ID Topics Flashcards

God, Gold, and Glory

The motives behind the Spanish exploration and conquest, emphasizing the desire for wealth, religious conversion, and national prestige. (Colonization of America)

Encomienda System

A labor system instituted by the Spanish in the Americas where Spanish settlers were granted authority over local Native Americans to compel their labor. (Early race based system, Natives disadvantaged)

Black Legend

The historical argument that Spanish colonization was uniquely brutal and exploitative compared to other colonial powers. (Used to fuel fight against Spanish, spread by European rivals)

Pueblo Revolt

A successful uprising of Pueblo people against Spanish colonizers in 1680, aimed at reclaiming their religious practices and sovereignty.

Columbian Exchange

The widespread transfer of animals, plants, culture, human populations, and diseases between the Americas and the Old World. (Leads to new economy, step towards globalization)

Atlantic Slave Trade

The transatlantic trading network that transported enslaved Africans to the Americas between the 16th and 19th centuries. (Early roots of slavery)

Jamestown

The first permanent English settlement in North America, established in 1607 in Virginia. (First successful settlement)

Headright System

A system used in colonial Virginia that granted settlers land for each person they brought to the colony. (Encouraging immigration)

Indentured Servant

A person who agreed to work for a certain number of years in exchange for passage to America and eventual freedom. (Different than slavery, system died out because slavery was more efficient/effective)

Cash Crops

Crops produced primarily for sale and profit, such as tobacco and cotton. (Led to strong growth in the early American economy)

Bacon’s Rebellion

A 1676 revolt in Virginia led by Nathaniel Bacon against Governor William Berkeley’s administration. (First popular uprising in the American colonies, considered a crisis of the social, economic, and political arrangements of the time involving native disputes, economic problems)

Mercantilism

An economic theory that promotes government regulation of a nation's economy for augmenting state power. (Adopted by American Government)

Triangular Trade

A historical term describing the trade system between Europe, Africa, and the Americas.

Salem Witch Trials

A series of hearings and prosecutions of people accused of witchcraft in colonial Massachusetts between 1692 and 1693.

Middle Passage

The sea journey undertaken by slave ships from West Africa to the West Indies.

Salutary Neglect

The British colonial policy of avoiding strict enforcement of parliamentary laws, intended to keep the American colonies obedient. (Allows for more flexibility concerning British laws)

Enlightenment

An intellectual movement in the 17th and 18th centuries emphasizing reason and individualism rather than tradition.

First Great Awakening

A religious revival in the American colonies during the 1730s and 1740s that emphasized emotionalism and spirituality.

French and Indian War

The North American conflict from 1754 to 1763 that was part of the larger Seven Years' War between France and Great Britain.

Stamp Act (1765)

A law imposed by Britain requiring colonists to pay a tax on printed materials. (Angered colonists)

Boston Massacre (1770)

A confrontation in which British soldiers killed five colonists, escalating tensions between Britain and America. (Famous depiction, Paul Revere)

Boston Tea Party (1773)

A political protest by the Sons of Liberty against the Tea Act, resulting in the dumping of tea into Boston Harbor.

Coercive (or Intolerable) Acts

A series of punitive laws passed by the British Parliament in 1774 to punish the colonies, particularly Massachusetts.

Declaration of Independence (1776)

The document declaring the American colonies' separation from British rule, asserting their rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Articles of Confederation

The first constitution of the United States established in 1781, which created a weak federal government.

Shay’s Rebellion

An armed uprising in 1786 aimed at protesting economic injustices and the lack of government response to economic troubles.

Weaknesses of Articles of Confederation

Lack of federal power to tax, regulate trade, or enforce laws, leading to issues in governance.

Federalists vs. Anti-federalists

The debate between those favoring a strong central government (Federalists) and those preferring more power for the states (Anti-federalists) during the ratification of the Constitution.

Bill of Rights

The first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution, guaranteeing individual liberties and rights.

Alexander Hamilton

Key figure in early American politics representing Federalist ideologies.

First Party System

The political party system in the U.S. during the early years of the Republic characterized by Federalists and Democratic-Republicans.

Washington’s Farewell Address

George Washington's final speech as president, offering advice on political parties and foreign alliances.

Alien & Sedition Acts

Laws passed in 1798 limiting freedoms of speech and the press and allowing the deportation of foreigners.

Election of 1800

The presidential election where Thomas Jefferson defeated John Adams, marking a peaceful transfer of power.

Jeffersonian Democracy

A political ideology that espoused agrarianism, the value of the yeoman farmer, and emphasis on individual liberties.

War of 1812

A conflict between the United States and Britain from 1812 to 1815, motivated by trade restrictions and territorial expansion.

Monroe Doctrine

A U.S. policy established in 1823 opposing European colonialism in the Americas.

Cotton Gin

A machine invented by Eli Whitney in 1793 that revolutionized the production of cotton by speeding up the process of removing seeds.

Slave Codes

Laws that defined the rights of enslaved people and the responsibilities of slave owners, often denying basic human rights.

Era of Good Feelings

A period of political unity and national growth in the early 19th century following the War of 1812.

Market Revolution

A period of rapid growth in the economy and industry in the early to mid-19th century, driven by advancements in technology and transportation.

Lowell Mills – Lowell Girls

Textile mills in Lowell, Massachusetts that employed young women, known for their labor reforms and early union organization.

Henry Clay – American System

A plan proposed in the 1820s to unify the national economy through infrastructure, tariffs, and a national bank.

Nativism

The political policy of promoting the interests of native inhabitants over those of immigrants.

Andrew Jackson

The seventh President of the United States (1829-1837), known for his populist policies and the forced relocation of Native Americans.

Indian Removal, Trail of Tears

The forced relocation of Native American nations from their ancestral homelands to designated 'Indian Territory' in the 1830s.

Second Party System

The political framework characterized by competition between the Democratic Party and the Whig Party in the mid-19th century.

Utopian Societies

Communities established during the 19th century that sought to create perfect societies based on idealistic principles. (Oneida community, perfection, complex marriage)

Second Great Awakening

A series of religious revivals in the early 19th century aimed at promoting spiritual renewal and social reforms.

Seneca Falls Convention

The first women's rights convention held in 1848, which resulted in the Declaration of Sentiments advocating for women's suffrage. (included men and women in equal rights statement)

Temperance

A social movement against the consumption of alcoholic beverages, prominent in the 19th century. (2nd awakening affected)

War with Mexico

The conflict between the U.S. and Mexico from 1846 to 1848, resulting in significant territorial gains for the U.S. (Guadalupe Hidgalo treaty ended it, US gained 50k square miles of Mexican territory)

Louisiana Purchase

The acquisition of Louisiana territory from France in 1803, doubling the size of the United States.

Manifest Destiny

The 19th-century belief that the expansion of the U.S. across the American continents was both justified and inevitable. (Pushed by Polk)

Oregon Trail

A historic east-west wagon route that connected the Missouri River to valleys in Oregon, used by pioneers in the 1840s.

Thomas Jefferson

Key figure in early American politics representing Democratic-Republican ideologies.