict between state and federal authority.

Tariff of Abominations

The high tariff passed in 1828 to protect Northern industries, which led to economic tensions between the North and the South, contributing to the Nullification Crisis.

Nullification Crisis

A political conflict in the 1830s over the right of states to nullify federal laws they deemed unconstitutional, notably seen in South Carolina's opposition to the Tariff of Abominations.

Bank War

Andrew Jackson's opposition to the Bank of the United States, culminating in the veto of the bank's recharter in 1832 and the subsequent removal of federal funds, leading to economic repercussions.

Trail of Tears

The forced relocation of Native American tribes, particularly the Cherokee, from their lands in the Southeast to present-day Oklahoma, resulting in the deaths of thousands during the 1830s.

Manifest Destiny

The belief in the 19th century that the United States was destined to expand across the continent, driving westward expansion and influencing policies such as the annexation of Texas and the Oregon boundary dispute.

Compromise of 1850

A series of legislative measures aimed at resolving the territorial and slavery disputes arising from the Mexican-American War, including the admission of California as a free state and the Fugitive Slave Act.

Kansas-Nebraska Act

Legislation introduced by Stephen Douglas in 1854 that repealed the Missouri Compromise, allowing popular sovereignty to determine the status of slavery in the Kansas and Nebraska territories, leading to violent conflicts.

Bleeding Kansas

Conflict arising from pro-slavery and free soil settlers rushing to Kansas to influence its statehood, leading to violent clashes and killings, demonstrating the breakdown of compromise.

Caning of Sumner

Incident where SC Senator Preston Brooks attacked Senator Charles Sumner with a cane in response to Sumner's anti-slavery speech, highlighting the escalating tensions and resort to violence in the slavery debate.

Dred Scott Case

Legal case where the Supreme Court ruled that slaves were property, declared the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional, and asserted that slavery could not be outlawed, intensifying the national debate over slavery.

Lincoln-Douglas Debates

Series of debates between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas over the issue of slavery, popular sovereignty, and the Dred Scott decision, shaping public opinion and political outcomes.

Raid of Harper's Ferry

Led by John Brown, the raid aimed to arm slaves for a rebellion against slavery, underscoring the radical actions taken by abolitionists and the increasing tensions over the institution of slavery.

Emancipation Proclamation

Issued by Lincoln, it freed slaves in the rebellious Southern states, transforming the Civil War into a fight against slavery and denying the South potential European support.

Reconstruction

Period from 1865 to 1877 aimed at reuniting the country after the Civil War, marked by differing plans like Lincoln's, Johnson's, and Radical Reconstruction, and efforts to secure civil rights for freedmen amidst resistance and challenges.

Impeachment Process

When a high-ranking official is accused of breaking the law, leading to a two-part process involving the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Gilded Age (1865-1898)

A period marked by government corruption, the rise of big business, cowboys and Indians, new immigrants, labor unions, and farmers in the United States.

Robber Barons vs captains of industry

Contrasting views of industrialists, with Robber Barons seen negatively for unscrupulous ways of making money, and Captains of Industry viewed positively for hard work and innovation.

Trusts/Monopolies

Trusts refer to monopolies where one company owns either an entire industry (horizontal) or all components of its production (vertical), impacting consumer choice and industry regulations.

Social Darwinism

The belief that wealth is deserved by those who work hard, leading to the idea that the wealthy have a responsibility to help the poor, as seen in Carnegie's "Gospel of Wealth."

Labor Unions

Organizations formed by workers to demand better pay and working conditions, often resorting to strikes and picketing corporations to achieve their goals.

Populist Party

A political party representing workers and farmers, advocating for reforms like railroad regulation, immigration reform, and a graduated income tax during the late 19th century.

New Immigrants

Immigrants from southern and eastern Europe and Asia during the late 19th century, facing discrimination and taking low-paying factory jobs in pursuit of the American Dream.

Native American Conflicts

Conflicts between settlers and Native Americans, including the Great Sioux Wars and the Dawes Severalty Act, which aimed to assimilate Native tribes into American society.

Spanish-American War (1898)

A conflict driven by US imperialism and jingoism, leading to the acquisition of territories like Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines, sparking debates on American exceptionalism and colonial responsibilities.

Open Door Policy

Policy ensuring no one could control China, allowing open trade.

Big Stick Diplomacy

TR's foreign policy advocating a strong military, especially the Navy.

Panama Canal

Man-made waterway connecting larger bodies of water, owned by Colombia initially.

Roosevelt Corollary

Asserted the US's right to intervene in Central/South America for economic stability.

Progressive Era

Period (1900-1920) focused on reforms, ending corruption, and empowering the people.

Muckrakers

Investigative journalists exposing societal issues without providing solutions.

Direct Primary

System allowing people to choose election candidates, shifting power to the public.

Progressive Amendments

16th (income tax), 17th (direct election of senators), 18th (prohibition), 19th (women's suffrage).

Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire

Tragic event highlighting poor working conditions and safety regulations.

Woodrow Wilson

Most progressive president, introduced New Freedom policies and supported small businesses.

Doughboys

Nickname for American soldiers during World War I

Paris Peace Conference

Meeting of Allied victors after WWI to set peace terms for the defeated Central Powers

Treaty of Versailles

Peace treaty that ended WWI, imposed harsh conditions on Germany

League of Nations

International organization aimed at maintaining world peace, part of Wilson's 14 points

Roaring 20s

Decade of economic prosperity, cultural change, and social rebellion in the US

Great Depression

Severe worldwide economic depression in the 1930s

Red Scare

Period of anti-communist hysteria in the US after WWI

Scopes Monkey Trial

Trial in TN over the teaching of evolution in schools

New Deal

Series of programs and reforms by FDR to combat the Great Depression

Axis Powers

Alliance of Germany, Italy, and Japan during WWII

Blitzkrieg

Military strategy emphasizing speed and surprise, used by Germany in WWII

Lend Lease

US program providing aid to the Allies during WWII

Pearl Harbor

Japanese attack on US naval base in Hawaii, leading to US entry into WWII

Total War

A state of conflict where all aspects of a society are mobilized for war effort, including rationing, war production boards, and war bonds.

Japanese Internment

The forced relocation and incarceration of Japanese Americans in the United States during World War II, despite many being US citizens.

Tuskegee Airmen

The first African American military aviators in the United States Armed Forces who served during World War II.

D-Day

The Allied invasion of Normandy, France on June 6, 1944, marking the beginning of the end of World War II in Europe.

Manhattan Project

The secret research and development project during World War II that produced the first nuclear weapons, leading to the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Domino Theory

The belief that if one country falls to communism, neighboring countries will also fall, influencing US foreign policy during the Cold War.

Marshall Plan

The US initiative to aid Western Europe after World War II by providing financial assistance for economic recovery and to prevent the spread of communism.

McCarthyism

The practice of making accusations of subversion or treason without proper regard for evidence, named after US Senator Joseph McCarthy during the Red Scare.

Cuban Missile Crisis

The 1962 confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union over the presence of Soviet missiles in Cuba, bringing the two superpowers to the brink of nuclear war.

Civil Rights Era

The period from the 1950s to the 1960s marked by significant social movements and legislative changes aimed at ending racial segregation and discrimination in the United States.