United States History Overview

A series of flashcards covering key vocabulary related to major themes and events in United States history as presented in the lecture notes.

Mercantilism

An economic theory that trade generates wealth and is stimulated by the accumulation of profitable balances.

Trans-Atlantic Trade

Trade routes that connected Europe, Africa, and the Americas, which facilitated the exchange of goods, resources, and enslaved people.

Southern Colonies

Colonies established for economic reasons, known for plantation agriculture and relations with Native Americans.

New England Colonies

Colonies known for their religious motivations, community-oriented societies, and diverse economies.

Mid-Atlantic Colonies

Colonies characterized by cultural diversity and a mix of agriculture and commerce.

Middle Passage

The sea route used to transport enslaved Africans to the Americas.

Salutary Neglect

An unofficial policy of relaxed enforcement of regulations in the colonies, allowing them to flourish.

The Great Awakening

A series of religious revivals in the American colonies that encouraged personal faith and challenged established authorities.

Declaration of Independence

The document declaring the colonies' separation from Britain, emphasizing individual rights and government by consent.

French Alliance

The military alliance formed between the American colonies and France during the Revolutionary War.

Treaty of Paris 1783

The treaty that officially ended the American Revolution and recognized American independence.

Articles of Confederation

The first constitution of the United States, which created a weak federal government.

Shays’ Rebellion

An armed uprising that highlighted the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and led to calls for a stronger central government.

Three-Fifths Compromise

An agreement during the Constitutional Convention that allowed states to count three-fifths of their enslaved population for representation.

Manifest Destiny

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

Jim Crow Laws

State and local laws that enforced racial segregation in the Southern United States.

New Deal

A series of programs and policies instituted by FDR in response to the Great Depression.

Civil Rights Movement

A decades-long movement aimed at ending racial discrimination and ensuring equal rights for African Americans.