US History 1 Midterm Vocabulary – Flashcards

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French and Indian War
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A conflict between Britain and France for control of territory in North America, lasting from 1754 to 1763
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Albany Plan of Union
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Proposal by Benjamin Franklin to create one government for the 13 colonies
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Militia
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Civilians trained as soldiers but not part of the regular army
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Proclamation of 1763
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Law forbidding English colonists to settle west of the Appalachian mountains
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Sugar act
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Law passed by the British Parliament setting taxes on molasses and sugar imported by the colonies
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Quartering Act
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An act passed by the British that allowed British troops to live in the homes of the colonists
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Sons of Liberty
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A group of colonists who formed a secret society to oppose British policies at the time of the American Revolution
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Townshend Acts
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A tax that the British Parliament placed on leads, glass, paint and tea
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Boston Massacre
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The first bloodshed of the Amercan Revolution, as British guards at the Boston Customs House opened fire on a crowd killing five americans
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Boston Tea Party
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Protest against increased tea prices in which colonists dumped british tea into boston harbor
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1st Continental Congress
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Representatives from the colonies met together to discuss how to overthrow the British
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Lexington and Concord
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The first battle of the Revolution in which British general Thomas Gage went after the stockpiled weapons of the colonists in Concord, Massachusetts
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Common Sense
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A pamphlet written by Thomas Paine that claimed the colonies had a right to be an independent nation
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Olive Branch Petition
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An offer of peace sent by the Second Continental Congress to King George lll
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Declaration of Independence
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The document approved by representatives of the American colonies in 1776 that stated their grievances against the British monarch and declared their independence
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Bunker Hill
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Military engagement that led King George III officially to declare the colonists in revolt; first battleof the Revolution
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Loyalists
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Colonists who were loyal to Britain
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Patriots
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Colonists who wanted independence from Britain
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Hessians (mercenaries)
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The Hessians are Germans, 30,000 of them were employed by George III for the army
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Battle of Trenton / Princeton
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American victory against Hessians in Trenton saves the army and gives Americans hope
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Battle of Saratoga
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Turning point of the American Revolution
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Treaty of Alliance
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Treaty where France agreed to help the colonists win their independence from England
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Battle of Yorktown
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Last major battle; surrender of Cornwallis, led King George III to officially make peace with the colonies
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Treaty of Paris 1783
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Treaty Between England and the Colonies , formally ended the American Revolutionary War
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Articles of Confederation
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A weak constitution that governed America during the Revolutionary War
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Three Branches
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Executive, Legislative, Judicial
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Republic
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A form of government in which citizens choose their leaders by voting
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Democracy
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A political system in which the supreme power lies in a body of citizens who can elect people to represent them
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Shay's Rebellion
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The uprising of farmers to protest high taxes and heavy debt
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James Madison
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Father of the constitution; leading federalist; author of the Bill of Rights
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Virginia Plan
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Proposal to create a strong national government
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New Jersey Plan
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Favored the small states in proportional representation
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Great Compromise
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Called for a two-house legislature with representation based on population in one house and equal representation in the other house
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Federalism
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A system in which power is divided between the national and state governments
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Separation of Powers
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The division of power among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government
