Colonial America
What does the phrase “no taxation without representation” mean?
You can / should not be taxed without having some sort of representation (voice) in your government
What was the main goal of the colonists during the American Revolution?
To gain independence from Great Britain
What are the three branches of government?
Legislative, judicial, executive
What did the Emancipation Proclamation declare?
Enslaved people in confederate states were free
What was the main goal of the Reconstruction Era after the Civil War?
To rebuild the South and help formerly enslaved people become full citizens.
What countries had colonies in the Americas?
Russia, France, Great Britain, Spain, The Netherlands (the Dutch)
Who was the king of Great Britain that the Americans had many grievances with?
King George III
What document created the structure of the United States government? (It is also the Supreme Law of the Land)
The U.S Constitution
“The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.”
— From the Gettysburg Address, 1863
What event was Abraham Lincoln honoring when he gave this speech?
The battle of Gettysburg where many soldiers lost their lives.
What was one major challenge that the South faced during Reconstruction?
Rebuilding cities, farms, and infrastructure damaged during the Civil War. (Without slaves)
Why did many colonists believe British taxes like the Stamp Act were unfair?
It was not fair for the colonists to be taxes without government representation
Why was help from countries like France and Spain important for the colonies?
They provided money, weapons, and military support.
What was the major problem with the Articles of Confederation?
The national government was too weak and could not enforce laws or collect taxes.
What did the Missouri Compromise try to do?
Keep a balance between slave and free states so congress is balanced equally with both
Why were freedmen’s schools and the Freedmen’s Bureau important after the Civil War?
They helped formerly enslaved people get an education, find jobs, and access basic support.
What event in 1770 increased tensions between colonists and British soldiers after troops fired into a crowd of protesting colonists?
The Boston Massacre
According to the Declaration of Independence, what are three natural rights people have?
Life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness
What system prevents any branch of government from becoming too powerful?
Checks and balances
What was one economic difference between the North and the South before the Civil War?
The North was more industrial, while the South depended on farming and slavery.
What were the Jim Crow laws, and how did they affect life in the South after Reconstruction?
They were laws that enforced racial segregation and kept African Americans separate from whites in schools, public places, and transportation, limiting their rights and opportunities.
“We must all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately.”
— Benjamin Franklin, during discussions among colonial leaders before independence
What was Benjamin Franklin warning the colonists about in this statement?
He was warning that the colonies needed to unite and work together against Britain or they would fail individually.
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”
— Declaration of Independence, 1776
What principle about government and people is being expressed in this excerpt from the Declaration of Independence?
That government gets its power from the people, and all people have natural rights that the government must protect.
Why was the Bill of Rights added to the Constitution?
To protect individual rights and freedoms
Why was control of the Mississippi River strategically important during the American Civil War?
Controlling the river would split the Confederacy in two and allow the Union to move troops and supplies more easily. The Union gained control after the Siege of Vicksburg.
“No freedman shall carry firearms, serve on juries, or vote; all contracts with African Americans must be approved by white employers or officials.”
— Excerpt from a Mississippi Black Code, 1865
What was the purpose of laws like this Black Code, and how did they affect African Americans after the Civil War?
The purpose was to restrict the rights and freedoms of African Americans; they limited voting, legal rights, and independence, keeping African Americans in a system similar to slavery