Ch. 3&4

Key Terms:

English Reformation: Reform effort initiated by King Henry VIII that included banning the catholic church and declaring the English monarch head of the new Church of England but little change in doctrine.  Henry’s primary concern was consolidating his political power.
Puritans: Dissenters from the Church of England who wanted a genuine reformation rather than the partial reformation sought by Henry VIII.  The puritans religious principles emphasized the importance of an individual’s relationship developed through bible study, prayer, and introspection.
Separatists People who sought withdrawal from the Church of England.  The Pilgrims were separatists.
Calvinism: Christian doctrine of Swiss Protestant theologian John Calvin.  Its Chief tenet was predestination, the idea that God had determined which human souls would receive eternal salvation.  Despite this, Calvinism promoted strict discipline in daily and religious life.
Predestination: Doctrine stating that God determined whether individuals were destined for salvation or damnation before their birth.  According to this doctrine, nothing an individual did during his or her lifetime could affect that person’s fate.
Visible Saints: Puritans who had passed the test of conversion and church membership and were therefore thought to be among God's elect.
Antinomians: Individuals who believed that Christians could be saved by faith alone and did not need to act in accordance to god's law as set forth in the bible.  Puritan leaders considered this belief to be a heresy.
Puritan Revolution: English civil war that arose out of disputes between King Charles I and Parliament, which was dominated by puritans.  The conflict began in 1642 and ended with the execution of King Charles, resulting in Puritan rule in England until 1660.
Halfway Covenant:  A puritan compromise established in Massachusetts in 1662 that allowed the unconverted children of the visible saints to become halfway members of their church and baptize their own children, even though they were not full members of the church themselves.
Quakers:  Epithet for members of the Society of Friends.  Their belief that god spoke directly to each individual through an inner light and that neither ministers nor the bible was essential to discovering God’s word put them in conflict with the orthodox Puritans.

Essential Questions:
To escape religious persecution for dissent against the Church of England.  They established colonies to practice their “purified” form Christianity.  Their communities were a stark contrast to the South, which instead revolved around commerce.  They had strict disciplinary doctrines concerning daily and religious life.
Because not enough sons of baptists were passing the trials of conversion. To counteract this problem, they created the “halfway” covenant, which allowed these sons to complete only some of the required trials.  However, the sons of these saints were not permitted to undergo trials, and thereafter become saints.
The Quakers called everybody they met a “friend”, hence their other name, “society of friends”.  Thus, they had a deep sense of community in their prominent areas, with virtually all of them attending church.  They were also highly industrious though, and commerce was central to Pennsylvania’s communities.
Some colonies revolted, due to the resolution of the Glorious Revolution: the ousting and execution of the Anglican king.  This distant prospect of revolution prompted an uprising against the New England Dominion, which many pilgrims resented because it deprived them of privileges granted to residents of England.


Ch. 5&6

Key Terms:

