U.S. History Midterm Study Guide
Chapter 2: “Forming a New Nation”
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What sorts of problems did Great Britain face after winning the French and Indian War?
What role did the new British Prime Minister, George Grenville, play in the road to Revolution?
Describe the events that led to the Revolution (policies, taxes, boycotts, Congresses, etc).
What happened at Lexington and Concord? Why were these towns significant?
Who were the Patriots, Redcoats, Loyalists, Neutrals, and Hessians? Whose side did they fight on? Why?
What were the strengths/weaknesses of the Patriots and the Redcoats?
What did Thomas Paine argue for in Common Sense (January 1776)? Effects on the colonists?
Name the three unalienable rights in The Declaration of Independence.
What was the significance of the victory at Saratoga, NY (October 1776)?
What happened at Yorktown (October 1781)?
What were the terms of the Treaty of Paris (1783)? What terms are still in effect today?
How did the 13 states think of themselves before the Articles of Confederation? What is a confederation?
When was the Articles of Confederation adopted? What was the body that drafted it? What did it establish?
What were the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation?
What was the significance of state constitutions? What were the states’ views of a national government?
What was the main point of contention among the states regarding a national government?
Who and why supported a strong national government? What was the opponents’ point of view?
What was the Annapolis Convention?
What was Shay’s Rebellion about? What effect did it have on the debate about a weak vs. strong national gov.’t?
Where and when did the Constitutional Convention assemble?
What was the original goal of the Constitutional Convention? What became its new goal? Why?
Describe the background of the Framers & the conditions under which they drafted the Constitution.
Who was the President of the Convention? What was the procedure for voting at the Convention?
What role did James Madison play at the Convention, in the drafting and ratification of the Constitution?
What did the Virginia and New Jersey Plans propose? What was their main difference?
What states did each of the plans benefit? How did the conflict between the two plans get resolved?
Why was the inclusion of slaves in the Constitution controversial? How was it resolved?
What three groups of people were effectively left out of the Constitution?
Who were the two sides in the ratification debate and what did each side believe in?
Why Virginia and New York so important for ratification?
List the major reasons behind the Federalists’ victory in the ratification debate.
Describe the nation’s first government: capital, President and Vice President.
Describe Alexander Hamilton’s economic recovery plan.
Explain how Alexander Hamilton’s economic recovery plan served his hidden agenda.
How did the French Revolution split public opinion in the United States?
Explain what led to Jay’s Treaty, what the terms of the treaty were, and how the nation reacted to it.
What was the Whiskey Rebellion of 1794 about AND what was its significance?
What were the nation’s first political parties?
How did the first President, George Washington, feel about political parties?
Discuss the differing views of the Federalists and Jeffersonian Republicans.
What was the XYZ affair about AND what did it lead to?
Describe the Alien and Sedition Acts? What reaction did they provoke from people?
What were the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions AND why were they significant?
Discuss why the previously popular President, John Adams, lost the election of 1800.
What was President Thomas Jefferson’s agenda AND how successful was he at accomplishing it?
What changes did Jefferson try to make in the relationship between government and the people?
Explain the significance of Marbury v. Madison.
What was Jefferson’s program in the West?
Describe the circumstances of the Louisiana Purchase.
What was the significance of the Louisiana Purchase on national politics and the economy?
Who were Lewis and Clark? What were their goals?
1. Describe the place Native Americans occupied in U.S. society in the early 1800s. (2 points)
2. What was the Treaty of Greenville about? (2 points)
3. How did Native Americans try to adjust to their position in U.S. society? (4 points)
4. What was the Battle of Tippecanoe about? AND What was its consequence? (3 points)
5. What were the two main reasons for the War of 1812? Describe each of them. (4 points)
6. What were the consequences of the War of 1812? (4 points)
7. What was the goal (and the result) of the Hartford Convention of 1814? (2 points)
8. With what treaty was the War of 1812 concluded AND what did it state? (2 points)
9. What was the Battle of New Orleans about AND why was it significant? (7 points)
10. Describe the “Era of Good Feelings.” (3 points)
11. Define sectionalism and provide examples. (5 points)
11. How did sectionalism destroy the “Era of Good Feelings?” (1 point)
12. Describe the “American System.” (4 points)
13. How did the South view the “American System?” (2 points)
14. Describe the circumstances AND the significance of McCulloch v. Maryland, 1819. (12 points)
15. When did the Missouri Compromise take place AND what was it about? (4 points)
Chapter 3: The Union in Crisis
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What was the Rush-Bagot Agreement of 1817? AND Between which two countries? (3 points)
To whom did Florida belong to in the early 19th century? (1 point)
When and how did Florida become a U.S. territory? (5 points)
Explain how the revolutions in South America against Spain, as well as the end of the Napoleonic wars in Europe affected
the foreign policy of the United States. (7 points)
5) What international events led to the Monroe Doctrine? (3 points)
6) Define the Monroe Doctrine. (4 points)
7) Describe the significance of the Monroe Doctrine. (8 points)
8) Explain the following statement: The Monroe Doctrine was a product of United States nationalism. (3 points)
9) How many political parties were there in 1824? (1 point)
10) Who ran for President in 1824? (4 points
11) Describe the circumstances of “the corrupt bargain” of the election of 1824. (5 points)
12) What effects did the corrupt bargain have on John Q. Adams’ presidency? (3 points)
13) What were President John Q. Adams’ policies AND how did they affect the South and the West? (7 points)
14) What two political parties emerged during the election of 1828? (2 points)
15) What did the two new political parties stand for? (6 points)
16) Who made up the party base of each of the two new political parties? (5 points)
17) What was the main reason President John Q. Adams was unpopular with the Democratic-Republicans? (1 point)
18) What was the main reason Andrew Jackson was unpopular with the National-Republicans? (1 point)
19) Define the term “mudslinging.” (1 point)
20) What election practices were used in the election of 1828 election campaign that are still in use today? (4
points)
21) Who won the presidency in 1828? (1 point)
22) What is the “Age of Jackson?” (1 point)
23) What was President Andrew Jackson’s attitude toward Native Americans? (1 point)
24) Describe the reason for the Indian Removal Act of 1830, as well as the Act itself. (4 points)
25) What was the Trail of Tears? (1 point)
26) Describe the background of President Andrew Jackson AND explain how it affected his politics.
