Period 1: 1491-1607
This development brought new crops to Europe from the Americas, stimulating European population growth, and new sources of mineral wealth, which facilitated the European shift from feudalism to capitalism.
What was the Columbian Exchange?
The Chesapeake and North Carolina colonies grew prosperous exporting this cash crop — a labor-intensive product initially cultivated by white, mostly male indentured servants and later by enslaved Africans.
The competition among the British, French, and American Indians for economic and political advantage in North America culminated in this conflict, in which Britain defeated France and allied American Indians.
What was the Seven years’ War or the French and Indian War?
It was during this important Supreme Court case that one of Adams' "midnight appointments" fought for his right to retain his federal judge position. He unfortunately did not receive his appointment, but through the court's final decision, the power of judicial review was created thus granting the Supreme Court the right to determine whether laws were constitutional or unconstitutional.
What was Marbury vs. Madison?
This battle during the American Revolutionary War is often regarded as the turning point of the conflict in that after hearing of the Patriot victory, France agreed to send military and financial aid to the rebels.
What is the Battle of Saratoga?
The following excerpt was written by this historical figure:
"As to the firm land, we are certainly satisfied, and assured, that the Spaniards by their barbarous and execrable Actions have absolutely depopulated Ten Kingdoms, of greater extent than all Spain, together with the Kingdoms of Aragon and Portugal, that is to say, above One Thousand Miles, which now lye waste and desolate, and are absolutely ruined, when as formerly no other Country whatsoever was more populous. Nay we dare boldly affirm, that during the Forty Years space, wherein they exercised their sanguinary and detestable Tyranny in these Regions, above Twelve Millions (computing Men, Women, and Children) have undeservedly perished; nor do I conceive that I should deviate from the Truth by saying that above Fifty Millions in all paid their last Debt to Nature."
Who was Bartolome de Las Casas?
Distance and Britain’s initially lax attention, better known as this, led to the colonies creating self-governing institutions that were unusually democratic for the era. The New England colonies based power in participatory town meetings, which in turn elected members to their colonial legislatures; in the Southern colonies, elite planters exercised local authority and also dominated the elected assemblies.
What is salutary neglect?
These were four different "acts" or taxes that were raised against British colonists in order to pay off debt that the English King and Parliament had accrued in previous military conflicts and also to control those living within the colonies.
What were the Navigation, Molasses, Currency, Sugar, Stamp, Quartering, Declaratory, Townshend, Tea, Coercive/Intolerable Acts?
It was during this battle of the War of 1812 where General Andrew Jackson and his soldiers fought against and defeated the larger British forces, thus solidifying Jackson's name as an American war hero. Little known to both the Americans and the British who partook in the battle, the Treaty of Ghent had actually been signed the prior month and the war had technically already been over.
During the Quasi-War with France, President John Adams dispatched three U.S. envoys to restore harmony between the United States and France. Unfortunately, things did not go as planned as French agents known as X, Y, and Z demanded a bribe from the US ambassadors in order to meet with French officials. This event, known as the XYZ Affair, and the US ambassadors' response, "Millions for defense, not one cent for tribute" pushed the US and France closer to the brink of war. This is one of the three members of the US envoy.
Under this system, Spanish colonial economies marshaled Native American labor to support plantation-based agriculture and extract precious metals and other resources.
What was the encomienda system?
The following excerpt was spoken by this historical figure:
"We shall find that the God of Israel is among us, when ten of us shall be able to resist a thousand of our enemies; when He shall make us a praise and glory that men shall say of succeeding plantations, 'may the Lord make it like that of New England.' For we must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill. The eyes of all people are upon us."
Who was John Winthrop?
George Washington’s Farewell Address encouraged national unity, as he cautioned against future presidents taking part in these two policies.
What was political factions (parties) and warned about the danger of permanent foreign alliances?
