8th Grade Social Studies STAAR Facts – Flashcards

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Mercantilism
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an economic system in which the mother country controls the trade of its colonies
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Name the colonies established for religious freedom
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Massachusetts - John Winthrop (Puritans) Pennsylvania - William Penn (Quakers) Rhode Island - Roger Williams (exiled by Puritans for dissention) Maryland - Cecillius Calvert (Catholics)
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Jamestown, Virginia
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the first permanent English settlement, founded in 1607 by the Virginia Company for economic reasons
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Transatlantic Slave Trade (triangular trade)
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started due to labor shortages in Virginia, resulting in the first slaves being brought to the southern colonies
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Mayflower Compact
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an agreement signed in 1620 by 41 Pilgrim men on the Mayflower before coming ashore at Plymouth. The first attempt at self-government in the American colonies.
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Virginia House of Burgesses
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the first English representative assembly in the "New World."
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Thomas Hooker
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author of the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut.
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The Fundamental Orders of Connecticut
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the first written constitution in America. It is one of the first examples of a representative democracy.
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New England, Middle, and Southern Colonies
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the three regions divided among the 13 colonies.
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The French and Indian War
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involved England and the 13 colonies fighting against France and the Native Americans for control of the Ohio River Valley. It resulted in increased taxation and violation of certain rights.
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The Treaty of Paris of 1763
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ended the French and Indian War. The debt from the war led to increased British taxation of the colonies.
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Ben Franklin
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wrote the Albany Plan of Union.
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The Proclamation of 1763
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prevented colonists from expanding west of the Appalachian Mountains.
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Sugar, Stamp, Tea, Quartering, Townshend, Coercive
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These Acts following the French and Indian War eventually led to the revolution.
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King George III
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offended the colonists with his taxes and abuses of their rights as Englishmen.
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The Sons of Liberty
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organized the Boston Tea Party to protest the Tea Act. England passed the Intolerable Acts as punishment.
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Crispus Attucks
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African American killed at the Boston massacre who was the first colonist to die for American independence.
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James Armistead
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First African American double spy whose information helped defeat the British at the Battle of Yorktown.
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Haym Salomon
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Jewish immigrant and American spy who helped finance the American Revolution.
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Mercy Otis Warren
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woman who wrote plays such as The Group and The Blockheads which were critical of the British government's actions.
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Bernardo de Galvez
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Spanish governor of Louisiana and general who won many battles against the British in present day southeastern U.S.
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Marquis de Lafayette
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commander of the French forces in the 13 colonies, and instrumental in American victory at Yorktown.
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John Adams
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second president of the U.S., first vice president, signed the Declaration of Independence, and served as Ambassador to England during the Revolutionary War.
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Abigail Adams
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wife of John Adams, and pioneer for women's rights.
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Sam Adams
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member of the Sons of Liberty and leader of the Boston Tea Party.
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Lexington and Concord
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the first battle of the American Revolution in April 1775.
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Thomas Paine
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author of Common sense, a pamphlet convincing colonists to support independence from Great Britain.
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Patrick Henry
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orator, patriot, and Anti-federalist who called for American independence and later opposed the Constitution because it did not protect individual liberties.
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George Washington
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leader of the Continental Army who later became the first president of the United States.
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Patriot
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someone who supported American independence during the Revolution.
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Loyalist
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someone who supported maintaining British rule over the colonies during the Revolution.
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The Declaration of Independence
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a list of grievances against King George III, was written by Thomas Jefferson and made public on July 4, 1776 in Philadelphia. It declared the colonies independent from England.
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Unalienable rights
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rights that cannot be given up, taken away or transferred. Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are some of those rights.
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The Battle of Saratoga
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the turning point of the American Revolution (French entered the war).
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Valley Forge
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where George Washington's troops camped during the winter of 1777. More than 1/5 of his soldiers died of disease and malnutrition.
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Yorktown, Virginia
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where George Washington's troops defeated the British in 1781, signaling the end of the American Revolution.
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The Treaty of Paris of 1783
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ended the American Revolution and forced Britain to recognize the United States as an independent nation.
