History Exam Full Notes
6th Grade Complete Notes: Teacher Copy
Unit 1: CPEGS through Causes of the Civil War
CPEGS
Culture- the beliefs, customs, traditions, arts, etc., of a particular society, group, place, or time
Examples: religions, types of food, holidays, dance, music, language/accent, games etc
Politics- the people or groups who have or want power
Examples: elections, kings, how nations treat each other, the struggle for power within a group
Economics- the creation, use, and trade of wealth. How people get what they need or want
Examples: Raw resources, jobs, factories, money
Geography- The study of the earth’s surface, specifically it’s physical features and climates
Examples: Mountains, deserts, rain forests, glaciers, islands, oceans...etc
Science/Technology- Machines and tools that help people with jobs
Ex. Robot, Car
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The North and South were very different before the Civil War
Urban- Big city areas, tall buildings with many people crowded in
Rural- the country, people are spread out
Suburban- many people live here but it is more spread out than a city
Industry- Factories
Agriculture- farming or raising animals
Plantation- a rich farm where many slaves work
Cash crop- a plant that is worth a lot of money
ex. Tobacco, sugar, COTTON
Factory- where things are made using machines
Economic and Social Differences:
North
-the weather is cold
-rocky, bad farmland
-rich people own Factories
-Many railroads
-Urban
-Industrial
-Free workers
Economic and Social Differences:
North
-the weather is cold
-rocky, bad farmland
-rich people own Factories
-Many railroads
-Urban
-Industrial
-Free workers
South
-the weather is hot
-great farmland
- rich people own Plantations
-Very few railroads
-Rural
-Agricultural
-Slaves
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Causes of the Civil war: Pt 2 Slavery
What is Slavery?
Slavery-When a person is treated like an animal, they’re property, and have no rights
Why was slavery common
-The Cash Crop of the south was cotton which requires lots of manual labor to pick
--Slavery was the cheapest labor possible
-A cash crop is a plant that can be sold for lots of money
-Cotton became even more popular after the cotton gin was invented by Eli Whitney. It made it much easier to turn cotton balls into refined cotton for clothes
Cotton Economy
The south grew 50% of the worlds cotton
The North and Britain made money turning the cotton into cloth
Cost of Slavery
The cost of 1 slave was similar to a modern day car but it was much cheaper than paying an employee
Why was slavery evil?
were treated like animals
Worked from dawn to dusk in the fields
No Rights
Many were killed or tortured
Bad food and houses
Could never be free and their children were slaves too, also could be sold
Punishment vs. Incentive
Punishment
Whip, bloodhound, branding iron
Killed
Sale, separation
Incentive
Given $
Better jobs
Better food/house
Resistance to Slavery
Worked slower
Stole food and other goods
Sabotaged expensive equipment
Poisoned masters’ food
Rebelled
Denmark Vesey
Nat Turner
Ran away: The Underground Railroad
Communicate using songs and quilts with secret meanings
The Underground Railroad
A network of secret routes and safe houses to help slaves escape to freedom.
Stopovers (stations): homes, churches, caves, hay wagons
Travel 10-20 miles at night
Harriet Tubman
“Black Moses”
19 treks
Rescued 300 slaves
Henry “Box” Brown
-Mailed himself to freedom
Justification for Slavery
Belief of biological racial superiority
Slavery supported by the Bible
For the good of Africans, civilized
Compared to conditions in factories
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Causes of the Civil War pt 3
Cause: Sectionalism
North = Union
South = Confederacy
Sectionalism – thinking the region or local area you are from is better than all the rest
The intense feelings of sectionalism further divided the country into two separate sections- North and South.
Before the Civil War, the United States was not really united.
Our country was more like two separate countries sharing the same land.
North
South
Cause: Slavery
Slavery was a cause of the Civil War for two reasons.
#1. The South believed that slavery was critical to the economy.
#2 Many People in the North viewed slavery as evil
Fugitive Slave Law of 1850
Required all citizens to help catch runaway slaves.
It was now a CRIME to help runaway slaves even in the North.
Both Northerners and Southerners fought fiercely over the moral and political issue of slavery.
If the U.S. had been founded without slavery, then the following causes of the Civil War may have never been issues.
