Semester 1 Review

Semester 1 Review: DC US History

Page 1: Key Topics and Events

  1. Columbian Exchange

    • Exchange of plants, animals, culture, diseases, and ideas between the Americas and the Old World after Columbus's voyages.

    • Significant effects on agriculture and populations on both sides.

  2. Bartoleme de Las Casas & Spanish Treatment of Indigenous Populations

    • Las Casas advocated for the rights of Indigenous peoples against harsh Spanish colonization practices.

    • Critique of encomienda system and the impact of disease on native populations.

  3. Indentured Servitude

    • A labor system where individuals worked for a set number of years (typically 4-7) in exchange for passage to America.

    • Commonly used during the early colonial period as a source of labor.

  4. Work Tasks of Indentured Servants

    • Often worked in agriculture, tobacco fields, or household tasks.

    • Responsibilities varied depending on the employer's needs.

  5. Bacon's Rebellion

    • Causes: Frustrations over land limits, political favoritism, and lack of protection from Native American attacks.

    • Impact: Shifted labor from indentured servitude to African slavery for stability and control.

  6. Navigation Acts & Salutary Neglect

    • Navigation Acts: Laws aimed at controlling colonial trade to benefit England.

    • Salutary Neglect: British policy of avoiding strict enforcement of parliamentary laws meant to keep American colonies obedient.

  7. Mercantilism

    • Economic theory: colonies existed for the benefit of the mother country, focusing on increasing national wealth through trade.

    • Goals: Accumulation of gold/silver and maintaining a favorable balance of trade.

    • Purpose of colonies: Provide raw materials and serve as markets for manufactured goods.

  8. Role of African Slaves in the American Colonies

    • Key labor source, particularly in plantations in the South.

    • Contributed significantly to the economic development of the colonies.

  9. Quality of Life: Caribbean Slaves vs. Colonial Slaves

    • Caribbean slaves faced harsher conditions and higher mortality due to intense labor in sugar plantations.

    • Colonial slaves (e.g., in the South) had comparatively better living conditions but still faced brutal treatment.

  10. Why More Slaves in Southern Colonies than New England Colonies?

    • Southern economies were based on plantation agriculture requiring extensive labor, particularly for cash crops like tobacco and cotton.

    • New England's economy was more diversified and featured smaller farms and trade, leading to lower demand for slave labor.

  11. First Great Awakening

    • A religious revival in the 1730s-1740s emphasizing personal faith and emotional experiences.

    • Key figures included George Whitefield and Jonathan Edwards.

  12. Conflicts Between Established Churches and Religious Revivals

    • Tension arose as new preachers challenged traditional authority and established denominations.

  13. Jonathan Edwards - "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God"

    • Famous sermon emphasizing the wrath of God and the need for personal conversion.

    • Influenced many in the Great Awakening movement.

  14. French and Indian War: End Results

    • War ended with British victory and the Treaty of Paris (1763).

    • Significant territorial gains for Britain; increased colonial dissatisfaction due to taxing to cover war debts.

Page 2: Revolutionary America

  1. Pontiac's Rebellion

    • 1763 uprising of Native Americans against British post-war policies and land encroachments.

    • Significant for signaling growing resistance to colonial expansion.

  2. Proclamation Line of 1763

    • Issued by Britain to limit westward expansion by colonists, designating land west of the Appalachians for Native Americans.

  3. Sons of Liberty

    • Organized resistance group formed to oppose British taxation and policies.

    • Played a crucial role in mobilizing public opinion against British rule.

  4. British Taxes

    • Series of laws imposing taxes on goods (e.g., Stamp Act, Townshend Acts) led to unrest and protests by colonists.

  5. Boston Massacre

    • 1770 confrontation between British soldiers and Boston colonists, resulting in five deaths.

    • Heightened anti-British sentiment.

  6. Declaration of Independence

    • Adopted in 1776, it announced the colonies' separation from Britain and outlined grievances against King George III.

  7. Battle of Saratoga

    • Major turning point in the Revolutionary War; American victory that led to French support for the colonies.

  8. Alliance with France (1778)

    • Motivated by shared interests in opposing Britain; crucial for American victory in the Revolutionary War.

  9. Battle of Yorktown

    • Final significant battle, where British General Cornwallis surrendered to American and French forces in 1781.

