Important Acts of Congress to Know for AP United States History (copy)

Northwest Ordinance

Created a system for governing the Northwest Territory and admitting new states; established public education and guaranteed certain civil liberties; prohibited slavery, influencing debates over slavery expansion.

Alien and Sedition Acts

Passed during tensions with France; extended naturalization periods for immigrants, allowed deportation of non-citizens seen as threats, and criminalized criticism of the government.

Missouri Compromise

Maintained the balance between free and slave states by establishing the 36°30′ line prohibiting slavery in new territories north of the line.

Indian Removal Act

Allowed the forced relocation of Native American tribes to lands west of the Mississippi, leading to the Trail of Tears.

Compromise of 1850

Admitted California as a free state; strengthened the Fugitive Slave Act; allowed popular sovereignty in Utah and New Mexico territories.

Kansas-Nebraska Act

Allowed popular sovereignty to decide on slavery in Kansas and Nebraska; repealed the Missouri Compromise, leading to violent conflicts.

Homestead Act

Encouraged Western settlement by granting 160 acres to individuals willing to farm the land, accelerating westward migration.

Pacific Railway Acts

Supported the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad, boosting economic growth and facilitating settlement but disrupting Native cultures.

Reconstruction Acts

Reinforced federal control over Southern states during Reconstruction; required states to guarantee African American suffrage.

Chinese Exclusion Act

Banned Chinese labor immigration for ten years, later extended indefinitely, reflecting racial discrimination and nativism.

Interstate Commerce Act

Regulated railroad rates and practices to address monopolistic abuses; established the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC).

Sherman Antitrust Act

Outlawed monopolistic practices and promoted economic competition; initially aimed at labor unions, later used to break up monopolies.

Dawes Act

Assimilated Native Americans by allotting tribal lands to individuals, undermining cultures and resulting in significant land loss.

Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act

Ended patronage by implementing a merit-based system for federal employment, reducing corruption in federal jobs.

Pure Food and Drug Act

Regulated food and drug industries to ensure safety and truthful labeling, leading to the creation of the FDA.

Federal Reserve Act

Established the Federal Reserve System to stabilize the economy and create tools to control inflation.

Clayton Antitrust Act

Strengthened antitrust regulations and protected labor unions from antitrust laws.

Espionage and Sedition Acts

Suppressed anti-war dissent during WWI, targeting activists and raising concerns over free speech rights.

National Origins Act

Limited immigration through quotas favoring Northern and Western Europeans, reflecting 1920s nativist attitudes.

Social Security Act

Established financial support for the elderly, unemployed, and disabled during the Great Depression, forming the welfare state.