Impact of Mercantilism and Colonial Development

Mercantilism

Economic policy ensuring British trade dominance.

Navigation Acts

Trade restrictions enforcing colonial dependency on Britain.

Trans-Atlantic Trade

Exchange of goods connecting Europe, Africa, and Americas.

Southern Colonies

Established for agriculture and land profit.

Plantation Economy

Agricultural system relying on cash crops and enslaved labor.

New England Colonies

Founded for Puritan and Pilgrim religious freedom.

Rocky Soil

Limited large-scale farming in New England.

Mid-Atlantic Colonies

Established for religious freedom and economic opportunities.

Middle Passage

Horrific voyage of enslaved Africans to the Americas.

Salutary Neglect

British policy allowing colonial self-governance and growth.

Great Awakening

Religious revival emphasizing individual faith and emotional worship.

Treaty of Paris 1763

Ended French and Indian War, expanded British territory.

Colonial Infrastructure

Built by African Americans contributing labor and skills.

Cultural Contributions

African Americans influenced music, cuisine, and culture.

King Philip's War

Conflict between New England settlers and Native Americans.

Quaker Influence

Promoted peaceful relations with Native Americans in Pennsylvania.

Agricultural Knowledge

African Americans contributed expertise in rice cultivation.

Economic Dependency

Colonists relied on Britain for trade and resources.

Favorable Balance of Trade

Britain benefited from exports exceeding imports.

Colonial Assemblies

Self-governing bodies established during salutary neglect.

Religious Diversity

Promoted by the Great Awakening across the colonies.

Proclamation of 1763

Restricted settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains.

Stamp Act

First direct tax on colonists, sparking protests.

Intolerable Acts

Punished Massachusetts, uniting colonies against Britain.

Committees of Correspondence

Groups coordinating colonial resistance and communication.

Sons and Daughters of Liberty

Activists opposing British policies through protests.

Common Sense

Pamphlet by Thomas Paine advocating for independence.

Declaration of Independence

Document declaring U.S. independence from Britain.

Committee of Five

Group that drafted the Declaration of Independence.

Natural Rights

Unalienable rights: life, liberty, and property.

Social Contract

Justified rebellion against governments failing citizens' rights.

George Washington

Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army.

Baron von Steuben

Trained Continental Army, improving discipline at Valley Forge.

Marquis de Lafayette

Provided military leadership and secured French support.

Valley Forge

Turning point for Continental Army's unity and preparedness.

Battle of Trenton

Washington's surprise attack boosted morale and secured victory.

Battle of Saratoga

Convinced France to ally with the colonies.

Battle of Yorktown

Siege led to British surrender, ending the war.

Role of Women

Supported war as nurses, spies, and managers.

Role of American Indians

Divided support between British and Americans.

Role of Enslaved and Free Blacks

Fought for both sides seeking freedom.

Treaty of Paris (1783)

Officially ended the war, recognizing U.S. independence.

Articles of Confederation

First U.S. constitution, creating a weak central government.

Northwest Ordinance

Established procedures for statehood and prohibited slavery.

Protected individual rights

Fundamental rights guaranteed to individuals by law.

Articles of Confederation

First governing document of the United States.

No power to tax

Federal government lacked authority to levy taxes.

No executive branch

Absence of a centralized executive authority.

Difficulty passing laws

Unanimous consent required for legislative action.

Shay's Rebellion

Uprising exposing weaknesses in federal authority.

Purpose of the Constitution

Establish a stronger federal government with checks.

Great Compromise

Created bicameral legislature for state representation.

Three-Fifths Compromise

Counted three-fifths of enslaved people for representation.

Limits to federal government power

Includes separation of powers and Bill of Rights.

Habeas Corpus

Legal principle ensuring lawful detention review.

Lincoln's suspension of habeas corpus

Suppressed dissent during the Civil War.

Emancipation Proclamation

Freed enslaved people in Confederate states.

Gettysburg Address

Redefined war purpose as preserving the Union.

Ulysses S. Grant

Union Army's commanding general during the Civil War.

William T. Sherman

Led destructive 'March to the Sea' campaign.

Jefferson Davis

President of the Confederate States during the war.

Robert E. Lee

Confederate Army's commanding general.

Thomas 'Stonewall' Jackson

Confederate general known for tactical prowess.

Fort Sumter

First battle marking the start of the Civil War.

Antietam

Bloodiest single-day battle in American history.

Vicksburg

Union victory securing control of the Mississippi River.

Gettysburg

Turning point battle halting Confederate advances.

Battle of Atlanta

Union victory boosting morale and control.

Sherman's March to the Sea

Devastated Southern infrastructure and morale.

Reconstruction

Post-Civil War period for rebuilding the South.

Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address

Promoted healing between North and South.

Presidential Reconstruction Plan

Quickly restored Southern states to the Union.

Congressional Reconstruction Plan

Enforced civil rights and restructured Southern society.

Lincoln's Assassination

Disrupted lenient Reconstruction plans and intensified conflict.

Andrew Johnson's impeachment

Charged for violating the Tenure of Office Act.

Impeachment

Process of charging a public official with misconduct.

Acquitted

Found not guilty in a legal trial.

Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands

Assisted freed African Americans and poor whites.

13th Amendment

Abolished slavery in the United States.

14th Amendment

Granted citizenship and equal protection under law.

14th Amendment

Granted citizenship and equal protection to all born in U.S.

15th Amendment

Guaranteed voting rights regardless of race or color.

Federal Power Increase

Enhanced federal authority to protect individual rights.

Black Codes

Laws restricting African American freedoms post-Civil War.

Ku Klux Klan

Group aimed to maintain racial hierarchy and undermine Reconstruction.

Presidential Election of 1876

Rutherford B. Hayes became president for the North.

Compromise of 1877

Unofficially ended Reconstruction by withdrawing federal troops.

Railroad Boom Significance

Connected U.S., facilitated expansion, and boosted commerce.

John D. Rockefeller

Dominated oil industry, creating a major monopoly.

Andrew Carnegie

Revolutionized steel industry and promoted philanthropy.

Monopoly

Exclusive control over a market or product.

Trust

Business arrangement reducing competition among companies.

Infrastructure Inventions

Telephone, electric light bulb, transcontinental railroad improved America.

Ellis Island

East Coast immigration processing center for newcomers.

Angel Island

West Coast immigration processing center for newcomers.

New Immigrants

Southern and Eastern Europeans, diverse languages and religions.

American Federation of Labor

Advocated for better wages, hours, and conditions.

Labor Tactics

Strikes, collective bargaining, and lobbying for legislation.

Washington's Farewell Address

Warned against political parties and foreign alliances.

Two-Term Limit

Established precedent for presidential terms under Washington.