South:
Judges could get $10 for each runaway slave
Slaves were denied a trial by jury & the right to testify
Forced citizens to catch runaways, if not, $1,000 fine
Uncle Tom’s Cabin – written by Harriet Beecher Stowe.
Very popular book written by a Northern person about how cruel slavery was
The north wanted to abolish slavery even more now
The south was really offended by the book
Cause: States Rights
Local government- the people who run things in a small area
Ex. Mayor of Charlottesville
State Government- the people who run the whole state
Ex. Governor of Virginia
Federal- The people who run the whole country
Ex. The president, Congress
The south= States/Local are more important
The north= Federal is more important
Cause: John Brown's Raid on Harpers Ferry
John Brown’s Raid on Harpers Ferry
Abolitionist John Brown tries to break into a military armory in Virginia. He had fought in Kansas too.
He wanted to give guns to slaves and start a revolution
He was stopped by the army and executed
He became a martyr to northerners (someone who dies for their beliefs)
The south thought he was a terrorist
Cause: Abraham Lincoln is elected president
Lincoln was against slavery but said he wouldn’t take away slavery where it was already legal
Southerners thought he was lying
-Southern States announced they were seceding from the US when Lincoln won
-Secede- to leave or split away from
Cause: Southern attack on Fort Sumter
Charleston Harbor, April 10, 1861
Confederate forces attack Fort Sumter
This was the start of the Civil War
Unit 2: The Civil War
Civil War- 1861
The Two Sides
Secession
-11 slave states seceded
-Four of the slave states, Missouri, Kentucky, Maryland, Delaware stayed within the Union. These were called border states
-West Virginia split from the rest of Virginia and joined with the Union.
-Jefferson Davis- President of the South (Confederate States of America)
Fort Sumter- a Union fort in the port of Charleston, South Carolina. The south tells the Union soldiers to leave but they refuse, April 12th 1861- Southern forces attack the fort forcing it to surrender. The North and the South both start training armies. The Civil War had begun.
Battle of Bull Run/Manassas-
The first major battle
At First, The Union had more troops and a good plan so they were winning
“Stonewall” Jackson’s refusal to retreat gave time for the Confederates to reinforce
The south gain the upper hand, and eventually claim victory.
Minie ball- a civil war bullet that was extremely accurate because it would spin when fired
Rifling- the grooves in a gun that cause a bullet to spin
Types of Soldiers
Infantry- soldiers, on foot, who shoot regular guns
Artillery- Soldiers who fire the big cannons
Cavalry- the soldiers on horses
Civil War- 1862
Since the last battle:
Military leaders
The Basic Situation
The biggest battles are fought in Virginia, that is the main part of the war, but some battles also happen out west in Tennessee and Missouri
Robert E. Lee beats the Union over and over again BUT The Union continued to tighten its stranglehold on southern ports Southern cotton could not be exported (sold to another country). The South needed to start selling cotton or they would run out of money
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Anaconda Plan- the north's plan to blockade all of the southern ports. This would “strangle” the south’s ability to trade cotton for money
The North has way more and better ships, so the South turns to Industrial Warfare
Industrial warfare is when countries at war use advanced science and technology to create weapons that would not have been possible before
Ironclads- Ships that are covered in iron
-The Virginia (Also called the Merrimac)- The South’s ironclad, attacked the blockade
-The Monitor- The North’s ironclad, it was secretly built to stop the South
Ironclads are impervious to cannonballs
-Neither side could hurt the other so the South could not “break” the blockade so they couldn’t sell their cotton
Battles
-In Virginia, Lee beats the Union many times (Ex. Second Bull Run, Seven Days Battle)
-At Antietam, the bloodiest single day in American History, the North ties the south. People in the north treat it like a huge victory
-McClellan is fired, replaced by Burnside, who is also fired later for doing a bad job
-In the West, the Union under the command of Ulysses S. Grant do better and take control of parts of the Mississippi River
Civil War- 1863
1.Emancipation Proclamation- Ended slavery in the south, the plan was to hurt the south by taking away their slaves (This made Great Britain and France not want to help the South)
-this didn’t free any slaves in the north (ex. Maryland, Missouri), the South didn’t listen to the North anyways! But it made the war about slavery
Turning Point- Gettysburg
Battle of Gettysburg- General Lee changed his strategy of defense and went into the North to attack, he hoped to end the war by taking Washington DC.
