Mayans, Incas, Aztecs

3 main civilizations in central/south America before Columbus. Mayans and Aztecs in Mexico, Incas in Peru

Great Plains Indian Tribes

Nomadic tribes - hunted buffalo - Lakota, Sioux, Apache

Northeast Indian Tribes

hunting and farming - united to form the Iroquois Confederacy

Treaty of Tordesillas

A 1494 agreement between Portugal and Spain, declaring that newly discovered lands to the west of an imaginary line in the Atlantic Ocean would belong to Spain and newly discovered lands to the east of the line would belong to Portugal.

joint-stock company

A business, often backed by a government charter, that sold shares to individuals to raise money for its trading enterprises and to spread the risks (and profits) among many investors.

Encomienda System

system in Spanish America that gave settlers the right to tax local Indians or to demand their labor in exchange for protecting them and teaching them skills.

Conquistador

A Spanish conqueror of the Americas Cortes - conquered the Aztecs Pizarro conquered the Incas

Bartolome de Las Casas

Dominican priest who spoke out against mistreatment of Native Americans

Colombian Exchange

the transfer of plants (pumpkins and corn - coffee and olives), animals (cattle and horses), and diseases (smallpox) between the Americas and Europe, Asia, and Africa

Mestizos

A person of mixed Native American and European ancestry

Spanish Colonies

California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Florida - push by missionaries to convert the Native Americans

French Colonies

found in the Great Lakes region, traded fur with the Native Americans, got along better with the Natives than the Spanish and British

Jamestown

The first permanent English settlement in North America, found in East Virginia

Virginia Charter

The charter to settle Virginia that outlined the way in which the colonies should be governed and guaranteed that the colonists were to enjoy the same rights and liberties as Englishmen abiding in the home country.

Plymouth Colony

Colony founded by the Separatist Pilgrims who came over on the Mayflower. Located in New England.

Massachusetts Bay Colony

Colony founded in 1630 by John Winthrop, part of the Great Puritan Migration, founded by puritans. Had a theocratic republic. "City upon a hill" which Puritans would spread religious righteousness throughout the world.

Act of Toleration

a 1649 Maryland law that provided religious freedom for all Christians

Roger Williams

A dissenter who clashed with the Massachusetts Puritans over separation of church and state and was banished in 1636, after which he founded the colony of Rhode Island to the south

Anne Hutchinson

A Puritan woman who disagreed with the Puritan Church in Massachusetts Bay Colony. Her actions resulted in her banishment from the colony, and later took part in the formation of Rhode Island. She displayed the importance of questioning authority.

Antinomianism

An interpretation of Puritan beliefs that stressed God's gift of salvation and minimized what an individual could do to gain salvation; identified with Anne Hutchinson.

Halfway Covenant (1662)

A Puritan compromise that allowed the unconverted children of Puritans who had fallen away from the church to become halfway members of the church. The Covenant allowed these halfway members to baptize their own children even though they themselves were not full members of the church because they had not experienced full conversion. Massachusetts ministers accepted this compromise and it signified a drop in the religious zeal or mission that had characterized Massachusetts in its change in the religious character of New England Society.

Carolina Colonies

English proprietary colonies comprised of North and South Carolina, whose semitropical climate made them profitable centers of rice, timber, and tar production.

Middle Colonies

New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware - fertile land - good harbors - diverse immigrant population

Quakers

English dissenters who broke from Church of England, preached a doctrine of pacifism, inner divinity, and social equity, under William Penn they founded Pennsylvania

Georgia Colony

Colony founded by James Oglethorpe. Its first settlers were debtors and unfortunates( "worthy poor"). Tolerant to Christians but not Catholics. Acted as a buffer between Spanish Florida and the Carolinas.

Mayflower Compact

1620 - The first agreement for self-government in America. It was signed by the 41 men on the Mayflower and set up a government for the Plymouth colony.

Triangular Trade

A three way system of trade during 1600-1800s Africa sent slaves to America, America sent Raw Materials to Europe, and Europe sent Guns and Rum to Africa

Navigation Acts

Laws that governed trade between England and its colonies. Colonists were required to ship certain products exclusively to England. These acts made colonists very angry because they were forbidden from trading with other countries.

Mercantilism

An economic policy under which nations sought to increase their wealth and power by obtaining large amounts of gold and silver and by selling more goods than they bought - used the colonies to further economic profit

Salutary Neglect

an English policy of relaxing the enforcement of regulations in its colonies in return for the colonies' continued economic loyalty - period ends after the French and Indian War when the British began heavily taxing the colonies to pay off debts from war

Metacom's War (King Philip's War)

A series of battles in New Hampshire between the colonists and the Wompanoags, led by Metacom, a chief also known as King Philip. The war was started when the Massachusetts government tried to assert court jurisdiction over the local Indians. The colonists won with the help of the Mohawks, and this victory opened up additional Indian lands for expansion.

Bacon's Rebellion

1676 - Nathaniel Bacon and other western Virginia settlers were angry at Virginia Governor Berkley for trying to appease the Doeg Indians after the Doegs attacked the western settlements. The frontiersmen formed an army, with Bacon as its leader, which defeated the Indians and then marched on Jamestown and burned the city. The rebellion ended suddenly when Bacon died of an illness.

