Beginnings of America
what is the Declaration of Independence is and why it is important.
The Declaration of Independence (1776) is a formal statement by the American colonies announcing separation from Britain; it explains reasons for independence, lists grievances against King George III, and asserts principles about government and individual rights, making it the founding statement of American political legitimacy.
What is federalism? Give one example of how the Constitution uses federalism to divide power
Federalism is a system dividing power between national and state governments; the Constitution uses federalism by granting enumerated powers to Congress (e.g., regulate interstate commerce) while reserving other powers to the states (Tenth Amendment).
Define Amendment 4 in your own words
The Fourth Amendment protects people from unreasonable searches and seizures and requires warrants supported by probable cause for many searches.
Describe working conditions in factories during the Gilded Age; how were child workers treated differently than adult
Factories had long hours, low pay, unsafe machinery, and poor sanitation; child workers faced similar exploitation but were often paid less, given dangerous tasks, and denied schooling.
Why did the U.S. want to annex Hawaii? Name two benefits the U.S. gained
The U.S. sought Hawaii for strategic naval coaling stations and commercial interests (sugar/fruit plantations); benefits included Pearl Harbor as a naval base and economic access to Pacific markets.
Define the Unalienable Rights listed in the Declaration of Independence
Life, Liberty, Pursuit of Happiness
Describe the purpose of the Bill of Rights and explain why it was added to the Constitution
The Bill of Rights (first ten amendments) protects individual liberties (speech, religion, press, assembly, due process) and limited government power; it was added to secure ratification and address Anti‑Federalist concerns about protecting individual rights.
Define Amendment 13 and explain one immediate and one long‑term effect it had on American society
The Thirteenth Amendment (1865) abolished slavery and involuntary servitude except as punishment for a crime; immediately it legally freed enslaved people, and long‑term it set the constitutional basis for civil rights and restructuring Southern labor systems.
List three reasons immigrants came to America during the Gilded Age and briefly note whether those reasons are similar or different today
Common reasons: economic opportunity (jobs), political/religious freedom, and escape from famine or persecution. Many reasons match modern causes (economic/political), though modern immigration laws, globalization, and migration routes differ.
List three causes of the Spanish‑American War and two major effects of the war
Causes: U.S. support for Cuban independence, sensationalist journalism (yellow press), and the explosion of the USS Maine. Effects: U.S. gained territories (Philippines, Guam, Puerto Rico), and expanded overseas power, and debate over imperialism intensified.
Describe Alexis de Tocqueville’s five democratic values and explain how they help balance individual liberty and equality.
Tocqueville emphasized (1) liberty (individual freedom), (2) equality (social and political equality), (3) individualism (self‑reliance), (4) populism (belief in common people’s judgment), and (5) laissez‑faire (economic freedom). Together they balance liberty and equality by promoting equal civic status while preserving personal freedoms and local self‑government.
Explain the principle of checks and balances. Name one example where the legislative branch checks the executive branch.
Checks and balances allocate powers so each branch can limit the others. Example: Congress can override a presidential veto with a two‑thirds vote, which is a legislative check on the executive.
Define Amendment 14 and explain how its Equal Protection Clause has been used to expand civil rights
The Fourteenth Amendment (1868) granted citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the U.S., guaranteed due process, and included the Equal Protection Clause; courts have used Equal Protection to expand civil rights (e.g., Brown v. Board of Education outlawed school segregation and later cases protected voting, gender, and LGBTQ rights).
What was the Transcontinental Railroad? Name two major impacts it had on the U.S. economy or society
The Transcontinental Railroad (completed 1869) connected East and West coasts, reduced travel time, lowered shipping costs, opened Western settlement, stimulated industrial growth, and displaced Native peoples.
Describe the Monroe Doctrine and explain the Roosevelt Corollary and how it expanded the Doctrine’s meaning
The Monroe Doctrine (1823) warned European powers against colonizing or interfering in the Americas. The Roosevelt Corollary (early 1900s) asserted the U.S. right to intervene in Latin America to stabilize nations, expanding the Doctrine into active U.S. policing.
Define "citizen" and list three civic responsibilities that are legally required and three that are civic duties (not always required)
A citizen is a legally recognized member of a political community with rights and duties. Legally required civic responsibilities: paying taxes, obeying laws, jury duty (when summoned). Civic duties (encouraged but not always required): voting, volunteering in the community, staying informed about civic issues.
Summarize the key grievances listed in the Declaration of Independence against King George III and explain how they justified independence.
Key grievances include taxation without representation, dissolving colonial legislatures, maintaining standing armies in peacetime, denying trial by jury, and interfering with trade. These actions were presented as violations of colonial rights, justifying revolt and independence.
Define Amendment 15 and describe one barrier that persisted despite its passage that still prevented many from voting
The Fifteenth Amendment (1870) prohibited denying the vote based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude. Despite it, barriers like literacy tests, poll taxes, grandfather clauses, and intimidation persisted, especially in the South, effectively disenfranchising many Black voters until the 20th century.
Define "assimilation" again and describe the U.S. government’s assimilation strategy for Native Americans (schools, laws, reservations).
The U.S. promoted assimilation via Indian boarding schools, allotment policies (Dawes Act), and forced relocation to reservations, aiming to replace tribal structures with individual landholding and Euro‑American culture.
Explain the debate over imperialism in the U.S. — give one pro‑imperialism argument and one anti‑imperialism argument from the era
Pro‑imperialism argument: acquiring overseas territories promotes economic markets, naval bases, and national power. Anti‑imperialism argument: imperial rule violates self‑determination and republican ideals, and risks entangling the U.S. in foreign conflicts.
Explain the historical significance of the Mayflower Compact and how it influenced later American political ideas.
The Mayflower Compact (1620) was an early agreement among settlers to form a self‑governing community and obey majority rule; its significance lies in promoting consent of the governed and compact government traditions that influenced later colonial and American political thought.
Compare and contrast the Articles of Confederation and the U.S. Constitution — list two major weaknesses of the Articles and how the Constitution addressed them.
The Articles of Confederation created a weak central government (no power to tax, no executive, limited ability to regulate commerce). The Constitution addressed these by creating a stronger federal government with taxing power, an executive branch, and authority to regulate interstate commerce; it also established a system of separation of powers and a federal judiciary.
Explain Amendments 17, 18, 19, 21, and 22: give a one‑sentence definition for each and an example of their political or social impact.
Explain the effects of the Bessemer Process on industry, transportation, and urban growth.
The Bessemer Process lowered steel prices, enabling rapid expansion of railroads and construction, fueling industrial growth, urbanization, and the rise of large factories and skyscrapers.
Explain the debate over imperialism in the U.S. — give one pro‑imperialism argument and one anti‑imperialism argument from the era
The Teller Amendment (1898) declared the U.S. would not annex Cuba after defeating Spain. The Platt Amendment (1901) later allowed the U.S. to intervene in Cuban affairs and established a naval base at Guantánamo, effectively limiting Cuban sovereignty.