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The Magna Carta
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signed in 1215 by King John, was the first document that limited power of the ruler. It's idea of trial by jury was used in the Bill of Rights.
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The English Bill of Rights of 1689
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protected the rights of English citizens and became the basis for the U.S. Bill of Rights.
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Charles de Montesquieu (French)
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philosopher who influenced the separation of powers and the three branches of government.
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John Locke (English)
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philosopher who influenced unalienable rights.
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William Blackstone (English)
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philosopher who influenced "natural rights" and the Bill of Rights.
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The Articles of Confederation
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our first national government with one branch (legislative). The states had most of the power. It was replaced by the U.S. Constitution in 1787.
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The Northwest Ordinance of 1787
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established the procedures for the expansion of the United States and explained that new states were admitted to the Union equal to existing states.
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Tariff
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a tax on imported goods (goods brought into a country) designed to protect home industries.
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Shay's Rebellion
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highlighted the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and convinced many founders of the need for a stronger national government.
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The Great Compromise
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created a bi-cameral (two-house) legislature we call Congress. Representation in the House of Representatives is based on population. In the Senate each state gets two senators.
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The 3/5 Compromise
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settled the issue of how slaves would count for representation and taxation in Congress. Each slave would count as 3/5 of a person.
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Checks and Balances
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a system 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.
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Separation of Powers
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system in which each branch of the government has it's own powers.
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Republicanism
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system of representative government in which voters elect representatives to make laws for them.
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Federalism
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the sharing of power between the states and the national government.
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Federalists
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supporters of the Constitution who favored a strong national government and the Bank of the United States.
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Anti-federalists
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people opposed to the Constitution, preferring more power be given to the state governments than to the national government. Against the Bank of the U.S., Thomas Jefferson and George Mason were leaders.
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The Federalist Papers
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a series of essays written by James Madison, John Jay, and Alexander Hamilton. Defended the Constitution and the principles on which the U.S. government was founded.
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The Legislative Branch
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branch of government which makes the laws.
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The Executive Branch
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branch of government which enforces the laws.
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The Judicial Branch
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branch of government which interprets the meaning of laws.
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Constitutional Republic
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a system of limited government where elected officials represent the people and must govern according to the laws of the Constitution.
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The Constitution
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our written plan of government, created in Philadelphia in 1787. It provides a strong national government with power balanced between the three branches.
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James Madison
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the "Father of the Constitution".
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Ratify
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to approve by vote.
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Amend
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to change.
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Constitutional Amendment
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passed when 2/3 of Congress (House and Senate) and 3/4 of the state legislatures vote in favor of the amendment.
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The Bill of Rights
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the first ten amendments to the Constitution, is designed to protect our individual liberties.
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The 1st Amendment
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protects freedom of religion, assembly, petition, press, and speech (RAPPS).
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The 2nd Amendment
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"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."
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The 3rd Amendment
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"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."
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Due process
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is how laws are enforced fairly. For example, Amendments 4 - 8
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The 9th Amendment
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"The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people. (We get more rights than what is in the Constitution.)
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The 10th Amendment
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"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
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Civic Virtue
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George Washington's service as president is 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.
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Alexander Hamilton
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a leader of the Federalists, first treasurer of the United States, and creator of the Bank of the U.S. (courtesy of the ELASTIC CLAUSE.) He was killed in a duel by the vice president of the U.S. (Aaron Burr)
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John Marshall
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Chief Justice that ruled over several important Supreme Court decisions that helped strengthen the federal governments power over the states.
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McCulloch v. Maryland
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1819 use of the elastic clause
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Gibbons v. Ogden
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1824 Federal government regulates interstate trade.
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Free Enterprise
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an economic system where citizens are free to choose how to make a living, with very little government intrusion
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The Whiskey Rebellion
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Washington demonstrated the increased power of the federal government when he sent the army to stop this rebellion.
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Why were the first political parties formed?
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the parties were a result of disagreements between Hamilton and Jefferson over the power of the federal government.