27) How did President Jackson broaden democracy in the U.S. (3 changes)? How did President Jackson expand suffrage?
28) Define the spoils system.
29) What was – and still is -- the significance of nominating conventions for the office of President?
30) Describe the circumstances of The Nullification Crisis.
31) How was The Nullification Crisis resolved AND what was the crisis’ significance?
32) How did President Jackson cater to settlers AND how did his actions affect the Native Americans?
33) Describe the Indian Removal Act of 1830. What did it lead to?
34) Briefly describe the Trail of Tears.
35) Why was President Jackson called “King Andrew” by the Whigs?
36) What was the national atmosphere that made the 2nd Great Awakening possible in the U.S.?
37) What are deism and unitarianism?
38) How did the Mormon faith emerge?
39) Why did the Mormons antagonize Protestant Americans?
40) When and why did the Mormons settle down in Utah?
41) How did Christians react to the emergence of new faiths?
42) What reforms/movements resulted from the 2nd Great Awakening?
43) What were the roles of women in the 2nd Great Awakening and the movements that followed it?
44) Why was public education first opposed by, then, supported by the public?
45) What was the reasoning behind the exclusion of women from higher education in 19th century U.S.?
46) How did some female reformers try to resolve the exclusion of women from higher education?
47) What is temperance?
48) Describe the reasons for the emergence of the temperance movement in the 1800s.
49) What were the two major lines of attack of the temperance movement on alcohol?
50) Describe how American women were perceived by men in 19th-century America.
51) Name at least three leaders of the 19th century American women’s rights movement.
52) What were the goals of the Seneca Falls Convention and when did it take place?
53) Why is each of the following individuals significant: Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, Noah Webster, Mary Lyon,
Dorothea Dix, Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton.
Chapter 4: The Civil War
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When did the Civil War start and when did it end (exact dates and locations)?
Describe the general balance of forces between the North and the South.
What were the goals of the North and the South?
What was the North’s strategy? The South’s?
Describe the Anaconda Plan. Who came up with the concept? How successful was it?
Describe the War of Attrition. How successful was it?
Which side won the war & what was its attitude toward the other side?
What were the results of the war? (6)
What was the significance of the 1st battle of Bull Run? (3)
What new technology was used in the war? (4) What were their effects?
Explain how the Battles of Forts Henry and Donelson contributed to the success of the Anaconda Plan.
What is the Battle of Antietam famous of? Why was it significant?
What were Pres. Lincoln’s personal and official views of slavery?
What was Pres. Lincoln’s motivation for issuing the E.P.?
What was the E.P. and when was it adopted?
Why did Pres. Lincoln decide to issue the E.P. himself (instead of Congress)?
Whom does the E.C. apply to? Why is the geographical location significant?
What did Pres. Lincoln encourage freed slaves to do and refrain from doing?
How effective was the E.P.?
Explain how the E.P. was expected to contribute to the war effort.
How did the E.P. actually contribute to the war effort?
What was the significance of the Battles of Gettysburg and Vicksburg?
When, where, and why did The Gettysburg Address take place?
What challenge did Pres. Lincoln offer to Americans in that address?
What promise did Pres. Lincoln make to Americans with regard to democracy?
What was the significance of The Gettysburg Address?
What was the purpose of Gen. Sherman’s march through Georgia?
Describe the “scorched earth” policy / strategy of total war. How effective was it?
What happened at Appomattox Court House?
Why were the terms of surrender at Appomattox considered generous?