Middle Passage: The crossing of the atlantic by slave ships crossing from West Africa to the Americas. This epitomized the brutal treatment of slaves subjecting them to subhuman treatment.  The middle passage also funnelled millions of slaves into the colonies creating an economy reliant on them.
New Negroes: Term given to newly arrived African slaves in the colonies.  Planters usually maintained only a small number of recent arrivals among their slaves at any given time, in order to accelerate their acculturation to the new circumstances.  This view shared by slaves also reflected their own circumstances looking down on the new arrivals as a master does on his slave.
Stono Rebellion: Slave uprising in Stono, South Carolina, In 1739, in which a group of slaves armed themselves, plundered six plantations, and killed more than twenty whites.  Whites quickly suppressed the rebellion.  This provided further justification for brutality against slaves.
Task System: A system of labor in which a slave was assigned a daily task to complete and allowed to do as he wished upon its completion.  This system offered more freedom than the carefully supervised gang-labor system.  Though this system was merciful, it was not widespread, and the popularity of the gang labor system set the standard for slave treatment.
Seven Years War: War between Britain and France that ended with British domination of North America; known in America as the French and Indian War.  Its high expense laid the foundation for conflict that would lead to the American revolution.  The expense in the aftermath of this war would raise tensions to a boiling point in North America and lead to a slew of rebellions against taxes.
Pontiac’s Rebellion: A coordinated uprising of Native American Tribes in 1763 in the northwest after the Seven Years War.  The War heightened Britain’s determination to create a boundary between Americans and Indians, embodied in the proclamation of 1763.  Further alienated Indians from the expansion of the colonies, reinforcing their images as unreasonable savages.
Natural Increase: Growth of population through reproduction as opposed to immigration.  In the 18 century natural increase accounted for about three fourths of the American colonies population growth.  This means that along with increased birth rates there was a significantly lower mortality rate among children.
Particle Inheritance: System of inheritance in which land was divided equally among sons.  By the 18th century this practice in Massachusetts had subdivided plots of land into units too small for subsistence, forcing children to move away to find sufficient farmland.  Consequently these descendants were forced to move westward or south in the search of land encroaching on Indian and French territories.
Pennsylvania Dutch:  name given by other colonists to German immigrants to the middle colonies; an English corruption of the German term Deutsche.  Germans were the largest contingent of it migraines from continental Europe to the middle colonies in the 18th century.  Because the colonies were still part of the British Empire these German immigrants were likely looked down upon even though they made great contributions to the economy.
Redemptioners:  A variant of indentured servants.  In this system a captain agreed to provide passage to Philadelphia where redemptioners would obtain money to pay for their transportation, usually by selling themselves as servants.  This represented yet another option to purchase indentured servants increasing their prevalence in colonial society.
Scots-Irish: protestant immigrants from northern Ireland, Scotland, and northern England.  Deteriorating economic conditions in their European homeland contributed to increasing migration to the colonies in the 18th century.  Because they were largely uneducated, these immigrants were looked down upon by colonists and were often consigned to manual labor occupations.
Enlightenment: an 18th-century philosophical movement that emphasized the use of reason to reevaluate previously accepted doctrines and traditions.  Enlightenment ideas encouraged examination of the world and independence of mind.  These principles would heavily influence cultural and political ideologies in the colonies and would form a substantial part of the principles represented in the Constitution.
Presidios: Spanish forts built to block Russian advance into California.  They often served his mission subjecting native Indians too brutal treatment and conversion methods.
Great Awakening: Wave of revivals that began in Massachusetts and spread throughout the colonies in the 1730s and 1740s.  The movement emphasized vital religious faith and personal choice.  It was characterized by large open air meetings at which emotional sermons were given by itinerant preachers.  This would prove to be a pattern with America experiencing several awakenings in the future increasing spirituality in the general public.
Seven Years War:  ; War between Britain and France that ended with British domination of North America. Known in America is the French and Indian war.  It's high expense laid the foundation for conflict that would lead to the American Revolution.  This war largely fought by American colonists would end with the colonists feeling alienated by British policy, despite their contributions.
Pontiac’s Rebellion:  A coordinated uprising of Native American tribes in 1763 in the northwest after the end of the seven years war.  The rebellion heightened Britain's their termination to create a boundary between Americans and Indians embodied in the proclamation of 1763.  It's not only heighten the colonial stigma against Native Americans but stimulated further territorial conflict between them.
Sugar Act: , 1764 British law that decreased the duty on French molasses, making it more attractive for shippers to obey the law and at the same time raised penalties for smuggling.  The sugar act regulated trade but was also intended to raise revenue.  Represented the first in several duties or taxes that would inflame colonial communities.  It was viewed by the British as a reasonable tax as they had actually cut it.
Stamp Act: .  1765 British law imposing a tax on all paper used for official documents for the purpose of raising revenue.  Widespread resistance to the stamp act led to its repeal in 1766.  The introduction of another tax to colonial communities alienated them even further from British legislature and instilled a revolutionary mindset in the public.
Virtual Representation: .  The theory that all British subjects were represented in parliament whether they had elected representatives in that body or not.  American colonists rejected the theory of virtual representation arguing that only direct representative have the right to tax the colonists. This began the argument of no taxation without representation, broaching the subject that the colonies interests were not represented in parliament
Declaratory Act: 1766 law issued by Parliament to his third Parliament unassailable ride to legislate for it's British colonies in “all cases whatsoever”, putting Americans on notice that the simultaneous repeal of the stamp act changed nothing in the imperial powers of Britain.  Further added to the idea that British authority was incompetent and invalid and that their domination of the colonies was unfounded and unjust.
Townshend Duties: British law that established a new duties on tea, glass, lead, paper, and painters colors imported into the colonies the tension duties lead to boycotts and heightened tensions between Britain and the American colonies.  Yet another tax imposed on the colonies agitated colonial communities, prompting an increase in rebellious thinking.
Boston Massacre: March 1770 incident in Boston in which British soldiers fired on an American crowd killing five the Boston massacre became a rallying point for colonists who increasingly saw the British government as tyrannical and illegitimate t on an American crowd killing five the Boston massacre became a rallying point for colonists who increasingly saw the British government as tyrannical and illegitimate.  This raised outrage throughout throughout the colonies, and was construed as unjustified slaughter of innocent colonists.
Committees of Correspondence: A communications network established among towns in Massachusetts and also among colonial capital towns in 1772-1773 to provide for rapid dissemination of news about important political developments these committees politicized ordinary townspeople sparking a revolutionary of language of rights and duties.  This increased the general public knowledge of political and social affairs, allowing for greater involvement in matters of state by members of the community.
Tea Act 1773: British act that lowered the existing British act that lowered the existing tax on tea to entice boycotting Americans to buy a resistance to the tea act led to the passage of the coercive acts and imposition of military rule in Massachusetts.  Resistance to this act triggered a military crackdown on the colonies by Britain, and further evidenced the colonies subjugation by Britain.
Coercive Acts: Four British acts of 1774 meant to punish Massachusetts for the destruction of three shiploads of tea.  Known in America is the intolerable acts they lead to open rebellion in the northern colonies.  These acts caused tensions to reach a breaking point enabling the first hints of rebellion in the northern colonies.
First Continental Congress: September 1774 gathering of colonial delegates in Philadelphia to discuss the crisis precipitated by the coercive acts the Congress but is the declaration of rights and an agreement to impose a limited boycott of trade with Britain.  Represented the first real cooperation of colonists from all communities, and allowed for further unification against the injustices of Britain.
Essential Questions:
4. Slavery not only contributed to the racial diversity of the colonies, but provided a unifying factor for colonists in white superiority.  Regardless of social class, a slave could always be seen as someone to look down upon, a prospect that all colonists shared.  Yet despite colonial treatment of slaves, they were vital in their contribution to agriculture and the economy.  Their introduction meant a decrease in indentured servants, as well as a source of free, renewable labor for plantation growers.  Facilitating production, this allowed for greater surplus, and thus supported a rapidly growing population.  Slavery was indispensable to the agricultural industry, and and the latter would have been effectively crippled without it, not having money available to spend on consumer goods or expansion, which universally helped to mature the economy.
5. The colonists endured a great deal of unfair treatment at the hands of the British, and collectively suffered the effects of taxation without representation.  All the colonies also participated in the Seven Years War, and felt that their contributions to the war effort had been neglected by Britain.  They had also experienced territorial tensions with the “savage” indians, and all sought a way to seize more Indian territory, despite the whims of the British.  There was also the ideology prevalent in the New World colonies, that anyone could eke out a living there, and they did.  These experiences served as common ground, and unified their frustrations against the British.
Despite the American’s continued assistance to the British in the Seven Years War effort, and the fact that they were largely responsible for success against the french in the colonies, they continued to be seen as a lesser sort of people by the inhabitants of Britain.  Further alienating the colonies, they imposed a series of unfair taxations against the colonies, which was seen as unjust due to their lack of representation in parliament.  When Britain failed to stop inventing more taxes on commodity goods, tempers ran high amongst many colonists, and the first vestiges of revolutionary thinking took root with open rebellion in the colonies.
The sugar and stamp acts were fiercely opposed by the colonists.  This is because, while they weren’t overfond of a new tax in the first place, these taxes had been imposed on all the colonies with no representation in British government.  It was further seen as a betrayal by England, treated badly for helping to win victory in the Seven Years War.  They applied unnecessary pressure to the burgeoning economy present in the colonies, and incensed many colonists who believed it their right to refuse such an outrageous tax.  It did not help that, following sharp disapproval, Britain introduced several more acts, or taxes, in punishment for the colonies “disobedience”,  adding to the public feeling of subjugation by Britain.
4. After passing unsuccessful taxes that were met with stark refusal by many colonists, the British, still desperately in need of funds, decided to punish the colonies by enforcing Coercive Acts were said to be to raise funds for government, they were really more a demonstration of dominion and power over the colonies.  The colonists, having suffered from a series of taxes at the hands of British government, christened these the “intolerable acts”, and retaliated with open rebellion in some of the northern colonies.
the Coercive Acts, which ordained taxation on several commodities.  This, however, was in the aftermath of the Boston Tea Party, which was seen as an inexcusable act of insubordination by the colonies.  This also came as a bitter reminder that the colonies were still part of the British empire, and therefore under British rule.  So, while these
Ch. 7:

Key Terms:
Second Continental Congress: Legislative body that governed the United States from May 1775 through the wars duration. It established an army created its own money and declared independence once all hope for a peaceful reconciliation with Britain was gone.  Conducted the economic affairs of the war, united the war effort, and consolidated power over the colonies.
Continental Army: the Army created in June 1775 by the second Continental Congress to oppose the British.  Virginian George Washington commander-in-chief had the task of turning local militias and untrained volunteers into a disciplined army.  Spearheaded colonial victories against the British, and represented the newfound unity of the colonies.
Battle of Bunker Hill: Second battle of the war on June 16, 1775 involving a massive British attack on new England militia units on a hill facing Boston the militiamen finally yielded the hill but not before inflicting heavy casualties on the British.  Signified the success of Guerrilla warfare for the colonists.
Common Sense: Pamphlet written by Thomas Paine in 1776 it laid out the case for independence and it pain rejected monarchy advocating its replacement with Republican government based on the consent of the people.  The pamphlet influence public opinion throughout the colonies.  This pamphlet was crucial to introducing radical, revolutionary thinking to the colonies, adding to their desire for independence.
Declaration of Independence: A document containing philosophical principles and a list of grievances the declared separation from Britain.  Adopted by the second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776 it ended a period of intense debate with moderates still hoping to reconcile with Britain.  This document completely alienated the Tories from colonial society, eventually prompting their large exodus from the colonies.
Battle of Long Island: First major engagement of the new Continental Army, defending against 45,000 British troops newly arrived on Western Long Island the continentals were treated with high casualties and many taken prisoner.  Largely demoralized the colonial insurgence, especially with the horrific advent of prison ships.
Ladies association: , “ hey women's organization in Philadelphia they collected substantial money donations in 1780 to reward continental soldiers for their service.  A woman leader authored a declaration, “The Sentiments of an American Woman”, to justify women's unexpected entry into political life.  This was perhaps the first political venture by women, and laid the foundation for future feminism.
Loyalists: colonists who remained loyal to Britain during the revolutionary war probably numbering around 1/5 of the population in 1776 colonists remained loyal to Britain for many reasons and Loyalists could be found in every region of the country.  This group was subjected to heavy discrimination and was largely ostracized from American society.
 Battle of Oriskany a punishing defeat for Americans in a ravine named Oriskany near Fort Stanwix in New York in August 1777 German American militia men aided by Allied Oneida warriors were ambushed by Mohawk and Seneca Indians and 500 on the revolutionary side were killed.  Stoked tensions even further between the colonists and the Indians, who thought of them as savages.
Battle of Saratoga: A multistage battle in New York ending with a decisive defeat and surrender of British General John Burgoyne on October 17, 1777.  France was convinced by this victory to throw it's official support to the American side in the war.  Secured the allegiance of the French who would provide critical aid to the colonists, primarily with finances and troops.
Battle of Yorktown: October 1781 battle that sealed American victory in the revolutionary war American troops in a French fleet trapped the British army under the command of General Charles Cornwallis at Yorktown Virginia.  This proved the decisive triumph for America and France over the British, and gave cause for a resurgence of colonial patriotism.
Treaty of Paris: September 3, 1783 treaty that ended the Revolutionary war the treaty acknowledged take America's independence set its boundaries and promised it's quick withdrawal of British troops from American soil.  It failed to recognize Indians as players in the conflict.  Native Americans were excluded entirely from the treaty, further serving to alienate all tribes from a rapidly expanding America -- into their territories.

Essential Questions:

Many factors gave the colonists pause in suing for independence.  Probably chief amongst these was that they remained a colony of Britain which, at the time, was the world’s foremost military power.  Waging a revolutionary war would almost certainly spell their defeat, and the colony’s sparse, undisciplined militias would likely fall to the British army.  Secondly, up until the Revolution, loyalty to crown was popular and typically went without saying; congress itself loudly professed loyalty to the crown, right up until they proposed independence.  Thus, the possibility of a revolution created a sharp schism amongst the whole of colonial society: patriots and tories.  Another factor was America’s economic and social reliance on the British.  America’s social atmosphere was, in effect, a parallel of Britain, and they shared the same culture, being part of the same empire.  As such, it was also thought generally unwise to sever ties with the superpower that was Great Britain, and disassociation with the latter was a great price for independence.
Because the colonies were still considered part of the British empire, even in wartime, American territories were not treated with the hostility of conquest.  Rather, the British simply wished to reclaim the loyalty of their colonies; not stamp them into the dirt.  Also, the British and colonists were, in appearance and disposition, very similar, albeit the latter a bit disparaged.  Quintessentially, British and American culture at that time was nearly identical; and, because both sides understood each other very well, a certain level of “sympathy” for the enemy was present.  The colonies also represented a vital part of Britain’s economy, and the enormous damages wrought by wholesale warfare were avoided, at the urban level, so as to spare local infrastructure for when the colonies were taken.  This proved, however, not to be the case.
5.   The british unwittingly assumed that loyalist support, particularly in the south, would be sufficient in dominating the Southern territories.  Yet the opposite proved to true: the British were met with fierce resistance in the south, by patriots.  These patriots also employed the massively successful tactic of guerrilla warfare, enabling them to chip away at larger numbers and cut off supply lines.  And, though the British were able to capture two colonies in the South, they barely maintained control over them, their forces spread over too much territory.  This would ultimately cost them the war, failures in the south jeopardizing and counteracting successes in the North.

Ch. 8:

Key Terms:
 Anti Federalists: Opponents of the ratification of the constitution.  They feared that a powerful and distant government would be out of touch with the needs of citizens.  They also complained that the constitution failed to guarantee individual rights in a Bill of Rights.
Federalists: Originally the term for the supporters of the ratification of the US constitution.  It became the name for one fo the two political groups.

Essential Questions:

 The Articles of Confederation severely limited government power.  They did not allow for such prerogatives as taxation, or the creation of an army; both vital to sustain  governmental control.  Government power also came into conflict with the state's’ power, with independent legislature often holding precedent over that of the government’s.  It was for this reason that a strong central government was disapproved of by many.  And, without sufficient funding, the government could not effectively improve state infrastructure, perhaps the foremost consequence of the limitations imposed by the Articles of Confederation.
 States determined the right to vote based upon a minimum property requirement, in the belief that only those who possessed some property were educated enough to vote.  However, for a time in Massachusetts, anyone with property could vote, including women and blacks, and though this loophole would eventually be closed, it represented a unique paradox in the colonial political system.  It was also ordained that voters must not only be white, but male, excluding the majority of the population from a say in politics.  What is interesting to note is that, even though slaves were net even considered people, states received representation as if they were ⅓ of a person, contradicting many values in the constitution.
      5. Antifederalists opposed the constitution for a variety of reasons.  Among these were that they were not in favor of a powerful central government.  They also feared that a powerful government would fail to represent the interests of the people, and would be more liable to corruption. They worried that government would be dominated by elites and, to some extent, they were right.  They thought that this, in turn, would fail to appeal to the interests of the people.  They also objected, with their strongest point, that the constitution failed to address individual rights, although this would be amended with the bill of rights.  Their base, however, consisted largely of backcountry inhabitants, and they would ultimately fail in preventing ratification of the constitution.

Chapter 9:

Key Terms:

Bill of Rights: The first ten amendments to the constitution, officially ratified by 1791.  The first through eighth amendments dealt with individual rights, and the Ninth and Tenth concerned the boundary between federal and state authority.
 Public Credit: Hamilton’s report recommending that the national debt be funded at full value.  Hamilton’s goal was to make the new country creditworthy, not debt free.  Critics complained it would benefit speculators.
Report on manufactures: A proposal by Hamilton calling for the federal government to encourage domestic manufacturers with subsidies while imposing tariffs on foreign imports.  Congress rejected it initially.
Whiskey Rebellion: 1794 uprising by farmers in Western pennsylvania in response to enforcement of an unpopular tax on whiskey.  Government responded with military presence, prompting dissidents to disperse.
Greenville Treaty: 1795 treaty between United States and various indian tribes in Ohio.  The U.S. gave the tribes 25000 in goods, in exchange for Ohio territories.
Jay Treaty: 1795 treaty by John Jay.  It negotiated trading rights in West Indies but failed to remove the British from western forts.
Haitian Revolution: The conflict involving diverse Haitian participants and armies from three different countries.  At its end, Haiti became a free, black country.  Fueled fears of slave insurrections in the U.S.
Federalists: Name for the dominant political group of the 1790s.  Supported Britain in foreign policy, but also commercial interests in the U.S.  George Washington was a Federalist, among many others.
Republicans: One of the two dominant political groups.  Supported French revolution, concerned with other party at home.
XYZ: 1797 incident in which American negotiators were rebuffed in France for refusing to pay a substantial bribe.  The incident led the United States into a war with France.
Sedition Acts: 1798 laws passed to prevent political dissent.  Criminalized criticism of government leaders.  Alien acts allowed immigrants to be deported or jailed without trial, and extended wait for citizenship.
V & K Resolutions: 1798 resolutions by the respective states that condemned the Alien acts.  Tested the idea that state legislature could challenge constitutionality of federal laws.
Essential Qs:

2. Hamilton proposed numerous economic ordinances that were deemed controversial by many.  While they ultimately had the goal of sustaining America’s burgeoning economy, they had repercussions that were often pointed out by the opposition.  His plan to fund the national debt received a great deal of criticism , because many believed the sole beneficiaries of it would be speculators.  Even though he was secretary of the treasury, many believed he was passing the boundaries of power given to his position, imposing ordinances that had critical effects on the economy.  His tax on whiskey was publicly unpopular, because it disenfranchised a large industry which many were dependent upon.  In addition, setting up a national bank was also questioned by many, who preferred local, independent banks that they considered more trustworthy, as opposed to a government run institution.
3. The United States experienced pressure from all sides in the 1790s.  To the south and north, two Indian tribes went on the offensive in American territories, refusing to unfairly treat with the US.  In Europe, tensions continued to flare between Britain and France, and America, which formerly supported France, began to experience naval attacks by them, which would instigate an undeclared war between the two.  Also at this time, the Haitian revolution met its success, representing the first full scale revolt by slaves.  Plantation owners, fearing a similar situation, cracked down on slaves even further, subjecting them to brutal treatment and heightening racial tension.  The issue on how to counteract these problems fragmented the country, splitting the populace between federalist and republican, government being dominated by the former.
4. The alien acts were imposed in 1798 to counteract the massive induction of immigrants at this time, and also to disadvantage and alienate them in society; they allowed the president to forcefully imprison or deport someone, without trial, and severely increased the wait time for citizenship for new immigrants.  The sedition acts were passed primarily to quash political dissent, and to prevent public speaking out against government leaders.  These acts were established in the turbulent atmosphere of of war and conflict, with two contrary parties practically at eachother’s throats.

Ch. 10:

Key Terms:

Marbury vs. Madison: 1804 supreme court case that established the concept of judicial review in finding that parts of the judiciary act of 1789 were in conflict with the constitution.  The supreme court assumed legal authority to overrule other branches of government.
Louisiana Purchase: 1803 purchase of French territory west of the Mississippi River.  The purchase doubled the size of the United States, and opened the way for westward expansion.
Lewis and Clark Exp.: 1804-1806 expedition led by Meriwether and William, that explored the trans-mississippi West for the U.S. government.  The expedition’s mission was scientific, political, and geographic.
Impressment: A British naval practice of seizing sailors on American ships under the claim that they were deserters from the British navy.  2500 men were taken by the British, prompting the US to declare war.
Embargo of 1807: Act of Congress that prohibited US ships from travelling to foreign ports and banned overseas trade in an attempt to deter Britain.  Effectively shut down overseas commerce.
Battle of Tippecanoe: An attack on Shawnee indians at Prophetstown in 1811 by William Harrison.  Tenskwatawa fled with his followers, and his brother Tecumseh would make war on the US.
War Hawks: Young men elected to the Congress of 1811 who were eager for war against Britain in order to fight impressments, indians, and expand into new territory.
Creek War: Part of the war of 1812.  Included Andrew Jackson’s victory over the Creek indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend in 1814, forcing the creeks to sign away much of their land.
Battle of New Orleans: Final battle in war of 1812, fought and won by Andrew Jackson against the British in New Orleans, despite the already negotiated peace.
Hartford Convention: A secret meeting of New England Federalist politicians held in 1814 to discuss constitutional changes to limit the political power of the south.
Feme Covert: Legal doctrine grounded in British common law that held that a wife’s civic life was subsumed by her husband’s.  Married women lacked independence to own property, make contracts, or keep wages earned.  The doctrine shaped women’s status in the early republic.
Missouri Compromise: 1820 congressional compromise that paired Missouri’s entrance into the union as a slave state and Maine's as a free state.  Also established Missouri's southern border as the line that divided free from slave states.

Essential Q’s:

Jefferson actively sought out to dismantle many federalist innovations that had been instituted before him.  He curbed the army by a third, drastically reducing America’s potential for defense, instead wanting to rely on “militias”.  He also cut down the navy to only six ships, crippling America’s naval power at home and abroad.  He also abolished many taxes, relying on national spending in new territory and customs duties, which benefitted the south.  A consequence of this was the reduction of the national debt, which effectively negated Hamilton’s public credit system.  He also severely limited federal government, confining its function to only hundreds.  Perhaps the most egregious of Jefferson’s legislation was the Embargo Act, which prohibited foreign commerce and trade.  Economy values plummeted, disenfranchising all who depended on trade and increasing unemployment.  It also significantly increased support for the federalist party.
Congress decided to declare war on Britain in 1812 for a variety of reasons.  Foremost of these was that Britain had begun the practice of impressment: They would regularly commandeer American vessels, and steal the sailors aboard for their navy.  All Americans were outraged by this, and this fueled tensions between the two countries.  Another reason was to claim British territory to the west, also held by indians, who bore much contempt from the south.  Many young politicians had also been brought into congress; these comprised the War Hawks, congressmen who advocated for war against the British to the point of zealotry, and argued that both vengeance for lost ships and the territorial gains to be reaped by war were too great to be ignored.
At this early period in the republic, the philosophy of Feme Covert prevailed, which concerned women.  It entailed that women were property of their husbands, and that they should have little to no voice in politics or, at the very least, mirror the opinion of their husbands.  Though they were taught mostly in their youth how to handle a household, they were also tutored with higher knowledge, and some received schooling which was unprecedented for this period. Their role as citizens, and primarily as wives, was to be married, mother many children, conduct almost entirely domestic affairs, and educate their children.  However, something that is interesting to note is that Women at this time were encouraged to be knowledgeable, so that they might teach younger generations.  This allowance to women, though minor, is progressive for this time, and potentially opened the way for the first vestiges of feminist thought.

Ch. 13:

Key Terms:

Mason-Dixon Line: A surveyor’s mark that established the boundary between Maryland and pennsylvania in colonial times.  Boundary divided the free north and the slave south.  Would broach future conflicts over the establishment of slave states.
Cotton Kingdom: Term in the south that reflected the dominance of cotton in the economy.  Cotton cultivation was the key factor in slavery.  Cotton represented a necessity to the Southern economy, a keystone crop.
Slave Codes: Laws enacted in the 1820’s and 30’s that required submission of slaves.  Attacks by slaves convinced legislators that they had to do everything in their power to strengthen the institution.  Represented the white crackdown on slaves as a result of insurrection.
Miscegenation: Interracial sex.  Pro-slavery played on the fear of whites, and suggested that equal rights would lead to this.  Slavery led to abuse of black women by their masters.  This epitomized the hypocrisy of the white perspective, terrified of their own doings,  as intercourse with slaves was a common practice.
Planter: A substantial landowner who tilled his land with twenty or more slaves.  Planters dominated the social and political world of the south.  Planters represented a minority in the southern population, though they accounted for the sustenance of the economy.
Plantation: Large farm worked by twenty or more slaves.  Plantations produced 75% of the south’s export crop.  Plantations were the backbone of the South’s institution of slavery, and were responsible for the crops that sustained the nation as well.
Paternalism: The theory of slavery that emphasized reciprocal obligations and duties between slaves and their masters, with slaves providing labor and masters providing basic care.  This false ideal reinforced the idea of white superiority
Chivalry: The south’s romantic idea of male-female relationships.  Resembled the paternalistic defense of slavery.
Yeoman: Farmers who owned and worked their own small plot of land.  Yeomen in the south were more dependent on Planters.
Plantation belt: Flatlands that spread from South Carolina to East Texas, dominated by large plantations.
Upcountry: The hills and mountains of the south, whose conditions were less hospitable to plantations and slavery.
Free Black: An African American who was not enslaved.  Southern legislation curbed their rights.
Essential Qs:

Because of the insatiable demand for cotton both at home and abroad, plantations exploded across the South to satisfy this need.  Slavery and the cotton gin further facilitated this agricultural economy, and the south would eventually account for the greater part of the world’s cotton.  Because the south had no other more lucrative resources, cotton and other agricultural products remained the most ideal avenue for the southern economy.  The presence of slaves also satisfied the needs of labor for the agrarian economy/
Paternalism did provide some extent of justification for slavery, and the South desperately desired the latter.  Paternalism also emphasized white superiority in a paternal manner, with whites representing “father figures” to their black slaves.  According to this theory, white owners were necessary for the wellbeing of the blacks, as they were purportedly incapable of sustaining themselves in society.  In short, this stance not only secured white superiority over blacks, but reinforced blacks’ place in society as slaves.
Though outright rebellion was out of the question for most blacks, because of brutal consequences, they often found more subtle ways to manipulate the whims of their masters.  One such among these was appealing to the master’s desire to appear a man of virtue; in other words, his reputation.  Typically, a Planter would not wish to be seen as cruel or tyrannical, and, as such, might be lenient with his slaves.  Slaves, in turn, could, and often did, exploit this fact to their own ends.  They could even acquire some degree of mercy from their masters, receiving a plot of land or reprieve from work.  Thus, blacks were able to find “smaller” ways to rebel.
Often through state legislature, southern states were able to establish a law system that was advantageous to them.  Though national legislature often conflicted at the state level, planters-democrats-maintained considerable influence in Washington, enough to sustain Southern ideals, such as slavery.  And, though the populations of southern states were unproportionate to those of the north,  the electoral college system gave the south a far greater say in the election of a president, and thus the direction of policy.


Ch. 14 Making Connections
Cotton was, without a doubt, the staple “crop” of the south; their production alone accounted for the better part of the world’s cotton.  However, in a myriad of ways, this stagnated and impoverished the southern economy.  Without diversity, the Southern market was far more likely to sag, or fail.  Only the few were enriched by the profits of cotton, and the vast majority of southerners were not major planters, who could reap the benefits.  As such, because the South relied so heavily on this crop, there were few other avenues for welfare, and poverty was widespread.  And yet. Cotton was a necessity to the growing nation.  It satisfied the demands of the North, and had a positive effect on the economy.  Thus, cotton would serve as another defense of slavery; without the industry of the South’s “peculiar institution”, the needs of the nation could (arguably) not be met.
In the 1820’s, slavery came under the assault of the Whigs.  It was attacked by many for insidious institution that it was, and many southerners felt that the cornerstone of their economy was in jeopardy.  As such, the more powerful among them sought to mount some kind of defense against the humanitarian arguments of the North.  Intellectuals proposed the theory of “Paternalism”, which very much suited their needs.  This mode of thought not only reinforced the supremacy of the white man to the black, but conjured the lie of a planter as a “father” to his slaves, a forceful but guiding hand.  Though this false image of slavery was almost entirely untrue to the brutal reality of plantation slavery, it allowed for proper, or perhaps biblical, defense.  Many southerners also abandoned moral support for that of faith.  Using the scriptures and tenants of the bible, they were able to interpret it in such a way as confirm the inferiority of the black, and their “natural” status as a belligerent slave.  Both of these justifications share a commonality: they bare little ground in reality, though the efficacy of these ideas was very real for southerners.
Slaveholders, with their influence in the post-whig government, had no small hand in the Dred Scott decision.  This ruling allowed for states to independently determine the validity of slavery, opening an obvious door for new slave states; an outcome most Northerners were not willing to tolerate.  The Dred Scott verdict also reaffirmed the slave status of Dred Scott, even though he was technically a free man.  Northerners were shocked to see the tenants of slavery penetrate so deeply into the democracy, such as that slaves were not humans, but “property”.  Abraham Lincoln represented a majority confirmation of anti-slavery policy.  At this, southern states were appalled; they saw slavery as essential, their lifeblood, and thus were presented no choice but secession to escape this threat to their welfare.  That fact that this man was elected they saw as a betrayal from their own nation and, as such, some states would have no part in it.  Southerners saw Lincoln’s election as the jeopardization of slavery, and saw no future for the institution in the union.  Though Lincoln promised to leave slavery alone in the slave states, exaggerated fears in the South would govern their next radical actions.  In the 1860’s, though, the South had considerable influence in the government, facilitating their secession: with the dissolution of the Whigs, the Democrats were dominant.

Ch. 15

Key Terms:

Fort Sumter: Union fort on an isle at the entrance to Charleston harbor, South Carolina.  Confederate forces attacked the fort in 1861, learning of its resupply.  This location represented the first of many key waypoints to be captured by confederate forces.
Battle of Bull Run: First major battle of the Civil War, fought at a railroad junction in Virginia in 1861.  The union suffered sobering defeat, and the confederate forces triumphed.  This crucial victory was a marked indicator of the South’s militant aptitude, the like of which the Union hugely underestimated, to their folly.
Battle of Shiloh: Battle at Shiloh Church, Tennessee, 1862, between Johnston’s and Grant’s confederate and union forces.  Won by the union, though at great cost to both sides.  This taxing victory for the Union outlined the sheer superiority in numbers of the North, to which no degree of militant expertise could hope to overcome completely.
Union Blockade: The United States’ use of its navy to patrol the Southern coastline to restrict confederate access to supplies.  Was effective, and succeeded in depriving the South of vital supplies.  The North’s almost exclusive control of the country’s naval power was a key asset to their winnings, and reinforced their strategy of whittling away at the confederates.
King Cotton Diplomacy: Confederate strategy built on the hope that European nations starving for cotton would break the union blockade and recognize the confederacy.  This failed, as Europeans found new sources for cotton outside the U.S..  This would have come as a jarring blow to the South: their “Cotton Kingdom” had seen the better part of it’s days, and it became clear the economy could not survive solely off of it.
Contraband of War: Benjamin Butler’s term for runaway slaves, who were considered confiscated property of war, not fugitives, and put to work in the union army.  Proved a step to emancipation.  This policy was a significant development for black freedom and equality, as blacks were fighting for their nation among white men, regardless of color or creed.
Emancipation Proclamation: Lincoln’s proclamation delivered in 1863, declaring all slaves in confederate territory free.  This made the Civil War a war to free slaves, though it’s exemptions earned it ridicule from some.  This possibly represented the greatest milestone for black equality, and set a trend for future legislation in favor of blacks.
New York City Riots: Four days of rioting in New York, 1863.  Triggered by efforts for a military draft.  Democratic Irish workmen, suffering hardships and the draft, opposed to emancipation, killed at least 105 people.  This large scale public upheaval proved that internal tensions were rising at the dragging on of the war.
Siege of Vicksburg: Six week siege by Grant to starve out Vicksburg.  In 1863, the 30,000 confederates holding the city surrendered.  Gave the Union control of the Mississippi river and was a turning point in the war.  Control of the river cut a major artery to confederate forces, depriving them of yet another trade asset crucial to extended warfare.
Battle of Gettysburg: Battle fought at Gettysburg, Penn., between Generals Lee and Meade.  The Union had victory, and Lee lost a third of his forces.  Another turning point in war.  This crushing defeat of the confederate forces effectively shattered what little will they had left, and they were not willing to sustain further loss.
 Military campaign from September through December 1864 in which forces marched from Atlanta to the Coast, at Savannah.  Carved a path of destruction to crush the will of the South.  In conjunction with Gettysburg, this brutal offensive nullified any hope for victory in the South, and lead to surrender.