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Checks and Balances
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A system that allows each branch of government to limit the powers of the other branches in order to prevent abuse of power
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Electoral College
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a group of people named by each state legislature to select the president and vice president
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Ratification
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Formal approval, final consent to the effectiveness of a constitution, constitutional amendment, or treaty
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Federalists
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Supporters of the Constitution that were led by Alexander Hamilton and John Adams. They firmly believed the national government should be strong. They didn't want the Bill of Rights because they felt citizens' rights were already well protected by the Constitution
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Anti-Federalist
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Opposed to a strong central government; saw undemocratic tendencies in the Constitution and insisted on the inclusion of the Bill of Rights. Included Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, and Patrick Henry
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Federalist Papers
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Written by Hamilton, Jay, & Madison to support ratification of the U.S. Constituiton; 85 essays altogether
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Bill of Rights
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The first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution, which largely guarantee specific rights and liberties
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Washington's Cabinet
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Departments designed to help the president lead the nation and make decisions
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Hamilton's Financial Program
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1) pay off national debt at face value, 2) protect the nation's industries & impose high tariffs on imports, 3) national bank, stable currency
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Deal with South for Capital
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Virginia would give up some land for the new capital and ratify the constitution; Washington DC
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Tariff
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A government tax on imports or exports
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Strict Construction (Interpretation)
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Belief that the Constitution should be followed literally
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Loose Construction (Interpretation)
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Belief that the Constitution is flexible
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Washington's Neutrality Proclamation
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Declared that war must be avoided, as the United States was too militarily disjointed to engage in war
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Jay's Treaty
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Agreement that ended the dispute with Britain over American shipping during the French Revolution
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Whiskey Rebeliion
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1794 protest against the government's tax on whiskey by back country farmers
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Washington's Farewell Address
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Warned Americans not to get involved in European affairs, not to make permanent alliances, not to form political parties and to avoid sectionalism
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XYZ Affair
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A 1797 incident in which French officials demanded a bribe from U.S. diplomats
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Alien & Sedition Acts
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acts passed by federalists giving the government power to imprison or deport foreign citizens and prosecute critics of the government
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VA / KY Resolution
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Deemed Alien & Sedition Acts unconstitutional. Demonstrated state's power to override national law
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Election of 1800
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Adams, Jefferson, and Burr: Adams lost, Jefferson and Burr tied, Hamilton convinced other Federalists to vote for Jefferson to break the tie
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Marbury V. Madison
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This case establishes the Supreme Court's power of Judicial Review
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Judicial Review
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The power of the Supreme Court to declare laws and actions of local, state, or national governments unconstitutional
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Louisiana Purchase
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1803 purchase of the Louisiana territory from France. Made by Jefferson, this doubled the size of the US
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Lewis and Clark
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Two explorers sent by the president to explore the Louisiana Purchase
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Hamilton Vs. Burr Duel
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Publish mean things about each other, Burr challenges Hamilton to duel, Burr kills Hamilton (maybe by accident, but he was still trying to injure him), Burr disappears after
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Impressment
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British practice of taking American sailors and forcing them into military service
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Chesapeake Incident
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Attack in 1807 by the British ship Leopard on the American ship Chesapeake in American territorial waters
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Embargo Act of 1807
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An act passed by Congress to stop all foreign trade with the United States
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War of 1812
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War between the U.S. and Great Britain which lasted until 1814, ending with the Treaty of Ghent and a renewed sense of American nationalism
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Battle of Tippecanoe
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Decisive victory in the War of 1812 by Harrison over Tecumseh, used in Harrison's campaign for presidency
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Burning of D.C.
