ALL YEAR STUDY GUIDE

ALL YEAR STUDY GUIDE: US History


Results of the seven years war→ also known as the French Indian war, it lasted from 1754 to 1763 and had 5 decisive results:

1.) With the French threat gone, the colonies were free to settle across the Appalachian Mountains. This movement west led to conflict with the Indians, which in turn led to Indian attacks. To avoid any more conflict with them the British government issued the proclamation of 1763, which prohibited colonists from settling beyond the Appalachian Mountains. Colonists however contradicted the proclamation.
2.) Colonists found that they shared many ideas and goals. From this a nationalistic pride rained.
3.) Britain’s struggle to defeat the French showed that it was indeed possible to beat them.
4.) The British treasury was depleted and it looked to the colonies to share some of the burden (give money back) for protection it had provided—the colonists however didn’t feel obligated to give them money.
5.) Valuable military experience was gained


Proclamation of 1763→ After the French and Indian war, the British crown issued this proclamation with the Indians, it forbade the colonists from crossing the Appalachian mountains for purpose of settlement. The colonists ignored this order.

Sugar Act→Lord Grenville created the Sugar Act in1764. It placed a tax on sugar, molasses, textiles, coffee, iron, and other goods imported to the colonies.

Currency Act→ Also passed in 1764, the currency act forbade the colonies from issuing their own paper money. In addition the colonists were forced to pay all taxes in gold and silver—this drained money from the colonies.

Quartering Act→Passed in 1765 the Quartering Act made the colonists provide barracks (camps) and supplies for British troops stationed in the US. This created a lot of tension between the British and the Colonies.

Boston Massacre→ On March 5, 1770, British troops fired on a group of colonists who had been harassing a group of British soldiers. This clash between the British soldiers and the US colonists/citizens resulted in the death of one black colonist: Crispus Attucks, and two others. The British soldiers were placed on trial. In the end all charges were lifted.

Boston Tea Party→ Samuel Adams led a group of protesters (who were boycotting cheap Caribbean tea) to dump a shipment of that tea into the Boston Harbor. This incident resulted in the passage of the Intolerable Acts (1774):

1.) Closing of the Boston Harbor
2.) Suspension of town meetings in Massachusetts
3.) Suspension of the Charter of Massachusetts
4.) Quartering of soldiers in colonial homes
5.) The trials of the British officials who broke the law was to take place in England (bias)
6.) Placement of General Thomas Gage in Massachusetts to enforce the laws

Common Sense/Thomas Paine→Written in January 1776, Thomas Paine’s “common Sense” was a pamphlet in which he argued that the colonies were destined to be independent. In June 1776 the second continental congress agreed with Paine as the declaration of independence was issued.

Articles of Confederation→ After the colonies declared themselves free from Great Britain, legislation had to be written. The Articles of confederation took effect in 1781. The states agreed to “enter into a firm league of friendship,” with congress permitted to exercise only those powers which it was delegated. During the “Critical Period” the Articles proved to contain many flaws. First of all there was no executive branch—the Articles lacked the power to enforce the laws congress passed. The failure to include a judicial branch, which would interpret the law and make decisions, made each state the ultimate interpreter. And the congress didn’t have the power to collect taxes, raise a military, coin money, or regulate interstate commerce. In addition, the congress was a unicameral legislature, meaning “one house,” with each state having one vote. 9/13 votes was needed to pass legislation—further weakening the law making process. Despite these flaws, however, the Articles of Confederation was successfully established, and it had triumphed over some major milestones. For one it conducted the War of Independence in the 1770’s and negotiated the Treaty of Paris in 1783, ending the war. While the Articles was a weak representation of what America was, it did triumph and get us through a critical period in history, however the ride was a little turbulent.

Checks and Balances→ James Madison conceived the idea for “checks and balances,” he believed that all the power of the government ultimately derived from the people, therefore it was crucial to keep the government close to the people. He believed that having many “centers of power” was crucial because each center could check the other, keeping one from attaining to much power and potentially becoming despotic.

Separation of Powers→ There are three branches of government in the US. One is the legislative branch, the other is the executive branch, and the last one is the judicial branch. Each power or branch is responsible for a different task. The legislative branch, obviously, produces legislation. The executive branch enforces the laws produced by the legislative branch. And the Judicial branch decides weather or not these laws are constitutional and fair.

Bill of Rights→Adopted in 1791, the Bill of Rights is responsible for the first 10 amendments in the constitution. These amendments protect basic human rights, they include: freedom of speech, press, religion, and assembly; the right to bear arms (have a gun); the right to a trial by jury and fair punishment. The bill of rights also incorporated some “higher level aspects,” like states rights. Amendment X delves into states rights and declares that any power not specifically delegated to the congress is reserved for the states. This amendment (AKA reserved power clause) exists in order to reassure the states that they are protected from the tyranny of a powerful central government.

Proclamation line of 1793→AKA the proclamation of neutrality, it declared that the US favored neither England nor France when the French declared war on England in 1793. Washington wrote this piece of legislation and told the citizens not to take sides either.

