APUSH midterm vocab

Period 1 - The Columbian Exchange

1. Mercantilism – Economic theory emphasizing that a nation’s wealth is based on the accumulation of gold and silver through trade and a favorable balance of exports over imports.

2. Columbian Exchange – The widespread exchange of plants, animals, diseases, and cultures between the Americas, Europe, and Africa following Columbus’s voyages.

3. Christopher Columbus – An Italian explorer credited with opening the Americas to European exploration and colonization.

4. Pueblo Revolt – An uprising of Pueblo Native Americans in New Mexico in 1680 against Spanish colonizers.

5. Anasazi – Ancient Native American civilization in the Southwestern U.S., known for cliff dwellings.

6. Encomienda System – A Spanish labor system granting settlers the right to extract forced labor from indigenous people.

7. Bartolome De Las Casas – Spanish missionary who advocated for the rights of indigenous people and criticized the encomienda system.

8. Iroquois Confederacy – A powerful alliance of six Native American nations in the Northeast.

9. Spanish/Dutch/French/English Settlement – Various European countries established colonies in the Americas, each with unique approaches to governance, economics, and relationships with indigenous peoples.

Period 2 - British Colonization of North America

1. Virginia Company – A joint-stock company that established the Jamestown colony in Virginia.

2. Chesapeake Colonies – Refers to the colonies of Virginia and Maryland, known for tobacco cultivation.

3. Middle Colonies – New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware; known for diversity and agriculture.

4. Jamestown – The first permanent English settlement in North America, established in 1607.

5. Powhatan – The Native American leader of the Powhatan Confederacy, who interacted with early settlers at Jamestown.

6. Cash Crops (tobacco, etc.) – Crops grown primarily for sale rather than for personal use; tobacco was the major cash crop in the Chesapeake.

7. Indentured Servants – Laborers who agreed to work for a set number of years in exchange for passage to the Americas.

8. New England Colonies – Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire; known for their Puritan settlements and fishing economy.

9. Mayflower Compact – The first governing document of Plymouth Colony, signed by the Pilgrims in 1620.

10. William Bradford – Leader of the Plymouth Colony and signer of the Mayflower Compact.

11. John Winthrop – The first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony and a key figure in the Puritan migration.

12. “City upon a hill” – A phrase used by John Winthrop to describe the Massachusetts Bay Colony as a model of Christian virtue.

13. Massachusetts Bay Colony – A Puritan colony established in 1630 that became a significant model for New England.

14. Pequot War – A conflict between the Pequot tribe and English settlers in Connecticut in the 1630s.

15. Thomas Hooker – A Puritan minister who founded the colony of Connecticut and promoted democratic principles.

16. Roger Williams – Founder of Rhode Island, advocating for religious freedom and the separation of church and state.

17. Anne Hutchinson – A religious dissenter in the Massachusetts Bay Colony who was banished for her beliefs.

18. King Philip’s War – A war between New England settlers and the Wampanoag tribe, led by King Philip (Metacom).

19. Virginia House of Burgesses – The first legislative assembly in the American colonies, established in Virginia in 1619.

20. Bacon’s Rebellion – An armed rebellion in 1676 led by Nathaniel Bacon against the Virginia government.

21. King William’s War – A war between England and France, fought primarily in North America from 1689 to 1697.

22. Triangle Trade – The transatlantic trade system involving the exchange of goods and slaves between Africa, the Americas, and Europe.

23. Middle Passage – The brutal sea voyage that brought African slaves to the Americas.

24. Stono Rebellion – A 1739 slave revolt in South Carolina.

25. Mercantilism – Economic theory favoring government regulation to achieve a favorable balance of trade.

26. Navigation Acts – A series of laws restricting colonial trade to benefit England.

27. Salutary Neglect – British policy of loosely enforcing trade regulations in the colonies, leading to more self-governance.

Road to Rebellion

1. Albany Plan of Union – A proposal by Benjamin Franklin in 1754 to create a unified government for the Thirteen Colonies.

2. French and Indian War – A conflict between France and Britain in North America (1754-1763), part of the global Seven Years' War.

3. Proclamation of 1763 – British decree forbidding American colonists from settling west of the Appalachian Mountains.

4. John Peter Zenger – Printer whose trial for libel set an important precedent for freedom of the press in America.

5. Stamp Act – 1765 British law taxing printed materials in the colonies, leading to widespread protest.

6. Republican Motherhood – The idea that women should raise their children to be virtuous citizens of the new republic.

7. Stamp Act Congress – A meeting of representatives from the colonies in 1765 to protest the Stamp Act.

8. Sons of Liberty – A group of colonial patriots who organized resistance to British policies, including the Stamp Act.

9. Declaratory Act – British law asserting Parliament’s right to legislate for the colonies in all cases.

10. Townshend Acts – A series of British laws imposing duties on imported goods to the colonies, leading to protests.

11. Benjamin Franklin – Founding Father and inventor, a key figure in the American Revolution and the drafting of the Constitution.

