Early European Colonization
What was the encomienda system? Describe it in the larger context of Spanish and Native American relations.
The encomienda system was a Spanish colonial system of forced labor that gave land to Spanish colonial overlords, exchanging “protection” and instruction in the Christian faith for Natives, in exchange for their agricultural slave labor on farms or in mines
Name the year of the Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party.
Boston Massacre = 1770
Boston Tea Party = 1773
Name 3 topics that Federalist & Anti-Federalist debated.
Federalist & Anti-Federalist debated on:
state vs. federal government power
US foreign policy on French Revolution
Federal government support for manufacturing & finance
Ratification of the Constitution & addition of the Bill of Rights
What was the Louisiana Purchase and why was it significant?
The Louisiana Purchase was an 1803 land deal where Jefferson bought 850,000 miles of territory from France for a low price. It was significant because it doubled the size of the US overnight by gaining control of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers, and also accelerated westward expansion.
What was the Enlightenment? Name a movement that it influenced.
The Enlightenment was an 18th century intellectual and cultural movement that emphasized reason, science, and individual liberty over superstition and tradition. It promoted a philosophy of equality and fairness.
*significance: The Enlightenment had a profound influence on the American Revolution. Ideas like natural rights, liberty, and self-government resonated deeply with colonists who were increasingly frustrated with British rule.
How did French relations with Native Americans differ from the English and Spanish?
The French focused on establishing trading posts for fur trade instead of large settlements (like Spanish and English). This required the French to form alliances and led to relatively positive relations with Native Americans, as well as cultural exchange & intermarriage.
Who fought in the French & Indian War?
What is another name for this war?
What did this war ultimately lead to?
The war was fought between the French & the British with Native American alliances on both sides.
French & Indian War = 7 Years War
It led to British debt and taxes on colonists.
George Washington's Farewell Address (1796) warned of two things. What were they?
George Washington's Farewell Address (1796) warned about:
1. to stay out for foreign entanglements, and to remain neutral
2. to avoid political parties (factions)
European colonization approach of sending men & women to acquire land and populate settlements (despite hostile relations with Native Americans).
Settlement
What was the First Great Awakening? Name one preacher from it or explain what it led to.
The First Great Awakening was a period of religious revival (Protestant Evangelism) in the 1730s-1740s in the American colonies. During this time worship practices moved away from formal church rituals, and focused on developing more personal and direct relationships with God (instead of through the elite clergy). It made religion more personal and accessible, encouraged widespread participation and inclusivity, and welcomed marginalized groups.
Preachers like George Whitefield used emotional preaching techniques to increase engagement.
*significance: Questioning religious authority led to questioning political authority, and ultimately influenced the independence movement in the colonies.
Describe what early New England colonies were like geographically, economically, socially & politically.
New England's cold climate and poor, rocky soil led to a short growing season. But with many rivers and coastlines, an economy built on fishing, shipbuilding and lumber
New England colonial societies tended to establish like-minded, close knit communities with homogenous populations.
New England governments were focused on self-government, or elected representatives in colonial legislatures. Participatory town meetings (townhalls) in community spaces where members of the community could gather to have discussions and vote.
Define the Boston Massacre and explain its significance in fueling the larger Revolutionary movement.
The Boston Massacre was a 1770 incident in Boston where five protesting colonists were killed by British soldiers.
The story became significant propaganda for the Anti-British/Pro-Revolutionary cause, as it was discussed and depicted all across the media (Paul Revere’s etching).
What is the 3rd Amendment? Also explain the origin of it.
The 3rd Amendment prohibits the quartering of soldiers in private homes without the owner's consent, both in peacetime and in war. (right to privacy)
It was made in direct response to the British Quartering Act which required colonists to let British soldiers stay in their homes in war times.
What did the Spanish use to justify the subjugation of Native Americans?
Religion & Christian conversion were often used by the Spanish to justify the subjugation of Native Americans.
How did the Market Revolution get its name? Explain and name 2-3 innovations from it.
1793 to 1860 innovations (steamboat, railroads, etc.) that extended markets and made them more efficient.