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British burnt D.C in response to Americans burning York
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Star-Spangled Banner
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Written by Francis Scott Key in Baltimore when the British bombed Ft. McHenry
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Hartford Convention
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Gathering of antiwar delegates in New England that ended up being accused of treason
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Treaty of Ghent
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Treaty that ended the War of 1812
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Battle of New Orleans
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Battle in 1815 between american and british troops for control of New Orleans, ending in an american victory
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MO Compromise
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Missouri admitted as a slave state, Maine as a free state, slavery prohibited above 36'30" parallel
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Industrial Revolution
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Change in technology, brought about by improvements in machinery and by use of steam power
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Sam Slater
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Took ideas from England about effectively producing textile, America's first large industry
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Francis Lowell
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Established the first factory town and one of the first to hire women to work the factories; idea of specialized work force
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Eli Whitney
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United States inventor of the mechanical cotton gin (1765-1825)
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Interchangeable Parts
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Identical components that can be used in place of one another in manufacturing
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Cotton Gin
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A machine for cleaning the seeds from cotton fibers, invented by Eli Whitney in 1793
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Erie Canal
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Artificial waterway opened in 1825 linking Lake Erie to the Hudson River
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Manufacturing
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Combines raw materials and processed goods into finished products
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Free Enterprise
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The freedom of private businesses to operate competitively for profit with minimal government regulation
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Specilization
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Devolopment of skills in a specific kind of work
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Tenements
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Poorly built, overcrowded housing where many immigrants lived
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Labor Unions
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An organization formed by workers to strive for better wages and working conditions
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Strike
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Nonviolent refusal to continue to work until a problem is resolved
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Nat Turner
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United States slave and insurrectionist who in 1831 led a rebellion of slaves in Virginia
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Nationalism
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A strong feeling of pride in and devotion to one's country
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Era of Good Feelings
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A name for President Monroe's two terms, a period of strong nationalism, economic growth, and territorial expansion
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McCulloch Vs. Maryland
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Court ruled that congress did have authority to charter bank, citing the necessary and proper clause; States couldn't tax government property
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Gibbons Vs. Ogden
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Gave control of interstate commerce to U.S. Congress (1824)
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Monroe Doctrine
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An American foreign policy opposing interference in the Western hemisphere from outside powers
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Election of 1812
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Madison still prevailed, even though the country was divided over the issue of war (many Northern states opposed war)
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Corrupt Bargain
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Supposed deal to swing the Presidential election of 1824 in return for a place on the cabinet
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Clay's American System
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Establish protective tariff, bring back national bank and sponser development of transportation systems
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"Jacksonian Democracy"
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The idea of spreading political power to all the people, thereby ensuring majority rule
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Spoils System
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The practice of giving offices and other favors of government to political supporters and friends
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Tariff of 1828
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A heavy tax on imports designed to boost american manufacturing
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Nullification Crisis
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A dispute led by John C. Calhoun that said that states could ignore federal laws if they believed those laws violated the Constitution
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Indian Removal Act
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Removed indians from southern states and put them on reservations in the midwest
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Worcester Vs. Georgia
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1832 The court banned Georgia's extension of state law into Cherokee land. Jackson ignored the decision
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Trail of Tears
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The tragic journey of the Cherokee people from their home land to Indian territory between 1838 and 1839, thousands of Cherokees died
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Bank War/ Biddle
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Andrew Jackson doesnt like the bank. and he refuses to charter it. Biddle(bank owner) says he has to. and they argue
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Pet Banks
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State banks where Andrew Jackson placed deposits removed from the federal National Bank
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Panic of 1837
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As a result of Jackson's economic policies, the United States went through another depression It resulted in the closure of many banks and record unemployment levels
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"Tippecanoe and Tyler Too"
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Tyler's slogan during his election, using his vicotry during the Battle of Tippecanoe as a "pro" for voting for him
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Transcendentalists
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Believed that the most important truths in life transcended or went beyond human reason
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Henry Thoreau
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Author of Walden who practiced ideas of transcendentalism
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Temperance Movement
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A social reform effort begun in the mid-1800s to encourage people to drink less alcohol
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Horace Mann
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United States educator who introduced reforms that significantly altered the system of public education (1796-1859)
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Segregation
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Separation of people based on racial, ethnic, or other differences
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Dorothea Dix
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Activist who helped improve conditions of mental patients
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Utopias
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Communities based on a vision of a perfect society
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Abolitionist Movement
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The movement concentrated on ending slavery in the United States