Pueblo Revolt

Native American revolt against the Spanish in late 17th century; expelled the Spanish for over 10 years; Spain began to take an accommodating approach to Natives after the revolt

Indentured Servants

Colonists who received free passage to North America in exchange for working without pay for a certain number of years - provided labor for the colonies until the slave trade expanded

Great Awakening

Religious revival in the American colonies of the eighteenth century during which a number of new Protestant churches were established - Jonathan Edwards was a leader - portrayed God as angry with human sinfulness

Stamp Act

1765; law that taxed printed goods, including: playing cards, documents, newspapers, etc - angered the colonists - one of the first taxed that impacted the regular colonists directly

Seven Years War

(1756-1763 CE) Known also as the French and Indian war. It was the war between the French and their Indian allies and the English that proved the English to be the more dominant force of what was to be the United States both commercially and in terms of controlled regions - British win but have heavy debts - ended the period of salutary neglect on the colonies - British felt the colonists should help pay for the war debt and began taxing and enforcing trade acts

Patrick Henry

a leader of the American Revolution and a famous orator who spoke out against British rule of the American colonies (1736-1799) - give me liberty or give me death

Proclamation of 1763

A proclamation from the British government which forbade British colonists from settling west of the Appalacian Mountains, and which required any settlers already living west of the mountains to move back east - angered the colonists who felt they had won that rights after the French and indian War

Albany Plan

plan proposed by Benjamin Franklin in 1754 that aimed to unite the 13 colonies for trade, military, and other purposes; the plan was turned down by the colonies and the Crown (join or die cartoon)

1st Continental Congress

On September 1774, delegates from 12 colonies gathered in Philadelphia. After debating, the delegates passed a resolution backing Mass. in its struggle. Decided to boycott all British goods and to stop exporting goods to Britain until the Intolerance Act was canceled.

Townshend Acts

A tax that the British Parliament passed in 1767 that was placed on leads, glass, paint and tea

Boston Massacre

The first bloodshed of the American Revolution (1770), as British guards at the Boston Customs House opened fire on a crowd killing five Americans - Crispus Attucks - used as propaganda to portray killing of innocent colonists

Pontiac's Rebellion

1763 - An Indian uprising after the French and Indian War, led by an Ottowa chief named Pontiac. They opposed British expansion into the western Ohio Valley and began destroying British forts in the area. The attacks ended when Pontiac was killed.

Boston Tea Party

A 1773 protest against British taxes in which Boston colonists disguised as Mohawks dumped valuable tea into Boston Harbor.

Coercive Acts

This series of laws were very harsh laws that intended to make Massachusetts pay for its resistance. It also closed down the Boston Harbor until the Massachusetts colonists paid for the ruined tea. Also forced Bostonians to shelter soilders in their own homes.

Common Sense

A pamphlet written by Thomas Paine that claimed the colonies had a right to be an independent nation

Lexington and Concord

April 8, 1775: British march to confiscate colonial weapons - April 19, 1775: 70 armed militia face British at Lexington (shot heard around the world); British retreat to Boston, suffer nearly 300 casualties along the way (concord)

Loyalists and Patriots

Loyalists were loyal to England and the throne. After the war, some still lived in America, but others were driven out. Patriots were those who were for the United States. They were the ones who fought for freedom and were patriotic for America.

Olive Branch Petition

On July 8, 1775, the colonies made a final offer of peace to Britain, agreeing to be loyal to the British government if it addressed their grievances (repealed the Coercive Acts, ended the taxation without representation policies). It was rejected by Parliament

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. It lifted American spirits, ended the British threat in New England by taking control of the Hudson River, and, most importantly, showed the French that the Americans had the potential to beat their enemy, Great Britain.

Republican Motherhood

Expectation that women would instill Republican values in children and be active in families; helped increase education for women

Great Compromise

Compromise made by Constitutional Convention in which states would have equal representation in one house of the legislature and representation based on population in the other house

3/5 Compromise

the decision at the Constitutional convention to count slaves as 3/5 of a person for the purpose of deciding the population and determining how many seats each state would have in Congress

Federalists and Anti-Federalists

Anti-Federalists wanted states' rights, bill of rights, unanimous consent, reference to religion, more power to less-rich and common people; Federalists wanted strong central government, more power to experienced, separation of church and state, stated that national government would protect individual rights

Articles of Confederation

1st Constitution of the U.S. 1781-1788 (weaknesses-no executive, no judicial, no power to tax, no power to regulate trade) - put more power in the hands of the states

Bill of Rights

The first ten amendments to the Constitution - supported to ratify the Constitution to protect the rights of individuals

Shay's Rebellion

Rebellion led by Daniel Shays of farmers in western Massachusetts in 1786-1787, protesting mortgage foreclosures. It highlighted the need for a strong national government just as the call for the Constitutional Convention went out.

Whiskey Rebellion

In 1794, farmers in Pennsylvania rebelled against Hamilton's excise tax on whiskey, and several federal officers were killed in the riots caused by their attempts to serve arrest warrants on the offenders. In October, 1794, the army, led by Washington, put down the rebellion. The incident showed that the new government under the Constitution could react swiftly and effectively to such a problem, in contrast to the inability of the government under the Articles of Confederation to deal with Shay's Rebellion.

