AP U.S. History Vocabulary Review

Flashcards for AP U.S. History, focusing on vocabulary terms and definitions from periods 1-9.

Maize Cultivation

The primary agricultural product that sustained many Native American societies, particularly in the regions that are now the United States and Mexico.

Christopher Columbus

Italian explorer who accidentally reached the New World while seeking a sea route to India for Spain.

"God, Gold, Glory"

Motivations for early European explorers: to spread Christianity, the want for raw materials such as gold, and gain glory for discovering new lands.

Encomienda System

A forced labor system developed by the Spanish that required American Indians to work for Spanish colonists, who were supposed to protect them and teach them Christianity in return.

Mercantilism

An economic system where countries tried to increase their wealth through government control of all aspects of trade

Cash Crops

Crops that could be grown in large quantities, harvested, and sold for a profit, such as tobacco and cotton.

First Great Awakening

A religious movement that promoted emotional, evangelical Protestantism, often through 'fire and brimstone' sermons and camp meetings.

French and Indian War

A conflict (1754-1763) between the French and the English over control of the Ohio River Valley

Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation

Established a very weak federal government, lacked a strong central authority, no power to tax, regulate trade, or enforce laws effectively, leading to significant economic and political instability.

U.S. Constitution

The foundation of the U.S. federal government

Federalist Papers

A series of papers written by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison that advocated for a strong federal government

Bill of Rights

The first ten amendments of the U.S. Constitution that guarantee different civil liberties

Judicial Review

The ability of the Supreme Court to determine whether a law is constitutional

Second Great Awakening

A series of religious revivals in the early 1800s that focused on personal religious experience

American System

A plan proposed by Henry Clay that was intended to strengthen the economy of the U.S. through a combination of tariffs, national banks, and infrastructure

Louisiana Territory

A large portion of land that was purchased from France by the U.S. Federal government in 1803 for $15 million

Nativist

A native born person or group that opposes immigrants

Manifest Destiny

The belief that Americans were destined to spread the United States from coast to coast

Abraham Lincoln

The 16th president of the United States who was determined to preserve the Union at all costs; his election set in motion the Civil War

Reconstruction

The period after the Civil War during which Northern political leaders imposed strict regulations and governance on the South so that the South could rejoin the Union

Second Industrial Revolution

A movement toward manufacturing, especially in the North, that transformed the United States from an agricultural economy to an urban economy

Robber Barons

A term applied to business leaders who were considered corrupt in some way

Union

A collective bargaining unit that helped urban dwellers and factory workers improve their working conditions, pay, and retirement

Reservations

An area of land, often with very poor agriculturally, where Native Americans were required to live

The Gilded Age

A term that describes how many aspects of this life appeared beautiful, but were flawed after closer inspection

Progressive

A term applied to people who tried to implement social programs and increase government spending to address social inequalities

Great Depression

A period of economic decline that severely affected U.S. society and politics

New Deal

A wide ranging government approach that addressed the Great Depression through combination of government funded infrastructure projects, social programs, and relief aid

Harlem Renaissance

An African American artistic movement in the 1920s that created art based on the lived experience of being African American in the United States

Cold War

A period of diplomatic tension between the United States and the Soviet Union that pitted capitalism against communism

Marshall Plan

An expansive plan to provide economic and social aid to Western Europe in order to prevent the spread of communism

Senator Joseph McCarthy

A senator from Wisconsin who led the campaign to uncover communists and suspected communists in the United States

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

An African American civil rights leader who advocated for greater racial equality using nonviolent methods

Civil Rights Act of 1964

A wide ranging piece of legislation that ended segregation and banned employment discrimination

Great Society

A program developed under President Lyndon Johnson that significantly expanded federally sponsored social programs

Ronald Reagan

The Reagan administration reduced government spending, extended tax cuts, and cut many welfare and social spending programs.

Terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001

A coordinated series of terrorist attacks that remain the deadliest terrorist attacks on U.S. soil. These attacks led to wide ranging changes in almost all aspects of American life.

Maize Cultivation

The primary agricultural product that sustained many Native American societies, particularly in the regions that are now the United States and Mexico.

Columbian Exchange

The exchange of plants, animals, culture, human populations, communicable diseases, and ideas between the Americas, West Africa, and the Old World in the 15th and 16th centuries.

Mercantilism Definition

The economic theory that trade generates wealth and is stimulated by the accumulation of profitable balances, which a government should encourage through protectionism.

Cash Crops Examples

Crops grown for direct sale in the market, rather than for feeding livestock or family; examples include tobacco and cotton in the American colonies.

Key Figures of the First Great Awakening

Prominent religious leaders and evangelists, such as Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield, who played significant roles in spreading revivalist fervor in the 18th century.

Territorial Outcomes of the French and Indian War

The war led to significant territorial changes in North America, with Britain gaining control of Canada and Florida, while Spain ceded Florida and received Louisiana in exchange. France lost most of its North American territories.

Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation

The first attempt to establish a unified government in the United States, which lacked a strong central authority and was replaced by the U.S. Constitution.

Key Principles of the U.S. Constitution

Established a system of checks and balances among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches.

Main Arguments in the Federalist Papers

Essays promoting the ratification of the U.S. Constitution, arguing for a strong union and a republican form of government capable of controlling factionalism.

Specific Protections in the Bill of Rights

Guarantees fundamental rights and freedoms to individuals, such as freedom of speech, religion, and the right to bear arms.

Significance of Judicial Review

Established in Marbury v. Madison (1803), allowing the Supreme Court to invalidate laws that conflict with the Constitution.