Essential Qs:

The border states represented a potential asset for both Union and Confederate forces.  For the South, the populations of these states were desperately needed in support to their forces, and the states themselves could serve as footholds in the North for offensive pressure.  For the North, state retention was key; if more states seceded, there would be little to prevent a chain reaction.  Having these states in the union would also deprive the South of precious resources, and only reinforce the numbers and advantages.  Essentially, both sides vied for the border states because they offered an opportunity to both: a critical aid to their own offensive strategies.
Initially, the South did have some semblance of confidence in its war on the Union.  They cited some key advantages that, though were plausible, were often completely ineffectual in actual warfare.  One such among these was that they could win the support of Europe, by selling them the cotton that they would sorely need.  However, this plan was to no end: Europe found other means, and other sources, to produce cotton.  As such, the confederacy was alone in the war, and the Union at least had some support from Britain.  One of their actual advantages, though, was keen military strategies and generals, and pure desperation, in the defense of the Southern lifestyle.  However, though Southern ploys were to great effect, they did not account for the sheer numerical superiority of the north, and the losses they experienced were not sustainable to any kind of victory.
4. The Union was largely forced to modify its policy in 1863 such that black men could join the army.  This decree was effectively a two-pronged strike at the confederacy.  Not only would the slaves liberated by the emancipation act bolster Union forces, but they would deprive the South of its lifeblood: slave labor.  Another reason for the induction of blacks was that they had more reason to fight than anyone; should the union lose, their newfound freedom would be stripped of them.  The result was the union army's ranks being bolstered in a vital way, and black soldiers fought with a conviction unmatched by whites, who had little personal incentive to fight the senseless war.
6. During the war, the U.S. congress succeeded in passing far more radical legislation than it had been able to prior.  There are a variety of reasons for this, but foremost among them is desperation.  In such a time of costly and fruitless war, nearly the entire populace of the North was eager to see its end, and were willing to go to almost any means to do so.  As such, nearly any policy that was seen as advantageous to the war effort received widespread approval, even more contentious ones, such as the Emancipation act.  In the case of this act, and many others, people were not necessarily interested in helping the group it affected (blacks); rather, they recognized it as another potential necessity to the ultimate objective in the resolution of the war: the suppression of the South and the preservation of the Union.

Ch 16:

Key Terms:

Freedmen’s Bureau: Gov.  organization created in 1865 to  distribute food and clothing to destitute Southerners and to ease the transition of slaves to free persons.  Efforts to return land to freed blacks were overturned by Johnson.  This program would later be largely abandoned, along with other efforts in the South’s reconstruction, for a solution to the crisis in the North.
Black Codes: Laws passed by former slave states in the South that sought to keep freed blacks subordinate to whites.  At the core was to return the black to the plantation.  Represented the dreaded possibility of a return to the Old South, and just how quickly past political turmoil could repeat itself.
Civil Rights Act of 1866: Legislation passed by Congress in 1866 that nullified black codes and affirmed equal benefit of law to blacks.  Drew a veto a from Johnson, which congress overrode.  Contributed to the mounting conflict between the executive branch and congress, unprecedented in its intensity.
Fourteenth Amendment: Amendment passed in 1866 that made all native-born or naturalized persons citizens, and prohibited states from abridging rights of citizens.  Hoped to provide equality of law for blacks.  The South, in response, would exploit loopholes in the system to ensure that blacks suffered discrimination.
Military Reconstruction Act: Act of 1867 that initiated military rule of the south.  Divided ten confederate states into 5 military districts, each under direction of military general.  Established procedure for union reentry.  Would begin the long “Reconstruction” of the south, which would be met with huge resistance by former confederates.
Carpetbaggers: Southern term for immigrants to the South who sought opportunity after the war.  Immigrants formed part of South Repub. Party.  Many Southerners still had the ravages of the war in their mind, and did not look kindly on those who sought to exploit the aftermath, hence the derogatory term.
Scalawag: A derogatory term applied to Southern whites who were republican.  Seen as traitors to South, mostly yeoman.  After the war, the atmosphere of hostility towards anything left was still highly prevalent and tense.
KKK: A social club of confederates that developed into a paramilitary org. supporting the Dems.  Went on violent rampage to restore white supremacy.  The Klan’s acts of terror continue to the present day, and their presence indicates that the darkest vein of American society has endured into modernity.
Sharecropping: Southern Labor system during reconstruction.  Divided farms into rented plots, paying with a share of the year’s crop.  Gave some freedom, but still restricted blacks.  One of the few hardships experienced by both whites and blacks in the reconstruction south.
Redeemer's: Name taken by Southern Democrats who harnessed white rage to overthrow republican power and restore the Old South.  Even after the war, the possibility of another Southern rebellion was very real in the minds of Northerners.
Compromises of 1877: Informal agreement in which Democrats agreed not to block Hayes inauguration and deal fairly with freedmen.  Hayes vowed not to have military presence in South, and to put funds towards Southern railroads.  Brought reconstruction to an end, and ushered in the retaking of the South.

Essential Qs:

Congress’ objections to Lincoln’s plan for reconstruction were well-founded; They believed that the South deserved some degree of punishment for their treasonous actions, and that Lincoln’s plan afforded them too much mercy.  He proposed that, once 10% of a state's population had sworn an oath to the Union, they would, without question, be readmitted.  He also believed that giving former slaves the land of their owners was folly, earning him harsh scorn from abolitionists.  Congress’ primary concern was ensuring the pacification of the south, and the survival of the Union.  Lincoln’s plan, however, failed to address the possibility of the “Old South” simply reforming, something that could have happened in the political upheaval following the war.
4. Several factors contributed to the formation of the Southern republican party.  In a South defeated by the republican Union, it was far easier to form the party in a largely politically lax society, with the support of the North.  Another factor was the influx of Northern immigrants to the South, most of which were republican and many of whom would enter the political scene.  As such, while the South was crippled by reconstruction, it was easy for experienced Northern politicians to seize power.  Lastly, there were countless freedmen, blacks, who were virtually all republican (on the side of anti-slavery), and garnered a great deal of membership and support in the newly formed republican governing bodies of the South.
5. Though the South had been defeated, and reconstruction completed, Democrats still had considerable power in at least one part of government: legislation. Supreme court justices, including the democratic ones, had enormous influence over which laws passed and didn’t.  As such, following the end of reconstruction, when the North’s interests turned to internal issues, decisions that siphoned resources from Southern efforts and into the North were much supported.  During this time, when the North’s attention was diverted from black equality, the supreme court passed legislation that indirectly undermined the 14th and 15th amendments, and there was support for such decisions, especially in the returned South.

Ch. 18

Key Term:

Gilded Age: Introduced a new era of cutthroat competition to the American economy, and ushered in the potential for new heights of wealth.  Mirrors today’s society.

Trust:  A conglomerate of this sort allowed companies to pool unprecedented resources, and consequently allowed for monopolization of certain sectors of the markets.

Finance Capitalism: This method of supporting the economy allowed the rich to manipulate many aspects of government.  Sets groundwork for financial environment of today.
Social Darwinism:  A vindication for those in power.