XYZ Affair

1798 - A commission had been sent to France in 1797 to discuss the disputes that had arisen out of the U.S.'s refusal to honor the Franco-American Treaty of 1778. President Adams had also criticized the French Revolution, so France began to break off relations with the U.S. Adams sent delegates to meet with French foreign minister Talleyrand in the hopes of working things out. Talleyrand's three agents told the American delegates that they could meet with Talleyrand only in exchange for a very large bribe. The Americans did not pay the bribe, and in 1798 Adams made the incident public, substituting the letters "X, Y and Z" for the names of the three French agents in his report to Congress.

Alexander Hamilton

1789-1795; First Secretary of the Treasury. He advocated creation of a national bank, assumption of state debts by the federal government, and a tariff system to pay off the national debt.

Proclamation of Neutrality (1793)

A formal announcement issued by President George Washington on April 22, 1793, declaring the United States a neutral nation in the conflict between Great Britain and France.

Alien and Sedition Acts

four laws passed in 1798: the Alien Act, which empowered the president to arrest and deport dangerous aliens; Sedition Act, which made it illegal to publish defamatory statements about the federal government or its officials.

Revolution of 1800

Jefferson's election changed the direction of the government from Federalist to Democratic- Republican, so it was called a "revolution." - The peaceful transfer of power between rival parties solidified faith in America's political system.

Marbury v. Madison

This case establishes the Supreme Court's power of Judicial Review

Embargo Act

1807 act which ended all of America's importation and exportation. Jefferson hoped the act would pressure the French and British to recognize U.S. neutrality rights in exchange for U.S. goods. Really, however, just hurt Americans and our economy and got repealed in 1809.

Louisiana Purchase

1803 purchase of the Louisiana territory from France. Made by Jefferson, this doubled the size of the US.

Tecumseh and the Prophet

Two Shawnee brothers, Tecumseh and Tenskwatawa, that united a confederacy of all the tribes east of the Mississippi. The Prophet was discredited by attacking a much larger American army, and Tecumseh was killed in the Battle of the Thames. Their actions were in response to the flood of western-bound settlers, and resulted in Indian unity and cultural revival. The death of Tecumseh ended the hope of an Indian confederacy.

Era of Good Feelings

A name for President Monroe's two terms, a period of strong nationalism, economic growth, and territorial expansion. Since the Federalist party dissolved after the War of 1812, there was only one political party and no partisan conflicts.

Missouri Compromise

"Compromise of 1820" over the issue of slavery in Missouri. It was decided Missouri entered as a slave state and Maine entered as a free state and all states North of the 36th parallel were free states and all South were slave states.

Monroe Doctrine

A statement of foreign policy which proclaimed that Europe should not interfere in affairs within the United States or in the development of other countries in the Western Hemisphere.

American System

Economic program advanced by Henry Clay that included support for a national bank, high tariffs, and internal improvements; emphasized strong role for federal government in the economy.

Spoils System

the system of employing and promoting civil servants who are friends and supporters of the group in power (issue during Jackson and again during the Gilded Age and Harding's presidency)

Jacksonian Democracy

The first major opening up of American suffrage (voting rights) by Jackson's new Democratic Party in 1830s. Franchise extended to all white men (not just rich white men). Achieved by state legislation not constitutional amendment.

Tariff of Abominations

1828 - Also called Tariff of 1828, it raised the tariff on imported manufactured goods. The tariff protected the North but harmed the South; South said that the tariff was economically discriminatory and unconstitutional because it violated state's rights.

2nd Great Awakening

Series of religious revivals starting in 1801, stressed philosophy of salvation through good deeds and tolerance for protestants. Attracted women, African Americans, and Native Americans

Manifest Destiny

A notion held by a nineteenth-century Americans that the United States was destined to rule the continent, from the Atlantic the Pacific.

Trail of Tears

The Cherokee Indians were forced to leave their lands. They traveled from North Carolina and Georgia through Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, and Arkansas-more than 800 miles (1,287 km)-to the Indian Territory. More than 4, 00 Cherokees died of cold, disease, and lack of food during the 116-day journey.

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

Treaty that ended the Mexican War, granting the U.S. control of Texas, New Mexico, and California in exchange for $15 million

War of 1812

A war between the U.S. and Great Britain caused by American outrage over the impressment of American sailors by the British, the British seizure of American ships, and British aid to the Indians attacking the Americans on the western frontier. The War Hawks (young westerners led by Henry Clay and John C. Calhoun) argued for war in Congress. The war involved several sea battles and frontier skirmishes. U.S. troops led by Andrew Jackson seized Florida and at one point the British managed to invade and burn Washington, D.C. The Treaty of Ghent (December 1814) restored the status quo and required the U.S. to give back Florida. Two weeks later, Andrew Jackson's troops defeated the British at the Battle of New Orleans, not knowing that a peace treaty had already been signed. The war strengthened American nationalism and encouraged the growth of industry.

John Marshall Court Cases

john Marshall (chief of justice of the supreme court) ruled in favor of central government and property rights/against states rights.

Market Revolution

Drastic changes in transportation (canals, RRs), communication (telegraph), and the production of goods (more in factories as opposed to houses)

Nullification Crisis

A sectional crisis during the presidency of Andrew Jackson created by the Ordinance of Nullification, an attempt by the state of South Carolina to nullify a federal law - the tariff of 1828 - passed by the United States Congress.

