History miterm us history

Colonial Era & Road to Revolution

• Power of the Purse – The ability of colonial legislatures to control government spending, which became a point of tension with Britain.

• Mercantilism – Economic policy where colonies existed to benefit the mother country (Britain), leading to restrictions on trade.

• 1763 (Treaty of Paris & Proclamation Line) – Ended the French & Indian War, but Britain restricted colonial expansion westward, angering settlers.

• British Actions Leading to the Revolution – Acts like the Sugar Act, Stamp Act, Townshend Acts, Tea Act, Intolerable Acts, and more fueled colonial resentment.

• Revolutionary War – Colonists vs. Britain; major events include Lexington & Concord, Saratoga (turning point), and Yorktown (final battle).

• Advantages for Colonists & British – Colonists had home-field advantage and guerrilla tactics, while the British had a stronger military and navy.

Early America & Government Formation

• Articles of Confederation – Weak first government; couldn't tax, no executive branch, and required unanimous approval for amendments.

• Shay’s Rebellion – Uprising of farmers over debt; showed the Articles were too weak and needed replacing.

• The Constitution – Created a stronger federal government with three branches.

• Three Branches – Legislative (makes laws), Executive (enforces laws), Judicial (interprets laws).

• Necessary & Proper Clause – Allows Congress to make laws needed to carry out its powers.

• Separation of Powers & Checks and Balances – Prevents any one branch from gaining too much power.

• Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists – Federalists wanted a strong central government; Anti-Feds feared it would take away rights, leading to the Bill of Rights.

Washington & Early Presidents

• Washington’s Precedents – Set traditions like the two-term presidency and the Cabinet.

• Hamilton vs. Jefferson – Debate over federal power; Hamilton favored a strong central gov and banks, Jefferson wanted more state power.

• Report on Public Credit – Hamilton’s plan to manage debt, establish national credit, and create a national bank.

• Whiskey Rebellion – Farmers revolted over a whiskey tax; Washington used federal troops to assert government authority.

• Farewell Address – Washington warned against political parties and foreign entanglements.

• Elections of 1796 & 1800 – 1796 was the first partisan election; 1800 (Jefferson vs. Adams) led to the first peaceful transfer of power.

Jefferson’s Presidency & Supreme Court

• Barbary Pirates – Jefferson refused to pay bribes to pirates, leading to naval battles in the Mediterranean.

• Louisiana Purchase – U.S. bought land from France, doubling its size.

• Marshall Court & Judicial Review – Established the Supreme Court’s power to declare laws unconstitutional (Marbury v. Madison).

• Virginia & Kentucky Resolves – States argued they could nullify federal laws they found unconstitutional.

19th Century America

• Henry Clay & The American System – Clay’s plan to strengthen the economy through tariffs, a national bank, and internal improvements.

• Andrew Jackson – Controversial president; known for the Indian Removal Act, destroying the national bank, and expanding democracy.

Gilded Age & Progressive Era

• Gilded Age – A time of industrial growth, political corruption, and economic inequality.

• Industrial Leaders – Rockefeller (oil), Carnegie (steel), Vanderbilt (railroads), and Morgan (banking).

• Muckrakers – Journalists who exposed corruption and poor working conditions.

• The Jungle (Upton Sinclair) – Exposed the horrors of the meatpacking industry, leading to food safety laws.

Teddy Roosevelt

• Background & Rise in Politics – Started as NY governor, then became vice president, and took over after McKinley was assassinated.

• Presidency Accomplishments – Trust-busting, conservation efforts, and building the Panama Canal.

Rhode Island

Founder: Roger Williams (1636)
Why was it founded?

• Religious freedom – Williams was banished from Massachusetts for his beliefs in the separation of church and state.

• Fair treatment of Native Americans – He believed the land should be bought from Native Americans, not taken.

Pennsylvania

Founder: William Penn (1681)
Why was it founded?

• As a safe place for Quakers to practice their faith.

• King Charles II granted Penn the land to repay a debt owed to Penn’s father.

Georgia

Founder: James Oglethorpe (1732)
Why was it founded?

• As a haven for debtors from England.

• To act as a buffer colony between South Carolina and Spanish Florida.

• Federalists – They supported a strong central government and a loose interpretation of the Constitution, meaning the government could use implied powers to govern effectively. Key leaders: Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay (they wrote the Federalist Papers).

• Anti-Federalists – They feared that a strong federal government would take away individual and state rights and become too powerful, like a monarchy. They wanted a strict interpretation of the Constitution to limit government power. Key leaders: Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry, George Mason.

Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation:

• No power to tax → The federal government had no money.

• No executive branch → No president to enforce laws.

• No national court system → No way to resolve disputes between states.

• Too hard to amend → Required unanimous approval from all states to make changes.

Shays’ Rebellion (1786-1787):

• Led by Daniel Shays, a farmer and Revolutionary War veteran from Massachusetts.

• Many farmers, including Shays, were in serious debt because the government wasn’t paying soldiers what they were owed after the war.

• Massachusetts started seizing farms and jailing debtors because farmers couldn’t pay their taxes or loans.

Mercantilism is an economic theory where a country tries to export more than it imports to build wealth, mainly by accumulating gold and silver. In the case of the British colonies, the colonies supported Britain by providing raw materials (like tobacco, sugar, and timber) and serving as a market for British manufactured goods. The colonies were restricted in their trade and could only trade with Britain, limiting their economic freedom.

The Act of Supremacy (1534) declared that the English monarch was the supreme head of the Church of England, replacing the Pope’s authority. This legally made the king (or queen) the leader of the church and helped solidify England’s break from Catholicism