APUSH Units 1-5

Flashcards created from lecture notes on American History.

What was the main characteristic of Native American tribes in North America?

Tribes were very diverse, adapting to their local environments.

Name three main motivations for Europeans to come to the Americas.

To find wealth, new trade routes to Asia, and gold.

(Gold, God, Glory)

What were some key consequences of the Columbian Exchange?

New crops and animals (bettering diets on both continents), diseases, and a shift to capitalism in Europe.

How did the arrival of the Spanish impact the social and economic structure of the Americas?

The Spanish created the Encomienda system, used Native American and African slaves, and created a race-based social system (caste system)

How did European and Native American views on land ownership differ?

Europeans saw land as property, while Native Americans saw it as a shared, spiritual resource.

What were the main goals for Spanish, Dutch, French, and English colonization projects?

To gain wealth, spread Christianity, and achieve glory, including trade and religious freedom.

What were the key characteristics of the Chesapeake colonies?

To make money from tobacco, mostly men came as indentured servants, and they had their own government (House of Burgesses).

What was unique about the New England colonies?

Puritans wanted religious freedom, whole families settled there, and they established a religious colony (Mayflower Compact).

What was the economic focus of the British West Indies colonies?

They grew cash crops like sugarcane and tobacco using African slaves.

What role did the Middle Colonies play in the British colonial system?

They were trade centers, exported crops, and had diverse populations.

What is mercantilism?

A policy to export more than you import.

Describe the triangular trade.

Europe gave rum to Africa, Africa gave slaves to America, and America gave sugar to both.

What was the cause of Metacom's War (King Philip's War)?

The English wanted more land and power, which threatened Native Americans.

What caused the Pueblo Revolt?

Native Americans didn't want to be forced to convert to Christianity by the Spanish.

In what ways did enslaved African laborers rebel against the system?

Slaves resisted by breaking tools, keeping their culture alive (covert), and actively rebelling (Stono Rebellion/overt rebellions)

How did the Enlightenment Era influence the English Colonists?

Colonists learned about natural rights, which made them question England's power. Resulted in Great Awakening.

Discuss the rising tensions between the British and American colonists.

British policies and impressment angered colonists, who realized they had natural rights.

What were the main causes and effects of the French and Indian War?

Britain and France fought, Britain won more land, but it caused more problems with Native Americans.

The war also resulted in heavy debt, which led to the taxation on American colonies.

What did the Proclamation Line of 1763 prohibit?

Colonists couldn't settle west of the Appalachian Mountains.

Summarize the reasons for the American Revolution.

British policies (like taxes without representation) and Enlightenment ideas.

Why did American colonists object to British taxation?

They had no say in Parliament, which led to protests, boycotts, and events like the Boston Tea Party.

What was the significance of the Articles of Confederation?

It was the first US constitution, but it failed because the government was too weak.

What were the key weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation?

The legislative branch had too much power, and there was no executive branch, judicial branch, or national military.

What impact did the ideals of the American Revolution have on society?

It sparked debates about slavery, gender roles (Republican Motherhood), and inspired revolutions in France and Haiti.

How did George Washington and John Adams shape the early US government?

They tested the Constitution with the Whiskey Rebellion, set up economic and foreign policies, and caused the Virginia Kentucky Resolutions.

How did American national identity emerge in art, literature, and architecture?

Through Romanticism and Webster's dictionary, which made American English different from European English

What characterized the Era of Jefferson in terms of political parties and land expansion?

There were party debates over government power, the Louisiana Purchase expanded land, and the Supreme Court became more influential.

How did the Supreme Court establish its place in the American government?

Through Marbury v. Madison, which gave the Court the power of judicial review.

What were the main components of Henry Clay's American System?

Protective tariffs, a national bank, and improvements to help the American economy.

What was the Missouri Compromise of 1820?

Missouri became a slave state, and a line was drawn to decide if new states would be slave or free.

What factors contributed to the Market Revolution?

new technology, new ways of transportation, rise of the middle class, westward expansion, rise in slavery, and increased commercialization of agriculture.

What were the effects of the Market Revolution?

significant economic changes, increased urbanization, the growth of the factory system, and shifts in labor patterns. It also led to social changes, including the rise of a consumer culture and increased inequality.

American Belief during Manifest Destiny

The belief that America was meant to expand its territory and culture.

How did the Mexican-American War affect the issue of slavery?

It caused disagreements over whether new territories should allow slavery.

Labor Tension during Period 1844-1877

Northerners feared that the rise of slavery would threaten their jobs.

How did the Kansas-Nebraska Act and the Dred Scott decision contribute to the rise of sectional political parties?

These events led to political parties divided over slavery, and Lincoln's election led to the South seceding.

What were the key outcomes of Reconstruction?

Slavery was ended, the country reunited, and some laws were changed, but the South resisted, leading to discrimination.

Summarize the reason for the failure of the Reconstruction?

Formation of KKK, Black Codes, sharecropping, etc.

Louisiana Purchase

The acquisition of French territory by the United States in 1803, which doubled the size of the nation and facilitated westward expansion.

Missouri Compromise

A legislative agreement in 1820 that allowed Missouri to enter the Union as a slave state and Maine as a free state, maintaining the balance between free and slave states.

Mexican American War

A conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848, primarily over territorial disputes following the annexation of Texas, resulting in significant territorial gains for the U.S.