12. Boston Massacre – A deadly 1770 clash between British soldiers and colonists, fueling anti-British sentiment.

13. Tea Act – British law granting the East India Company a monopoly on tea sales in the colonies, leading to the Boston Tea Party.

14. Boston Tea Party – A 1773 protest against the Tea Act in which colonists dumped tea into Boston Harbor.

15. Intolerable Acts – A series of punitive laws passed by Britain in response to the Boston Tea Party.

16. 1st Continental Congress – A 1774 meeting of colonial delegates to organize resistance to British policies.

The American Revolution

1. Loyalists vs. Patriots – Loyalists supported British rule, while Patriots fought for independence.

2. Common Sense – A pamphlet by Thomas Paine advocating for American independence from Britain.

3. Declaration of Independence – The 1776 document declaring the American colonies’ independence from Britain.

4. George Washington – Commander of the Continental Army and the first president of the United States.

5. Articles of Confederation – The first constitution of the United States, later replaced by the current U.S. Constitution.

6. Northwest Ordinance – Legislation passed in 1787 establishing a process for admitting new states from the Northwest Territory.

7. Treaty of Paris – The 1783 agreement that ended the Revolutionary War and recognized American independence.

The Constitution

1. Shays’ Rebellion – An uprising by Massachusetts farmers in 1786-87 protesting economic injustices and weak government.

2. Constitutional Convention – The 1787 meeting in Philadelphia to draft the U.S. Constitution.

3. Great (CT) Compromise – The agreement during the Constitutional Convention to create a bicameral legislature, with representation by population in the House and equal representation in the Senate.

4. 3/5 Compromise – The agreement counting each enslaved person as three-fifths of a person for representation and taxation purposes.

5. Separation of Powers (Checks and Balances) – A system of government in which the powers of each branch are balanced and can limit the powers of the others.

6. Federalists – Supporters of the U.S. Constitution and a strong national government.

7. Anti-Federalists – Opponents of the U.S. Constitution, advocating for stronger state governments and a Bill of Rights.

The New Nation

1. George Washington – First President of the United States and leader during the early years of the nation.

2. Judiciary Act of 1789 – Legislation that established the structure and jurisdiction of the federal court system.

3. Loose vs. Strict Constructionism – Debate over the interpretation of the Constitution: loose construction allows broader interpretation, while strict construction limits interpretation to the literal text.

4. Alexander Hamilton’s Economic Plan – A proposal to stabilize the U.S. economy by establishing a national bank and assuming state debts.

5. Thomas Jefferson’s Agrarian Republic – Jefferson’s vision of the U.S. as a nation of independent farmers with limited government.

6. Federalists vs. Democratic-Republicans – The two main political parties in early America, with Federalists supporting strong central government and Democratic-Republicans favoring states’ rights.

7. Whiskey Rebellion – A 1794 rebellion against a federal tax on whiskey, showing the strength of the new government.

8. Washington’s Farewell Address – George Washington’s final speech advising against political parties and foreign alliances.

9. John Adams – Second President of the United States and key figure in the early Republic.

10. XYZ Affair – A diplomatic incident between the U.S. and France that led to an undeclared naval war.

11. Alien and Sedition Acts – Laws passed during the Adams administration that targeted immigrants and restricted freedom of speech.

12. VA and KY Resolutions – Political statements by Virginia and Kentucky declaring the Alien and Sedition Acts unconstitutional.

13. Revolution of 1800 – The peaceful transfer of power from the Federalists to the Democratic-Republicans after the 1800 election.

14. Thomas Jefferson – Third President of the United States, responsible for the Louisiana Purchase and the Embargo Act of 1807.

15. Louisiana Purchase – The 1803 acquisition of French territory that doubled the size of the U.S.

16. Agrarian Republic – Jefferson’s ideal for the U.S. to be a nation of small farmers with minimal government intervention.

War and Good Feelings

1. James Madison – 4th President of the United States and a key author of the Constitution.

2. War of 1812 – A military conflict between the U.S. and Britain, sparked by issues like impressment and trade restrictions.

3. Hartford Convention – A meeting of New England Federalists in 1814 to discuss grievances over the War of 1812, leading to the collapse of the Federalist Party.

