American History Facts
Important dates
(Just Possibly In Case Love Comes)
1.
J - Jamestown, Virginia, was the first permanent English settlement founded
in 1607.
2.
P – Pilgrims settle Plymouth in 1620.
3.
I -The Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776.
4.
C- Constitution of the United States was written in 1787.
5.
L-President Thomas Jefferson purchased the Louisiana Territory from
France in 1803. Doubles the size of the U.S.
6.
C-The Civil War was fought from 1861-1865.
Important Vocabulary
7. Mercantilism is an economic theory that states a country’s power is measured
by the amount of wealth it has, that a country should sell more than it buys and
that the colonies exist for the benefit of the Mother Country.
8. A protective tariff is a tax placed on goods from another country to protect the
home industry.
9. Sectionalism is a strong sense of loyalty to a state or section instead of to the
whole country.
10. Representative Government is a system of government in which voters elect
representatives to make laws for them.
11. A Republic is a nation in which voters choose (elect) representatives to govern
them.
12. The Virginia House of Burgesses was the first representative assembly in the
new world.
13. The Three Branches of Government are the Legislative Branch (makes laws),
the Judicial Branch (interprets laws), and the Executive branch (enforces laws).
14. Jacksonian Democracy- states ended property qualifications for voting, “spoils
system.” Age of the common man.
15. Free Enterprise is the freedom of private businesses to operate competitively for
profit with minimal government regulation.
16. Urbanization- with the rise of industry people began to move or migrate to cities.
17. First and Second Great Awakening- a revival of strong religious feelings which
emphasized the power of religion in people’s lives. The 2 nd Great Awakening
sparked the reform movements.
18. Checks and Balances is a system set up by the Constitution in which each
branch of the federal government has the power to check, or control, the actions
of the other branches.
19. Separation of Powers is a system in which each branch of government has its
own powers.
20. Amend means to change.
21. Unalienable rights are rights that cannot be taken away. Jefferson listed Life,
liberty and the pursuit of happiness in the Declaration of Independence.
22. A Democracy is a form of government that is run for and by the people, giving
people the supreme power.
23. Ratify means to approve by vote.
24. Judicial Review is the right of the Supreme Court to judge laws passed by
Congress and determines whether they are constitutional or not. Marbury vs.
Madison
25. Federalists were supporters of the Constitution who favored a strong national
government.
26. Anti- Federalists were people opposed to the Constitution, preferring more
power be given to the state governments than to the national government.
27. Primary Sources are the original records of an event. They include eyewitness
reports, records created at the time of an event, speeches, and letters by people
involved in the event, photographs and artifacts.
28. Secondary Sources are the later writings and interpretations of historians and
writers. Often secondary sources, like textbooks and articles, provide summaries
of information found in primary sources.
29. Industrial Revolution was the era in which a change from household industries
to factory production using powered machinery took place.
30. Political Parties – formed due to disagreements over important issues.
Jefferson formed the Democratic – Republicans and Hamilton formed the
Federalists.
FLIPRCS
31. Federalism is the sharing of power between the states and the federal
government.
32. Limited Government means our government’s powers are limited.
33. Individual Rights are the basic liberties and rights of all citizens.
34. Popular Sovereignty is the practice of allowing each territory to decide for itself
whether or not to allow slavery (people hold the power).
35. Republicanism – people elect their political representatives
36. Checks and Balances is a system set up by the Constitution in which each
branch of the federal government has the power to check, or control, the actions
of the other branches.
37. Separation of Powers is a system in which each branch of government has its
own powers.
Important Documents and Policies
38. The Magna Carta was the first document that limited power of the ruler. Also
guaranteed trial by a jury of your peers (equals).
39. The English Bill of Rights protected the rights of English citizens and became
the basis for the American Bill of Rights.
40. The Declaration of Independence was a document written by Thomas
Jefferson, declaring the colonies independence from England and stating the
reasons why. States power comes from the consent of the governed.
41. The Articles of Confederation was the first United States constitution. It was a
very weak document that limited the power of the Congress by giving states the
final authority over all decisions because citizens feared a strong central
government.
42. The Constitution of the United States sets out the laws and principles of the
government of the United States. 1787
43. George Washington’s Farewell Address advised the United States to stay
“neutral in its relations with other nations” and to avoid political parties.
44. The Treaty of Paris of 1783 ended the American Revolution and forced Britain
to recognize the United States as an independent nation. Mississippi River
becomes the western border of the U.S.
45. The Northwest Ordinance was a policy of establishing the principles and
procedures for the orderly expansion of the United States.
46. The Mayflower Compact was the agreement signed in 1620 by the Pilgrims in
Plymouth, to consult each other about laws for the colony and a promise to work
together to make it succeed.
47. Fundamental Orders of Connecticut- 1st Constitution or plan of government in
the colonies- Connecticut is the “Constitution State.”
