APUSH Terms Semester 1 Part 1 Flashcards
Abolitionist Movement
Movement dedicated to the abolition of slavery that existed primarily in the North in years leading up to the Civil War with both white and black members.
Albany Congress
1754 meeting of representatives of seven colonies to coordinate their efforts against French and Native American threats in the Western frontier region.
Alien and Sedition Acts
Proposed and supported by John Adams, gave the president the power to expel aliens deemed “dangerous to the country’s well-being” and outlawed publication and public pronouncement of “false, scandalous, and malicious:” statements about the governement.
American Colonization Society
Formed in 1817, stated that the best way to end the slavery problem in the United States was for blacks to emigrate to Africa; by 1822 a few American blacks emigrated to Liberia. Organizations’ views were later rejected by most abolitionists.
American Federation of Labor (A.F.L.)
National labor union founded by Samuel Gompers in 1886; original goal was to organize skilled workers by craft. Merged with Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) in 1955.
American System
Economic plan promoted by Speaker of the House Henry Clay in years following the War of 1812; promoted vigorous growth of the American economy, the use of protective tariffs to encourage Americans to buy more domestic goods, internal improvements like transportation, and the setup of a National Bank.
Anaconda Plan
Critical component of initial Union plans to win the Civil War; called for capture of critical Southern ports and eventual control of the Mississippi River, which would create major economic and strategic difficulties for the Confederacy.
Antifederalists
Group the opposed the ratification of the proposed Constitution of the United States in 1787; many feared that strong central government would remove the processes of government “from the people” and replicate the excesses of the British monarchy; later evolve into the Democratic-Republican Party.
Appomattox
In the courthouse of this Virginia city Robert E. Lee surrendered his Confederate army to Ulysses S. Grant on April 9, 1865.
Articles of Confederation
Ratified in 1781, this document established the first official government of the United States; allowed much power to remain in the states, with the federal government possessing only limited powers. Replaced by the Constitution in 1788.
Aztecs
Advanced Indian society located in central Mexico; conquered by Spanish conquistador Cortes and small pox.
Ballinger-PInchot Affair
Crisis that occurred when William Howard Taft was president, further distancing him from Progressive supporters of Theodore Roosevelt. Richard Ballinger, Taft’s Secretary of the Interior, allowed private businessmen to purchase large amounts of public land in Alaska; Forest Service head Gifford Pinchot (Roosevelt supporter) protested to Congress and was fired by Taft.
Bank War
Political battles surrounding the attempt by President Andrew Jackson to greatly reduce the power of the Second Bank of the United States; Jackson claimed the Bank was designed to serve special interests in America and not the common people.
Bear Flag Republic
Declaring independence from Mexican control, this republic was declared in 1846 by American settlers living in california; this political act was part of a larger American political and military strategy to wrest Texas and California from Mexico.
Bessemer Steel
First produced in 1856 in converter (furnace) invented by Henry Bessemer; was much more durable and harder than iron. Steel was a critical commodity in the Second Industrial Revolution.
Bicameral Legislature
A legislative structure consisting of two houses; was adopted by the authors of the U.S. Constitution; membership of the states in one house (House of Representatives) is determined by population, while in the other house (Senate) all states have equal representation.
Bill of Rights
Added to the Constitution in 1791, the first 10 amendments protected freedom of speech, freedom of the press, the right to bear arms and other basic rights of American citizens; passed to gain Anti-Federalists support.
Birth of a Nation
Movie released in 1915 by director D.W. Griffith that portrayed the Reconstruction as a period when Southern blacks threatened basic American values, which the Ku Klux Klan tried to protect.
Black Codes
Laws adopted by the Southern states in the Reconstruction era that greatly limited the freedom of Southern blacks; in several states blacks could not move, own land, or do anything but farm.
Bleeding Kansas
As a result of Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854, residents of Kansas territory could decide if territory would allow slavery or not; as a result, both proslavery and antislavery groups flooded settlers into Kansas Territory. Much violence followed very disputed elections in 1855.