Bicameral legislature→ Bicameral is another word for two housed. So put into context a bicameral legislature consists of a senate and a house of representatives. The number of representatives in the house was to be determined by population, and these representatives were to be elected by the people every two years. The senate would be composed of two representatives, two from each state, and they would be elected every 6 years by the state legislature. Direct election of senators didn’t occur until the 17th amendment was created in 1913. Bicameral Legislature was first proposed in the Great Compromise, which took ideas from both the New Jersey Plan and the Virginia plan, created by William Patterson and James Madison respectively. The great compromise was part of the constitutional convention.

Objections of Anti-federalists→ Anti-federalists were against the constitution. They believed that it compromised the goals of the American Revolution and gave too much power to the central government. The anti federalists, however, argued that a bill of rights was needed. And because of this the bill of rights was created. So although the Anti federalists disagreed with the constitution, they helped engender (create) the bill of rights, which is obviously one of the most important parts of the constitution.

Shays Rebellion→In 1786 Daniel Shays along with 1200-armed followers (mostly farmers) attacked a federal arsenal in Springfield Massachusetts. Shays’ farm was about to be foreclosed due to debt and owed back taxes. Shays along with his followers wanted cheap paper money, reduced taxes, and suspension of mortgage foreclosures. The Massachusetts Militia quickly annihilated the rebellion. This rebellion, however, captured the attention of the American people and exposed them to the effects the articles of confederation was having on people. Fearful that this chaos would spread, the founding fathers held the “constitutional convention” and proposed creating a new constitution. So ultimately shays rebellion served as the catalyst for a “new” America.

Bacon’s rebellion→ In1670 a group of x-indentured servants (freedmen) led by Nathaniel Bacon protested about the Native American policies of the Virginian Governor, William Berkley. They felt his policies were too lenient and that his policies ultimately affected freedmen in bad ways. The rebellion eventually ended when Bacon died of a stomach virus. But during the time of the rebellion Berkley fled to retrieve troops from Britain, when they arrived the rebellion was over. The significance of Bacon’s rebellion was that the colonists began fearing indentured servants, which eventually led to the colonists relying on slavery as the main form of labor.

Whiskey Rebellion→ It occurred in 1794, when Pennsylvanian farmers, disgusted by the excise tax on whiskey, refused to pay the tax. The ability of the government to collect taxes, and enforce the law was being tested. And so Washington sent out federal troops to collect the tax and break up the rebellion. The federal government had proven that it, indeed, could enforce the law!

Women’s Christian Temperance Union→ The purpose of the WCTU is to combat the influence of alcohol on families and society. Founded in Fredonia, New York in 1873, the group spearheaded the crusade for prohibition. Members advanced their cause by entering saloons, singing, praying, and urging saloonkeepers to stop selling alcohol. Subsequently they got the 18th amendment installed which implemented prohibition nationally, but the 21st amendment repealed the 18th.

William Lloyd Garrison→ was a prominent American abolitionist, journalist, and social reformer. He is best known as the editor of the radical abolitionist newspaper, The Liberator, and as one of the founders of the American Anti-Slavery Society.

Rebellions in antebellum period→
Nat turner: led a group, in 1831, of slaves to Southampton Virginia where 60 whites were killed—all blacks were executed.
Gabriel Prosser: 1800: who planned a slave rebellion in the Richmond area in the summer of 1800. Local militia was warned before hand and the rebellion was put down easily—they were hung.
Denmark Vessey: 1822: who planned what would have been one of the largest slave rebellions in the United States. Word of the plans was leaked out, and Charleston (South Carolina) authorities arrested the plot's leaders before the uprising could begin. Vessey and others were tried, convicted and executed.

Henry David Thoreau→ jailed for not paying his taxes, Thoreau was an American author, naturalist, transcendentalist, tax resister, abolitionist, development critic, sage writer and philosopher. He is best known for his book Walden, a reflection upon simple living in natural surroundings, and his essay, Civil Disobedience, an argument for individual resistance to civil government in moral opposition to an unjust state.
Seneca Falls/Declaration→ The Seneca Falls Convention, held in Seneca Falls, New York on July 19 to July 20, 1848, was the first women's rights convention held in the United States. Prominent at the 1848 convention were leading reformers, including Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott. These reformers, active in the anti-slavery movement; eventually used the language and structure of the United States Declaration of Independence to state their claim to the rights they felt women were entitled to as American citizens in the Declaration of Sentiments. They wanted to be entitled to rights they believed they deserved.

Manifest Destiny→ Manifest Destiny was the belief that the United States was destined to expand from the Atlantic seaboard to the Pacific Ocean; it has also been used to advocate for or justify other territorial acquisitions. Advocates of Manifest Destiny believed that expansion was not only good, but that it was obvious ("manifest") and certain ("destiny"). Originally a political catch phrase of the 19th century, "Manifest Destiny" eventually became a standard historical term, often used as a synonym for the expansion of the United States across the North American continent. The term was first used primarily by Jacksonian Democrats in the 1840s to promote the annexation of much of what is now the Western United States (the Oregon Territory, the Texas Annexation, and the Mexican Cession). It was revived in the 1890s, this time with Republican supporters, as a theoretical justification for U.S. expansion outside of North America. The term fell out of usage by U.S. policy makers early in the 20th century, but some commentators believe that aspects of Manifest Destiny, particularly the belief in an American "mission" to promote and defend democracy throughout the world, continues to have an influence on American political ideology. The term was also used when the US expanded into the Philippines.

