GPS U.S. History Vocabulary YOU NEED to KNOW

GPS U.S. History Vocabulary YOU NEED TO KNOW

Sec. 1: Be able to identify the important role(s) of these people:

Powhatan Confederacy / Helped Virginia settlers hunt, fish and farm
Nathaniel Bacon / “Bacon’s Rebellion” against Virginia colony government
Benjamin Franklin / Colonial leader described by social mobility & individualism
Forged alliance with France during American Revolution
Sons of Liberty &
Daughters of Liberty / Colonial groups formed in response to British actions against colonies
Thomas Paine / Colonist (patriot) who wrote Common Sense telling Americans why we needed independence
John Locke / European philosopher with “natural rights” theory (life, liberty, property); influenced writing of Dec. of Ind.
George Washington / Leader of American army during Revolution – raised troop morale
First president of United States – set many precedents (cabinet…)
Marquis de Lafayette / French military officer – helped train colonial militia during Revolution
General (Lord) Charles Cornwallis / Commander of British Army – surrendered to American “rebels” at Yorktown
Daniel Shays / “Shays’ Rebellion” against Massachusetts government (farmers)
Anti-Federalists / Would not ratify the Constitution without a Bill of Rights to protect states’ and individual rights.
Federalists / Did not want a Bill of Rights; wrote the Federalist Papers.
Name of first political party lead by Alexander Hamilton.
James Madison / Influential Federalist; framer of Constitution
Later becomes 4th president (president during War of 1812)
Alexander Hamilton / Influential Federalist; first Secretary of the Treasury; founder of Federalist Party
John Adams / 2nd president; kept U.S. uninvolved in French Revolution
Thomas Jefferson / 3rd president; founder of “Democratic-Republican” Party (Republicans); purchased Louisiana Territory from France
Lewis and Clark / Explored and mapped the Louisiana Purchase
Eli Whitney / Created cotton gin and interchangeable parts – inventions began an industrial revolution
Elizabeth Cady Stanton / Women’s rights activist; fought for women’s suffrage
Andrew Jackson / War hero from War of 1812
7th President; “common man”; expanded suffrage (Jacksonian Democracy)
William Lloyd Garrison / Northern abolitionist with newspaper called the Liberator
Frederick Douglass / Former slave; active, influential abolitionist
Grimke Sisters / Former slave owner’s daughters; active abolitionists
Nat Turner / Lead slave rebellion – scared southerners
John C. Calhoun / Championed “states’ rights” ideology
John Brown / Northern abolitionist; thought he was “called by God” to end slavery; killed many people
Abraham Lincoln / 16th president; president during Civil War; re-elected in 1864; assassinated.
Jefferson Davis / President of the Confederacy
Ulysses S. Grant / Northern Army general during Civil War; later became president
Robert E. Lee / Southern Army general
William T. Sherman / Northern Army officer; lead “March to the Sea”
Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson / Southern Army officer during Civil War
Andrew Johnson / Lincoln’s successor; impeached and acquitted
Chinese Laborers / Built transcontinental railroad- late 1800s
John D. Rockefeller / “Robber Baron” of Big Business; owned oil monopoly in U.S. – “Standard Oil”
Thomas Edison / Inventor – electric light bulb, etc.
Sitting Bull / Lakota Sioux Chief – one of last Native American resistors to white settlement’ murdered by U.S. Army
Samuel Gompers / President of the American Federation of Labor (AFL)
Muckrakers / Investigative journalists exposing corruption in industry
Upton Sinclair / Muckraker – exposed meat-packing industry – resulted in FDA (The Jungle)
Ida Tarbell / Muckraker – exposed Standard Oil – resulted in gov’t regulation of business
“Jim Crow” / Fictional person – name given to the south’s segregation laws
Eugene Debs / Socialist arrested during WWII for violating the Espionage & Sedition Acts by speaking against U.S. war effort.
Langston Hughes / African American writer during the 1920s (Harlem Renaissance)
Louis Armstrong, Irving Berlin & Tin Pan Alley / Jazz musicians during Harlem Renaissance
Henry Ford / Used assembly line to mass produce automobiles in early 1900s – spurred mass production in other industries
FDR / Hoover’s successor during Depression; offered “New Deal”; served 3 terms; president during Pearl Harbor attack
Eleanor Roosevelt / FDR’s wife – women’s activist and social reformer
Huey Long / Left-wing opposition to New Deal (socialist)
A Philip Randolph / Organized March on Washington for equal rights for African Americans in the workforce – FDR granted it.
Senator Joseph McCarthy / Responsible for second Red Scare – with hunt for Communists in US government “McCarthyism”
Jackie Robinson / First African American in MLB
Harry Truman / FDR’s successor; president during WWII – dropped atomic bomb; integrated US military and federal government
MLK, Jr. / Civil Rights leader – non-violent mvmt.
President JFK / Democratic president in 1960; assassinated in 1963
Robert F. Kennedy / JFK’s brother; democratic presidential candidate; assassinated in 1968
SCLC & SNCC / Civil Rights groups (non-violent)
National Organization of Women (NOW) / Women’s activists – modern women’s movement (feminism)
Cesar Chavez / Founder of United Farm Workers – fought for rights for farm workers
Rachel Carson / Wrote Silent Spring – started environmentalist movement, lead to EPA
Barry Goldwater / Republican candidate in 1964 – loss marked the end of an era; new Republicans took over (Conservative Movement)
Richard Nixon / Republican elected in 1968; opened trade with China; resigned due to scandal
Jimmy Carter / Democratic president in 1976; responsible for Camp David Accords & Iranian Hostage Crisis
Ronald Reagan / Republican pres. in 1980 – responsible for collapse of Soviet Union & Reagonomics
Bill Clinton / Democratic president in 1992; impeached due to scandal and acquitted; NAFTA
George W. Bush / Republican president in 2000; 9/11; war