Gospel of Wealth: Put the rich in a positive light for the public.  Provided motivation for public works.

Spoils System: Patronage system lead to widespread corruption in government during the gilded age.

Jim Crow:  Black codes evolved into the Jim Crow laws.  Denied basic rights of blacks.

Women’s Christian Union: Provided important political education for women, and was used in the suffrage movement
Essential Qs

Civil Service Reform: Represented the reform movement in attempt to remedy outdated government systems.

Interstate Commerce Commision: Big influence on government.

Sherman Antitrust Act: Failed to destroy trusts.

Free  Silver: Allowed farmers to pay their debts with higher value money.



The oil industry was highly competitive during this time, due to the application of oil in a wide variety of utilities.  It was also discovered to be found in Pennsylvania, and was a cost effective business.  Rockefeller organized his company as a corporation, which helped to minimize risk.  The influence of Standard Oil allowed him to influence railroad rates, letting him undercut competitors.  This forced them to shut down, or sell out.  Using trustees and stock swaps, he furthered the needs of the company.  To protect his clandestine dealings, he organized a trust under which his companies could coordinate within the boundaries of the law, as they were still technically one company, and did not violate antitrust laws.  In dominating a sector of the economy, Rockefeller was able to extend his manipulative power to marketing, transport, and crude oil.
Two men, Sumner and Graham, took Darwin’s theory of evolution and poorly translated it into a social theory known as Social Darwinism.  This principled that intense competition was a must in society, as it facilitated progress.  They argued that assistance for the poor allowed the weak to live and propagate, inhibiting progress.  During this “gilded age”, the rich amassed astronomical wealth, while the workers fell into destitution.  The idea of Social Darwinism provided a sense of vindication for the rich, and dismissed the notion of helping the poor.
5. Initially, tariffs were to protect the American market from imported goods.  They became useful, however, for collecting government revenue, and for some industrialists to separate themselves from the competition.  But by the 1880s, the tariff had become a hindrance to the American economy.  The issue divided the nation, and on one side were those who believed that gold was the truest form of currency.  With the expense for gold increased, and many farmers in debt, the idea of paper or silver currency was introduced, dividing the country down the middle.  Industrialists, and workers, enjoyed the benefits of the tariff, and defended against its reduction.  Almost all farmers, however, paid much to support the tariff, and saw nothing for it, selling goods abroad.  Farmers, from both the South and East, wanted the silver dollar, as it would permit them to pay off debts with a cheaper currency.  Eastern creditors disapproved the idea, though, as it meant a devalued dollar, and preferred the gold standard.  Both parties saw that this divisive issue might be exploited to their advantage.  But the people did not support those who maneuvered around the issue to further their political ends.  The Greenback Labor Party emerged for a short period of time in endorsement of the silver dollar, and paper money.  The depression of 1873 only incited the problem.  The republicans of Congress voted to cease the production of silver currency, pleasing bankers and investors of the East, but incensing supporters of the silver dollar, who would refer to it as the “crime of ‘73”.  Congress later passed the Sherman Silver Act, which allowed the minting of silver, but only under rigorous regulation.

Ch. 21:

Essential Qs:

   Though the progressive’s ranks drew from nearly every group, foremost among them were women.  Women were some of the most impassioned progressives, and the most motivated by social injustice.  This advocacy is championed with the birth control movement, led by Margaret Sanger, a movement almost entirely driven by women in support of contraceptives.  While this goal is in of itself a lofty one, especially for this period of rampant sexism, it demonstrates that women were often at the spearhead of progressive movements.  They had a great deal more to fight for than men, as they were all faced with social inequality and thus had many objectives to rally around.  There were many male progressives, as well; however, the racial diversity of progressive support was somewhat limited, as the movement itself often had negative ideas governing race  and its place in modern and reformed society.
Progressives nearly all advocated for some extent of activism in government.  They argued that, for an effective flow of reform to take place in a government, there had to be ethic of activism, such that politicians were motivated to remedy social and economic injustice.  If politicians did not have activist tendencies, and simply guarded the establishment, their would be little change, and reform would become stagnant.  The progressive movement often picked individuals to champion reform in state and federal government.  Perhaps foremost among these was Robert Follete, a governor and senator of Wisconsin.  As governor, Follete was almost revolutionary in his scope: he introduced scholars and scientists into his administration, and successfully enacted reform in field of progressive concern: conservation, education, taxes, and many more, showing that real progress was possible through advanced reform.
5. Race, class, and gender often defined the pursuits of progressivism.  Class represented economic issues, gender and race social.  However, progressivism often struggled to enact social legislation, as it was widely considered to be contentious. Such as in the case of Plessy vs. Ferguson, which demonstrated the limits of reform in regards to race.  This case, which dealt with black segregation, was lost in the supreme court.  However, it was a demonstration to progressives that the pursuit of reform was possible, and that social reform was a very serious consideration for the United States.  As well, progressive endeavors were often put on hold in favor of more pressing issues, such as the first World War.  During this period, the great majority of national attention was turned abroad; instead of at home, the preservation of progressivism in the world was made an international crusade.  Black civil rights leaders told their fellows that the latter should be “temporarily forgotten”, as were other social reform movements.  Such was one of the many impediments to progressivism.

Ch. 22:

Key Terms:

Triple Alliance: Alliance between Germany, Austria Hungary, and Italy.  Formed as a complex network of military agreements to prevent war in Europe by balancing power.
Triple Entente: Alliance between Great Britain, France, and Russia, as a complex network of military agreements to prevent war in Europe by balancing power.  Made large Scale conflict more likely.
Lusitania: British Passenger liner torpedoed by a German U boat.  The attack killed 1198 passengers.  The incident challenged American neutrality during the war and moved the US towards entering the war.
Bolshevik: Russian revolutionary.  They forced Czar Nicholas to abdicate, and seized power in Russia in 1917.  New government withdrew from the war.
AEF: American armed forces under the command of John Pershing, who fought under a separate command in Europe.  Helped defeat Germany when they entered the conflict.
Prohibition: Amendment banning transportation, manufacture, and sale of alcohol.  Passed in 1917, ratified in 1920.  Crusade boosted by the war.
Women’s Suffrage: Amendment granting women the vote.  Congress passed the amendment in 1919, and ratified it in 1920.  Advocates for it triumphed by linking it to the war effort.
Fourteen Points: Wilson’s plan, made in in 1918, to create a new democratic world order with lasting peace.  Wilson’s plan, supported basic liberal ideals, and supported the right of self-determination.  Also called for the creation of a league of nations.
League of Nations: International organization proposed in Wilson’s fourteen points, designed to secure political independence and territorial integrity for all states and thus ensure lasting peace.  Senate refused to ratify Treaty of Versailles.
 Versailles Treaty: Treaty signed in 1919 that ended WWI.  The agreement redrew the map of the world and assigned sole blame for the war to Germany, saddling it with a war debt of 33 billion.
 Red Scare: Widespread fear of internal subversion and communist revolution that swept the united states in 1919 and resulted in suppression of dissent.  Postwar struggles contributed to the scare.
 Schenk vs. US: 1919 supreme court decision that ruled in restriction of free speech.  Court upheld the conviction of Charles Schenk for resisting the draft during wartime.