The Mexican-American War→ Was an armed military conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848 in the wake of the 1845 U.S. annexation of Texas. Mexico did not recognize the secession and subsequent military victory by Texas in 1836; it considered Texas a rebel province. In the United States, the war was a partisan issue, with most Whigs opposing it and most southern Democrats, animated by a popular belief in the Manifest Destiny (and the opportunity to gain territory for the expansion of slavery), supporting it. In Mexico, the war was considered a matter of national pride. The most important consequence of the war for the United States was the Mexican Cession, in which the Mexican territories of Alta California and Santa Fé de Nuevo México were ceded to the United States under the terms of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. In Mexico, the enormous loss of territory following the war encouraged its government to enact policies to colonize (build up their remaining land) its northern territories as a hedge against further losses.

Compromise of 1850→ The Compromise of 1850 was a series of bills that wanted to resolve the territorial and slavery controversies arising from the Mexican-American War (1846–1848). There were 5 laws which balanced the interests of the slave states of the South, and the free states of the north. California was admitted as a free state; Texas received financial compensation for relinquishing claim to lands west of the Rio Grande in what is now New Mexico; the territory of New Mexico (including present-day Arizona and a portion of southern Nevada) was organized without any specific prohibition of slavery; the slave trade (but not slavery itself) was terminated in the District of Columbia; and the stringent Fugitive Slave Law was passed, requiring all U.S. citizens to assist in the return of runaway slaves regardless of the legality of slavery in the specific states. The measures, a compromise designed by Whig Senator Henry Clay (who failed to get them through himself), were shepherded to passage by Democratic Senator Stephen Douglas and Whig Senator Daniel Webster. The measures were opposed by Senator John C. Calhoun. The Compromise was made possible after the death of President Zachary Taylor, who was in opposition. Succeeding President Taylor was a strong supporter of the compromise: Millard Fillmore. It temporarily defused sectional tensions in the United States, postponing the secession crisis and the American Civil War.

Birth of the Republican party (why??)→ Trying times spawn new forces. The Missouri Compromise of 1820 divided the country at the 36° 30' parallel between the pro-slavery, agrarian South and anti-slavery, industrial North, creating an uneasy peace which lasted for three decades. This peace was shattered in 1854 by the Kansas-Nebraska Act. Settlers would decide if their state would be free or slave. Northern leaders such as Horace Greeley, Salmon Chase and Charles Sumner could not sit back and watch the flood of pro-slavery settlers cross the parallel. A new party was needed. Where was the party born? Following the publication of the "Appeal of Independent Democrats" in major newspapers, spontaneous demonstrations occurred. In early 1854, the first proto-Republican Party meeting took place in Ripon, Wisconsin. On June 6, 1854 on the outskirts of Jackson, Michigan upwards of 10,000 people turned out for a mass meeting "Under the Oaks." This led to the first organizing convention in Pittsburgh on February 22, 1856. The gavel fell to open the Party's first nominating convention, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on June 17, 1856, announcing the birth of the Republican Party as a unified political force.

Kansas Nebraska Act of 1854→ it created the territories of Kansas and Nebraska, opened new lands, repealed the Missouri Compromise of 1820, which divided the slave and non-slave states, and it allowed the settlers to decide whether or not to have slavery within their state. The initial purpose of the Kansas-Nebraska Act was to create opportunities for a Mid-eastern Transcontinental Railroad. It was not problematic until popular sovereignty was written into the proposal. The new Republican Party, which formed in reaction against allowing slavery where it had been forbidden, emerged as the dominant force throughout the North. The act was designed by Democratic Senator Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois, and its possible it was just created to spur more rail road development. The act established that settlers could decide for themselves whether to allow slavery, in the name of "popular sovereignty" or rule of the people. Opponents denounced the law as a concession to the Slave Power of the South.

Dred Scott vs. Sandford→ was a decision by the United States Supreme Court that ruled that people of African descent imported into the United States and held as slaves, or their descendants—whether or not they were slaves—could never be citizens of the United States, and that the United States Congress had no authority to prohibit slavery in federal territories. The Court also ruled that slaves could not sue in court, and that slaves—as chattel or private property—could not be taken away from their owners without due process.

Uncle Tom's Cabin→ an anti-slavery novel by American author Harriet Beecher Stowe. Published in 1852, the novel had a profound effect on attitudes toward African Americans and slavery in the United States, so much so in the latter case that the novel intensified the sectional conflict leading to the American Civil War. Uncle Tom's Cabin was the best-selling novel of the 19th century (and the second best-selling book of that century, following the Bible) and is credited with helping fuel the abolitionist cause in the 1850s. In the first year after it was published, 300,000 copies of the book were sold in the United States alone. The book's impact was so great that when Abraham Lincoln met Stowe at the start of the American Civil War, Lincoln is often quoted as having declared, "So this is the little lady who made this big war."