Whigs

Political Party led by Henry Clay! Favored the national bank and the American System; strong legislative branch; against "King Andrew I"

Antebellum Period

The time period before the Civil War during which there were many reforms but increased sectionalism, including the establishment of free (tax-supported) public schools, improving the treatment of the mentally ill, and a growing abolition movement

The Liberator

An anti-slavery newspaper written by William Lloyd Garrison. It drew attention to abolition, both positive and negative, causing a war of words between supporters of slavery and those opposed.

Frederick Douglass

(1817-1895) American abolitionist and writer, he escaped slavery and became a leading African American spokesman and writer. He published his biography, The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, and founded the abolitionist newspaper, the North Star.

Sam Houston

United States politician and military leader who fought to gain independence for Texas from Mexico and to make it a part of the United States (1793-1863)

54"40' or Fight!

In the election of 1844, Polk used this as a campaign slogan, implying that the he would declare war if Britain did not give the United States all the Oregon territory up to its northern boundary.

Mexican-American War

(1846-1848) The war between the United States and Mexico in which the United States acquired one half of the Mexican territory.

Wilmot Proviso

1846 proposal that outlawed slavery in any territory gained from the War with Mexico

Compromise of 1850

Agreement designed to ease tensions caused by the expansion of slavery into western territories - (1) California admitted as free state, (2) territorial status and popular sovereignty of Utah and New Mexico, (3) resolution of Texas-New Mexico boundaries, (4) federal assumption of Texas debt, (5) slave trade abolished in DC, and (6) new fugitive slave law; advocated by Henry Clay and Stephen A. Douglas

Free Soil Party

a political party formed in 1848 to oppose the extension of slavery into U.S. territories

Popular Sovereignty

A belief that ultimate power resides in the people - concept applied to territories to decide about the expansion of slavery

Nativism

A policy of favoring native-born individuals over foreign-born ones

Fugitive Slave Law

Enacted by Congress in 1793 and 1850, these laws provided for the return of escaped slaves to their owners. The North was lax about enforcing the 1793 law, with irritated the South no end. The 1850 law was tougher and was aimed at eliminating the underground railroad.

Uncle Tom's Cabin

written by Harriet Beecher Stowe in 1853 promoting abolition. intensified sectional conflict.

Kansas-Nebraska Act

1854 - Created Nebraska and Kansas as states and gave the people in those territories the right to chose to be a free or slave state through popular sovereignty.

Bleeding Kansas

(1856) a series of violent fights between pro-slavery and anti-slavery forces in Kansas who had moved to Kansas to try to influence the decision of whether or not Kansas would a slave state or a free state.

Dred Scott Decision

A Missouri slave sued for his freedom, claiming that his four year stay in the northern portion of the Louisiana Territory made free land by the Missouri Compromise had made him a free man. The U.S, Supreme Court decided he couldn't sue in federal court because he was property, not a citizen.

Know-Nothing Party

political party - Anti-Catholics and anti-foreign. They were also known as the American Party.

John Brown

An abolitionist who attempted to lead a slave revolt by capturing Armories in southern territory and giving weapons to slaves, was hung in Harpers Ferry after capturing an Armory

Election of 1860

Lincoln, the Republican candidate, won because the Democratic party was split over slavery. As a result, the South no longer felt like it has a voice in politics and a number of states seceded from the Union.

"Copperheads" / Peace Democrats

Northern Democrats who opposed the Civil War & sympathized w/ the South; fought against Lincoln, the draft & emancipation

Suspension of Writ of Habeas Corpus

In 1862, when copperhead democrats began criticizing Lincoln's violation of the Constitution, Lincoln suspended habeas corpus throughout the nation and had many copperhead democrats arrested under military authority because he felt that the State Courts in the north west would not convict war protesters such as the copperheads. He proclaimed that all persons who discouraged enlistments or engaged in disloyal practices would come under Martial Law.

Anaconda Plan

Union war plan by Winfield Scott, called for blockade of southern coast, capture of Richmond, capture Mississippi R, and to take an army through heart of south

Emancipation Proclamation

Issued by Abraham Lincoln on September 22, 1862 it declared that all slaves in the confederate states would be free

Homestead Act

1862 - Provided free land in the West to anyone willing to settle there and develop it. Encouraged westward migration.

Freedman's Bureau, 1865

Set up to help freedmen and white refugees after Civil War. Provided food, clothing, medical care, and education. First to establish schools for blacks to learn to read as thousands of teachers from the north came south to help. Lasted from 1865-72. Attacked by KKK and other southerners as "carpetbaggers" Encouraged former plantation owners to rebuild their plantations, urged freed Blacks to gain employment, kept an eye on contracts between labor and management

Reconstruction Amendments

13th: abolished slavery, 14th:citizenship rights of former slaves, 15th: protected voting rights

Impeachment of Andrew Johnson

when the Radical Republicans tried Andrew Johnson for impeachment because he wanted to fire Edwin Stanton, the Secretary of War. The Radical Republicans passed a law called the Tenure of Office Act saying that a President cannot fire a worker "just because". President Johnson stayed in office by one vote.

