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Important vocabulary for US History Regents

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Question
Answer
Mayflower Compact   Established direct democracy; First example of self government in America  
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mercantilism   Economic theory used by Britain that a colony should benefit its mother country  
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Triangle Trade   Slave trade between English colonies in America and Africa; made colonists rich  
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French & Indian War   1757-1763: Territorial war between Britain and France in America. Britain expands her colonies, but is left with a large debt  
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Stamp Act   1765: Tax passed by Parliament to tax the colonists. Colonists felt tax was unlawful: No taxation without representation  
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Samuel Adams   Founder of the Sons of Liberty and Committees of Correspondence; organized to protest the British policies in the colonies  
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Declaration of Independence   1776: Written by Thomas Jefferson defending the reasons for the American Revolution - the King ruled by a contract -King had broken contract -people could/should rebel  
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Articles of Confederation   1777-1787: First government of the United States; Loose union of 13 states; no president, no national court, no national army. Very inefficient  
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Northwest Ordinances   Organized 5 new territories; Created a method for new states to enter the Union  
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Shays' Rebellion   Rebellion of angry war veterans led by Daniel Shays. Showed the powerlessness of the Articles of Confederation  
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Constitutional Convention   1787; Delegates write and adapt a new Constitution to create a stronger national government based on the principles of popular sovereignty, checks and balances, and limited government  
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Great Compromise   Solved the problem of representation; Created a bicameral (two- house) legislature  
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Senate   Upper house of Congress; every state gets 2 Senators. Can approve treaties and appointments Can conduct impeachment trials  
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House of Representatives   Lower house of Congress; Number varies by a state's population Can appropriate/raise money Can begin impeachment proceedings  
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override   Power of Congress to override the Presidents veto; Requires a 2/3rd vote of BOTH houses  
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Necessary and proper clause   "Elastic" clause: Congress may expand power to carry out Constitutional duties  
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Checks and Balances   Ability of three branches of government to check or control the other branches  
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Veto   Presidential power to reject a bill; can be overridden by 2/3rd vote of both houses  
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Federalism   Division of power between the states and the national government  
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Reserved Powers   Powers that the states have: education, licenses, intrastate commerce  
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Delegated Powers   Powers that are given to the national government: coining money, declaring war, etc.  
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judicial review   ability of the Supreme Court to review an law and declare it unconstitutional  
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Living document   Constitution "lives" through the amendment process and the elastic clause. It can change with the times  
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Unwritten Constitution   Practices of the US Government that are not specifically written in the Constitution: political parties; judicial review; cabinet  
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Antifederalists   Group of delegates who refused to sign the Constitution without the addition of a Bill of Rights  
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The Federalist Papers   Essays written by Madison, Hamilton, and Jay to encourage ratification of the Constitution  
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Bill of Rights   Ten amendments added to the Constitution to protect individual liberties  
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Whiskey Rebellion   1794: First serious threat to the new government. Washington uses army to suppress rebellion demonstrating the enforcement of federal law.  
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Hamilton's Bank Plan   Hamilton's plan to strengthen the US economy. Included: assumption of debt, tariffs, excise tax, and the creation of a national bank  
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Proclamation of Neutrality   1793: Washington declares that the US will stay out of European affairs. Sets a precedent for other presidents to follow.  
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The Marshall Court   1801-1835: Supreme Court under John Marshall; Its decision strengthened the power of the national government  
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Marbury vs. Madison   1803 Court case: established judicial review  
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McCulloch vs. Maryland   1819 Court case: upheld the ability of the national government to create a bank  
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Monroe Doctrine   1823: Foundation of US foreign policy in the Western Hemisphere -Stated that the Western Hemisphere (North/South America) was closed to European colonization  
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War Hawks   Expansionists in Congress who wanted war with England in 1812  
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War of 1812   US declares war on Britian to assert independence and freedom of the seas, and to expand westward.  
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Transportation Revolution   The use of canals, steamboats and railroads in the 1800's allowed for expansion west, cheaper goods, faster communication  
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Factory System   Change in the production of goods from home production done by family members to factory production done by machines. Mills and factories started in New England (ex: Lowell Mills)  
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Immigration   Immigrants came to the US for (1) cheap land (2) religious/political freedom (3) factory jobs. early/mid 1800's: Germans, Irish, Scandanavians late 1800's: Russians, Jewish, Italians  
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Nativists "Know Nothings"   Anti-immigrant political party that actively sought to restrict immigration  
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King Cotton   Growth of a cotton economy in the south. Increased importance of slave labor; Became #1 US export- very important to US economy (therefore, slavery is important)  
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Andrew Jackson   1829-1837: first "Western" president (from Tennessee) Elected by the "common man"- no land requirement to vote Known for the spoils system, Indian Removal Act, Bank controversy, and Tariff crisis  
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Nullification Crisis (Tariff of 1828)   South Carolina protested a high tariff; said that the national government did not have a right to make the states enforce the tariff; Threatened to secede. Shows tensions between the south and the federal government  
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The Bank War   Jackson vetoed the renewal of the charter for the Bank of the US and withdrew all federal money from the bank to force it to close. Jackson felt the bank only served the rich and was not in the best interest of the country  
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Trail of Tears   1838: Forced removal of the Cherokee indians to reservations in Oklahoma; hundreds died  
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Seneca Falls Convention   1848: Meeting of women's suffrage groups led by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony  
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Abolition   Movement to outlaw (abolish) slavery Leaders included Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, the Grimke sisters, and William Lloyd Garrison  
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Manifest Destiny   Belief the US should expand to the Pacific Ocean and spread ideals of democracy and freedom  
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Louisiana Purchase   1803: First step in Manifest Destiny:US purchases huge amount of land from France. Required a loose interpretation of the Constitution  
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Mexican War   1845-1848: expansionist war with Mexico US wins California and the Southwest (Mexican Cession)  
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Missouri Compromise   1820: Compromise over slavery in the Louisiana Territory. States north of a certain line had to be free states  
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Dred Scott v. Sanford   1848: Supreme court case that declared Missouri Compromise unconstitutional; States that slaves were property, not citizens  
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Compromise of 1850   1850: Compromise over slavery in the west Included Fugitive Slave Law and popular sovereignty  
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Fugitive Slave Law   Made it illegal to help a runaway slave anywhere in the country-- even in a free state  
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Underground Railroad   Series of safehouses throughout the country to help slaves escape; operated by Harriet Tubman  
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"Uncle Tom's Cabin"   1852 Novel by Harriet Beecher Stowe; highlighted the evils of slavery and made abolition popular in the north  
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Kansas-Nebraska Act   1854: Allowed the territories of Kansas and Nebraska popular sovereignty led to Bleeding Kansas  
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