Battle of Antietam/ turning point/emancipation proclamation→ The Battle of Antietam was the first major battle in the American Civil War to take place on Northern soil. It was the bloodiest single-day battle in American history, with about 23,000 casualties. Although the battle was tactically inconclusive, it had unique significance as enough of a victory to give President Abraham Lincoln the confidence to announce his Emancipation Proclamation. The Emancipation Proclamation consists of two executive orders. The first one, issued September 22, 1862, declared the freedom of all slaves in any state of the Confederate States of America that did not return to Union control by January 1, 1863. The second order, issued January 1, 1863, named the specific states where it applied. The Emancipation Proclamation was widely attacked at the time as freeing only the slaves over which the Union had no power, but in practice, it committed the Union to ending slavery, which was controversial in the North. It was not a law passed by Congress, but a presidential order empowered After the war there was concern that the proclamation, as a war measure, had not made the elimination of slavery permanent. Several former slave states had prohibited slavery; however, some slavery continued to exist until the entire institution was finally wiped out by the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment on December 18, 1865.

Sherman's March to the Sea/Scorched Earth Policy→ Sherman's March to the Sea is the name commonly given to the "Savannah Campaign," conducted in late 1864 by Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman of the Union Army during the American Civil War. The campaign began with Sherman's troops leaving the captured city of Atlanta, Georgia, on November 15, 1864, and ended with the capture of the port of Savannah on December 22. A scorched earth policy is a military tactic, which involves destroying anything that might be useful to the enemy while advancing through or withdrawing from an area.

African's in the Civil War→ Approximately 180,000 African-Americans comprising 163 units served in the Union Army during the Civil War, and many more African-Americans served in the Union Navy. Both free Africans-Americans and runaway slaves joined the fight. In general, white soldiers and officers believed that black men lacked the courage to fight and fight well. And therefore they were paid only one-third of their white counter parts. Although black soldiers proved themselves as reputable soldiers, discrimination in pay and other areas remained widespread. According to the Militia Act of 1862, soldiers of African descent were to receive $10.00 a month, plus a clothing allowance of $3.50. In actual numbers, African-American soldiers comprised 10% of the entire Union Army. Losses among African-Americans were high, and from all reported casualties, approximately one-third of all African-Americans enrolled in the military lost their lives during the Civil War.

Homestead act of 1862→ The Homestead Act was a United States Federal law that gave an applicant freehold title to 160 acres of undeveloped land outside of the original 13 colonies. The new law required three steps: file an application, improve the land, and file for deed of title. Anyone who had never taken up arms against the U.S. Government, including freed slaves, could file an application and improvements to a local land office. The Act was signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln on May 20, 1862. Eventually 1.6 million homesteads were granted and 270,000,000 acres were privatized between 1862 and 1986, a total of 10% of all lands in the United States. The people who participated in homesteading attained the name “homesteaders.”

Copperheads→ were a vocal group of Democrats in the North who opposed the American Civil War, wanting an immediate peace settlement with the Confederates. The name Copperheads was given to them by their opponents, the Republicans.They were also called "Peace Democrats" and "Butternuts.” The most famous Copperhead was Ohio's Clement L. Vallandigham.

Freedman's Bureau→ U.S. federal government agency that aided distressed refugees of the American Civil War. The Freedmen's Bureau Bill, which created the Bureau, was initiated by President Abraham Lincoln and intended to last for one year after the end of the civil war. It’s purpose was to aid former slaves through education, health care, and employment, it became later a key agency in the first years of Reconstruction, aiming primarily at assisting freedmen (freed ex-slaves) in the South. It was disbanded under Lincoln's successor, President Andrew Johnson. The Freedmen's Bureau spent $17 million to help establish homes and distribute food, and was also involved in the establishment of 4,000 schools and 100 hospitals for former slaves. This Bureau also helped freedmen find new jobs. Right at the end of the war, the Bureau's main role was providing emergency food, housing, and medical aid to refugees. Nearly a year after the bureau was put into effect, Radical Republicans attempted to increase the powers of the bureau. President Andrew Johnson vetoed this bill in February 1866, destroying the bureau.

Lincoln's 10% plan→ Abraham Lincoln offered a full pardon called the 10 percent (reconstruction) plan. It decreed that a state could be reintegrated into the Union when 10 percent of its voters in the presidential election of 1860 had taken an oath of allegiance to the U.S. and pledged to abide by emancipation. The next step in the process would be for the states to formally elect a state government. Also, the states were able to write a new constitution, but it had to abolish slavery forever. The Radical Republicans in the North were in strong opposition to this plan, as they thought it was too lenient towards the South and wanted more stringent requirements to be placed on the Southern states for re-admission into the Union. Lincoln, however, chose not to further punish the South. His plan was lenient because he wanted to preserve the Union and start perpetuating the wealth and prosperity of the country rather than wasting time on further subjugating the South.

Black Codes→ The Black Codes were laws passed on the state and local levels mainly in the rural Southern states in the United States to limit the civil rights and civil liberties of African Americans. While some northern states also passed legislation discriminating against African Americans before the Civil War, the term Black Codes is most commonly associated with legislation passed by Southern states after the Civil War in an attempt to control the labor, movements and activities of African Americans.