48. The Federalist Papers were a series of essays written by James Madison, John
Jay, and Alexander Hamilton, defending the Constitution and the principles on
which the government of the United States was founded.
49. The Bill of Rights is the first ten amendments to the Constitution and lists
individual liberties.
50. The Great Compromise created two houses of Congress. One based on
population (House of Representatives), the other gave equal representation to
each state (Senate). Compromise of the Virginia Plan (representation based on a
state’s population) and the New Jersey Plan (representation based equally for all
states).
51. Three-Fifths Compromise- passed during the Constitutional Convention. Each
enslaved person would count as 3/5 of a free person for both taxation and
representation.
52. Missouri Compromise- 1820- Missouri entered the U.S. as a free state and
Maine entered as a slave state to balance the power between free and slave
states. Slavery would be banned south of the 36 30 parallel line in the remainder
of the Louisiana Territory.
53. The Monroe Doctrine was a foreign policy statement by President James
Monroe stating that 1) the U.S. would not interfere in European affairs, and 2)
that the western hemisphere was closed to colonization and/or interference by
European nations. KEEP OUT!
Important People
54. Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence; became the 3rd
President of the United States and purchased the Louisiana territory, doubling
the size of the United States.
55. George Washington was the leader of the Continental Army who became the
first President of the United States.
56. Andrew Jackson was the leader of the original Democratic Party and a “Age of
the Common Man.” He was also responsible for the Trail of Tears,
57. Henry Clay was a powerful Kentucky Congressman and Senator who proposed
the American System and the Compromise of 1850.
58. Alexander Hamilton was a leader of the Federalist Party, first Treasurer of the
United States, creator of the Bank of the U.S., and killed in a duel by the Vice
President of the United States, Aaron Burr.
59. Patrick Henry was a passionate patriot who became famous for his fiery
speeches in favor of American independence. His most famous quote included
the words, “Give me liberty or give me death!” Anti-Federalist- refused to sign
the Constitution.
60. George Mason- Anti-Federalist- refused to sign the Constitution without a Bill of
Rights to protect individual freedoms.
61. James Madison is considered to be the “Father of the Constitution”.
62. James Monroe was the author of the Monroe Doctrine, which shut down the
western hemisphere to European expansion or interference.
Amendments to the Constitution
63. Amendments must be passed by two-thirds majority in both houses of Congress
and ratified by three-fourths of the state legislatures or conventions.
64. The First Amendment states that “Congress shall make no law” restricting
freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly, and petition.
65. The Second Amendment guarantees the right of states to organize militias, or
armies, and the right of individuals to bear arms.
66. The Third Amendment forbids the government to order private citizens to allow
soldiers to live in their homes.
67. The Fourth Amendment requires that warrants be issued if property is to be
searched or seized (taken) by the government.
68. The Fifth Amendment protects an accused person from having to testify against
him or herself (self-incrimination); bans double jeopardy, and guarantees that no
person will suffer the loss of life, liberty, or property without due process of law.
69. The Sixth Amendment guarantees the right to a speedy public trial by an
impartial jury; the right to a lawyer; the right to cross examine witnesses; and the
right to force witnesses at a trial to testify.
70. The Seventh Amendment guarantees the right to a jury trial in civil suits.
71. The Eighth Amendment prohibits cruel and unusual punishment and excessive
bail or fines.
Supreme Court Cases
72. Marbury v. Madison was the 1803 Court decision that gave the Supreme Court
the right to determine whether a law violates the Constitution. It set up the
principle of judicial review.
73. McCulloch v. Maryland- The federal government had the right to establish a
bank, Maryland had no right to interfere by taxing it.
74. Gibbons v. Ogden- Extends Congressional power over interstate trade (trade
between the states)
75. Worcester v. Georgia was the 1832 Court decision that ruled that Georgia had
no right to interfere with the Cherokee. Andrew Jackson will still have the Indians
relocated despite the court decision.
a. (The Indian Removal Act was what prompted the court case. In
1830, Congress allowed the federal government to pay Native
Americans to move or relocate west)
b. Trail of Tears- thousands died from cold, starvation and disease
along the 800 mile journey.
Inventions
76. The Cotton Gin was an invention by Eli Whitney that speeded the cleaning of
cotton fibers and in effect, increased the need for slaves and benefited plantation
owners. Benefitted plantation owners the most
77. Interchangeable Parts- Eli Whitney developed the idea of making identical
machine parts that could be quickly put together to make a complete product.
78. The successful use of the steamboat by Robert Fulton revolutionized
transportation and trade in the United States by making manufactured goods
more accessible.
79. Scientific discoveries and technological innovations made it faster and cheaper
to produce goods.
Wars – in order
80. French and Indian War
81. American Revolution
82. War of 1812
83. Mexican War
84. Civil War
Political, economic, and social
reasons for colonization.
What were the causes and
effects of the War of 1812?