Compromise of 1877

Deal that settled the 1876 presidential election contest between Rutherford Hayes (Rep) & Samuel Tilden (Dem.); Hayes was awarded presidency in exchange for the permanent removal of fed. troops from the South and a Southern railroad--> ended Reconstruction and slowed African American rights since they were now unprotected

Sharecropping

A system used on southern farms after the Civil War in which farmers worked land owned by someone else in return for a small portion of the crops - economic slavery of African Americans

Gilded Age

A name for the late 1800s, coined by Mark Twain to describe the tremendous increase in wealth caused by the industrial age. The great industrial success of the U.S. and the fabulous lifestyles of the wealthy hid the many social problems of the time, including a high poverty rate, a high crime rate, and corruption in the government.

Transcontinental Railroad

Completed in 1869 at Promontory, Utah, it linked the eastern railroad system with California's railroad system, revolutionizing transportation in the west

Battle of Wounded Knee

1890 *Sioux natives wished to practice a dance that they believed would free their lands, rid them of whites, and lead to prosperity, but this plan frightened white settlers *The federal army believed Chief Sitting Bull was organizing a rebellion, and acting on the settlers' fear and their suspicions, the army captured the chief *In a sudden exchange of gunfire between the tribe and the army, Chief Sitting Bull and the others were killed *The remainder of the tribe fled to a camp near Wounded Knee Creek *When the army reached this camp, a shot was fired, and in reaction, the army killed two hundred men, women, and children in what is considered the last battle of the Indian Wars

Closing of the Frontier

Frederick Jackson Turner's Frontier Thesis argued the frontier was "closed." Led many Americans to call for overseas expansion

Populists

A party made up of farmers and laborers that wanted direct election of senators and an 8hr working day and nationalization of certain industries - supported William Jennings Bryan in the election of 1896

Dawes Severalty Act

The act passed with the intent to assimilate Native Americans into mainstream of American life by dissolving tribes as legal entities and eliminating tribal ownership of land.

New South

After the Civil War, southerners promoted a new vision for a self-sufficient southern economy built on modern capitalist values, industrial growth, and improved transportation. Henry Grady played an important role.

Plessy v. Ferguson

a 1896 Supreme Court decision which legalized state ordered segregation so long as the facilities for blacks and whites were equal

Booker T. Washington

Prominent black American, born into slavery, who believed that racism would end once blacks acquired useful labor skills and proved their economic value to society, was head of the Tuskegee Institute in 1881.

W.E.B. DuBois

Opposed Booker T. Washington. Wanted social and political integration as well as higher education for 10% of African Americans-what he called a "Talented Tenth". Founder of the Niagara Movement which led to the creation of the NAACP.

Robber Barons

Refers to the industrialists or big business owners who gained huge profits by establishing monopolies/trusts. Known for extreme business tactics and poor working conditions

Laissez-faire economics

hands off approach to government; the government should not interfere in the economy (seen during the Gilded Age and again during the 1920s)

Trusts/Monopolies

A combination of corporations cooperating in order to reduce competition and control prices. (Rockefeller, Carnegie, Vanderbilt)

Gospel of Wealth

The belief that, as the guardians of society's wealth, the rich have a duty to serve society; promoted by Andrew Carnegie; Carnegie donated more than $350 million to libraries, school, peace initiatives, and the arts - didn't believe in direct hand outs but philanthropy to fund things in society - criticized because the poor were often unable to take advantage

Social Darwinism

The application of ideas about evolution and "survival of the fittest" to human societies - particularly as a justification for their imperialist expansion and Gilded Age business

political machine

a strong party organization that can control political appointments and deliver votes

Patronage

Granting favors or giving contracts or making appointments to office in return for political support

Knights of Labor

Led by Terence V. Powderly; open-membership policy extending to unskilled, semiskilled, women, African-Americans, immigrants; goal was to create a cooperative society between in which labors owned the industries in which they worked

American Federation of Labor

1886; founded by Samuel Gompers; sought better wages, hrs, working conditions; skilled laborers, arose out of dissatisfaction with the Knights of Labor, rejected socialist and communist ideas

Chinese Exclusion Act

1882 law that barred Chinese laborers from entering the United States

Social Gospel

A movement in the late 1800s / early 1900s which emphasized charity and social responsibility as a means of salvation.

Settlement Houses

Community centers located in the slums and near tenements that gave aid to the poor, especially immigrants - Jane Addams Hull House

Homestead Strike

Strike at Andrew Carnegie's steel plant in which Pinkerton detectives clashed with steel workers to break up the strike

Old v. New Immigrants

OLD- came to the new world from 1820-60 from N&W Europe (Germany, England,& Norway); mostly Protestants, literate, & skillful in professions; came to America with families &had money & wealth. NEW- came to New World from 1880-1924 from S&E Europe (Italy & Poland); non-Protestant, were usually poor peasants, illiterate

Dumbell Tenements

Cheap housing units created when cities became packed with people during the industrial revolution. They were termed dumbbell tenements due to the design of the building, which looked like a dumbbell with many housing units sharing a corridor - poor living conditions

Tammany Hall/Boss Tweed

William Tweed, head of Tammany Hall, NYC's powerful democratic political machine in 1868. Between 1868 and 1869 he led the Tweed Reign, a group of corrupt politicians in defrauding the city. Example: Responsible for the construction of the NY court house; actual construction cost $3million. Project cost tax payers $13million - Tweed exposed by Thomas Nast's political cartoons