The Nullification Crisis→ was a sectional crisis during the presidency of Andrew Jackson. It all started with the Virginia and Kentucky resolutions, which introduced nullification and states rights. South Carolina took advantaged of these resolutions and proposed the nullification ordinance, which declared that S.C. could nullify whatever it wanted. The highly protective Tariff of 1828 (also called the "Tariff of Abominations") was enacted into law in 1828 during the presidency of John Quincy Adams. Many states wanted a reduction in the % of the tariff. Jackson signed into law the Tariff of 1832 which made some reductions in tariff rates. The reductions were too little for South Carolina, and in November 1832 a state convention declared that the tariffs of both 1828 and 1832 were unconstitutional and unenforceable in South Carolina after February 1, 1833. Military preparations to resist anticipated Federal enforcement were initiated by the state. In late February both a Force Bill, authorizing the President to use military force against South Carolina, and a new negotiated tariff satisfactory to South Carolina were passed by Congress. The South Carolina convention reconvened and repealed its Nullification Ordinance on March 11, 1833.

Impeachment of Andrew Johnson→ Andrew Johnson (December 29, 1808 – July 31, 1875) was the seventeenth President of the United States (1865–1869), succeeding to the Presidency upon the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. As president he took charge of Presidential Reconstruction — the first phase of Reconstruction — which lasted until the Radical Republicans gained control of Congress in the 1866 elections. His conciliatory policies towards the South, his hurry to reincorporate the former Confederates back into the union, and his vetoes of civil rights bills embroiled him in a bitter dispute with the Radical Republicans. The Radicals in the House of Representatives impeached him in 1868, but he was acquitted by a single vote in the Senate. He was the first U.S. President to be impeached.

Fredrick Jackson Turner's Frontier Thesis→ Frederick Jackson Turner (November 14, 1861 – March 14, 1932) is widely regarded as one of the two most influential American historians of the early 20th century. Turner is remembered for his "Frontier Thesis", which stated that the spirit and success of the United States is directly tied to the country's westward expansion. According to Turner, the forging of the unique and rugged American identity occurred at the juncture between the civilization of settlement and the savagery of wilderness. This idea spurred a revived nationalistic sense of “manifest destiny.”

Plessy Vs. Ferguson→ is a landmark United States Supreme Court decision in the legislation of the United States, upholding the constitutionality of racial segregation even in public accommodations (particularly railroads), under the doctrine of "separate but equal". The decision was handed down by a vote of 7 to 1, with the majority opinion written by Justice Henry Billings Brown and the dissent written by Justice John Marshall Harlan, with Justice David Josiah Brewer not participating in this case. "Separate but equal" remained standard doctrine in U.S. law until its final repudiation in the later Supreme Court decision Brown v. Board of Education (1954).

Problems of homesteaders (the people who participated in homesteading)→
• Life could get boring or lonely very easily, especially for the women homesteaders. Also, if you needed a specific special item not possessed on ordinary homesteads, like medicine perhaps, stores were quite rare, far away from your homestead, and often expensive to buy from.
• When it rained the sod houses roof leaked and sod went everywhere, like on beds and furniture, and snakes sometimes fell into their houses through the roof. Grasshoppers were a huge problem, eating anything they could find that was green. This happened a few times, when huge plagues of them swarmed over the plains.
• Conflict with cowboys for fencing off the land, which they claimed to be their own.
• Indians could be a problem. Usually Indians were very peaceful until the white man got greedy over land, also gold mining. The Indians decided the best way to prevent more white men from coming onto their land was also raiding wagon trains or homesteads.
• Drought was always a threat for their crops and could make or break a winter. If the husband was ill then there may not be any meat on the table for the winter months. If the wife was ill there was no one to look after the children while the husband went hunting (which could take days) unless there were older children. Doctors were miles away as were neighbors.
• Tough life, and people aged very quickly. The life expectancy was approx. 35 - 45 years old.

The Jim Crow laws→ were state and local laws enacted primarily in the Southern states of the United States between 1876 and 1965. They mandated de jure segregation (by law segregation) in all public facilities, with a supposedly "separate but equal" status for black Americans and members of other non-white racial groups. In reality, this led to treatment and accommodations that were usually inferior to those provided for white Americans, systematizing a number of economic, educational and social disadvantages. Some examples of Jim Crow laws are the segregation of public schools, and public transportation, and the segregation of restrooms and restaurants for whites and blacks.

Robber Barons (what is it)→ is a term revived in the 19th century in the United States as a pejorative reference to businessmen and bankers who dominated their respective industries and amassed huge personal fortunes, typically as a direct result of pursuing various anti-competitive or unfair business practices.

Railroad Strike of 1877→ The depression of the 1870s forced the American railroads into a cost-cutting mode. The workers for the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad went on strike in 1877 after receiving a second pay cut within a short period of time. Violence erupted; state militia units were brought in, but often proved to be ineffective because of their sympathy for the strikers. Responding to a request from the governor of West Virginia, President Hayes dispatched federal forces to protect the railroad—the first use of such soldiers in a labor matter. The rationale for the show of strength was the government's need to protect the mails. Demonstrations, general strikes and violence occurred in cities across the nation. Pittsburgh was the scene of the greatest loss of life and property damage. Massive intervention by the federal government sank the strikers' spirits and buoyed those of management. The workers eventually capitulated, but harbored ill feeling against Hayes for his action. The strike of 1877 was most violent labor-management confrontation to that point in American history. It was the starting signal for an era of strife between workers and owners.