4. James Monroe – 5th President of the United States, known for the Monroe Doctrine and the Era of Good Feelings.

5. Era of Good Feelings – A period of political unity and national pride in the U.S. during Monroe’s presidency (1817-1825).

6. Monroe Doctrine – A U.S. foreign policy declaration in 1823 warning European powers against further colonization in the Americas.

7. Missouri Compromise – A 1820 agreement admitting Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state to maintain the balance in Congress.

8. Henry Clay’s American System – A plan for economic development including a national bank, protective tariffs, and internal improvements.

The Jacksonian Democracy

1. Corrupt Bargain of 1824 – The alleged deal between John Quincy Adams and Henry Clay to sway the presidential election in Adams' favor.

2. Universal Manhood Suffrage – The expansion of voting rights to all adult white men, regardless of property ownership.

3. Andrew Jackson – 7th President of the U.S., known for his populist policies, Indian Removal Act, and opposition to the national bank.

4. Spoils System – The practice of rewarding political supporters with government jobs.

5. Sectionalism – A focus on the interests of a particular region over the country as a whole, often leading to regional conflict.

6. Erie Canal – A canal completed in 1825 connecting the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean via the Hudson River, spurring economic growth.

7. Robert Fulton – Inventor of the steamboat, revolutionizing transportation and trade.

8. Tariff of Abominations and Nullification Crisis – A controversial tariff in 1828 that led to South Carolina’s attempt to nullify the law and the threat of secession.

9. Indian Removal Act – A 1830 law that forced the relocation of Native American tribes to lands west of the Mississippi River.

10. Trail of Tears – The forced relocation of the Cherokee people to Oklahoma, resulting in the deaths of thousands.

11. Pet Banks – State banks favored by Andrew Jackson to replace the Bank of the United States.

12. Panic of 1837 – An economic depression caused by the collapse of state banks and a speculative land bubble.

13. Whigs – A political party formed in opposition to Andrew Jackson, advocating for a stronger federal government.

14. Martin Van Buren – 8th President of the U.S., who faced the Panic of 1837.

15. William Henry Harrison – 9th President of the U.S., who died shortly after taking office, leading to the succession of John Tyler.

16. John Tyler – 10th President of the U.S., known for his pro-states’ rights stance and his vetoes of Whig legislation.

17. Samuel Morse – Inventor of the telegraph, revolutionizing long-distance communication.

South

1. King Cotton – The idea that cotton was the most important crop in the Southern economy, driving the need for slave labor.

2. Eli Whitney / Cotton Gin – Invention by Eli Whitney in 1793 that greatly increased cotton production efficiency and the demand for slave labor.

3. Gabriel Prosser – Enslaved man who led a failed slave revolt in Virginia in 1800.

4. Denmark Vesey – An enslaved man who planned a major slave revolt in Charleston, South Carolina in 1822, but was betrayed and executed.

5. Nat Turner – Leader of a violent slave rebellion in Virginia in 1831.

6. Yeoman Farmers – Small-scale farmers in the South who did not own slaves but were influenced by the plantation economy.

7. Abolitionism – The movement to end slavery in the United States.

8. Gag Rule – A rule adopted by Congress in the 1830s that prevented discussion of anti-slavery petitions.

9. Grimke Sisters – Sarah and Angelina Grimke, early abolitionists and advocates for women’s rights.

North

1. Market Revolution – A period of rapid economic development in the U.S. during the early 19th century, including the rise of industrialization and transportation.

2. Francis Cabot Lowell – Founder of the Lowell mills, which revolutionized textile manufacturing in New England.

3. Lowell Mills – Textile factories in Massachusetts that employed young women as laborers.

4. Female Factory Labor – The employment of women in factories, particularly in the textile industry during the early industrial period.

5. Cult of Domesticity – The belief that women should focus on home and family life and be kept separate from public life.

6. Irish Labor – The influx of Irish immigrants in the mid-1800s, who worked in factories, railroads, and construction.

Northern Reform/Second Great Awakening

1. Second Great Awakening – A religious revival movement in the early 19th century emphasizing personal salvation and social reform.

2. Horace Mann – Education reformer who promoted public education and the establishment of normal schools.

3. Temperance – The movement to reduce or eliminate alcohol consumption, especially among working-class families.

4. Dorothea Dix – Activist who advocated for the humane treatment of the mentally ill and the reform of prisons.

5. William Lloyd Garrison: The Liberator – Abolitionist who published the influential anti-slavery newspaper The Liberator.

6. Harriet Beecher Stowe – Author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin, a novel that heightened anti-slavery sentiments in the North.

