Abolition - An end to slavery
American Revolution - War between U.S. colonies and Great Britain in which the colonies gained their independence
Citizen - a native or naturalized person who owes allegiance to the government and is entitled to protection from a government
Civil War - The war between Northern and Southern states which ultimately ended slavery and solidified unification of the country
Confederacy - Nation formed by the Southern States on February 4th, 1861
Declaration of Independence - Statement of the Second Continental Congress that defined the colonists rights, outlined their complaints against Great Britain and declared the colonies independence1776
Desegregation - Ending the separation of people based on race
Discrimination - unfair difference in treatment based on prejudice
Due process - fair application of law
Emancipation Proclamation - 1862 order issued by President Abraham Lincoln freeing the slaves in areas rebelling against the union. Took effect January 1, 1863
Imperialism - the practice of building empires by founding colonies or conquering other nations
Jim Crowe laws - laws that enforce segregation in the southern states
Loyalists - colonists who sided with Britain in the American Revolution
Mercantilism - practice of creating and maintaining wealth by carefully controlling trade, as in countries using colonies for financial resources
Participatory government - a type of government in which citizens are actively involved in choosing government officials and determining policies
Patriots - American colonists who fought for independence from Great Britain
Prejudice - unfair treatment of someone based on race, religion, gender, or place of birth
Reconstruction - period following the Civil War during which the U.S. government worked to reunite the nation and rebuild the southern states
Segregation - forced separation of people of different races in public places
Veto - to cancel, as in a presidential veto
World power - a developed nation with substantial economic and military influence
World war - a world-wide conflict spanning multiple continents