African American History Exam 1!

Essentialism – The idea that certain traits, values, or identities are natural and unchanging, which has been used to justify inequalities in society.

Transatlantic Slave Trade – The forced transport of millions of Africans to the Americas for slavery, shaping economies and societies across continents.

Chattel Slavery – A brutal system where enslaved people were treated as property, with no rights, and could be bought, sold, or inherited.

Bacon’s Rebellion – A 1676 uprising in Virginia where poor white and Black workers united against the government, leading to stricter racial divisions.

Liberalism – A political philosophy focused on individual rights, freedom, and limited government, influencing movements like abolition and democracy.

Patriots and Loyalists – Patriots supported American independence from Britain, while Loyalists remained loyal to the British crown during the Revolution.

The Three-Fifths Compromise – A constitutional agreement where enslaved people were counted as three-fifths of a person for political representation and taxation.

Gradual Abolition – A slow process of ending slavery over time rather than immediately, used in northern U.S. states in the late 1700s and early 1800s.

American Colonization Society – A group that supported sending freed African Americans to Africa rather than integrating them into U.S. society.

Black Nationalism – A movement that promotes Black pride, self-sufficiency, and the idea of a separate Black nation or community.

Dred Scott v. Sandford (Dred Scott Decision) – An 1857 Supreme Court ruling that denied citizenship and rights to Black people, fueling tensions before the Civil War.

The Emancipation Proclamation – Abraham Lincoln’s 1863 order that freed enslaved people in Confederate states, shifting the Civil War toward ending slavery.

The Fourteenth Amendment – A constitutional amendment granting citizenship and equal protection under the law to all people born in the U.S., including former slaves.

Convict Lease – A system where prisoners, mostly Black, were forced to work under harsh conditions, continuing slavery-like labor after the Civil War.

Plessy v. Ferguson – An 1896 Supreme Court case that upheld racial segregation under the “separate but equal” doctrine, reinforcing discrimination.

The Middle Passage – The horrific ocean journey where enslaved Africans were transported to the Americas, suffering terrible conditions and high death rates.

Seasoning – A brutal process where enslaved Africans were "trained" to endure forced labor and harsh treatment in the Americas.

Indentured Servitude – A labor system where people worked for a set number of years in exchange for passage to the Americas, often in harsh conditions.

Freedom Suits – Legal cases where enslaved individuals sued for their freedom, sometimes winning but often facing strong opposition.

Thomas Jefferson – A Founding Father and U.S. president who wrote the Declaration of Independence but also owned enslaved people, showing contradictions in American ideals.

Manumission – The formal act of an enslaver freeing an enslaved person, which happened individually or through state laws.

Benjamin Banneker – A Black scientist, mathematician, and writer who challenged racial stereotypes and contributed to early American knowledge and planning.

The Haitian Revolution – A successful uprising (1791-1804) where enslaved Haitians overthrew French rule, becoming the first Black-led republic and inspiring abolitionists.

Tariff – A tax on imported goods that impacted economic policies, often leading to regional tensions in the U.S. before the Civil War.

Missouri Compromise – An 1820 law that balanced free and slave states by allowing Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state, delaying sectional conflict.

Denmark Vesey – A formerly enslaved man who planned a major slave rebellion in 1822, but was caught and executed before it could happen.

Virginia Debate – A discussion in Virginia’s legislature about ending slavery after Nat Turner’s Rebellion, but it ultimately led to stricter slave laws instead.

Cincinnati Riots – Racial violence in Cincinnati, Ohio, where white mobs attacked Black residents, reflecting tensions over race and labor in northern cities.

Republican Party – A political party founded in the 1850s that opposed the expansion of slavery and later led efforts to abolish it during the Civil War.

Kansas-Nebraska Act – An 1854 law allowing settlers in new territories to decide on slavery, leading to violent conflicts known as “Bleeding Kansas.”

John Brown’s Raid – An 1859 attack on a federal armory by abolitionist John Brown, aiming to start a slave rebellion, which heightened tensions before the Civil War.

New York City Draft Riots – Violent protests in 1863 against the Civil War draft, where many white rioters attacked Black residents, showing racial tensions.

Fort Pillow Massacre – A Civil War event where Confederate soldiers killed surrendering Black Union troops, highlighting brutality against Black soldiers.

Wade-Davis Bill – A strict Reconstruction plan requiring Southern states to guarantee Black rights before rejoining the Union, vetoed by Lincoln.

Black Reconstruction – The period after the Civil War when Black leaders gained political power, schools were built, and efforts were made to create racial equality before segregation laws took hold.