It was due in part to this small Caribbean nation's successful rebellion against the super power of France that Napoleon decided to withdraw his forces from the Americas and focus his efforts on Europe. This in turn allowed the Jeffersonian administration to strike a deal with French officials to purchase the Louisiana Territory in 1803.
What is Haiti (then Saint Domingue)?
What is 1794?
The Spanish developed this which incorporated, and carefully defined the status of, the diverse population of Europeans, Africans, and Native Americans in their empire.
What was the Casta System (Caste System)?
British conflicts with American Indians over land, resources, and political boundaries led to military confrontations, such as Metacom’s War, also known as this, in New England.
What was King Philip’s War?
The following excerpt can be located in this extremely influential pamphlet:
"No man was a warmer wisher for a reconciliation than myself, before the fatal nineteenth of April, 1775 [the day of the battles of Lexington and Concord], but the moment the event of that day was made known, I rejected the hardened, sullen-tempered Pharaoh of England for ever; and disdain the wretch, that with the pretended title of FATHER OF HIS PEOPLE can unfeelingly hear of their slaughter, and composedly sleep with their blood upon his soul. . ."
What is Thomas Paine's Common Sense?
The following quote, found within Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass is a good example of this type of literary style:
My tongue, every atom of my blood, form'd from this soil, this air, Born here of parents born here from parents the same, and their parents the same, I, now thirty‐seven years old in perfect health begin, Hoping to cease not till death.
The Hartford Convention, organized by the Federalist Party of New England, opened a three-week debate about the relationship between the then 18 states and the Federal government. Nationwide fears soon began to grow that the Hartford Convention would call for New England's secession from the Union and proved that nullification was not only a Southern characteristic. This was the year in which the convention was held.
What is 1814?
The following excerpt was written by this famous explorer:
"In the place of these I put images of Our Lady and the Saints, which excited not a little feeling in Moctezuma and the inhabitants, who at first remonstrated, declaring that if my proceedings were known throughout the country, the people would rise against me; for they believed that their idols bestowed on them all temporal good, and if they permitted them to be ill-treated, they would be angry and withhold their gifts, and by this means the people would be deprived of the fruits of the earth and perish with famine."
Who was Hernan Cortes?
The following excerpt was written by this voice of religious tolerance:
"God requireth not an uniformity of religion to be enacted and enforced in any civil state; which enforced uniformity, sooner or later, is the greatest occasion of civil war..."
Who was Roger Williams?
The following excerpt written by James Madison can be found within this document:
"...in the two late cases of the “Alien and Sedition Acts” passed at the last session of Congress; the first of which exercises a power no where delegated to the federal government, and which by uniting legislative and judicial powers to those of executive, subverts the general principles of free government; as well as the particular organization, and positive provisions of the federal constitution; and the other of which acts, exercises in like manner, a power not delegated by the constitution, but on the contrary, expressly and positively forbidden by one of the amendments."
The following excerpt can be found within this important US foreign policy directive:
"Our policy in regard to Europe, which was adopted at an early stage of the wars which have so long agitated that quarter of the globe, nevertheless remains the same, which is, not to interfere in the internal concerns of any of its powers; to consider the government de facto as the legitimate government for us; to cultivate friendly relations with it, and to preserve those relations by a frank, firm, and manly policy, meeting in all instances the just claims of every power, submitting to injuries from none."
What is the Monroe Doctrine?
President Andrew Jackson is a complex character that has been either adored or despised by Americans throughout history. Those who love him tend to note his achievement in being able to expand suffrage to most white men over the age of 21, while those who think unkindly of him point towards his aggressive treatment towards Native Americans, the use of the Spoils System, and his overreach of power across the other branches of Federal government. This is the state (colony at the time of his birth) where Andrew Jackson was born.
Trick question! We don't know exactly where. He was born in Waxhaws settlement, a region which still had not been surveyed or claimed by a colony/state. Jackson claimed he was from South Carolina, but his aunt who was present at his birth said he was actually born in North Carolina.
What are the Carolinas?