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Native American societies were ________ and ________
diverse, complex
what crop did Native American societies domesticate? why was this significant?
corn; while it was one of the “worst” grains to support the human population (not as nutritious as other grains) it is highly productive and allowed societies to establish a division of labor
what shaped American settler colonial societies and their differences?
religious diversity (Puritans in New England, Quakers in Pennsylvania, and Anglicans in the South)
what effect did the French and Indian War have on the Revolution?
Britain was left with lots of debt and began to tax the colonies
this taxation angered colonists and Thomas Paine’s Common Sense galvanized support for the revolutionary effort
what were Columbus’ motivations? what recurring theme throughout American history does this fit with?
ambitious, greed, and religious zeal
believed he was fulfilling biblical prophecy by converting the Native people to Christianity
America having a special destiny chosen by God
in the beginning, how were the colonies split?
South- plantations: tobacco, cotton
North- trade and commerce
by 1800, the Native American population plummeted by
80-90%
first slave ship arrived in Virginia in
1619
what is the difference between indentured servants and slaves?
indentured servants servitude was bound by a contract with a set time period
what did the racialization of slavery look like in the colonies?
people were enslaved for life
1705- a Virginia law made slavery perpetual and inherited through the mother
created an underclass
what was the unifying ideology amongst the various religions?
freedom to practice religion and avoid the mistakes of the Old World
what were the effects of the Great Awakening?
challenge hierarchies, emphasized personal experience over dogma, fostered a sense of emotional connection among people of different backgrounds,
how did America begin to distinguish itself from Britain?
religious fervor, self-reliance, and local governance laid the groundwork for the distinction
how did the puritans begin to implant this idea of American exceptionalism?
it was thought that they were building a model society and beacon of freedom and virtue, which shapes American self-perception and foreign policies
what were some of the Acts that led to the Revolution?
Sugar Act
Stamp Act (required colonists to buy special stamped paper)
Townsend Acts
what was the identity/values that America were developing while tensions were rising?
Enlightenment thinkers- Locke- natural rights
governments derived their legitimacy from those they govern
what did Paine’s Common Sense argue?
it was common sense to break from the tyrannical king
what happened at the Second Continental Congress?
initially, they hoped to reconcile with Britain, but as tension intensified they knew the best step was to break from Britain
what is the significance of the Declaration of Independence?
powerful statement of universal principles- all men are created equal endowed with certain unalienable rights- life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness
declaration of American ideals, rejection of tyranny, and commitment to self-government
what part did not support American Indpendence?
the Loyalists (~20%) - they feared the consequences of rebellion
in the Revolution, how did foreign allies play a role?
France aid proved crucial to American victory
Spain and the Netherlands also contributed resources and aid
what happened to slavery during the Revolutionary War?
some saw the Revolution as an opportunity for freedom and sided with Americans
Lord Dunmore, royal governor of Virginia, issued a proclamation for enslaved people’s freedom if they joined the British cause
what was the first attempt of Americans to form a government?
Articles of Confederation
who drafted the Declaration of Independence?
Thomas Jefferson
what were the issues with the Articles of Confederation?
created a weak central government with limited powers
most authority remained with states
AoC were too weak - couldn’t raise taxes, couldn’t regulation trade, couldn’t intervene in civil unrest
what are key innovations of the Constitution?
created systems of checks and balances and separation of powers to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful
federalism- divided power between national power and the states
how was slavery addressed in the Constitution?
despite the Nation being founded on ideals of liberty, slavery was not abolished just accommodated for
slavery is not directly stated in the Constitution- left unresolved
what were the idea/party divisions after the Revolutionary War?
federalist- supported constitutions; argued it was necessary for a strong central government
anti-federalists- feared too much power to central government and threatened individual liberties
what was the role of the Federalist Papers in ratifying the constitution?
series of essays (Hamilton, Madison, Jay) that defended the Constitution and addressed concerns about tyranny
helped the ratification of the Constitution
what is a pressing issues that the nation faced after the ratification of the Constitution?
rise of political parties
what were the first political parties? what were their differences in their beliefs?
Federalists (Hamilton, Adams) favored a strong central government to maintain order, promote economic growth, and position the US on the world stage
democratic-republicans (Jefferson and Madison)- favored states’ rights, agrarian economies, and limited role for federal government, wanted decentralized system where states due to fear of tyranny
how did the French Revolution influence American politics?
democratic-republicans were supportive of French cause, Federalist sided with Great Britain
Washington declared neutrality but tensions grew
Federalists passed alien and sedition acts- seen as an attempt to silence democratic republicans (alien act- deport foreigners deemed dangerous, sedition acts- makes it a crime to speak out against government)
what were the key challenges Jefferson faced when he took office?
conflict between Britain and France, which affected American shipping and neutrality
persuaded Congress to pass the Embargo Act- prohibited American ships from trading with any foreign ports (attempt to use economic leverage to achieve foreign policy goals)- this backfired because it devastated the American economy (especially in New England, which relied on trade)
War of 1812 was sparked by
British impressment of American sailors
interference of American shipping
support of Native American resistance on the frontier
what was the result of the War of 1812?
solidified American independence
produced American heroes like Andrew Jackson
who did Jackson appeal to?
he was a populist and appealed to the common man
what are the characteristics of Jacksonian Democracy?
broader electorate with the expansion of suffrage to include most white men with an emphasis of the will of people and suspicion of the elites
Bank War (battle against the Second Bank of the US)
Jackson saw the bank as a tool of the wealth elite and he was determined to destroy it
vetoed banks recharter and his actions led to its demise
what were major events of Jackson’s presidency?
Bank War, Nullification Crisis, Indian Removal Act
westward expansion led to the _______ ________ Act under Andrew Jackson
Indian Removal
antebellum period
nation was expanding westward
social reform movements- time of activism (women’s rights, addressing slavery, etc)
working to create a more just and equitable society
time of progress and division
what was westward expansion fueled by?
manifest destiny
Manifest Destiny
belief that it was America’s God-given right to spread from sea to shining sea
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