Foundations of American History

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards based on key historical concepts and events in American history.

Northwest Ordinance

A law that established a process for territories to become states and guaranteed certain freedoms, including freedom of religion, speech, and trial by jury.

Federalism

A system of government where power is divided between a national government and state governments.

Federalist Papers

A series of essays written to support the ratification of the Constitution, outlining arguments for a strong national government.

National defense

The argument made by Federalists for a strong national army, contrasted by Anti-Federalists who believed states should control militias.

Taxation

Federalists supported the government's need to tax, while Anti-Federalists feared this could lead to abuse of power.

Executive branch

Federalists favored a strong president for stability, while Anti-Federalists were concerned about king-like power.

Bill of Rights

A list of fundamental rights, initially considered unnecessary by Federalists, but deemed essential by Anti-Federalists to protect freedoms.

Social Contract

A theory by John Locke stating that government protects natural rights (life, liberty, property) and that the people can overthrow an unfair government.

Separation of Powers

A principle in government that divides power among three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial, with checks and balances.

Compromise of 1877

An agreement that ended Reconstruction, removed federal troops, and enabled Southern states to enact racist laws.

Jim Crow Laws

Laws that enforced racial segregation in the Southern United States.

Miscegenation laws

Laws that banned interracial marriage.

13th Amendment

An amendment to the Constitution that abolished slavery.

14th Amendment

An amendment granting citizenship to all individuals born in the U.S. and providing equal protection under the law.

15th Amendment

An amendment that granted Black men the right to vote.

Plessy v. Ferguson

A Supreme Court case that upheld the legality of racial segregation under the doctrine of "separate but equal."

Native view of reservations

Perceptions held by Native Americans that reservations represented unfair treatment and forced relocation.

Assimilation

The process of forcing Native Americans to adopt white culture.

Carlisle School

A boarding school aimed at erasing Native American culture through education.

Little Bighorn

A battle where Native tribes defeated the U.S. Army, demonstrating their resistance to expansion.

Wounded Knee (1890)

An event where U.S. troops killed many Native Americans, marking the end of major Native resistance.

Ghost Dance

A religious movement among Native Americans that promised the return of their lands.

Tenements

Overcrowded and poor housing conditions commonly found in urban areas.

Immigration + industrialization

The relationship where immigrants provided cheap labor for factories during industrial growth.

Ethnic enclave

A neighborhood where people of the same culture live together.

Cultural diffusion

The mixing of different cultures, including food, language, and traditions.

1965 Immigration Act

Legislation that ended the quota system and increased immigration from Asia and Latin America.

Impact on farming

The use of machines in farming increased efficiency, reducing the number of workers needed.

Urbanization

The movement of people to cities for job opportunities.

Assembly line

A manufacturing process where workers perform a single task repeatedly, leading to faster production.

Labor unions

Organizations formed to advocate for better wages and working conditions.

Homestead Strike

A labor strike by steelworkers protesting pay cuts, which led to government intervention.

Laissez-faire

An economic philosophy where the government refrains from interfering in the economy.

The Jungle

A novel by Upton Sinclair that exposed the unsafe conditions of the meatpacking industry.

Pure Food & Drug Act

Legislation that regulated food and medicine for consumer safety.

Muckraker

Journalists who uncovered corruption and societal issues to promote reforms.

Sherman Antitrust Act

A law aimed at breaking up monopolies and promoting fair competition.

16th Amendment

An amendment that established the federal income tax.

17th Amendment

An amendment that allowed for the direct election of U.S. senators.

19th Amendment

An amendment that granted women the right to vote.

Imperialism

The policy of extending a country's power through military or economic means.

Isolationism

The policy of remaining apart from the affairs or interests of other groups.

Spanish-American War

A conflict that resulted in the U.S. acquiring Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines.

Hawaii annexed

The U.S. acquisition of Hawaii for its strategic military location and economic interests.

Treaty of Versailles

A peace treaty that the U.S. rejected, aiming to avoid future military conflicts.

Kellogg-Briand Pact

An agreement between countries not to use war as a means to resolve disputes.

Great Migration

The movement of African Americans from the rural South to the urban North, seeking jobs and escaping segregation.

Harlem Renaissance

A cultural movement characterized by the growth of African American art, music, and literature.

1st Red Scare

A period marked by the fear of communism and anarchist movements in the U.S.

Nativism

The policy of favoring native-born citizens over immigrants.

Sacco & Vanzetti

A case that illustrated bias against immigrants, as they were convicted without sufficient evidence.

18th Amendment

An amendment that established Prohibition, banning alcoholic beverages.

21st Amendment

An amendment that repealed Prohibition, allowing the legal sale of alcohol.

Prohibition results

The rise in crime and bootlegging that followed the ban on alcohol.

Automobiles

Vehicles that boosted the economy by creating jobs and leading to the development of suburbs.

Stock crash causes

Factors such as over-speculation and panic selling that led to the stock market crash.

Buying on margin

The practice of borrowing money to purchase stocks.

Causes of Depression

Economic factors like bank failures, high unemployment, and reduced consumer spending.

Federal Reserve

The central banking system of the U.S. that contributed to worsening the economic crisis by tightening money supply.

Gov role

An increased involvement of the government in the economy during the Great Depression.

New Deal

A series of programs initiated by Franklin D. Roosevelt to provide relief, recovery, and reform during the Great Depression.

SEC

Securities and Exchange Commission; a government agency that regulates the stock market.

FDIC

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation; insures bank deposits to protect consumers.

Social Security

A government program that provides support for the elderly and unemployed.

CCC

Civilian Conservation Corps; a public work relief program that provided jobs building parks and roads.

Neutrality Acts

Laws designed to keep the U.S. out of foreign conflicts.

Lend-Lease Act

Legislation allowing the U.S. to send military aid to Allies during WWII.

Japanese Internment

The forced relocation of Japanese Americans during WWII due to war fears.

Rationing

The controlled distribution of scarce resources during wartime.

Atomic bombs

Nuclear weapons used by the U.S. to bring a swift end to WWII.

Soviet atomic bomb

The development of nuclear weapons by the Soviet Union that initiated an arms race.

Brown v. Board

A landmark Supreme Court case that declared school segregation unconstitutional.

NAACP

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People; an organization that fights discrimination through legal means.

UFW

United Farm Workers; a labor union that advocated for farm workers' rights, led by Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta.

AIM

American Indian Movement; an organization focused on promoting Native American rights.

NOW

National Organization for Women; founded by Betty Friedan, it promotes women's equality.

SNCC

Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee; a civil rights organization that organized protests and voter registration drives.

Civil Rights Act 1964

Legislation that prohibited discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

2nd Red Scare

A period marked by fear of communist infiltration in the U.S. during the Cold War.

McCarthyism

The practice of making accusations of subversion or treason without proper evidence, named after Senator Joseph McCarthy.

Chinese Civil War

A conflict that resulted in the establishment of the communist government in China.

Korean War

A conflict that ultimately divided Korea into a communist North and a democratic South.

Bay of Pigs

An unsuccessful invasion of Cuba by U.S.-backed forces, aimed at overthrowing Fidel Castro.

Cuban Missile Crisis

A confrontation between the U.S. and the USSR over the presence of Soviet missiles in Cuba.

NATO

North Atlantic Treaty Organization; a military alliance formed to counteract communism.

Warsaw Pact

The Soviet Union's response to NATO, forming its own military alliance with Eastern European countries.

Truman Doctrine

A U.S. policy to support countries resisting communism.

Marshall Plan

An initiative to provide economic aid to rebuild European countries after WWII.