Pullman Strike→ On May 11, 1894, workers of the Pullman Palace Car Company in Chicago protested about wage cuts and the firing of union representatives. They sought support from their union, the American Railway Union (ARU), led by Eugene V. Debs, and on June 26 the ARU called a boycott of all Pullman railway cars. Within days, 50,000 rail workers complied and railroad traffic out of Chicago came to a halt. When the railroad owners asked the Federal government to intervene, Attorney General Richard Olney obtained a court injunction. On July 4, President Cleveland dispatched troops to Chicago. Much rioting and bloodshed ensued, but the government's actions broke the strike and the boycott soon collapsed. Debs and three other union officials were jailed for disobeying the injunction.

Gospel of Wealth→ The Gospel of Wealth, or sometimes referred to as the Gospel of Success, was the term for a notion promoted by many successful businessmen that their massive wealth was a social benefit for all. The Gospel of Wealth was a softer and more palatable version of Social Darwinism. The advocate’s linked wealth with responsibility, arguing that those with great material possessions had equally great obligations to society. It was written by Andrew Carnagie.

Settlement house Movement→The settlement house, an approach to social reform with roots in the late 19th century, was a method for serving the poor in urban areas by living among them and serving them directly. As the residents of settlement houses learned effective methods of helping, they then worked to transfer long-term responsibility for the programs to government agencies. Settlement house workers, in their work to find more effective solutions to poverty and injustice, also pioneered the profession of social work.


Progressive Reformers→In the United States, the Progressive Era was a period of reform, which lasted from the 1890s to the 1920s. Progressivists strongly opposed waste and corruption, and they seeked change in regard to worker's rights and protection of the ordinary citizen in general. Initially the movement was successful at local level, and then it progressed to state and gradually national. The reformers (and their opponents) were predominantly members of the middle class. Most were well educated white Protestants who lived in the cities. The Progressivists pushed for social justice, general equality and public safety, but there were contradictions within the movement, especially regarding race.

Gilded Age (1878-1889)→The growth of industry and a wave of immigrants marked this period in American history. The production of iron and steel rose dramatically and western resources like lumber, gold, and silver increased the demand for improved transportation. Railroad development boomed as trains moved goods from the resource-rich West to the East. Steel and oil were in great demand. All this industry produced a lot of wealth for a number of businessmen like John D. Rockefeller (in oil) and Andrew Carnegie (in steel), known as robber barons (people who got rich through ruthless business deals). The Gilded Age gets its name from the many great fortunes created during this period and the way of life this wealth supported. 


Cross-of Gold speech→ was a speech delivered by William Jennings Bryan at the 1896 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. The speech advocated Bimetallism. At the time, the Democratic Party wanted to standardize the value of the dollar to silver and opposed pegging the value of the United States dollar to a gold standard alone. The inflation that would result from the silver standard would make it easier for farmers and other debtors to pay off their debts by increasing their revenue dollars. It would also reverse the deflation which the U.S. experienced from 1873-1896.

Populists→ The Populist Party (also known as the People's Party) was a relatively short-lived political party in the United States in the late 19th century. It flourished particularly among western farmers, based largely on its opposition to the gold standard. The party did not remain a lasting feature of the political landscape, though many of its ideas have. The very term "populist" has since become a generic term in U.S. politics for politics, which appeals to the common in opposition to established interests.

Election of 1896→The United States presidential election of November 3, 1896 saw Republican William McKinley defeat Democrat William Jennings Bryan in a campaign considered by historians to be one of the most dramatic in American history. In political science the 1896 campaign is often considered to be a realigning election. McKinley forged a coalition in which businessmen, professionals, skilled factory workers and prosperous farmers were heavily represented; he was strongest in the Northeast, Upper Midwest, and Pacific Coast states. Bryan was the nominee of the Democrats, the Populist Party, and the Silver Republicans. He was strongest in the South, rural Midwest, and Rocky Mountain states. Economic issues, including bimetallism, the gold standard, Free Silver, and the tariff, were crucial. He outspent Bryan by a factor of tenHowever, although Bryan lost the election, his coalition of "outsiders" would dominate the Democratic Party well into the twentieth century, and would play a crucial role in the liberal economic programs of Presidents Woodrow Wilson, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry Truman, and Lyndon Johnson.

Social Gospel→ The Social Gospel movement is a Protestant Christian intellectual movement that was most prominent in the late 19th century and early 20th century. Social Gospel principles continue to inspire newer movements such as Christians Against Poverty. The movement applied Christian principles to social problems, especially poverty, inequality, liquor, crime, racial tensions, slums, bad hygiene, poor schools, and the danger of war.

Muckrakers→The term muckraker most associated with a group of American investigative reporters, novelists and critics from the late 1800s to early 1900s, who investigated and exposed societal issues such as conditions in slums and prisons, factories, insane asylums, sweatshops, mines, child labor and unsanitary conditions in food processing plants. Muckrakers often wrote about impoverished people and took aim at the established institutions of society, sometimes in a sensationalist and tabloid manner. Muckrakers were often accused of being socialists or communists.