Interstate Commerce Act

Established the ICC (Interstate Commerce Commission) - monitors the business operation of carriers transporting goods and people between states - created to regulate railroad prices - did little to curb the trusts in the Gilded Age but more effective when strengthened during the Progressive period

Sherman Antitrust Act

First federal action against monopolies, it was signed into law by Harrison and was extensively used by Theodore Roosevelt for trust-busting. However, it was initially misused against labor unions

Pendleton Act

1883 law that created a Civil Service Commission and stated that federal employees could not be required to contribute to campaign funds nor be fired for political reasons - pushed politicians to turn to business owners for campaign support

The Forgettable Presidents of Gilded Age

Included Rutherford B. Hayes, James A. Garfield, Chester A. Arthur, and Grover Cleveland. These presidents didn't do much, but this is mostly because of "laissez faire" policies, so presidents weren't supposed to do much intervening - various scandals and economic panics through the Gilded Age

William Jennigs Bryan

Pres. Of populist and Democratic Party , gold cross speech, pro silver - anti imperialist and prosecution during the Scopes trial

Cross of Gold Speech

An address given by Bryan, the Democratic presidential nominee during the national convention of the Democratic party, it criticized the gold standard and supported the coinage of silver. His beliefs were popular with debt-ridden farmers (populists).

Spanish-American War

In 1898, a conflict between the United States and Spain, in which the U.S. supported the Cubans' fight for independence - gained Puerto Rico, Philippines, and Guam and influence in Cuba through the Platt Amendment - made America a power on the world stage

USS Maine

Ship that explodes off the coast of Cuba in Havana harbor and helps contribute to the start of the Spanish-American War - US blamed the Spanish - turned out to be an accident

Queen Liliuokalani

the Hawaiian queen who was forced out of power by a revolution started by American business interests

White Man's Burden

A poem by British poet Rudyard Kipling commenting on American imperialism. It created a phrase used by imperialists to justify the imperialistic actions the U.S. took - it was America's job to help civilize the people we were imperializing

Roosevelt Corollary

Roosevelt's 1904 extension of the Monroe Doctrine, stating that the United States has the right to protect its economic interests in South And Central America by using military force

Panama Canal

(TR) , The United States built the Panama Canal to have a quicker passage to the Pacific from the Atlantic and vice versa. Columbians would not let Americans build the canal, but then with the assistance of the United States a Panamanian Revolution occurred. The new ruling people allowed the United States to build the canal - example of Teddy Roosevelt's Big Stick policy

Anti-Imperialist League

a group that opposed the treaty and the creation of an American colonial empire

Open Door Policy/Boxer Rebellion

Open Door Policy: American statement that the government did not want colonies in China, but favored free trade there - US and Europe would share trading rights in China Boxer Rebellion: Violence started by members of a secret society in China, which prompted the governments of Europe and America to send troops to squash the rebellion - angry at foreign involvement

Progressives

reformers who worked to stop unfair practices by businesses and improve the way government works - early 1900s movement that addressed living and working conditions and government participation

Muckrakers

A group of investigative reporters who pointed out the abuses of big business and the corruption of urban politics; included Ida Tarbell (A history of the standard oil company) Lincoln Steffens (the shame of the cities) and Upton Sinclair (The Jungle)

The Jungle by Upton Sinclair

Exposed the horrible, unsanitary conditions in the meatpacking industry. Example of muckraking. Led to the passage of the Pure Food and Drug Act and the Meat Inspection Act

Roosevelt's Square Deal

Includes the various progressive reforms sponsored by the Roosevelt Administration. Conservation, Trust-busting, and Labor policies.

Wilson's New Freedom

Woodrow Wilson's domestic policy that, promoted antitrust modification, tariff revision, and reform in banking and currency matters.

Clayton Antitrust Act

1914 act designed to strengthen the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890; certain activities previously committed by big businesses, such as not allowing unions in factories and not allowing strikes, were declared illegal.

16th, 17th, 19th Amendments

The 16th Amendment authorized Congress to levy an income tax. The 17th Amendment gave the people the power to elect senators. The 19th Amendment gave women the right to vote.

Lusitania

A British passenger ship that was sunk by a German U-Boat on May 7, 1915. 128 Americans died. The sinking greatly turned American opinion against the Germans, helping the move towards entering the war.

14 points

President Woodrow Wilson's plan for organizing post World War I Europe and for avoiding future wars - freedom of the seas, disarmament, League of Nations

Treaty of Versailles

the treaty imposed on Germany by the Allied powers in 1920 after the end of World War I which demanded large reparations from the Germans and caused resentment

League of Nations

an international organization formed in 1920 to promote cooperation and peace among nations - proposed by Wilson - the US does not join due to Lodge and other members of Congress who want to avoid entangling alliances - the US retreats back to isolationism

Esionage and Sedition Acts

Made possible the fining and jailing of any person said anything disloyal, profane, or abusive against the government or the war effort. - passed during WWI to limit anti war ideas

Schenck v. United States

1919--Case involving limits on free speech. Established the "clear and present danger" principle

Great Migration

movement of over 300,000 African American from the rural south into Northern cities between 1914 and 1920

Fordism

the manufacturing economy and system derived from assembly-line mass production and the mass consumption of standardized goods. Named after Henry Ford.