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George Washington's Farewell Address
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In his farewell address, Washington advised the United States to stay "neutral in its relations with other nations" and avoid "entangling alliances."
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Thomas Jefferson
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wrote the Declaration of Independence, became the 3rd president of the United States and purchased the Louisiana territory, doubling the size of the U.S.
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Marbury v. Madison
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the 1803 court decision that gave the Supreme Court the power of judicial review, that is the right to determine whether a law violates the Constitution. John Marshall's ruling established judicial review.
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British impressment
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(forcing people to serve in a foreign country's army or navy) resulted in the Embargo Act which banned trade with all foreign countries and hurt the U.S. economy.
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War of 1812
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was fought between the United States and England. Causes of the war included impressment, seizing of American ships, and British encouragement of Indian attacks.
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Andrew Jackson
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hero of the Battle of New Orleans during the War of 1812, and later became the 7th president of the United States. A self-made man and founder of the modern Democratic Party. He was responsible for the Trail of Tears and he supported the Union during the Nullification Crisis. His election in 1828 led to increased suffrage for white men in the U.S.
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James Monroe
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the 5th president and author of the Monroe Doctrine which shut down the western hemisphere to European expansion and interference.
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Industrial Revolution
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industry changed from the production of goods at home (cottage industries) to factory production using powered machinery.
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Robert Fulton
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invented the steamboat which improved transportation of goods and people during the Industrial Revolution.
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Samuel Morse
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invented the telegraph in 1835. The telegraph made communication more efficient across great distances. It became an importatn tool in the North during the Civil War.
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Textile Mills
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Thief: Samuel Slater. Importance: Led to large-scale factory production of cloth through the use of power looms. Provided new job opportunities for young women.
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Interchangeable Parts
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Invented by Eli Whitney (Cotton Gin inventor) They allowed factories to make products faster and cheaper. If broken, parts could be replaced easily.
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Cotton Gin
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invented by Eli Whitney in 1793. It allowed for the faster separation of cotton from seeds, greatly increasing the profitability of cotton. This made the use of slavery on plantations essential to the cotton farmers of the South.
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The Missouri Compromise of 1820
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made slavery illegal north of the 36 degree 30'. From 1820 to 1850, newly admitted states above the line would be free states, while new states below the line would be slave states.
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John Quincy Adams
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son of John Adams, was the 6th president of the United States, and the only president to serve in Congress after being president. He is best known for opposing the spread of slavery.
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The Trail of Tears
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a result of the Indian Removal Act the forced the Indians in the southeastern U.S. to move west of the Mississippi River.
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Nullification
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the idea of a state declaring a federal law unconstitutional or not in force in that state
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Daniel Webster
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Massachusetts congressman and senator who spoke for the North during the preservation of the Union
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John C. Calhoun
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South Carolina congressman who spoke for the South before and during the Civil War.
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Henry Clay
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known as the Great Compromiser. A powerful Kentucky congressman and senator who proposed the Compromise of 1850 and the American System.
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Popular Sovereignty
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the constitutional principal that asserts people have the right to make decisions for themselves. (people rule)
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Manifest Destiny
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the belief that the United States should own all of the land between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
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Westward Expansion
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to demonstrate Westward Expansion, you should be able to identify and label: the Oregon Trail, the Santa Fe Trail, Mormon Trail and California Trail
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The Transcontinental Railroad
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helped speed up the process of Westward Expansion as settlements and towns grew along the railroad routes.
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The Erie Canal
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manmade waterway that allowed for more efficient movement of manufactured goods and raw materials from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes.
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Annexation of Texas
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created tension between the U.S. and Mexico, resulting in the U.S -Mexican War. The U.S victory resulted in the acquisition of land know as the Mexican Cesssion.
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Horace Mann
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Known as the father of public education. Public education promotes knowledge and skills that open doors to opportunity.
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Elizabeth Cady Stanton
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organized the Seneca Falls Convention, creating the Women's Rights Movement in the United States.
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The Temperance Movement
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a campaign against the sale and drinking of alcohol.