Robert La Follette→ was an American politician who served as a U.S. Congressman, the 20th Governor of Wisconsin (1901–1906), and Republican Senator from Wisconsin (1905–1925). He ran for President of the United States as the nominee of his own Progressive Party in 1924, carrying Wisconsin and 17% of the national popular vote or 5 million votes.

Achievements of Teddy Roosevelt→ As President, Roosevelt held the ideal that the Government should be the great authority of the conflicting economic forces in the Nation, especially between capital and labor, guaranteeing justice to each and dispensing favors to none (they are neutral). Roosevelt emerged spectacularly as a "trust buster" by forcing the dissolution of a great railroad combination in the Northwest. Other antitrust suits under the Sherman Act followed. Some of Theodore Roosevelt's most effective achievements were in conservation. He added enormously to the national forests in the West, reserved lands for public use, and fostered great irrigation projects.

Woodrow Wilson’s Policies→ The 'Fourteen Points' were listed in a speech delivered by President Woodrow Wilson of the United States to a joint session of the United States Congress on January 8, 1918. This speech was intended to assure the country that the war was being fought for a moral cause and for peace in Europe after World War I. However, only four of the points were adopted completely in the post-war reconstruction of Europe, and the United States Senate refused to ratify the Treaty of Versailles. One of the most decisive propositions in the 14 points was the creation of the League of Nations, which ended in catastrophic failure, because the US didn’t even join.

Clayton Anti-trust Act→ was passed by the U.S. Congress in 1914 as an amendment to clarify and supplement the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890. It was drafted by Henry De Lamar Clayton. The act prohibited exclusive sales contracts, local price cutting to freeze out competitors, rebates, interlocking directorates in corporations capitalized at $1 million or more in the same field of business, and inter-corporate stock holdings. Labor unions and agricultural cooperatives were excluded from the forbidden combinations in the restraint of trade. The act restricted the use of the injunction against labor, and it legalized peaceful strikes, picketing, and boycotts. It declared that “the labor of a human being is not a commodity or article of commerce.”

Birth of a Nation→ is one of the most influential and controversial films in the history of American cinema. Set during and after the American Civil War and directed by D. W. Griffith, the film was based on Thomas Dixon's The Clansman (deals with the KKK), a novel and play, and was released on February 8, 1915. The Birth of a Nation is important in film history for its innovative technical and narrative achievements, and for its status as the first Hollywood "blockbuster." It has provoked great controversy, both in its own day and today, for its promotion of white supremacist and glorification.

W.E.B. Dubois→William Edward Burghardt Du Bois was a noted scholar, editor, and African American activist. Du Bois was a founding member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP -- the largest and oldest civil rights organization in America). Throughout his life Du Bois fought discrimination and racism. He made significant contributions to debates about race, politics, and history in the United States in the first half of the 20th century, primarily through his writing and impassioned speaking on race relations. Du Bois also served as editor of The Crisis magazine and published several scholarly works on race and African American history. By the time he died, in 1963, he had written 17 books, edited four journals and played a key role in reshaping black-white relations in America.

Great Migration 20th century→ The Great Migration was the movement of approximately seven million African Americans out of the Southern United States to the North, Midwest and West from 1910 to 1970. Precise estimates of the number of migrants depend on the timeframe. African Americans migrated to escape racism, seek employment opportunities in industrial cities, and to get better education for their children, all of which was widely perceived as to lead to a better life.

Election of 1896/silver and gold issues→ The Panic of 1893 was a severe nationwide depression that brought the money issue to the fore. The "silverites" argued that using silver would inflate the money supply and mean more cash for everyone, which they equated with prosperity. The gold advocates said silver would permanently depress the economy, but that sound money produced by a gold standard would restore prosperity. The gold advocates won decisively in 1896 and 1900. Bimetallism and "Free Silver" were demanded by William Jennings Bryan who took over leadership of the Democratic Party in 1896, as well as the Populist and Silver Republican Parties. The Republican Party nominated William McKinley on a platform supporting the gold standard, which was favored by financial interests on the East Coast. Bryan, the eloquent champion of the cause, gave the famous “Cross of Gold” speech at the National Democratic Convention on July 9, 1896. However, his presidential campaign was ultimately unsuccessful due to economic upturn. The 1896 election saw the election of William McKinley who implemented the gold standard and ran on it in his 1900 reelection. The standard lasted until the Great Depression. It was abandoned in 1934 in FDR’s New Deal economic recovery program.

Election of 1912→ The United States presidential election of 1912 was fought among three major candidates, two of whom had previously won election to the office. Incumbent President William Howard Taft was re-nominated by the Republican party with the support of the conservative wing of the party. After former President Theodore Roosevelt failed to get the Republican nomination, he called his own convention and created a new Progressive Party (nicknamed the “Bull Moose Party”). It nominated Roosevelt and ran candidates for other offices in major states. Democrat Woodrow Wilson was nominated on the 46th ballot of a contentious convention, thanks to the support of William Jennings Bryan. He defeated both Taft and Roosevelt in the general election, winning a huge majority in the Electoral College despite only winning 42% of the popular vote, and initiating the only period between 1892 and 1932 when a Democrat was elected President.
U.S. Attitude in WWI→ Wanted to remain isolationists. Would sell weapons, ammunition and supply to either side. U.S. entered war with Allies due to unrestricted submarine warfare, and the Zimmerman Telegram.

