The Constitution
What was one major weakness of the Articles of Confederation?
No power to tax.
What was the Louisiana Purchase?
A land deal with France in 1803 that doubled the size of the U.S.
What was the goal of abolitionists?
To end slavery.
What side was the North during the Civil War?
Union
What was the Trail of Tears?
The forced removal of Native Americans, especially the Cherokee, from their land.
What was the purpose of the Connecticut Compromise?
To create a two-house Congress: House of Representatives based on population, and Senate with equal votes per state.
What motivated settlers to move west along the Oregon Trail?
Opportunities for land, farming, and a better life due to Manifest Destiny.
Who invented the cotton gin?
Eli Whitney.
What did the Southern states form after seceding from the Union?
The Confederate States of America
What was the Oregon Trail?
A route used by pioneers moving west to Oregon.
Why did large states prefer the Virginia Plan?
They had bigger populations, so they would get more power in Congress.
What was Manifest Destiny?
The belief that the U.S. was meant to expand across North America.
What was the purpose of the Three-Fifths Compromise?
To resolve conflict between northern and southern states over how enslaved people would be counted for representation and taxation.
What did the Gettysburg Address encourage Americans to do?
Honor fallen soldiers and stay united as a nation.
What is assimilation?
Adopting the culture of the dominant group, often losing your own culture.
How did the Whiskey Rebellion test the strength of the new Constitution?
It showed the national government could enforce its laws by sending troops.
How did the Erie Canal change trade and transportation in the U.S.?
It connected the Great Lakes to the Atlantic, lowering costs and time for shipping goods and boosting the economy.
Describe at least two ways abolitionists tried to end slavery.
They gave speeches, published newspapers, created pamphlets, and organized protests.
Why did Southern states begin to secede after Lincoln’s election?
They feared he would abolish slavery and take away their rights.
What was the U.S. government's goal in passing the Indian Removal Act?
To open Native lands to white settlers by relocating tribes west of the Mississippi River.
Compare the Federalists and Anti-Federalists in terms of their views on government power.
Federalists supported a strong central government; Anti-Federalists wanted stronger state governments
Explain how westward expansion both added to and complicated the issue of slavery in the U.S.
New territories raised questions about whether slavery would be allowed, leading to sectional conflict and the breakdown of political compromises, contributing to the Civil War.
Explain why the abolitionist movement increased tensions between North and South before the Civil War.
The North's growing anti-slavery activism threatened the Southern economy and way of life, leading to political and social divisions.
Explain how Uncle Tom’s Cabin increased tensions before the Civil War.
It angered Southerners, who felt it misrepresented slavery, and it increased anti-slavery feelings in the North.
How did assimilation policies affect Native American identity and culture?
They tried to erase language and traditions by forcing Native children to adopt American customs in boarding schools.