*significance: Transforms the US from a localized, agrarian society ⟶ to a national, market-based, capitalist economy. This means that Americans are no longer self-sufficient, relying on farming for themselves, and now make their livelihoods producing goods for distant markets.
*significance: Sectionalism via increased specialization of regional economies (industrialization in the north & slavery in the south)
European treatment of Native Americans varied based on motivation for settlement. Describe the different motivations for French, Spanish, and English settlement, and how they impacted the way each interacted with Native Americans.
Spanish missionaries tried to convert Native Americans to Christianity and also enslave them.
The English, seeking land and permanent settlement, slowly displaced Native American tribes.
French & Dutch settlers had the most (relatively) positive relations with Native Americans that often resulted in intermarriage and cultural exchange. This was because their motivation was limited to the fur trade.
How were African Americans effected by the Revolutionary War?
African Americans fought for both the Patriots and the British during the Revolutionary War. Their primary motivation was the promise of freedom but this was rarely granted.
To gain support for ratifying the Constitution Hamilton’s The Federalist Papers argued that...
Hamilton’s The Federalist Papers argued that the federal government would be limited enough in the constitution because of principles like checks and balances.
What was Henry Clay's American System (1806)? Who supported it?
Henry Clay’s American System (1806) was an economic plan that used tax money to build roads, canals, and strengthen the American agricultural sector and unite the country (mostly linked the East and Midwest region)
The American System was largely supported by farmers in western states (who wanted to ship their goods to distant markets).
What was the VA House of Burgesses?
The VA House of Burgesses was the first elected legislative assembly in the New World established in the colony of Virginia in 1619, as the first example of a democratic political system (granted voting rights to wealthy landowners).
Define Mercantilism and cite an early example of it as a law (1660).
Mercantilism is a nationalist economic policy or theory of trade stressing that a nation’s economic strength is based on exporting more than you import, or ensuring profit from its colonies by controlling trade and maximizing customs revenue. British mercantilism manifested in triangle trade, and viewed N. Am. colonies as a source of wealth for the imperial power of England.
The Navigation Acts are an early example of mercantilism. They were a series of English laws from 1651 to 1673 that regulated trade between England and its colonies to benefit the British economy and naval power. (For example, requiring colonial trade to be conducted on English ships with a requirement that ship crews be at least 75% British. They also mandated that certain "enumerated" goods like tobacco and sugar could only be shipped to England or other British colonies.
Name and explain two compromises reached at the Constitutional Convention.
The Great Compromise: was a compromise over government representation that established a bicameral legislature (two-house system where representation was population-based in the House and equal in the Senate).
Three-Fifths Compromise: compromise that counted three-fifths of the enslaved population towards government representation.
Define the following key terms and explain how they are related: Articles of Confederation, Shay's Rebellion, & Constitutional Convention
Shay's Rebellion was a 1786 armed uprising in western MA, by farmers protesting high taxes, debt, and economic hardship following the Revolutionary War, led by Daniel Shays. Shay's Rebellion showed the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation because the federal government's had no power to tax, raise an army, and stop the rebellion or provide stability.
This led to the revision of the Articles of Confederation, which led to the drafting of the US Constitution at the Constitutional Convention.
What was the Monroe Doctrine (1823)? What was the significance of it?
James Monroe passed the Monroe Doctrine in 1823, articulating the US foreign policy goal of ending European colonization in the Americas.
It garnered strong American support because it affirmed a sense of nationalism.
It is significant because it was a shift from the previous continuity of neutrality in American foreign policy. (GW Farewell Address)
What were the Alien & Sedition Acts (1798)? Who did they target? And how did this group respond?
Under Adams, Federalists swept both houses of Congress in 1798 and used their power to gain more. Since most Democratic-Republicans were immigrants, Congress passed 2 bills targeting them:
The Alien Act is a 1798 law that allowed Adams to deport foreigners (Naturalization Act made it harder to get citizenship or voting right)
The Sedition Act is a 1798 law that made it a crime to publish insults and attacks on the president or members of congress.
Democratic-Republicans argued that the Sedition Act violated their 1st Amendment rights, and many states nullified acts.