Herbert Hoover and the Food Administration→program designed to give food and help with the U.S. armies in WWI. Voluntarily people would either give food or grow food for the armies. Many people participated in conserving food by participating in “wheatless Wednesdays” and “meatless Mondays”.

League of Nations’ Weaknesses→ lacked armed forces to enforce, countries that made up League were reluctant to make sanctions or use force, many nations were not part of the League, nations could leave League without any consequences

Volstead Act- Alcohol prohibition→ “no person shall manufacture, sell, barter, transport, import, export, deliver, furnish or possess any intoxicating liquor except as authorized by this act"

FDR’s Accomplishments in 1st 100 Days→ Passed the Agricultural Adjustment Act, Securities Act, National Industrial Recoveries Act, and the Banking Act

Amendments→
18th- Established prohibition in the U.S., only amendment to be repealed.
19th- The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.
21st- Repealed the 18th amendment

FDR’s Accomplishments as President→ he got elected for 4 terms, that in itself is an accomplishment. He established the new deal, a good idea, but not really concrete in its follow through. He led the US into WW2 and saw it come out successfully. He was president during one of the toughest times.

Reasons for Great Depression→ Less trade due to high tariffs, stock market crash, dust bowl/drought, price/currency inflation,

Conditions of Farmers During Depression→ (AAA) Very bad, many affected by drought/dust bowl. The AAA paid farmers to reduce production and offered them aid in order to reduce the supply, to help the economy. However it was declared unconstitutional in 1936

New Deals Policies and Accomplishments→ there were three parts to FDR’s new deal: the relief sector, and the recovery, and reform sectors. The objective of the new deal was to stabilize the economy and provide aid to the affected. While it aided the affected and did, for 3 years, help stabilize the economy; it failed to provide actual stabilization as another depression occurred in 1937. The Second World War was really the solution to the economic struggle. But do note that some of the programs implemented were successful in providing aid, and temporary economic relief.

Neutrality Acts→ A series of laws passed by congress in response to turmoil leading up to WWII. Overall negative because they did not separate aggressor from victim, so the U.S. would not help either side.

Court Packing Scheme→the Judiciary Reorganization Bill proposed by FDR, gave the president the power to appoint an extra supreme court justice for every current sitting justice over the age of 70½ . FDR proposed this after several components of his New Deal were overturned.

U.S. Attitude in WWII→ Wanted to remain isolationists, meaning neutral, but realized that war was inevitable.

Atlantic Conference→ FDR and Winston Churchill negotiated the Atlantic Charter. It said that No territorial gains were to be sought by the United States or the United Kingdom, Territorial adjustments must be in accord with the wishes of the peoples concerned, all peoples had a right to self-determination; trade barriers were to be lowered, There was to be global economic cooperation and advancement of social welfare, freedom of seas, Disarmament of aggressor nations, postwar common disarmament, and freedom from want and fear.

Internment Camps→ made for the imprisonment or confinement oc people mostly in large groups without trial. Japanese U.S. citizens were confined in these camps for they were thought to be spies from Japan.

Lend Lease Program→ Let U.S. rent their weapons and other war materials to the Allied Powers. Came after the policy of cash and carry.

Containment, Kennan-Truman Doctrine, NSC-68, Korean and Vietnam Wars (dates & reasons)→ Kennan proposed the idea that communism must be stopped and contained or stay in the already communist governments, by any means possible. We did this by supporting the anti-communist side in the Korean and Vietnam wars.

Reasons for Dropping A-Bombs on Japan→ End the war successfully at the earliest possible time, justified reason for building atomic bomb, lack of incentives not to use weapon, helped achieve diplomatic gains over the uprising USSR, U.S.’ hate against Japan and desire for revenge.

Yalta Conference→ a wartime conference between FDR, W. Churchill, and J. Stalin. Primarily trying to establish agendas for governing post-war Germany.

Arms Race→ competition in supremacy in nuclear warfare mainly between the U.S. and the USSR although other countries participated.

Montgomery Bus Boycott→ Montgomery, Alabama. Social and Political protest that opposed the cities policy of racial segregation on public transits. Rosa Parks and E.D. Nixon. Supreme Court ruled these laws unconstitutional.

Brown vs. School Board Case→ 1954, case in which the Supreme Court said state laws that established separate public schools for black and white students denied black children equal educational opportunities. Separate is not equal.



ESSAYS

GROUP A

1.) The relationship between the French and Indian war and the American Revolution—describe the changing and deteriorating relationship of the colonies with Great Britain.
2.) The strengths and weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and the US constitution—compare and contrast, the advantages the constitution provided over the Articles of Confederation
3.) Manifest Destiny in the 19th century—imperialism to the Philippines, hypocrisy we demonstrated
4.) Compromises (what legislation existed (compromise of 1850)) leading up to the Civil War, the catalysts and it’s inevitability

GROUP B

1.) Was the progressive movement successful? What were its goals and achievements? Who started it and what did it represent?
2.) The second industrial revolution, what caused it, what were the results, the leaders, and the government policies
3.) Second Reconstruction
4.) US foreign policy after the world wars, talk about our stance in foreign affairs (cold war, how we chose to be more decisive on a global basis)