America ALL UNITS (i got tired of separating) Flashcards
King George II
The king of salutary neglect, didn’t enforce the Navigation Acts.
King George III
Opposite of King George II, his predecessor. He enforced the navigation acts and was responsible for all the micromanagement of the colonies until their independence: sugar + stamp acts, Townshend duties, coercive acts, Quebec act
George Washington
Leader of the continental army. First pres. of the US. As pres., he decided to stay neutral w/ france and britain, and his farewell address emphasized the need for unity, neutrality, and no political parties.
Benjamin Franklin
Founding father who called for united approach to defeat france. Convinced Britain to repeal stamp act, but that led to the Declaratory Act.
Chief Pontiac
When Britain failed to uphold their promise to protect the Ohio Valley from settlement after French-Indian War, he led Pontiac’s Revolt and burned British settlements. Britain retaliated by distributing smallpox-infected blankets and an uneasy truce was reached.
Crispus Attucks
Runaway slave who died in the Boston Massacre, the first to lose their life for the revolution
American Dream
The dream that any person in the US can achieve a happy, free and independent life, free of artificial barriers
American Exceptionalism
The belief that America is a unique historical event and experiment, distinct from other countries. Connected to idea of City on a Hill
Sermon on a Hill
While sailing during the Great Migration, Winthrop preached this sermon to the Puritans, declaring his vision of a “City on a Hill” that would be a role model for religious purity, morality, and community for the rest of the world.
Manifest Destiny
Belief that American expansion into entire American continent is divinely ordained, inevitable, and justified
Mayflower Compact
An agreed-upon charter, where the Puritans declared they would rule themselves with rules made for the best interest of the community, recognizing that the government should be BY the people FOR the people with duty of protecting civil liberties. Some of the first evidence of democratic thought in North America
Olive Branch Petition
Last attempt to make peace with George III before revolution. Asked him very politely for relief from taxes and regulations in exchange for unwavering loyalty. George completely ignored it and passed the Conciliatory Resolution instead, secretly saying each colony would get a big reward if they disrupted the unification of all 13
Declaration of Independence
Written by Thomas Jefferson. Declared why colonies wanted to be independent and the theories of the government that would lead their independence. Controversy arose because of anti-slavery language, which upset the south. Formally declared colonies as separate, even though they weren’t actually free yet.
Coercive Acts
4 laws placed on massachussets as punishment for Boston Tea Party
- Boston Port Act, closed said port until compensation for Tea Party paid
- Massachussets government act, no more self government/general assembly made useless
- Administration of Justice act, colonists could be tried for crimes in Britain or another colony
- Quartering acts, colonists must provide food and shelter for British troops in Boston
1763 Royal Proclamation
Banned colonies from expanding into Ohio Valley to appease the Indigenous people who had been promised that wouldn’t be developed after the French-Indian war. Everyone ignored this proclamation.
Navigation Acts
Enforced British mercantilist model by only allowing colonies to import/export to Britain (or britain as middleman for other countries so Britain could collect taxes)
Quebec Act
Passed to ensure loyalty to Protestant King George III after French defeat in 7 years war. Granted Quebec complete religious freedom, free land, and protection of culture. The colonists were like, what the hell man, why are you giving the enemy better treatment than your own colonies?
Declaratory Act
After Ben Franklin convinced Britain to repeal Stamp Act, Britain introduced this act to affirm their right to regulate colonial governments, and assured that all British laws were binding overseas as well.
Continental Congress
Delegates from all colonies met in Philadelphia. In the first one, they politely wrote to George III and created the Continental Association to organize boycotts. In the second one, after Lexington and Concord, they agreed that Congress would serve as central government and raise Continental Army with Washington as leader, while continuing to seek peaceful resolution.
Articles of Confederation
Supposed answers to the issues between colonies. Failed because it made central government too weak - it couldn’t even tax colonies, just control foreign affairs, Indigenous relations, postal service, and interstate settlements. Was set up like this because of Fear of Kings.
Federalist vs Antifederalist
Federalists believed a powerful central government was necessary to maintain diversity of opinions and moderate major issues. Antifederalists believed this would undermine the autonomy of states.