7. Frederick Douglass – Former slave and abolitionist leader who became a prominent writer and speaker.

8. Harriet Tubman – A conductor on the Underground Railroad who helped many enslaved people escape to freedom.

9. Sojourner Truth – Abolitionist and women’s rights activist, famous for her “Ain’t I a Woman?” speech.

10. Elijah Lovejoy – Abolitionist and journalist who was murdered by pro-slavery forces.

11. Seneca Falls Declaration 1848 – The first women’s rights convention, which demanded equal rights for women, including the right to vote.

12. Elizabeth Cady Stanton – Leading figure in the early women’s rights movement and author of the Seneca Falls Declaration.

West

1. Manifest Destiny – The belief that the U.S. was destined to expand across the North American continent.

2. Republic of Texas – The independent nation formed after Texas gained independence from Mexico in 1836.

3. James K. Polk – 11th President of the U.S., known for his expansionist policies, including the annexation of Texas and the Oregon Territory.

4. Mexican War – A war between the U.S. and Mexico from 1846 to 1848, resulting in the U.S. acquisition of vast southwestern territories.

5. Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo – The 1848 treaty that ended the Mexican-American War and ceded large portions of Mexico to the U.S.

6. CA Gold Rush – The mass migration to California in 1849 following the discovery of gold.

7. Wilmot Proviso – A proposal to ban slavery in territories acquired from Mexico, although it was not passed.

8. Compromise of 1850 – A series of laws intended to resolve tensions over slavery, including the Fugitive Slave Act and the admission of California as a free state.

9. Kansas-Nebraska Act – A 1854 law that allowed the territories of Kansas and Nebraska to decide for themselves whether to allow slavery, leading to violent conflict.

Road to War

1. Ostend Manifesto – A 1854 proposal to purchase Cuba from Spain, which angered anti-slavery factions.

2. Bleeding Kansas – A series of violent events in Kansas Territory between pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions.

3. Sumner-Brooks Beating – An 1856 incident where Congressman Preston Brooks beat Senator Charles Sumner with a cane after Sumner gave an anti-slavery speech.

4. John Brown – Abolitionist who led violent uprisings, including the raid on Harper’s Ferry in 1859.

5. Harper’s Ferry Raid – John Brown’s 1859 attempt to start an armed slave rebellion by seizing the federal armory at Harper’s Ferry, Virginia.

6. Republican Party – Political party founded in the 1850s, primarily to oppose the expansion of slavery.

7. Abraham Lincoln – 16th President of the United States, elected in 1860, whose election triggered the Civil War.

8. Election of 1860 – Presidential election in which Abraham Lincoln was elected, leading to the secession of Southern states.

9. Dred Scott – A slave who sued for his freedom, but the Supreme Court ruled that African Americans could not be citizens.

Civil War

1. Fort Sumter – The first battle of the Civil War, fought in April 1861 when Confederate forces attacked the U.S. military garrison at Fort Sumter in South Carolina.

2. “Copperhead” Democrats – Northern Democrats who opposed the Civil War and advocated for peace with the Confederacy.

3. Bull Run/Manassas – The first major battle of the Civil War in July 1861, which resulted in a Confederate victory.

4. Gettysburg – A pivotal battle in Pennsylvania (1863) during the Civil War, marking the turning point in favor of the Union.

5. Robert E. Lee – General of the Confederate Army, known for his leadership and military strategy during the Civil War.

6. Sherman’s March to the Sea – A devastating Union military campaign led by General William Tecumseh Sherman, marching from Atlanta to Savannah, Georgia, to destroy Confederate supplies and morale.

7. Ulysses S. Grant – Commanding general of the Union Army who led the Northern forces to victory during the Civil War.

8. Antietam – A major battle in Maryland (1862) that became the bloodiest single-day battle in American history.

9. Jefferson Davis – President of the Confederate States of America during the Civil War.

10. Appomattox – The location where General Lee surrendered to General Grant on April 9, 1865, effectively ending the Civil War.

11. Anaconda Plan – The Union strategy during the Civil War to block Confederate ports and control the Mississippi River to suffocate the Southern economy.

12. John Wilkes Booth – The actor and Confederate sympathizer who assassinated President Abraham Lincoln in April 1865.

13. Emancipation Proclamation – A presidential order by Abraham Lincoln (1863) that freed slaves in Confederate states and changed the nature of the Civil War.

14. Lives of Black Soldiers – Refers to the roles and experiences of African American soldiers in the Union Army during the Civil War, notably including the formation of the United States Colored Troops.