Sec. 2: Understand the importance of these events:

Bacon’s Rebellion / Poor colonists stage rebellion against Virginia House of Burgesses that results in slavery regulations that lead to an increase in slavery
Massachusetts Settlement / Establishes religion as most important factor in colonial settlement
Rhode Island Settlement / Religious tension brings about new denominations and spreading of settlement
King Phillip’s War / Causes many Native Americans to move north to Canada and west to frontier
Salem Witch Trials / Showed how intolerant the “religious freedom” of Massachusetts was.
The Great Awakening / Religious revivals that inspired people to question long-time authority and commit to a personal relationship with God.
French & Indian War / British fighting French in colonies; British win and begin taxing colonies s to pay war debt. Also, colonial leaders decide to meet together for first time.
Crossing the Delaware Rvr. / Washington leads troops in surprise attack that improves morale enough to continue fighting.
Valley Forge / Washington trained troops here during the winter with help from French – kept them alive during harsh winter.
Battle of Yorktown / Final battle of Revolution – Cornwallis surrenders.
Shays’ Rebellion / North Carolina farmers rebel for more land – leads to Constitutional Convention because federal government could do nothing to help the farmers or the state.
Great Compromise / During Constitutional convention – bi-cameral legislature.
Whiskey Rebellion / Whiskey-makers rebel because of taxes; Washington shows power of federal government by sending troops to put down rebellion.
Louisiana Purchase / Jefferson purchases LA territory from France – doubles size of US.
War of 1812 / U.S. fights Britain – wins again – nationalism results.
Temperance Mvmt. / Movement to abolish alcohol b/c of all the problems it causes.
Abolitionist Movmt. / Movement to end slavery immediately.
Public School Reform Mvmt / Movement to get the government to fund public schools and make it mandatory.
Seneca Falls Convention / Meeting to promote women’s rights (suffrage).
Nat Turner’s Rebellion / Slave uprising
Nullification Crisis / State’s threatened to ignore federal laws (taxes) so Jackson sent federal troops
Mexican-American War / War for territory (b/c of Manifest Destiny) – US gains California, Texas & Oregon
Battle of Antietam / Bloodiest day in US History – Civil War battle North wins – Lincoln issues Emanc. Proc.
Battle of Gettysburg / Bloodiest battle (3 days) in US History – South cannot recover from loss of soldiers
Battle of Vicksburg / Northern victory – cut south in two with Mississippi Rvr.
Battle for Atlanta / Northern victory – Sherman marches to the sea – south can’t recover
Wounded Knee / Last Native American resistance to white settlement
Pullman Strike / Labor union strike that made unionism a major issue
Spanish-American War / Imperialistic war (expansion) against Spain for Cuban, Puerto Rican, & Philippine independence
Great Migration / During WWI, African Americans move to Northern cities for work (thousands)
Harlem Renaissance / 1920s – flourishing African American art, music & literature
Stock Market Crash / 1929 – pushed American into Depression b/c banks & businesses failed
Great Depression / Unemployment, drought & economic standstill of 1930s