Scopes Trial

a highly publicized trial in 1925 when John Thomas Scopes violated a Tennessee state law by teaching evolution in high school - Clarence Darrow and William Jennings Bryan debated the issue of teaching evolution in public schools

Prohibition (18th Amendment)

Often referred to as "the Noble Experiment", this piece of legislation banned the production, sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages. Its roots can be found in the temperance movement of the late 1800s Progressive Era. It became increasingly unpopular and was eventually repealed. However, it did lower the amount of drinking within the United States but increased crime in certain areas through bootlegging

Emergency Quota Act of 1921

1921 legislation that limited immigration to 3% of the people of their nationality living in the US in 1910 - further reduced immigration by extending the years to make less Southern and Eastern European immigrants eligible

Sacco and Vanzetti

were two Italian born American laborers and anarchists who were tired convicted and executed via electrocution on Aug 3 1927 in Ma for the 1920 armed robbery. controversy over the trail and actual guilt vs. nativist hysteria

Flappers

Young women in the 1920s who challenged social traditions with their dress and behavior

installment buying

method of purchase in which buyer makes a small down payment and then pays off the rest of the debt in regular monthly payments - created widespread debt during the 1920s

Harlem Renaissance

A period in the 1920s when African-American achievements in art and music and literature flourished

Stock Market Crash 1929

A severe downturn in stock prices that occurred in October of 1929 in the United States, and which marked the end of the "Roaring Twenties." and the start of the Depression - caused by speculation and buying on margin

Hoovervilles (Shantytowns)

Little "towns" (cheap housing) consisting of makeshift shacks made out of scrap material (Hoover blamed for Depression)

New Deal

A series of reforms enacted by the Franklin Roosevelt administration between 1933 and 1942 with the goal of ending the Great Depression. (FDIC, SEC, Social Security, etc.)

Judicial Reorganization Bill

This bill was called "court packing" by critics. Proposed by FDR after the Supreme Court clashed with New Deal policies - It suggested that for every justice who was over 70.5 years old, the president could appoint a justice. This measure was strongly defeated in congress.

Dust Bowl

A nickname for the Great Plains regions hit by drought and dust storms in the early 1930s - New Deal AAA designed to address the issues

Good Neighbor Policy

FDR's foreign policy of promoting better relations w/Latin America by using economic influence rather than military force in the region

Neutrality Acts of 1935, 1936, and 1937

series of laws that provided Americans could not ship weapons, loan money, travel on belligerent ships, extend credit, or deliver goods to any belligerent countries; they were high tide of isolationism, and all were repealed between 1939 to 1941.

Arsenal of Democracy

Term introduced by President Franklin Roosevelt for America's role in World War II giving supplies to the British war effort.

Lend-Lease Act

allowed sales or loans of war materials to any country whose defense the president deems vital to the defense of the U.S. during WWII - Great Britain and then the USSR

Manhattan Project/Hiroshima/Nagasakiv

code name for the secret United States project set up in 1942 to develop atomic bombs for use in World War II - site of the two atomic bomb drops

Rosie the Riveter

A propaganda character designed to increase production of female workers in the factories during WWII. It became a rallying symbol for women to do their part.

Korematsu v. United States

1944 Supreme Court case where the Supreme Court upheld the order providing for the relocation of Japanese Americans to internment camps after Pearl Harbor was attacked. It was not until 1988 that Congress formally apologized and agreed to pay $20,000 to each survivor.

D-Day

June 6, 1944 - Led by Eisenhower, over a million troops (the largest invasion force in history) stormed the beaches at Normandy and began the process of re-taking France. The turning point of World War II.

Battle of Midway

U.S. naval victory over the Japanese fleet in June 1942, in which the Japanese lost four of their best aircraft carriers. It marked a turning point in World War II.

Yalta Conference

1945 Meeting with US president FDR, British Prime Minister(PM) Winston Churchill, and and Soviet Leader Stalin during WWII to plan for post-war - planned for the UN and post war fate of Germany

United Nations

An international organization formed after WWII to promote international peace, security, and cooperation.

Cold War

A conflict that was between the US and the Soviet Union. The nations never directly confronted each other on the battlefield but deadly threats went on for years. (Korean War, Vietnam War, Cuban Missile Crisis, Space Race, Arms Race)

Iron Curtain

Winston Churchill's term for the Cold War division between the Soviet-dominated East and the Democratic -dominated West.

Containment Policy

Established by the Truman administration in 1947 to contain Soviet influence to what it was at the end of World War II. (used with Truman Doctrine, Marshall Plan, Korea and Vietnam, China)

NATO

North Atlantic Treaty Organization; an alliance made to defend one another if they were attacked by any other country (collective security); US, England, France, Canada, Western European countries

Korean War (1950-1953)

began as a civil war between North and South Korea (which had been established by the USSR and US respectively), but the conflict soon became international when, under U.S. leadership, the United Nations joined to support South Korea and China entered to aid North Korea. The war left Korea divided along the 38th parallel. The Korean War was an example of the U.S. Cold War policies of containment and militarization, setting the stage for the further enlargement of the U.S. defense perimeter in Asia (Vietnam)

Sputnik (1957)

First man-made satellite put into orbit by the USSR. This caused fear in the US that the Soviets had passed them by in science & technology and the arms race.

Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)

an international crisis in October 1962, the closest approach to nuclear war at any time between the U.S. and the USSR. When the U.S. discovered Soviet nuclear missiles on Cuba, President John F. Kennedy demanded their removal and announced a naval blockade of the island; the Soviet leader Khrushchev acceded to the U.S. demands a week later.