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Abolitionist
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a person who worked to end slavery in the U.S. Abolish means to get rid of.
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The Compromise of 1850
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tried to solve the divisions between free and slave states or territories.
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Sectionalism
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a strong sense of loyalty to a state or section instead of the whole country.
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Frederick Douglass
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a former slave who became a well-known abolitionist
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Uncle Tom's Cabin
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an anti-slavery novel written by Harriet Beecher Stowe that created widespread abolitionist support among Northerners.
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Dred Scott v. Sanford, 1857
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a Supreme Court decision that said slaves were property and not citizens and therefore could not sue in court. The decision found that the Missouri Compromise of 1820 was unconstitutional and aggravated sectional tensions between the North and the South.
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John Brown
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an abolitionist who believed armed resistance to slavery was necessary. In 1859, seized a federal arsenal in Harper's Ferry, Virginia, in an attempt to begin a slave rebellion. He was captured and later executed.
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1861 to 1865
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date the Civil War was fought
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Three causes of the Civil War
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slavery, state's rights and sectionalism
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Abraham Lincoln
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16th president of the U.S. (Union) who served during the Civil War.
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Jefferson Davis
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the one and only president of the Confederate States of America. He served during the Civil War.
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Ulysses S. Grant
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lead general of the Union Army. Accepted General Lee's surrender at Appomattox Court House, Virginia, ending the Civil War.
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Robert E. Lee
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lead general of the Confederate Army. His defeat at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, was a turning point in the Civil War.
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Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson
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second best general of the Confederate Army. He was accidentally shot by his own troops in 1863, which was a huge loss for Confederate General Robert E. Lee's Army
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Weaknesses of the South in the Civil War
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The South's economic dependence of plantation agriculture and slavery, meant that it lacked factories and railroads, which gave strategic advantage to the North.
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Lincoln's First Inaugural Address
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Lincoln stated "no state . . . can lawfully get out of the Union," but pledged there would be no war unless the South started it.
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Fort Sumter
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first shots of the Civil War were shot at Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina.
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Battle of Antietam
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bloodiest single day of battle in the Civil War. 23,000 casualties. September 17, 1862
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Emancipation Proclamation
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issued by president Lincoln on January 1, 1863 "setting free" all slaves in the Confederate states.
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the Battle of Gettysburg
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July 1-3, 1863. Turning point of the Civil War where General Lee's Confederate Army was defeated.
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the Gettysburg Address
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A speech given by Lincoln, dedicating a cemetery for soldiers who died at the Battle of Gettysburg. It is considered to be a profound statement of American ideals. (Four score and seven years ago . . .)
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Vicksburg, Mississippi
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The capture of Vicksburg, by the Northern (Union) forces in 1863, was important because it geographically divided the Confederacy and gave the Union Army control of the Mississippi River.
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Appomattox Courthouse
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in Appomattox, Virginia is where General Lee surrendered the Confederate Army to Ulysses S. Grant, ending the Civil War
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Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address
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was meant to help heal and restore the country after four years of Civil War. It stated that the South should be treated fairly.
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John Wilkes Booth
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assassinated Abraham Lincoln in 1865
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Lincoln's assassination
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led to increased tensions between the North and South and strict requirements for Southern states to meet in order to regain representation in Congress after the Civil War.
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William Carney and Philip Bazaar
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both awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for heroism during the Civil War.
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Hiram Rhodes Revels
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from Mississippi, was the first African American elected to Congress in 1870
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13th Amendment
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states: "Slavery. . . shall [not] exist within the United States."
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14th Amendment
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defined the rights of citizenship and prevented states from interfering with the rights of citizens. Also ended the 3/5 Compromise.
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15th Amendment
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"The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged . . . on account of race."
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19th Amendment
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"The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied . . . on account of [gender]."
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Primary Sources
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original records of an event. They include eyewitness reports, records created at the time of the event, speeches, and letters by people involved in the event, photographs and artifacts.
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Secondary Sources
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later writings and interpretations of historians and writers. Often secondary sources like textbooks and articles provide summaries of information found in primary sources.
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