Unit 1:
Colonial America
Colonial America
Define indentured servitude & how it impacted the colonial economy.
Poor European men, often young, contracted for 4-7 years & were promised freedom dues which they rarely received.
Provided cheap labor that supported agricultural growth & boosted trade & production.
Why was the election of 1800 a turning point in American Politics?
It marked the first peaceful transfer of power between political parties. Power shifted from John Adams and the Federalists to Thomas Jefferson and the Democratic Republicans, proving the strength of the Constitution and democracy.
This 5 day violent confrontation in New York City in 1863 began as a protest against mandatory military service, but soon evolved into one of the deadliest race riots in American history.
NYC Draft Riots
This Amendment was a major political achievement as it granted birthright citizenship and guaranteed all citizens "equal protection of the laws," directly countering the Black Codes.
14 Amendment
The rise of this white supremacist group and widespread "white backlash" were evidence that political needs were not being met, as they used violence and intimidation to strip African Americans of the rights granted by the new amendments.
Ku Klux Klan (KKK)
Who were the Quakers & how did their religion affect their region (colony)?
Embraced equality & were pacifists
Pennsylvania
Religious tolerance, but only men could vote & focused on money making and land ownership
Who were the Federalists & what were their political stances?
Political party that supported a strong federal government, a loose interpretation of the Constitution, and an economy based on banking, manufacturing, and trade.
The ______ admitted California as a free state and implemented a stronger Fugitive Slave Act, sparking major controversy and ironically creating a greater divide between the North & South.
Compromise of 1850
This Amendment aimed to meet the national political need for defining voting rights by declaring that the right to vote could not be denied based on "race, color, or previous condition of servitude".
15th Amendment
What were the Salem Witch Trials? What impact did they have on the colonies?
A wave of mass hysteria in Massachusetts where over 200 people were accused of witchcraft and 20 were executed. Their impact encouraged greater skepticism towards unchecked authority and helped shape American ideas about justice, rights, and rule of law, due to the severe religious persecution.
Who were the Puritans & how did their religion affect their region (colony)?
Separatists who felt the Church of England was too corrupt so fled to America. Believed in strict religious devotion, hard work, moral discipline, & creating a society (“A City Upon a Hill”) based entirely on God’s will.
Massachusetts Bay Colony
Church & state entirely entwined; towns = churches
No religious tolerance whatsoever
Who were the Democratic-Republicans & what were their political stances?
Political party that supported states’ rights, a strict interpretation of the Constitution, an economy based on farming and agriculture.
This assault, where a Southern Congressman beat an abolitionist Senator with a cane on the Senate floor, symbolized the breakdown of reasoned political discourse and the shift to physical violence. The event intensified sectional hatred because the North viewed the Southern Congressman as a symbol of Southern brutality while the South hailed him as a hero, reinforcing the deep cultural and moral divide. The incident proved that the conflict over slavery had become so inflamed that it could erupt even within the hallowed halls of the federal government.
Brooks-Sumner Incident
This governmental agency, though its land distribution efforts were reversed under Johnson, helped meet immediate political and social needs by establishing schools and assisting African Americans in navigating their new legal status.
Freedmen's Bureau
What war was caused by British impressment of American sailors and British interference with American trade? What was the outcome of it?
The War of 1812
The war was caused when Britain kidnapped American sailors and forced them into the Royal Navy and blocked US ships from trading with France, hurting the American economy. The war ended in a draw with the Treaty of Ghent, but increased American nationalism and confidence.
Who were Anne Hutchinson & Roger Williams? What happened to them? What colony did Williams found?
Exiled from the Massachusetts Bay Colony for having religious views that differed from Puritanism
Williams founded the colony of Rhode Island as a place of total religious tolerance; Hutchinson then moved there and taught people how to interpret the bible for themselves
Name 2 events/policies that strengthened the Democratic Republican party & explain why. Choose from the following: Alien & Sedition Acts, Whiskey Rebellion, 1st Bank of the US, Louisiana Purchase, XYZ Affair, Fries’ Rebellion, Jay Treaty, Embargo Act.
The Alien & Sedition Acts: Passed by the Federalist-controlled Congress, were intended to suppress Democratic-Republican opposition by restricting immigration and criticism of the government. Instead, they caused a public backlash, were seen as an overreach of federal power, and ultimately rallied support for the Democratic-Republicans, contributing to their victory in the 1800 election.
