History What we have studied so far

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Mercantilism is an economic system in which the mother country controls the trade of its colonies

Jamestown, Virginia (1607) 1st permanent English settlement, founded for economic reasons by a joint stock company. Survived because of tobacco.

Mayflower Compact (1620) is an agreement (also called a social contract) to form a government and to submit to the will of the majority. It was signed in 1620 by the Pilgrims in Plymouth. *It is the 1st attempt at self-government in America! Transatlantic Slave Trade (triangular trade) started due to labor shortages in Virginia, resulting in millions of Africans being captured and sold to the Americas.
Middle Passage - the name of the sea voyage across the Atlantic Ocean that brought slaves to the New World
The 13 colonies were divided into what 3 regions? New England Colonies: Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New Hampshire Middle Colonies: New York, New Jersey, Delaware, and Pennsylvania Southern Colonies: Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia
What colonies were established for religious freedom? Massachusetts - Puritans Rhode Island - Roger Williams exiled by Puritans for disagreeing with the church Pennsylvania - Quakers Maryland - Haven for Catholics
Virginia House of Burgesses The first representative assembly in the new world. It served as a model for other colonial legislatures. Fundamental Orders of Connecticut
The first written Constitution in the American colonies. It was created by Thomas Hooker. It is one of the first examples of representative democracy. *Allowed men who were not church members to vote
French and Indian War (Seven Years' War) England and the 13 colonies fought against France and the Native Americans for control of the Ohio River Valley
Benjamin Franklin Wrote the Albany Plan of Union, an attempt to unite the colonies to fight against the French to win the French & Indian War. Also published "Join, or Die", the most famous cartoon of the Colonial Era
Treaty of Paris 1763 Ended the French and Indian War, France had to surrender all land in North America. *The debt from the war led to increased British taxation of the colonies
Proclamation of 1763 Issued by King George III after the French and Indian war forbidding colonists from expanding west of the Appalachian Mountains Sugar Act, Stamp Act, Quartering Act, Townshend Acts, Tea Act, Coercive (Intolerable) Acts These acts following the French and Indian War angered the colonies and eventually led to the Revolution!
King George III King of England during the American Revolution, he angered the colonies with his acts/taxes and abuses of their rights as Englishmen.
Sons of Liberty Group organized the Boston Tea Party to protest the Tea Act. In response, England passed the Intolerable Acts as punishment.
Crispus Attucks African American killed at the Boston Massacre. One of the 1st colonists to die for American independence.
Wentworth Chiswell 1st African American elected to public office. He made famous rides like Paul Revere to alert the colonists of British troop movements
James Armistead 1st African American spy whose information helped defeat the British at the Battle of Yorktown
Mercy Otis Warren Woman who wrote plays that were critical of the British government's actions John Adams 2nd president of the U.S., and 1st vice president, signed the Declaration of Independence and served as Ambassador to England during the Revolutionary War. *His wife Abigail Adams was a pioneer for women's rights
Samuel Adams Leader of the Sons of Liberty stirred up public support for American Independence. He led the Boston Tea Party and was also a key leader in the Committee of Correspondence. Common Sense A pamphlet written by Thomas Paine convinced many colonists to support independence from Great Britain.
Lexington and Concord's first battles of the American Revolution, "shot heard round the world"
Patrick Henry was A fiery speaker, patriot, and Anti-Federalist who called for American independence and later opposed the Constitution because it did not protect individual liberties. "Give me liberty or give me death!"
George Washington Leader of the Continental Army who later became the first President of the United States Patriot Someone who supported American independence during the Revolution
Loyalists are people who supported maintaining British rule over the colonies during the Revolution.
Declaration of Independence A list of grievances against King George III. Written by Thomas Jefferson and adopted by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, in Philadelphia. It declared the colonies independent from England.
Unalienable Rights are Rights that cannot be taken away or transferred because they are natural and possessed at birth. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are some of these rights defined in the Declaration of Independence.
Battle of Saratoga Turning point of the American Revolution. It was very important because it convinced the French to give the U.S. military support.
Valley Forge Place where Washington's army camped during the winter of 1777-1778. More than 1/5 of his soldiers died of disease and malnutrition. Battle of Yorktown This British defeat in Virginia b George Washington's troops signaled the end of the American Revolution.
The Treaty of Paris 1783 Ended the American Revolution and forced Britain to recognize the United States as an independent nation.
Magna Carta signed in 1215 by King John, was the first document that limited the power of the ruler. It also included the idea of "trial by jury" used in the Bill of Rights.
English Bill of Rights (1689) protected the rights of English citizens and became the basis for the U.S. Bill of Rights.
Charles de Montesquieu, Early government in America was influenced by the works of this European Enlightenment philosopher He believed in the "separation of powers" and having 3 branches of government - executive, legislative, and judicial
John Locke Early government in America was influenced by the works of this European Enlightenment philosopher He believed in natural rights of life, liberty, and property; He also believed that between the people and government there exists a social contract.
The Articles of Confederation Our 1st National government was created during the Revolution with one branch (legislative). The states had most of the power. It would be replaced by the Constitution in 1787.
Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation No executive branch No levying of taxes No judicial branch No regulation of trade Hard to pass laws Northwest Ordinance of 1787 law that established the procedures for the expansion of the United States and explains that new states admitted to the Union are equal to existing states.
Shay's Rebellion (1786-1787) Angered by taxes & debts, Daniel Shays led a rebellion in Massachusetts. Highlighted the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation & convinced many Founders of the need for a stronger national government.
Tariff a tax on imported goods (goods brought into a country) designed to protect home industries
The Constitution (our written plan of government) created in 1787 provides a strong national government with power balanced between 3 branches.
The Great Compromise created a bi-cameral (2 House) Legislature we call Congress. *Representation in the House of Representatives is based on population *Representation in the Senate: each state gets 2 Senators.
The 3/5 Compromise settled the issue of how slaves would count for representation and taxation in Congress. Each slave would count as 3/5 of a person.
Federalists were supporters of the Constitution who favored a strong national government and the Bank of the United States. *Alexander Hamilton, George Washington, and John Adams were leading Federalists
Anti-Federalists were people who opposed the Constitution preferring more power be given to the state governments than to the national government. They also opposed the Bank of the U.S. *Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry, and George Mason were leading Anti-Federalists.
The Federalist Papers is a series of essays written by James Madison, John Jay, and Alexander Hamilton defending the Constitution and the principles on which the government of the United States was founded.
Republicanism is a system of representative government in which voters elect representatives to make laws for them Checks and Balances system is set up by the Constitution in which each branch of the federal government has the power to check, or control, the actions of the other branches.
Ratify means to approve by vote.
Amend means to change. As in, amend the Constitution so it works better. Amendment = change to the Constitution
A Constitutional Amendment is passed when 2/3 of Congress (House & Senate) and ¾ of the state legislatures vote in favor of that amendment
The Bill of Rights - 1st ten amendments to the Constitution designed to protect our liberties.
The 1st Amendment Protects the freedom of…