In a massive three day battle the Union won its first major victory against Lee.
Gettysburg Address -One of the most famous speeches by Abraham Lincoln in American History, he argued that this war was a chance to finish what the revolutionary war started, that ALL men were created equal
-Ulysses S. Grant also wins a Battle at Vicksburg, this gives the Union control of the Mississippi River
DBQ- Document Based Questions
-Documents are maps, pictures, charts, articles, journals...etc. These are also called sources of information
-Primary source- A document created by someone who was actually at the event you are trying to learn about. Ex. A journal, photograph,
-Secondary Source- a document by someone who was not actually at the event
Ex. A textbook, a chart etc
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The North used New Technology, telegraphs and railroads, way better than the south
Grant
-Lincoln makes Ulysses S. Grant the commander of all Union armies
-Grant was a tough commander who understood strategy
-His plan was to beat Lee by not being tricky, but by wearing his army down
-Grant chased Lee wherever he went
-The north could afford to lose soldiers, the south could not
Replacement soldiers
-The North recruited freed African Americans and new immigrants to join their armies
-They were paid less and often treated poorly but many joined anyways
-The south, desperate for more soldiers drafted younger and younger boys into the army
Homefront- it is referring to what is happening to regular civilian people at home during a war
-Southerners in the army and at home did not have enough food. Cities like Richmond had bread riots
Civil War- 1864 Ending the Stalemate
The Overland Campaign
-Grant chased Lee, many battles were fought
-Grant replaced his losses after each battle, Lee could not
-Lee used trenches to try to protect his men while he protected Petersburg. Grant could not get in, but Lee could not get out.
Presidential Election
-In the North and the South people were tired of the War
-Former general George McClellan ran for president against Lincoln, he argued they should just let the south be its own country and end the war
Sherman's March
-Union General, Tecumseh Sherman gave Lincoln the edge he needed, he captured Atlanta, Georgia, the second most important city in the south and Lincoln won the election
- After capturing the city he burned it down and then marched from Atlanta to Savannah, destroying everything in his path. This was called SHERMAN’S MARCH TO THE SEA
-Total War- when armies attack soldiers and civilians equally
-Civilians supply soldiers, so they are just as much a part of the war
-Sherman’s Sentinels- chimneys from burned down buildings
-Sherman’s Bowties- bent railroad pieces
Andersonville- a prison of war camp used by the south
1865- The End of the Civil War
-Lee gets all of the soldiers in Richmond and Petersburg together and tries to break out of Grant’s siege
-The Confederate government and the civilian population evacuate Richmond. They burned their own city down so the north couldn’t have it
-Lee could not escape Grant’s army and was outnumbered
-With Sherman destroying the cities of the South, and Grant chasing his army wherever he went Lee surrendered at Appomattox Court House, ending the war
Unit 3: Post Civil War
Reconstruction
Government- the people who make the rules
ex. King, President, Mayor
Representative Democracy- When people elect other people to represent them
-This is the US system of gov’t
The Constitution- The overall rules for how our gov’t is supposed to work
Amendment- A change to the rules of the constitution
ex. the 19th amendment gave women the right to vote
Reconstruction was the time period when the Union armies were in the south
making sure the South didn’t rebel
helping to rebuild the damage from the war
-Lincoln says he will allow any person in the South to vote again if they will sign an “Oath of Allegiance.” Many refuse leaving only people who are loyal to vote.
-This made passing laws and amendments much easier
thirteenth Amendment- Ended Slavery
Fourteenth Amendment- All men (including african americans) have equal protection under the law
Fifteenth Amendment- African Americans have the right to vote
Reconstruction part 2
-The northern army stays in southern states until they agree to rejoin the union
Occupation- When a foreign army stays in an area and controls it
The 3 Plans for reconstruction
Lincoln’s Plan
Easy on the south- Only 10% of the south need to agree to be loyal
Create Freedmen’s Bureau
Freedmen’s Bureau- a group designed to help former slaves get on their feet
-It created schools and found teachers
-Helped freed people find land and jobs
-Gave money to create new colleges for African Americans: Atlanta, Howard, and Fisk University
Unfortunately, Abraham Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth
Reconstruction Part 3
After Lincoln’s death, two groups argued about what to do:
Radical Republicans Plan
Punish the south
Give lots of assistance to African Americans
Radical means extreme
Radical Republicans: a group of very liberal people. At this time Republicans were more liberal and democrats were conservative
Vice President Andrew Johnson’s Plan
Wanted to punish the southern traitors!