The Whiskey Rebellion: President Washington's use of a large federal militia to quickly suppress the tax protest in Pennsylvania demonstrated the strength and authority of the new federal government, a key Federalist goal. However, Democratic-Republicans criticized the use of excessive force against common citizens, gaining support among rural populations who felt the government was overbearing.
The Louisiana Purchase: Thomas Jefferson's purchase of the vast territory from France was immensely popular with the public and solidified the Democratic-Republican vision of an agrarian nation by providing abundant land for farmers. Federalists, who generally opposed the purchase as unconstitutional and feared it would dilute their political power, were left with little public support and never regained national power after Jefferson's landslide reelection in 1804.
Fries’ Rebellion: This tax revolt in Pennsylvania was caused by Federalist tax laws passed to fund military expansion during the Quasi-War with France. The Federalist government's harsh response and President Adams' subsequent pardons of the convicted rebels created a schism within the Federalist Party leadership and alienated many Pennsylvania German voters, who then shifted their support to the Democratic-Republicans.
This period of guerilla warfare between pro-slavery and anti-slavery settlers in a specific territory demonstrated that popular sovereignty could not peacefully resolve the issue of slavery. The violence radicalized both sides, leading to roughly 200 deaths and hardening sectional lines as each faction sent aid and manpower to influence the vote. The conflict created a cycle of violence that highlighted the irreconcilable differences between Northern and Southern visions for the country's future.
Bleeding Kansas
Andrew Johnson's approach to Reconstruction required Southern states to abolish slavery and pay war debt but was seen as too lenient by Northern politicians because it allowed former Confederates to quickly regain power and enact these restrictive laws.
Black Codes
Congressional Reconstruction (also known as Radical Reconstruction) refers to a more assertive federal approach to ______ southern states and protecting ______________.
Readmitting southern states & protecting African American rights.
_________ was the name of the first English settlement in America. The Virginia Company, which was a _________, funded this settlement so that colonists could look for_________. They found this in the form of a cash crop called _________, and the economic goal of producing as much of it as possible shaped the settlement pattern of the _________ colonies.
Jamestown; joint-stock company; gold; tobacco; Chesapeake colonies (Maryland & Virginia)
Name 2 events/policies that strengthened the Federalist party & explain why. Choose from the following: Alien & Sedition Acts, Whiskey Rebellion, 1st Bank of the US, Louisiana Purchase, XYZ Affair, Fries’ Rebellion, Jay Treaty, Embargo Act.
1st Bank of the U.S.: The establishment of the bank was a cornerstone of Alexander Hamilton's financial plan, which Federalists supported using a broad interpretation of the Constitution to stabilize the national economy.
The XYZ Affair: The French government's demand for a bribe from American diplomats created a wave of anti-French sentiment across the U.S. and temporarily increased the Federalist Party's popularity, as they had advocated for a tougher stance against France.
The Jay Treaty: A U.S.-British agreement to resolve unresolved issues from the American Revolution, securing British withdrawal from forts, opening trade, and averting war, but it fiercely divided Americans, strengthening the Federalist Party who supported it for peace and economic ties with Britain.
The Embargo Act: Enacted by Thomas Jefferson and the Democratic-Republicans, the act aimed to use economic pressure to force Britain and France to respect American neutrality. The policy failed and devastated the American economy, particularly in the New England commercial centers, leading to widespread public discontent and a temporary resurgence in support for the Federalist Party.
This abolitionist’s failed attempt to seize the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry and incite a massive slave rebellion was seen by Southerners as proof of a widespread Northern conspiracy to destroy their society. While most Northerners condemned the violence, many also viewed the abolitionist as a martyr for his cause, a reaction that terrified the South and intensified fears of future insurrections. The raid eliminated any remaining hope for a peaceful resolution, forcing both sides to conclude that the issue of slavery could only be settled through bloodshed.
John Brown's Raid
This system, while an economic arrangement, had significant political implications because it often trapped African Americans in a cycle of debt and dependency, limiting their ability to exercise their newfound political freedoms and independence.
Sharecropping
QUESTION RESERVED FOR THE END- If you get the correct answer, you get all 500 points. If your guess is the closest, you get half of the points:
What year did both John Adams & Thomas Jefferson die?
1826 - Both on the same day & America's 50th anniversary: July 4th, 1826