American Civilization S2 Lecture Notes

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts from the lecture notes on American Civilisation, focusing on colonial history, the American Revolution, and the early republic.

John Cabot

A Venetian navigator who, in 1497, claimed Newfoundland for England, marking the start of English interest in North America.

Roanoke Colony

Established in 1587, it became known as the 'lost colony' after all its inhabitants vanished without a trace.

Jamestown

Founded in 1607, it was the first permanent English settlement in America, located in Virginia.

Tobacco Revolution

The period marked by the rise of tobacco cultivation in Virginia, leading to large-scale agricultural development and the need for labor.

Indentured Servitude

A labor system where poor Europeans contracted to work for a certain number of years in exchange for passage to America.

Headright System

Established in 1617, it granted land to settlers as an incentive for migration to Virginia.

Maryland

Founded as a safe haven for Catholics in 1632, it adopted the Act of Religious Toleration in 1649.

Anglo-Powhatan Wars

A series of conflicts between English settlers and Indigenous Powhatan tribes, leading to significant English territorial expansion.

Puritans

A religious group seeking to purify the Church of England, leading to the establishment of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

Mayflower Compact

An agreement signed by 41 adult males in 1620 to govern themselves and establish a civil government in Plymouth Colony.

Great Migration

A significant wave of Puritan migration to New England between 1630-1640, which greatly increased the population.

King Philip’s War

A conflict between Native Americans and English colonists in New England (1675-1678), resulting in significant Native American losses.

Population Growth (18th Century)

Colonial population expanded from 250,000 in 1700 to 2.5 million by 1775, largely through natural increase.

Enlightenment

An intellectual movement emphasizing reason and scientific thought, influencing colonial political philosophy.

Seven Years’ War

A major conflict (1756-1763) that reshaped North America, leading to British dominance but also increased tensions with colonists.

Virtual Representation

The British argument that members of Parliament represented all British subjects, including colonists, regardless of voting rights.

The Stamp Act

A 1765 law imposing a direct tax on printed materials in the colonies, leading to widespread protest and resistance.

Boston Tea Party

A 1773 protest against British tea taxes where colonists dumped tea into Boston Harbor as an act of defiance.

Intolerable Acts

A series of punitive laws passed by Britain in 1774 in response to the Boston Tea Party, escalating colonial resistance.

First Continental Congress

A gathering of representatives from 12 of the 13 colonies in 1774 to organize colonial resistance against British rule.

Declaration of Independence

Adopted on July 4, 1776, it formally declared the colonies' separation from Britain and articulated Enlightenment principles of rights.

Articles of Confederation

The first governing document of the United States, creating a weak central government during the revolutionary period.

Great Compromise

The agreement during the Constitutional Convention that established a bicameral legislature with proportional representation in the House and equal representation in the Senate.

Bill of Rights

The first ten amendments to the Constitution, ratified in 1791, ensuring individual liberties and rights.

War of 1812

A conflict with Britain that affirmed US sovereignty but also led to the acceleration of westward expansion and economic growth.

Manifest Destiny

The 19th-century belief that Americans were destined to expand across the North American continent.

Indian Removal Act (1830)

Legislation that authorized the forced relocation of Native American tribes from their homelands to designated 'Indian Territory'.

Civil War Causes

Rising tensions between the North and South over issues like slavery, economic differences, and state vs. federal authority.

Abolitionist Movement

A campaign against slavery that gained momentum in the early 19th century, advocating for the end of the institution.