No help for African Americans
Lincoln’s Plan had to change when in 1865 Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth
So which plan did they use?
A combination of the plans:
easy for the south to rejoin the union but only loyal people could vote, so African Americans had most of the voting power
kept the Freedmen’s Bureau but they did not give it much support so it was underfunded
Black Politicians during Reconstruction
Over 2,000 African Americans held public office,
Black Codes/Jim Crow Laws- Racist laws meant to keep African Americans from having equal rights
Ex. Literacy Test, Grandfather Clause, Poll Tax
Jim Crow- a racist character who was supposed to be the “perfect” black person. He was supposed portrayed as dumb and happy to be a slave
The Ku Klux Klan- a white terrorist group, trying to keep African Americans from having rights
Symbols:
-White hoods
-burning crosses
-Lynching- murdering black people, or those that helped black people
Sharecropping- a farmer rents land and has to give a portion of their crop to the land owner. This system often means the renter is always in debt and can't leave the farm. It is basically slavery.
Carpetbaggers- A person from the north who went south and took advantage of the destruction there
Suffrage- The right to vote
Veto- when a president “cancels” something
Pardon- to forgive someone of a crime
1. Andrew Johnson disagreed with the Radical Republicans on how to fix the south
2. Johnson vetoed many of Congress's programs to help African Americans, and pardoned many former Confederates
3. Congress was able to overrule the President's veto
-If 2/3rds of people in Congress think the President is wrong they can overrule him/her
4. Eventually Congress tried to impeach Johnson, but did not get enough votes (they needed 1 more) so he remained President
-Impeach: to say that what the President did was wrong, it also gives the option to Fire a president
-Even though Johnson was still President, he had almost no power
Westward Expansion
Westward Expansion- Thousands of Americans who moved west for a better life
Push Factor- It is a problem from where you used to live that makes you want to leave.
Push Factor- It is a problem from where you used to live that makes you want to leave.
Ex. War, Overcrowding, Racism
Pull Factor- Something in a new place that makes you want to go there.
Pull Factor- Something in a new place that makes you want to go there.
Ex. More space, more jobs, opportunity, freedom, adventure
Manifest Destiny: the idea that america MUST expand from east coast to west coast
Who went west?
-White southerners who had lost everything in the Civil War
-Former slaves who wanted to escape racism
-People in northern cities who wanted more space
-Klondike/Yukon gold rush People went to Alaska hoping to get rich
Klondike/Yukon gold rush People went to Alaska hoping to get rich
Oregon Trail- a popular path people took to reach the rich farmland of Oregon, Washington and California
Conestoga Wagon- a type of wagon used by pioneers to bring all of their things
Dangers:
-Dysentery
-Broken leg/arm
-Fever
-getting lost
-drowned
-cholera
-typhoid
-Measles
-Run over
-exhaustion
-snake bite
-bad water
-tripping
-fire
Transcontinental Railroad- A railroad across the US
Cowboys- People who herd animals
Outlaw- a criminal
US Marshals- Federal police who would arrest criminals who crossed state lines
Native Americans
Geography
Wide open plains
Very Few trees
Many Buffalo
Excellent soil for farming
Native American Culture
-There were many separate nations:
- Some like the Cheyenne and the Sioux hunted Buffalo
-They were nomadic (travelled, no permanent home)
-Lived in Teepees- Buffalo hide tents that are easily moved
Plains Culture
-Some like the Pueblo live in permanent cities
-They farmed corn beans and squash
-Lived in adobe houses that looked like modern apartment
-Horses came from europe but once they were found in america they became very popular
Conflict
US Citizens
-Want land for farming, ranching and mining
Native Americans
-Want land for hunting and gathering
Conflict
US Citizens
-Want land for farming, ranching and mining
Native Americans
-Want land for hunting and gathering
Conflict
US Citizens
-Want land for farming, ranching and mining
-Often believe that non- white people and non- Christians are inferior
Native Americans
-Want land for hunting and gathering
-Are non-white and non- Christian
Homestead Act- If you built a house and farmed land out west, you could keep it for free
Reservations
-Area of land that Native Americans were forced to live on
-Usually very poor quality land and over crowded
-If anything useful was found on the land the US would break the deals they made and take the land