15. Total War – A military strategy, notably used by Union General Sherman, that targets both military and civilian resources to destroy the enemy's ability to fight.

16. NYC Draft Riots – Violent protests in New York City in 1863 against the Union draft, with racial and class-based tensions fueling the unrest.

Reconstruction

1. Military Reconstruction – The period after the Civil War in which the South was divided into military districts and placed under Union military rule to enforce reconstruction policies.

2. Abraham Lincoln – 16th President of the United States, who led the nation through the Civil War and issued the Emancipation Proclamation.

3. Ten Percent Plan – Lincoln’s plan for Reconstruction, offering amnesty to Southern states that had 10% of their voters swear allegiance to the Union.

4. Civil Rights Act – A 1866 law that granted citizenship and equal rights to African Americans.

5. Andrew Johnson – 17th President of the U.S., who became president after Lincoln’s assassination and clashed with Congress over Reconstruction policies.

6. Tenure of Office Act – A law passed in 1867, limiting the president’s power to remove certain officeholders without the Senate’s approval; it led to Johnson’s impeachment.

7. Ku Klux Klan – A white supremacist group formed in the post-Civil War South that sought to intimidate and suppress African American voters and leaders.

8. Ulysses S. Grant – 18th President of the U.S. and former Union general during the Civil War, he worked to enforce Reconstruction and protect the rights of freedmen.

9. Reconstruction Acts of 1867 and 1868 – Laws passed to implement Reconstruction, including dividing the South into military districts and requiring new state constitutions.

10. Carpetbaggers – Northern Republicans who moved to the South during Reconstruction to take advantage of economic and political opportunities.

11. Scalawags – Southern whites who supported Reconstruction and the Republican Party.

12. Election of 1876 – A highly contested presidential election between Rutherford B. Hayes and Samuel Tilden, ending in a disputed result resolved by a special electoral commission.

13. Rutherford B. Hayes – 19th President of the U.S., elected in 1876, his victory was the result of the Compromise of 1877.

14. Compromise of 1877 – The agreement that resolved the disputed 1876 election, in which Hayes was declared president in exchange for the withdrawal of federal troops from the South, effectively ending Reconstruction.

15. Jim Crow Laws – State and local laws enforcing racial segregation in the Southern United States.

16. Civil War Amendments – The 13th (abolishing slavery), 14th (granting citizenship and equal protection), and 15th (granting voting rights to African American men) Amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

Westward Expansion

1. Pacific Railway Act – A 1862 law that provided land grants and government loans to help build the first transcontinental railroad.

2. Morrill Act – A law passed in 1862 that granted land to states to build agricultural and technical colleges.

3. Homestead Act – A 1862 law that provided 160 acres of land to settlers who would farm it for at least five years.

4. Native Americans – The indigenous peoples of North America, many of whom were displaced during westward expansion and faced violent conflicts with settlers.

5. Medicine Lodge Treaty, 1867 – An agreement between the U.S. government and Southern Plains Native American tribes to settle them on reservations in exchange for land and protection.

6. George Custer – A U.S. Army officer known for his defeat at the Battle of Little Bighorn in 1876.

7. Little Bighorn – The 1876 battle in which General Custer and his forces were defeated by a coalition of Native American tribes.

8. Dawes Severalty Act – A 1887 law that attempted to assimilate Native Americans by dividing their communal lands into individual plots.

9. Wounded Knee – The 1890 massacre of Lakota Sioux by U.S. soldiers at Wounded Knee Creek, marking the end of Native American resistance.

10. Miners – People who moved west during the Gold Rush to extract valuable minerals, such as gold and silver, from the land.

11. Joseph Smith / Brigham Young – Joseph Smith founded the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, later led by Brigham Young to Utah after Smith’s death.

12. Cowboys – Workers who tended cattle on the open range, contributing to the growth of the cattle industry in the West.

13. Cattle Boom – The period of rapid expansion in the cattle industry in the West, particularly during the late 1800s.

14. Range Wars – Conflicts between ranchers and farmers over land use, water rights, and grazing access.

15. Frontier Thesis – A theory proposed by historian Frederick Jackson Turner, arguing that the frontier experience shaped American democracy and character.

16. Grange Movement – A movement of farmers in the late 1800s that aimed to promote cooperative buying and selling, and to advocate for political reforms.

17. Populism – A political movement focused on the interests of ordinary people, particularly farmers and workers, advocating for policies such as free silver and government regulation of railroads.

18. Populist Party – A political party founded in the 1890s to represent farmers and working-class Americans, advocating for reforms like the free coinage of silver and government ownership of railroads.