Religion

Assembly

Press

Petition

Speech

The 2nd Amendment – “A well-regulated Militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”
The **3rd Amendment - *"**No soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law." ****Addressed the grievance of the Quartering Act
Due Process Amendments– how laws are enforced fairly…
4th Amendment - no illegal search or seizure.
5th Amendment - no self-incrimination, no double jeopardy, and no loss of life, liberty, or property without due process of law.
6th Amendment - the right to a speedy trial, an impartial jury, and a lawyer
7th Amendment - the right to a jury trial in civil suits.
8th Amendment - “Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, no cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.”
The 9th Amendment states that citizens are still granted rights that are not listed in the Constitution.
The 10th Amendment – “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.” Meaning Federalism
George Washington’s service as president of the U.S. was an example of Civic Virtue. He accepted the presidency because he felt it was his duty to serve the people, rather than retire to his plantation.
Alexander Hamilton was a leader of the Federalists, the first Treasury Secretary of the U.S., and the creator of the Bank of the U.S. Killed in a duel by the V. P. of the U.S. (Aaron Burr)
President Washington demonstrated the increased power by sending the army to stop the Whiskey Rebellion
The first Political Parties were formed as a result of disagreements over the powers of the federal government between Hamilton and Jefferson.
George Washington’s Farewell Address advised the United States to stay “neutral in its relations with other nations” and to avoid “entangling alliances”.
Free Enterprise is an economic system where citizens are free to choose how to make a living, with very little government intrusion.
President Thomas Jefferson purchased the Louisiana Territory from France in 1803.
Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence, became the 3rd President of the United States, and purchased the Louisiana territory, doubling the size of the United States.

Marbury vs. Madison was the 1803 Court decision that gave the Supreme Court the power of judicial review - the right to determine whether a law violates the Constitution. John Marshall’s ruling established judicial review.