Boston Massacre
Conflict between British soldiers and Boston civilians on March 5, 1770; after civilians threw rocks and snowballs at the soldiers, the soldiers opened fire, killing five and wounding six.
Boston Tea Party
In response to the Tea Act and additional British taxes on tea, Boston radicals disguised as Native Americans threw nearly 350 chests of tea into the Boston Harbor on December 16, 1773.
Brown vs. Board of Education
1954 Supreme Court decision that threw out the 1896 Plessy vs. Ferguson ruling that schools could be “separate but equal” ruling and began the long and painful process of school desegregation in the South and other parts of America.
Bull Moose Party
Name given to the Progressive party in the 1912 presidential campaign; Candidate was ex-president Theodore Roosevelt ran against Republican William Taft and Democrat Woodrow Wilson, with Wilson emerging victorious.
Battle of Bunker Hill
June 1775 British attack on colonial forces at Breed’s hill outside Boston; British, though victorious, lost many.
Calvinism
Protestant faith that preached salvation “by faith alone” and predestination.
Carpetbaggers
Term used by Southerners towards northerners who came to the Reconstruction South to gain financially or politically.
Cherokee Nation vs. Georgia
1831 Supreme Court case in which the Cherokee tribe claimed that Georgia had no right to enforce laws in Cherokee territory, since Cherokees were a sovereign nation; Ruling stated that Cherokees were not citizens and therefore had no right to appeal in federal court.
Civil Rights Act of 1866
Act that struck down Black Codes and defined the rights of all citizens; also stated that federal gov. could act when civil rights were violated at the state level.
Civil Service Commission
Created by the Pendelton Civil Service Act of 1883, was in charge of testing applicants and assigning them appropriate gov. jobs; filling jobs on a basis of merit (not spoils system).
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.
Common Sense
1776 publication written by Thomas Paine; spoke out against monarchy and helped many undecided colonists support independence from Britain.
Compromise of 1850
Created by Henry Clay; California entered Union as free, New Mexico & Utah popular sovereignty, slave trading illegal in D.C., and stronger Fugitive Slave law.
Compromise of 1877
Settled presidential election of 1876; Rutherford B. Hayes becomes president, and Union army stops enforcing Reconstruction in the South (districts removed).
Battle of Concord
April 19, 1775 battle between British soldiers and Massachusetts militiamen after British destroy Massachusett’s arsenal.
Copperheads
Democrats in Congress who opposed Lincoln and North’s attack on the South, claiming that the war would result in large num. of freed slaves entering the north and a total disruption of the northern economy.
Dark Horse Candidate
Candidate for office with little support before the beginning of the nomination process; ex. James K. Polk.
Dawes Act of 1887
1887 act designed to break up Native American tribes, offered native American families 160 acres of farmland or 320 acres of land for grazing; large amounts were not claimed and thus purchased by land speculators.
Declaration of Rights and Grievances
1774 measure adopted by the First Continental Congress, stating that Parliament had some rights to regulate colonial trade with Britain, but they did not have the right to tax the colonies without their consent.
Declaratory Act
1766 British law stating that the Parliament had absolute right to tax the colonies as they saw fit and to make laws that would be enacted in the colonies; used to save face from the repeal fo the Stamp Act.
Democratic Party
Party born during the candidacy of Andrew Jackson; originally drew its principles from Thomas Jefferson and advocated limited government.
Direct Primary
Progressive-era reform adopted by some states that allowed candidates from state offices to be nominated by the rank-and-file party members in statewide primaries instead of by the party bosses.
Dollar Diplomacy
Foreign policy of President Taft, which favored increased American investment in the world as a major method for increasing American influence and stability abroad.
Dominion of New England
Instituted by King James II in 1686, where Sir Edmund Andros governed the colonies of Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, Plymouth, and New Hampshire as a single colony without an elective assembly; overthrown in April 1689 after the Glorious Revolution.
Dred Scott Case
Supreme Court Case where a slave had lived in a non slave state and a non slave territory and petitioning for his legal freedom; the Court ruled that slaves were not people but property, could not be citizens, had no legal right to petition the Court for anything, and also stated that Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional.