Forced Assimilation
-Forcing one group of people to change their culture
Destruction of the Buffalo- Millions of buffalo were killed to deprive Native Americans of their source of food and tools
Dakota Sioux Uprising- one of many wars between Native Americans and the US
The Dakota Sioux in Minnesota were starving and angry so they attacked traders, pioneers, and the army
Hundreds were killed (Native American + US Citizen) More than 300 Dakota were sentenced to death in a military court, and others fled from the US troops
Battle of Little Bighorn- A Native American army, led by Sioux leaders Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse, wiped out an overconfident US army led by George Armstrong Custer
Wounded Knee Massacre- the US army killed over 300 native American civilians
The Rise of Cities/Immigration
Immigration-the movement of people into another country they are not native in order to settle there
Push/Pull factors
Push factors
Famine
Land shortages
Religious persecution
War
Overpopulation
Pull factors
Job opportunity
Land
Religious and political freedom
Immigrant group Spotlight:
The Irish poor relied on potatoes for all of their food
Irish Potato Famine-
The Irish poor relied on potatoes for all of their food
Potato Blight- caused the potatoes in Ireland to rot
Mass starvation caused millions to die
England, who ruled Ireland, did not help
Millions of Irish immigrated to America
Irish Potato Famine-
Ellis Island- an immigration center in New York City where many americans came to become US Citizens
Statue of Liberty- A gift from the French, it represents the idea of freedom in America
Tenements- overcrowded apartment buildings, aka slums
Cities separated by ethnic groups
“Little Italy” “Chinatown” “Lower East Side”
New immigrants spoke native languages, recreated churches, restaurants, clubs, newspapers from home
Living conditions were awful
Life of an American Immigrant
Melting pot: different cultures and ethnicities blend together
Nativists- People who did not like the new immigrants
Sweatshop- A factory that pays its workers very little and they are in terrible conditions
Political Rallies- Immigrants learned that by working together, they could use their voting power to make important changes
-Lots of people = Lots of votes= Power
Unit 4: Progressive Era
Gilded Age
Robber Baron- A person who got rich by exploiting people, similar to stealing
Captain of Industry- a rich person who uses their money to help others
monopolies: when a single company controls an entire product - free to set prices
Laissez Faire - an economic theory, in French it means “hands off,” it's the idea the government should not interfere with businesses
Andrew Carnegie- Steel Monopoly
Childhood
“Rags to Riches”
Found new ways to make better steel cheaply
John D. Rockefeller- Oil Monopoly
Cornelius “Commodore” Vanderbilt- Railroad Monopoly
J.P. Morgan- Bank Monopoly
Problems Workers Faced
Unsafe Working Conditions
12 hour days, 6 day workweeks
Low Pay
Use of Child Labor
Sweatshops
If you complained you were fired
People were desperate for any job so workers knew they could be replaced
Labor- workers
Capital/Management- the owners
Child Labor: Young children were given dangerous jobs because they could be paid less and could fit into small spaces
Labor Unions- People who work in the same job unite to help each other get better working conditions, pay, etc
Way Unions try accomplish goals:
Collective Bargaining
workers negotiate as a group with employers (You can’t fire us all!)
Strikes- When workers refuse to work in order to get something from their employers (Everyday a factory doesn’t run, the owner loses money)
-Sometimes owners would hire a private army called the Pinkertons to break up a strike
-If the Pinkertons weren’t enough, the owners could bribe the government to send the actual army
William “Boss” Tweed
Leader of Tammany Hall
Exchange votes for “favors”
Tweed received fraudulent contracts, loyalty in high government offices, and money
Stole over 100 million from city treasury
Later convicted of corruption and died in prison
Thomas Nast- Political Cartoonist who brought attention to Boss Tweeds evil
Progressive Era- trying to fix America’s problems
Muckraker- A person trying to fix, or bring attention to, a problem
Famous Muckraker
-Jacob Riis- Photographer who wrote a book called “How the Other Half Lives.” It showed how poor people lived in NYC
-Upton Sinclair- wrote the Jungle about the disgusting conditions in meat packing factories
Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt
He was born to a very rich family in NYC
When he was young...