Vietnam War

A prolonged war (1954-1975) between the communist armies of North Vietnam who were supported by the Chinese and USSR and the Vietcong (South Vietnamese Communists) vs the non-communist armies of South Vietnam who were supported by the United States - war unpopular with the US - US turned the war over the South Vietnam with Vietnamization and South Vietnam will collapse and unite under communism

McCarthyism

The term associated with Senator Joseph McCarthy who led the search for communists in America during the early 1950s through his leadership in the House Un-American Activities Committee - limited civil rights - hysteria was the 2nd Red Scare - never provided evidence of communist subversion and was eventually discredited

Suburbs/Levittown

Levittowns are seven original suburban settlements that were built by the company Levitt and Sons. They were neighborhoods that were less cramped than the cities, and many people saw this as preferable and moved to these towns (however, they were limited to only white occupants). These developed into the modern suburbs that we know today

Interstate Highway Act

1956 law that authorized the spending of $32 billion to build 41,000 miles of highway - large public works project - transformed the landscape of the US

New Frontier

Kennedy's plan, supports civil rights, pushes for a space program, wans to cut taxes, and increase spending for defense and military

Great Society

President Johnson called his version of the Democratic reform program the Great Society. In 1965, Congress passed many Great Society measures, including Medicare, civil rights legislation, and federal aid to education. - War on Poverty plan

Richard Nixon (1969-1974)

Ran against JFK in the 1960 election and lost - The 37th President of the United States; ended American involvement in the war in Vietnam in 1973 and brought the American POWs home, and ended the military draft. Nixon's visit to China in 1972 eventually led to diplomatic relations between the two nations, and he initiated détente and the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty with the Soviet Union the same year - resigned due to the Watergate scandal

Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

1954 - The Supreme Court overruled Plessy v. Ferguson, declared that racially segregated facilities are inherently unequal and ordered all public schools desegregated.

Eisenhower Doctrine (1957)

Promised military and economic aid to countries fighting communism in the Middle East.

Camp David Accords (1978)

The meeting between Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin, and the US President Jimmy Carter. They agreed that Egypt would never again invade Israel if Israel turned over the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt

OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries)

Oil controlling countries in the Middle East - conflict during the 1970s when they put an embargo on the US over our support of Israel

Domino Theory

A theory that if one nation comes under Communist control, then neighboring nations will also come under Communist control.

War Powers Act

1973. A resolution of Congress that stated the President can only send troops into action abroad by authorization of Congress or if America is already under attack or serious threat - passed at the end of the Vietnam War to limit the power of the President and repeal the Tonkin Gulf Resolution

Credibility Gap

American public's growing distrust of statements made by the government during the Vietnam War

Vietnamization

President Nixon's policy of replacing American military forces with those of South Vietnam so the US can exit the war

Civil Rights Act of 1964 and 1968, Voting Rights Act 1965

CRA 64 - outlawed discrimination in public places CRA 68 - outlawed discrimination in housing VRA 65 - outlawed literacy test and poll taxes and allowed federal registrars to register people to vote

Black Power

a social movement that called for African American power and independence - phrase used by Stokely Carmichael - also advocated for self defense

The Feminine Mystique

A publication by Betty Friedan that focused attention on the reality facing suburban women - questioned whether women were really happy with their position in society

Warren Court

the Supreme Court during the period when Earl Warren was chief justice, noted for its activism in the areas of civil rights and free speech

Silent Spring by Rachel Carson

Alerted the public of the dangers of pesticide poisoning and environmental pollution in this book - contributed to a modern environmental movement

Watergate Scandal

A break-in at the Democratic National Committee offices in the Watergate complex in Washington was carried out under the direction of White House employees. Disclosure of the White House involvement in the break-in and subsequent cover-up forced President Nixon to resign in 1974 to avoid impeachment.

Conservatism

a political philosophy based on tradition and social stability, favoring obedience to political authority and organized religion - started on the rise with Nixon and really expanded in the 80s

Ronald Reagan (1981-1989)

The 40th President of the United States; His supply-side economic policies, dubbed "Reaganomics", advocated tax rate reduction to spur economic growth, economic deregulation, and reduction in government spending - challenged the USSR and contributed to the end of the Cold War - conservativism

Gorbachev, Mikhail

Leader of the Soviet Union from 1985 to 1991 whose efforts to reform the USSR led to its collapse (perestroika and glasnost to open communication within the country and restructure the economy)

Persian Gulf War

(1990 - 1991) Conflict between Iraq and a coalition of countries led by the United States to remove Iraqi forces from Kuwait which they had invaded in hopes of controlling their oil supply. A very one sided war with the United States' coalition emerging victorious.

Iraq War, 2003-2011

Operation Iraqi Freedom -we occupy Iraq and help to form a new government after we suspected Hussein of having weapons of mass destruction - US turned the conflict over to the Iraqi people when we removed troops began with 2003 invasion and we withdrew in 2011.

War on Terror

Initiated by President George W. Bush after the attacks of September 11, 2001, the broadly defined war on terror aimed to weed out terrorist operatives and their supporters throughout the world - conflict started in Afghanistan because the Taliban government was providing safe haven to Al Qaeda