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Emancipation
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The freeing of enslaved people
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Fredrick Douglass
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American abolitionist and writer, he escaped slavery and became a leading African American spokesman and writer
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Underground Railroad
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A system of secret routes used by escaping slaves to reach freedom in the North or in Canada
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Harriet Tubman
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Former slave who helped slaves escape on the Underground Railroad
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Sojourner Truth
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Former slave who became an abolitionist and women's rights activist
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Seneca Falls Convention
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Women's rights convention that results in a declaration of sentiments but not much else
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Suffrage Movement
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Movement dedicated to achieving women's right to vote
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Irish Immigration
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One of the largest groups of individuals to emigrant to the United States; Main reason was the potato famine
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German Immigration
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Heavy drinkers, labor force, bad economies in Europe - (potato) - Germans set US moral character
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Second Great Awakening
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Religious movements, traveling "meetings," rise of Baptist and Methodist ministries; Charles G. Finney
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Adams - Onis Treaty
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Spain ceded Florida to the United States and gave up its claims to the Oregon Territory
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Manifest Destiny
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The belief that the United States was destined to stretch across the continent from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean; domestic security achieved
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Oregon / Santa Fe Trails
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Most traveled overland routes to the west; dangerous and extremely popular
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California Gold Rush
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Migration of thousands of people to California (in 1849) after gold was discovered there
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Great Plains
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A mostly flat and grassy region of western North America
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Stephen Austin
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Original settler of Texas, granted land from Mexico on condition of no slaves, convert to Roman Catholic, and learn Spanish
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Sam Houston
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Commander of the Texas army at the battle of San Jacinto; later elected president of the Republic of Texas
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Texas War for Independence
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Successful revolt by Texans against Mexican rule in 1835-1836
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Battle of the Alamo/Goliad
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Texans were greatly outnumbered and many were killed by the Mexicans. However, Texans were then inspired to seek revenge
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Santa Anna
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Mexican general and dictator whose large army failed to defeat the Texans
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Annexation of Texas
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After the battle at the Alamo, Texas gains its independence, only to be annexed by the US shortly after. Leading to a land grab for California
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Mexican War
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War lasting from 1846 to 1848 in which the US defeated Mexico and gained Mexican territory
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Bear Flag Republic
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Nickname for California after it declared independence form Mexico in 1846
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Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
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Treaty that ended the Mexican War, granting the U.S. control of Texas, New Mexico, and California in exchange for $15 million
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Gadsden Purchase
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Purchase of land from mexico in 1853 that established the present U.S.-mexico boundary
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Wilmot Proviso
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Law passed in 1846 that banned slavery in any territories won by the United States from Mexico
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Sectionalism
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Loyalty to one's own region of the country, rather than to the nation as a whole
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Uncle Tom's Cabin
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An 1852 novel by Harriet Beecher Stowe written to show the evils of slavery and the injustice of the Fugitive Slave Act
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Harriet Beecher Stowe
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Author of the antislavery novel Uncle Tom's Cabin
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MO Compromise
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Missouri admitted as a slave state, Maine as a free state, slavery prohibited above 36'30" parallel
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Compromise of 1850
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Agreement over slavery by which California joined the Union as a free state and a strict fugitive slave law was passed
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Fugitive Slave Act
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Law that provided for harsh treatment for escaped slaves and for those who helped them
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John C. Calhoun
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South Carolina Senator - advocate for state's rights, limited government, and nullification
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Know Nothings/Nativism
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This political party was a Anti-immigrant group of people who believed in a policy that protected interest of native born against immigrants
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KS-NE Act
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Called for popular sovereignty to settle the issue of slavery in the territories
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Popular Sovereignty
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The concept that the people of the state should vote whether to be a slave state or free
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Republican Party
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Political party that believed in the non-expansion of slavery and comprised of Whigs, Northern Democrats, and Free-Soilers, in defiance to the Slave Powers
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Free Soilers
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People who opposed expansion of slavery into western territories
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"Bleeding Kansas"
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Term referring to bloodshed over popular sovereignty in a particular western territory
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Dred Scott Vs. Sandford
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Established that slaves were property, not people (1854)
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Lecompton Constitution
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Pro-slave constitution that got voted in for Kansas after anti-slavery people boycotted the election
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Lincoln- Douglas Debates
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The 1858 series of slavery debates between Stephen A. Douglas and Abraham Lincoln preceding the election of 1860
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John Brown's Raid
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A plan to provide weapons to slaves to start a revolt on slavery. It failed and John Brown was hung for treason
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Election of 1860
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Lincoln was elected, NO states in the south elected him, he won because he got northern votes, and the other votes were split
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