EQs:

Woodrow Wilson was the man primarily responsible for the avoidance, and later intervention, in WWI.  Wilson, and many of his supporters, agreed that it was best not to jeopardize U.S. economic interests abroad, and thus sought to maintain neutrality in the war.  Also, being an ardent progressive himself, Wilson was reluctant to enter any conflict, and considered declaration of war to be an unappealing option, in any case.  However, because of the United State’s indirect support of the countries within the Triple Entente, particularly Britain, Germany’s attention was drawn.  Britain had come to rely almost exclusively on American aid later in the war, with as many as 80% of their imports being from the US.  Though the US was not actually engaging in the war, it was quite directly affecting it, providing the Entente with crucial provisions in the war effort.  However, Germany recognized this clearly biased aid and began targeting all foreign ships and blockading Britain, much to the chagrin of the US.  This would eventually lead to the destruction of the Lusitania, killing many and providing perfect vindication for America's entry into the conflict.
3.     Progressive ideals wrought a great deal of benefit from war-time.  By associating social reform with the betterment of the nation, and their state in the war, progressives were able to enact legislation at a time when the nation was swept with a nearly rampant patriotic enthusiasm.  Of particular note are the two great achievements of this period: the 19th amendment, and prohibition, both of which were driven by a new resurgence of women’s activism.  Because the majority of the country’s laboring men had gone off to war at this time, women were all that remained to fill roles traditionally held by men, which led to a women-dominated industrial workforce.  Because women were now at the forefront of American society, and were making such enormous contributions to the war effort, they were able to make unprecedented gains.  They gained women's’ suffrage with persistent activist endeavors, and were able to prohibit alcohol on the grounds that it was a detriment to society, on both the domestic and public level.
4.     The Versailles treaty negotiated by Woodrow Wilson was highly controversial; many aspects of it were met with disapproval at home.  Perhaps foremost among them was Wilson’s introduction of the Fourteen Points, a radical and almost utopian vision of global principles, which suggested the creation of a League of Nations; the United States included.  This supposed international organization would fulfill the purpose of international relations, and the maintenance of world peace.  But Wilson’s lofty goals within the treaty were rejected by many in congress.  Numerous politicians believed that the terms settled on in the Treaty were too harsh, particularly with their judgment of Germany, and that the United States had been largely left out of territorial stakes in the aftermath.  As such, with dissent mounting in congress, the Treaty of Versailles was not ratified.
5. The Red Scare was a sort of eruption of dread in America over what appeared to be the rising tide of socialism.  Because of this, there was a general air of suspicion pervading the country at this time. And often, civic liberties are some of the first victims of mass paranoia.  Because the Scare was immediately associated with socialism, the nation turned against the manual laborers, heedlessly suppressing strikes and dissent amongst the working class.  Censorship also saw a huge rise in every aspect of media and press; any work or individual in these domains seen as “radical” or “dissenting” was banned, fired, or shut down.  Free speech itself experienced an assault of its own; with the supreme court ruling on Schenck vs the US, any majorly controversial statements were condemned as a “clear and present danger”, and were subject to draconian punishment.  Thus, the social and economic advances made with progressivism were eroded somewhat.

Ch. 23:

EQs:

3.    Tensions in the south turned dire with the prosecution of John Scopes, on the account of teaching evolution illegally in Tennessee.  Dubbed the “Scopes Trial”, the media devoured the scandalous story, presenting it as a confrontation between urban and rural values to the public.  This coverage further widened the schism between city and rural life, and national radio broadcasting of it, for the first time with a trial, captured the attention of many.  Many city dwellers began to foster bitter sentiments towards rural life, tired of them gripping to aged ideals in a new, progressive American society, such as mencken, who blasted the case as a “monkey trial”, voicing the opinions of many towards the regressive rural mindset of the 1920s.

4.    The US economy failed in 1929 for a variety of reasons.  However, the causes were all intimately associated with the scale of production in this era.  With industrial production at its pinnacle up to this point, more goods were being created than were necessary to satisfy customer demands, resulting in surplus.  This was even with the rampant materialistic mindset of this period, in which buying became preferable to saving among the people.  The average American consumer, whose financial means often fell short of their wants, began taking out loans and going into debt to ensure their continued spending.  As history has shown, however, banks overloaded with debt and loans are only too privy to collapse.  This inevitable doom for the banks, in tandem with enormous losses of capital, contributed greatly to the Depression, eventually sending the stock market spiraling into ruin.

5. Herbert Hoover, president of the US from the onset of the Great Depression, was not necessarily directly responsible for it, yet did little or nothing to remedy it.  His administration, with the slogan “prosperity is just around the corner”, had heavy ties to laissez faire capitalism, and his promises to the people were as empty as their wallets and purses.  To truly combat the worsening depression, massive government intervention would become an undeniable necessity.  This need fomented the election of 1933.  Franklin Roosevelt, who proposed a revolutionary “New Deal” that had the capability to deliver the country from Depression, struck a chord with the people, and achieved the Presidency.  He ushered in a new age of Socialist policies, such as incorporating the first vestiges of welfare and health care, and systematically injecting capital into the economy.  Remarkably, his deal worked, albeit slowly, and relief was nowhere near immediate, but for the future his presidency represented a government reliant on socialist institutions.

Key Terms:

Teapot Dome: Nickname for scandal in which Interior Secretary Albert Fall accepted $400,000 in bribes for leasing oil reserves on public land in Teapot Dome, Wyoming.  It was part of a larger pattern of corruption that marred Harding presidency.
Five Power Naval Treaty: Treaty that committed Britain, France, Japan, Italy, and the US to a proportional reduction of naval forces, producing the world’s greatest success in disarmament up to that time.  Republicans created it at the 1921 WD conference.
Welfare Capitalism: Industrial programs for workers that became popular in the 1920s.  Some businesses improved safety and sanitation inside factories.  They also instituted paid vacations and pension plans.  This encouraged loyalty to companies rather than to independent labor unions.
Prohibition:  The ban on the manufacture and sale of alcohol that went into effect in 1920 with the 18th amendment.  Proved almost impossible to enforce.  By the end of the 20s, most wished it to end, and it was repealed in 1933.
New Woman:  Alternative vision of womanhood that came into the American mainstream in the 1920s.  The mass media frequently portrayed young, college educated women who drank, smoked, and wore skimpy dresses.  New Women also challenged American convictions about separate spheres for women and men, and the sexual double standard.
New Negro: Term applied to African Americans who challenged the racial hierarchy through the arts.  The New Negro emerged in New York City in the 1920s in what became known as the Harlem Renaissance, which produced dazzling artistic talent.
Ku Klux Klan: Secret society that first thwarted black freedom after the Civil War but was reborn in 1915 to fight against perceived threats posed by minority groups.  The new Klan spread well beyond the South in the 20s.
Scopes Trial: 1925 Trial of John Scopes, a biology teacher in Tennessee, for violating his state's ban on teaching evolution.  The trial created a nationwide media frenzy and came to be seen as showdown between urban and rural values.
Reconstruction Finance Corp.: Federal agency established by Hoover in 1932 to help American industry by lending government funds to endangered banks and corporations, which he hoped would benefit those at the bottom via trickle down economics.  In practice, this did little for the poor.
 Bonus Marchers: WWI Veterans who marched on Washington, in 1932, to lobby for immediate payment of the pension promised them in 1924.  Hoover believed the bonuses would bankrupt the government, and had the veterans evicted by the US army.
Scottsboro Boys: Nine African American youths who were arrested for the alleged rape of two white women in 1931.  After an all white jury sentenced them to death, the Communist Party intervened to save them from execution.