He was sick a lot and had asthma
He was not allowed to play rough games with other kids and had to be homeschooled
Spent most of his time reading and exploring nature
When he was a teen...
He began boxing and working out, which allowed him to overcome his asthma
-He went to Harvard college and met his wife, Alice
-He was elected NYS Assemblyman and went to work in Albany NY
-1884- Best and Worst day of his life
His daughter, Alice is Born
-1884- Best and Worst day of his life
His daughter, Alice is Born
His wife dies
His mother dies
-He quits his job and moves to South Dakota to become a cowboy
-He has no idea what he is doing at first, but learns quickly by asking for help/advice
-1886- moves back to NYC after a winter storm destroys his ranch
-He moves home and is elected police chief of New York City and does a good job fighting corruption
During the Spanish American War he volunteered and created a regiment called the Rough Riders
The Rough Riders were a diverse group of cowboys, miners, police, and college athletes, among others
After the War
He became extremely popular because of his bravery during the war and was able to become the governor of NY
After only 2 years as governor he was asked to the Vice President for William McKinley
(Secret Side Note: His enemies in New York thought by getting him elected it would get Theodore out of their hair so they made sure he got chosen!)
Only months later, McKinley was shot, so Roosevelt became the youngest president in American history
He was the first progressive president; and he expanded the role of president
Teddy Promised America a Square Deal
1.Stopped businesses from becoming too powerful like monopolies
2. Made factory owners agree to make the factory safer and pay more
Told workers to end the strike or he will use the army
3. Changing the law so that food and medicine were safer
What is the problem with the following products of the time?
4. Created the national parks and forest program to preserve nature
After he became President in 1901, Roosevelt used his authority to protect wildlife and public lands by creating the U.S. Forest Service and establishing 51 Federal Bird Reservations, 4 National Game Preserves, 150 National Forests, 5 National Parks, and enabling the 1906 American Antiquities Act which he used to proclaim 18 National Monuments. During his presidency, Theodore Roosevelt protected approximately 230,000,000 acres of public land.
TR also Expands US influence around the world
The US also forced Japan to open up for trade
Panama Canal- Built a canal through Panama that allowed ships to go THROUGH South America
Foreign Policy- How your country treats other countries
TR won a Nobel Peace Prize for helping to negotiate a peace treaty between Japan and Russia
Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick
-Don’t brag or threaten, but if another country attacks be strong so you can fight back
The Taft Years
After 8 years, TR retires, William Howard Taft was elected President after TR
Taft was TR’s hand-picked heir; TR expected Taft to continue his progressive reforms
“Teddy Had a Little Lamb”
HOWEVER Taft did some things that went against TR’s ideas like reducing the size of national parks
Meanwhile TR was retired, he went on vacation to South America and africa to go exploring and hunting, many of the animals in the New York museum of natural history were donated by TR
Even while on vacation, TR heard what Taft was doing. TR was upset and spoke out against Taft
TR came out of retirement to run for president against Taft
Taft wins the Republican primary, so TR forms a new Progressive Party (a.k.a. Bull Moose Party)
this split Republican vote, so the Democrat candidate, Woodrow Wilson wins
Other Progressive Leaders
Alice paul- was trying to make a law so women would have the right to vote. It is the best thing because it helped people think about women's right to vote.
Booker T. Washington- Born a slave he taught himself how to read and write. He worked his way up from the school custodian to becoming the principal of his school. He also founded the Tuskegee Institute
W.E.B. Du Bois- He was the first African American to go to Harvard. He founded NAACP which helped fight against racist laws.
Thomas Edison- Known for practical inventions like the light bulb, phonograph, and early power plants, promoting DC electricity
Nikolai Tesla- Focused on theoretical concepts and advanced electrical systems, famously he created AC electricity which is the standard today