  10. Treaty of Paris (1783)

    • Officially ended the Revolutionary War; recognized American independence and outlined territorial boundaries.

  11. Louisiana Purchase

    • 1803 land acquisition from France which doubled the size of the US and facilitated westward expansion.

  12. Causes of the War of 1812

    • Issues included British impressment of American sailors, trade restrictions, and support for Native American resistance.

  13. Battle of New Orleans

    • Fought after the Treaty of Ghent (1814), this victory bolstered American nationalism and Andrew Jackson's reputation.

  14. Missouri Compromise

    • 1820 agreement regulating slavery in Western territories; admitted Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state.

  15. Slave States vs. Free States in the US Senate

    • Balance of power between slave and free states influenced national politics and sectional tensions.

Page 3: Expansion and Conflict

  1. Monroe Doctrine

    • 1823 policy stating that European powers should not interfere in the Americas, establishing a US sphere of influence.

  2. Eli Whitney

    • Inventor of the cotton gin, which revolutionized cotton production and increased the demand for slave labor.

  3. Growth of Cotton Production in the US

    • Driven by the cotton gin, led to a boom in the Southern economy and further entrenched slavery.

  4. Lowell System

    • Labor model of textile mills in Massachusetts; employed young women under strict conditions, focusing on efficiency.

  5. Tariff of Abominations

    • 1828 tariff that raised duties on imports, causing southern resentment and leading to discussions of nullification.

  6. Expansion of Universal Male Suffrage and Andrew Jackson

    • Jackson's presidency marked the rise of popular democracy; expanded voting rights to white males, shifting political power.

  7. Indian Removal Act

    • 1830 law authorizing the forced removal of Native American tribes from their ancestral lands; led to Trail of Tears.

  8. Trail of Tears

    • Forced relocation of Cherokee and other tribes resulting in significant suffering and loss of life.

  9. Bank War

    • Andrew Jackson's battle against the Second Bank of the United States, promoting state banks and increasing inflation.

  10. Manifest Destiny

    • 19th-century doctrine asserting the US was destined to expand across North America, justifying territorial conquest.

  11. American Progress by John Gast

    • Painting symbolizing Manifest Destiny, depicting the movement of settlers and the advancement of civilization.

  12. Mexican-American War

    • Conflict from 1846 to 1848 over territory, ending with significant land gains for the United States.

  13. Compromise of 1850

    • Series of laws aimed at settling disputes over slavery in territories acquired from Mexico; included the Fugitive Slave Act.

  14. Fugitive Slave Act

    • 1850 law requiring citizens to assist in the capture of runaway slaves, escalating tensions between North and South.

  15. Uncle Tom's Cabin

    • 1852 novel by Harriet Beecher Stowe that exposed the harsh realities of slavery, galvanizing anti-slavery sentiments.

Page 4: Prelude to Civil War

  1. Kansas-Nebraska Act

    • 1854 law that allowed territories to decide on slavery via popular sovereignty, leading to violence in Kansas.

  2. Bleeding Kansas

    • Series of violent confrontations in Kansas between pro-slavery and anti-slavery forces over the issue of slavery.

  3. Bleeding Sumner

    • Incident in which Senator Charles Sumner was attacked by Congressman Preston Brooks for his anti-slavery speech; highlighted sectional tensions.

  4. Election of 1860

    • Significant for Lincoln's election as a Republican president without Southern support, leading to the secession crisis.

  5. Battle of Antietam

    • 1862 battle known as the bloodiest single-day battle in American history; led to a strategic victory for the Union.

  6. Emancipation Proclamation

    • 1863 executive order by Lincoln freeing slaves in Confederate states, altering the war's moral and political landscape.

  7. William T. Sherman

    • Union general known for his "March to the Sea," implementing total war strategies against Southern resources.

  8. Anaconda Plan

    • Union military strategy to blockade Southern ports and gain control of the Mississippi River, squeezing Confederate supplies.

  9. Gettysburg

    • Turning point battle in Pennsylvania; Union victory marked a significant shift in momentum against the Confederacy.

  10. Vicksburg

    • Successful siege by Union forces that gave them control of the Mississippi River, splitting the Confederacy in two.

  11. Appomattox Court House

    • Site of Lee's surrender to Grant in 1865, marking the effective end of the Civil War.