Dust Bowl / Caused by farm overproduction and drought – added to unemployment during Depression
Pearl Harbor / Surprise Japanese attack on Hawaiian naval base – put US in WWII
Battle of Midway / Allied victory in WWII – crippled Japan’s ability to wage war
D-Day / Allied invasion of German-occupied France; beginning of pushing Germany back
Battle of Berlin / Allied victory against Germany
Korean War / Cold War fighting 0 US helping S. Korea fight Communist N. Korea
Chinese Revolution / China becomes Communist – US scared of “domino theory”
Cuban Revolution / Cuba becomes Communist under Castro – Communism 90 miles from US
Bay of Pigs / Failed attempt to overthrow Castro by US (JFK)
Cuban Missile Crisis / Closest we came to nuclear war with Russia – missiles aimed at US (JFK)
Vietnam War / Cold War fighting – US helping S. Vietnam fight communist N. Vietnam (20 years)
Tet Offensive / Surprise attack by N. Vietnamese – US began withdrawing
Kennedy/Nixon Debates / First televised presidential debates – turned favor toward Kennedy from Nixon
Sputnik 1 / USSR launches first satellite – US (Eisen.) responds with NASA
Assassination of President Kennedy / JFK killed in 1963; LBJ becomes president – many policies put on hold.
Letter from a Birmingham JailI Have a Dream speech / MLK, Jr. inspires non-violent movement against racial discrimination in South.
Assassination of MLK, Jr. / 1968 – movement does not end, but many feel US has lost one of its best
Assassination of Robert Kennedy / 1968 – brother of JFK – Democratic candidate for President – leaves democrats leaderless
1968 Democratic National Convention / Marked by riots over Vietnam and Civil Rights
Anti-Vietnam War Mvmt. / College campuses and the news responsible – protests, marches, draft-dodgers, etc.
Women’s Mvmt. / Modern feminism – results in National Org. of Women (NOW)
United Farm Workers Mvmt. / Cesar Chavez starts to get equal rights for western farm workers (pay, etc.)
Environmentalist Mvmt. / Lead to creation of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Conservative Mvmt. / New class of Republicans – move government back to founding ideals
Nixon’s visit to China / Re-opens trade with industrial giant
Watergate Scandal / Nixon administration breaks into Democratic Nat’l Headquarters – leads to Nixon’s resignation
Camp David Accords / Peace treaty b/w Israel and Egypt forged by Carter
Iranian Revolution / New Shah takes over – he is anti- U.S
Iranian Hostage Crisis / Hostages held by Iranian Shah until the first day Carter is out of office – released to Reagan
Iran-Contra Scandal / Reagan administration deal that provides weapons to Iranian terrorist groups (Reagan not convicted)
Collapse of Soviet Union / New government in Russia – calls themselves a Republic
Impeachment of Bill Clinton / Congress impeaches Clinton for scandals – he is acquitted with 50/50 vote
Terrorist Attacks on Sept. 11, 2001 / Al Queda terrorists attack U.S. and kill over 2,000 Americans
Operation Enduring Freedom / Bush’s reaction to 9/11 – tighten defenses and find terrorists in Afghanistan
War on Terror / U.S. troops to Iraq to fight oppressive government, terrorists and locate weapons of mass destruction (found in 2005)
Operation Iraqi Freedom / Continuing U.S. efforts to free Iraqi people from oppressive government and hostile terrorist groups.

Sec. 3: Understand these government actions:

Treaty of Paris, 1763 / End of French & Indian War – caused British to start taxing colonies to pay war debt
Proclamation of 1763 / British proclamation that colonists can’t settle past App. Mtns.
Stamp Act / British action that colonists have to pay extra tax on printed materials.
Intolerable Acts / British action that took away colonists rights as British “citizens” – lead to more unrest in colonies
Declaration of Independence / Colonial document in 1776 alerting England that the colonies were no longer going to obey King & Parliament.
Treaty of Paris, 1783 / End of American Revolution – United States is recognized.
Bill of Rights / First 10 amendments to Constitution that protect individual and states’ rights
Great Compromise / Compromise that provided for a bi-cameral legislature
Northwest Ordinance / Confederation Congress passes to establish a way to govern territory and admit them as states
Louisiana Purchase / Jefferson doubles US’s size with purchase from France
Monroe Doctrine / First major foreign policy telling European powers to stop trying to colonize in western hemisphere
Missouri Compromise / 1820 legislation that divided US in half over slavery (36-30 line)
Wilmot Proviso / Proposal that all territories enter the US as free states – never passed
Compromise of 1850 / Legislation that kept the Civil War at bay for 11 years – North and South give and take
Kansas-Nebraska Act / Established popular sovereignty in Kansas & Nebraska territories – fails and resulted in small scale war
Dred Scott decision / Slave sues for freedom after being taken to free territory – court rules that slaves are slaves everywhere
Emancipation Proclamation / Lincoln issues in 1863 to hurt Confederate war effort
Gettysburg Address / Lincoln speech after bloody 3 day battle that raises US morale to keep fighting
Lincoln’s 2nd Inaugural Address / Lincoln promises to bring the Union back together.
13th Amendment / Abolished slavery
14th Amendment / Granted citizenship to all natural born
15th Amendment / Right to vote to African American men
17th Amendment / Direct election of Senators
Plessy v Ferguson / “separate but equal” is okay in South
Chinese Exclusion Act / 1882 – banned Chinese immigrants from U.S. – result of Nativism
Roosevelt Corollary / Pres. Teddy Roosevelt adds to the Monroe Doctrine that invasion of Latin America will result in US military force
Espionage Act / WWI Act to keep dissenters from speaking out & allow arrests of “suspicious” enemy alieans.
18th Amendment / Prohibition
19th Amendment / Women’s suffrage
Fourteen Points / Pres. Woodrow Wilson’s plan for peace following WWI
League of Nations / Pres. Wilson’s plan for diplomatic resolution of problems after WWI – US did not join.
Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) / New Deal program that created hundreds of jobs and controlled the environment to prevent flooding & expand electricity.
Wagner Act / New Deal program – established National Labor Relations Board – encouraged industrial unionism.
Social Security Act / New Deal program that provided compensation for elderly and disabled.
Neutrality Acts (1930s) / FDR issued to keep U.S. out of WWII.
Court-Packing Bill / FDR passed to fill court with New Deal supporters who would not overturn programs.
Lend-Lease Act / US policy (while neutral) to lend war materials to nations if it was “vital to US security”
Atom Bomb / Nuclear weapon developed by US during WWII – used to end war.
Marshall plan / US policy to rebuild Europe after WWII – to contain Communism
Truman Doctrine / US policy to aid small nations in need of assistance combating communism
Interstate Highway Act / Eisenhower passes to create system of interstate travel
Brown v Board of Education / Supreme court case that integrates public schools – “separate is inherently unequal”
Civil Rights Act, 1964 / LBJ passes JFK’s bill for no discrimination in the workplace/hiring
Voting Rights Act, 1965 / LBJ passes – no discrimination in voting registration practices
Warren Court / Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren’s court is marked by expanding Civil liberties to more Americans
Miranda v Arizona / Warren court decision for those accused of a crime to be read their rights
Great Society / LBJ’s plan to get rid of American poverty
Medicare / LBJ program to provide medical care for elderly and poor
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) / Government agency to regulate what goes into US air and water
Roe v Wade / Established a woman’s right to have an abortion
Bakke decision / Upheld affirmative action – public institutions cannot discriminate by race (no “quotas”)
Reagonomics / “tickle-down” economics – lower taxes benefit everyone – more money to spend drives prices down, increases purchasing, creates jobs.
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) / Clinton negotiates free trade with Canada and Mexico

Sec 4: Know why these places are important:

Mid-Atlantic colonies / Colonies based around shipping and trading
Pennsylvania colony / Founded by William Penn as an example to the world.
New Amsterdam colony / Dutch settlement that was taken over by British – became New York
Quebec colony / French settled here to engage in lucrative trade (fur)
Erie Canal / Connected inner waterways to Atlantic Ocean – enabled trade and transportation to be more efficient
New York City / Became industrial/trade center of U.S.
Morehouse College / Established by the Freedman’s Bureau during Reconstruction.
Transcontinental RR / Allowed cross-country settlement and new industries (cattle) – influenced Native American battles and war with Mexico.
Ellis Island / Processing center for immigrants in New York Harbor
Hull House / Jane Addams established as a place for widows and orphans.
Panama Canal / Waterway through Panama that connects Atlantic to Pacific Ocean – made trade more efficient
Hoovervilles / Name given to shanty towns of unemployed and homeless during Depressions
Los Alamos / Secret labs where atomic bomb was created.
Levittown / First suburban neighborhood
Kent State University / Four college students shot at Vietnam War protest

Sec. 5: Know what these words/phrases mean in context:

Virginia Company / British company chartered by King George to establish colony
House of Burgesses / First representative body in colonies
Half-way Covenant / Established by colonial religious leaders to keep church membership
Mercantilism / Power from wealth by gold/silver/colonial raw materials
Trans-Atlantic Trade / Trade between Europe, Africa and Americas – goods & people