Salutary Neglect
King George II didn’t enforce the Navigation Acts, allowing colonies to mostly do whatever they wanted
Roanoke
The first British settlement, mysteriously disappeared when its founder returned to Britain temporarily
Jamestown
The first actual successful New World British settlement, in what became North Carolina
Loyalist vs Patriot
Patriots supported the revolution, Loyalists favoured the British
Anaconda Plan
In the Civil War, the Union planned to block Southern ports and the Mississippi River, forcing the south to surrender out of lack of resources
No Taxation w/o Representation + virtual representation
George III wanted taxes administered by Britain to the colonies. Colonists argued that they shouldn’t have to pay taxes to a country they have no power in (no seats in parliament). Britain argued they had virtual representation… arguing, British parliament reflected best interests of colonies so they virtually had representation
Indentured Servant
People could get free passage to colonies (but particularly Virginia) if they agreed to work as indentured servants for a few years, which were basically slaves. This started with women who could either pay, get married, or be indentured. It led to slavery once they could no longer convince anyone to accept this awful deal.
John Adams
Second pres. of US. He was the leader of the Federalist party, loved by the wealthy North. He passed the Alien Act and Sedition Act. The former raised the necessary time for being an American citizen, since most of his voters were rich long-time citizens, and the latter made it illegal for the press to criticize the government
Alexander Hamilton
Wrote Federalist Papers. He had a fiscal program to recover from the revolution-absorb all state debts into one federal debt, and pay off France using taxes from colonies.
Thomas Jefferson
Third president, Dem-Rep, who had a vision of an Agrarian Republic, a country of non-corrupt farmers unlike John Adams’ recent acts. He had an image of being a poor farmer, but was actually a wealthy slave owner.
Tecumseh
Urged Indigenous people to unite to fight against US westward expansion. He teamed up with the British, who gave them weapons (to the displeasure of the US) in the War of 1812
Andrew Jackson
Had a strong hatred for British after getting attacked by one of their officers as a kid. He wanted American politics to be adjusted for the Common Man, and acted even poorer and more destitute than Jefferson. He was somewhat dictatorial, vetoing congress like crazy and kicking out Calhoun in the Nullification Crisis. HE PREFERED A STRONG FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
Teddy Roosevelt
Became notorious after the Spanish-American war. Became president and ordered the Great White Fleet. He was important for the progressive movement.
Jefferson Davis
President of the Confederate States of America. He argued that secession was consistent with the US Declaration of Independence, since the government required the consent of the governed.
Robert E. Lee
Refused Lincoln’s request to lead the Union Army since his loyalty to Virginia was stronger than to US. He became commander of the Confederate Army instead.
Abraham Lincoln
President of US during Civil War. Initially proposed just stopping slavery from expanding into any new states, which caused Southern secession because they didn’t believe him. He changed his tune to ending slavery once the Civil War reached the battle of Gettysburg.
Dred Scott
Slave whose master moved to free states and then back to slave states, argued to the Supreme Court that he should therefore be free. Court denied this, saying he was property, which was protected from the government under the bill of rights, and that he couldn’t ask the supreme court anyway because he was a slave, not a citizen.
Harriet Beecher Stowe
Wrote an anti-slavery book describing a slave stolen from his family. Lincoln credited her with influencing the Civil War.
Harriet Tubman
Escaped slave who led the underground railroad and brought more than 300 slaves to freedom in North US (or Canada, after fugitive slave act was passed)
Woodrow Wilson
President who kept US out of WWI and was re-elected on the premise of continuing this, but he ended up joining the war with goal of protecting democracy. He passed the Selective Service Act and his 14 points after the war.
FDR
Defeated Hoover in an election, promising his New Deal to end the depression. Marked a shift in demographics and ideals of Democratic and Republican Party - their audiences switched, with the Democrats now being the party of the working class
Harry S. Truman
President for WWII, called for the bombing of Japan after requesting unconditional surrender.
JFK (and his role in vietnam)
US Pres. during beginning of Vietnam war who wanted to get rid of Diem, end Buddhist oppression, and was a little uncertain about retreating but didn’t want a large deployment. Passed Affirmative Action for Civil Rights. Took the blame for the Bay of Pigs incident, but recovered his reputation by handling the Cuban Missile Crisis. Assassinated.
Lyndon B. Johnson
Kennedy’s replacement once he got obliterated. Asked congress for power to protect US troops in Vietnam after Gulf of Tonkin incident, and thereby got authority to do basically whatever the hell he wanted in Vietnam without needing to officially declare war (Americanization approach to the war) He chose not to run again because of anti-war movement + tet offensive, and was getting unpopular. He also passed the Civil Rights act.
Richard Nixon (what did he do in Vietnam)
US pres with goal of Vietnamization. He secretly began invasion of Cambodia, claiming Minh trails led there. He eventually reached a peace treaty with Hanoi, to retreat all US troops in exchange for recognizing SV and returning POWs. NV ignored that and finally overtook SV.
Rosa Parks
Refused to get out of her seat to make way for White passenger in Montgomery Bus system. Led to a boycott of this system, which led to Supreme Court ruling Bus segregation as unconstitutional.