Impact of the Second Great Awakening on Reform Movements

The Second Great Awakening significantly influenced various reform movements in the early 19th century, including abolition, temperance, and women's rights, by emphasizing personal piety and social responsibility.

Components of the American System

Included protective tariffs, a national bank, and internal improvements such as roads and canals.

Strategic Importance of the Louisiana Territory

Doubled the size of the United States, granted control of the Mississippi River and the port of New Orleans.

Nativist Movements

Groups like the Know-Nothings who opposed immigrants and immigration based on fears of cultural and economic impact.

Political and Geographic Consequences of Manifest Destiny

Fueled Westward Expansion and conflicts with Native American populations.

Lincoln's Stance on Slavery

His election in 1860 triggered the secession of Southern states, leading to the Civil War.

Goals of Reconstruction

Focused on readmitting Southern states to the Union and ensuring rights for newly freed slaves.

Key Inventions of the Second Industrial Revolution

Technological advances such as the telephone and electricity revolutionized American life.

Examples of Robber Barons

Business leaders like Rockefeller and Carnegie.

Strategies of Labor Unions

Used strikes and negotiations to improve wages, working conditions, and job security for workers.

Goals of Progressives

Sought to address issues such as political corruption, economic inequality, and social injustice through reforms and regulations.

Causes of the Great Depression

A combination of stock market speculation, bank failures, declining consumer spending, and trade policy failures.

Key Programs of the New Deal

Included Social Security, unemployment insurance, and various public works projects to stimulate the economy.

Notable Figures of the Harlem Renaissance

Langston Hughes: A central figure in the Harlem Renaissance, known for his poetry, novels, plays, and essays that celebrated black culture and identity.

Zora Neale Hurston: An author, anthropologist, and filmmaker who portrayed racial struggles in the early-1900s American South. Her most famous work is Their Eyes Were Watching God.

W.E.B. Du Bois: An intellectual, civil rights activist, and author who co-founded the NAACP and advocated for African Americans' rights and education.

Marcus Garvey: A political activist and publisher who advocated for black nationalism and Pan-Africanism. He founded the Universal

Ideological Conflict of the Cold War

Refers to the tension between the capitalist United States and the communist Soviet Union, characterized by political and military rivalry without direct warfare.

Objectives of the Marshall Plan

Aimed to rebuild European economies and prevent the spread of communism.

Tactics of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Emphasized nonviolent resistance and civil disobedience to achieve civil rights.

Key Provisions of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

Prohibited discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, and enforced desegregation in schools and public places.

Core Components of the Great Society

Included programs aimed at eliminating poverty and racial injustice, expanding access to education and healthcare.

Economic Policies of Ronald Reagan

Focused on tax cuts, deregulation, and reducing government spending to stimulate economic growth.

Consequences of the Terrorist Attacks of September 11, 2001

Included increased security measures, the War on Terror, and significant changes in U.S. foreign policy.

Colonialism

A system where European nations sought to establish and expand their control over foreign territories, often driven by economic, strategic, and political motives.

The Enlightenment

An intellectual and cultural movement that emphasized reason and individualism rather than tradition and faith.

Isolationism

A policy of avoiding involvement in the affairs of other countries. Examples include George Washington's Farewell Address urging the U.S. to avoid entangling alliances and the U.S.'s initial stance at the beginning of World War I.

Popular Sovereignty

The idea that government should be based on the consent of the governed

Evangelicalism

A religious movement emphasizing personal faith, conversion, and the authority of the Bible, often associated with Protestantism.

The Trail of Tears

A forced removal of Native Americans from their ancestral lands in the 1830s, resulting in suffering and high mortality rates.

Nullification crisis

A political crisis during the early 1830s involving a confrontation between South Carolina and the federal government over the state's attempt to nullify federal tariffs.

Abolitionists

People who wanted slavery abolished, such as Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, and William Lloyd Garrison.

Manifest Destiny

The 19th-century doctrine that the expansion of the United States across the American continents was both justified and inevitable.

Popular Sovereignty

The principle that the authority of the government is created and sustained by the consent of its people, often applied to territories deciding on the legality of slavery.

Social reform

The movement aimed at improving society by addressing issues like education, labor rights, and women's suffrage.

Segregation

The separation of groups based on race

Americanization

The process of assimilating immigrants into American culture, including instruction in the English language and adoption of American values.

Black Codes

Laws enacted in southern states post-Civil War to restrict the rights of African Americans.

Laissez-faire economics

an economic theory advocating minimal government intervention in the economy, allowing free-market forces to dictate pricing and production.

Progressivism

A political and social movement in the early 20th century aimed at addressing issues caused by industrialization, urbanization, and corruption in government.

Socialism

An economic and political system where the means of production are owned and controlled by the community or the state, promoting equality and social welfare.

The Roaring Twenties

a decade of economic prosperity and cultural change in the United States following World War I.

The New Deal

A series of programs and reforms enacted by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in response to the Great Depression, aimed at economic recovery and social welfare.

Cold War

A period of tension and competition between the United States and the Soviet Union characterized by political, military, and ideological rivalry.

Civil Rights Movement

A social and political movement during the 1950s and 1960s aimed at ending racial segregation and discrimination against African Americans in the United States.

Key Principles of the U.S. Constitution

Established a system of checks and balances among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches.

Key Civil Rights Movement Events

• Montgomery Bus Boycott (1955-1956): Triggered by Rosa Parks' refusal, protested bus segregation.

• Little Rock Nine (1957): Black students challenged school segregation.

• Greensboro Sit-ins (1960): Protests at segregated lunch counters.

• Freedom Rides (1961): Challenged non-enforcement of desegregation laws on buses.

• March on Washington (1963): Advocated for civil and economic