PRESENTATION OUTLINE
1. Enlightenment – An intelligent revolution from the late 1700s to early 1800s whose ideas influenced the American colonies to shed British rule and create a new nation. It challenged traditional authority, reason, and encouraged individualism.
2. Separation of Powers _ A system of checks and balances, created by Baron de Montequieu, using the three branches of power (Legislative/Executive/Judicial) to monitor each other.
3. French & Indian War – A war between England and American colonies against the French & Native Americans, which resulted in the victory of England and American colonies and the colonists to pay for the debt of the war, this angered the colonists causing the revolution.
4. Sons of Liberty – In Boston, 1765, a group of shopkeepers and artisans who called themselves the Loyal Nine, began preparing for agitation against the Stamp Act. As the group grew, it came to be known as the Sons of Liberty.
5. American Revolution – After the Taxation Acts, Boycott of British Goods, Boston Massacre, and Boston Tea Party, the American Colonies rejected the British monarchy, resulting in the Declaration of Independence inspiring revolution of Europe & Latin America.
6. Declaration of Independence – The document created by a committee including Franklin and John Adams, but written by Jefferson, that used Locke’s and Rousseau’s theories to declare that colonists were no longer under British rule.
7. Natural Rights – The right to life, liberty, & property created by John Locke, according to him, people have the right to change or overthrow a government that does not protect there rights.
8. Article of Confederation – The law of the land in 1781 creating a weak central government leaving most of the power with state government, this document was ratified soon after they discovered its inefficiency.
9. Great Compromise – Resulting in congress splitting into two houses, senate (equal representation per state), and representatives (representation base off population), included both the Virginia Plan & New Jersey Plan.
10. Federalists – The people who supported the Constitution, they believed in taking away some power from states to give to the national government. They also favored separation of powers and proposed a president, a leader for the executive branch.
11. Anti-Federalists – This group of people were Constitution opponents, and wanted important power to stay with the states. Believing the Legislative branch should have more power than the Executive branch, and a Bill of Rights needed to be added.
12. Federalism – The sharing of powers between the nation and states. Unfortunately this caused problems with the people... causing the split in the Federalists (the ones who supported federalism) and antifederalists (the ones who disagreed).
13. Bill of Rights – The first ten amendments added to our Constitution to satisfy those weary of a strong central government & to protect basic freedoms.
14. Free Exercise Clause – Part of the First Amendment that stated that citizens are allowed to worship their religion freely without government interference.
15. Establishment Clause – Part of the First Amendment stating that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment or religion”.
16. Judicial Review – When the Supreme Court looks at laws and says if it is constitutional or not, if not, they throw them out.
17. Louisiana Purchase – Under Jefferson’s presidency the U.S. bought the Louisiana Territory (also New Orleans) for $11.25 million from Napoleon, who was at war and needed to finance his plans. Jefferson’s purchase almost doubled the size in the U.S.
18. Monroe Doctrine – President James Monroe issued a statement in 1823, declaring that the American continents should no longer be viewed as open to colonization, referring to the west.
19. Trail of Tears – As the nation pushed west, Native Americans were forced to go through Andrew Jackson’s Indian Removal Policy. The Cherokee migrated to present day Oklahoma, they called it the Trail of Tears because over 4,000 out of 15,000 of the Cherokee’s died.
20. Mormons – The followers of Joseph Smith, founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, this was a new religion that emerged from the new religious revival.
21. Manifest Destiny – The American idea that the nation was meant to spread to the Pacific (West). Several east-to-west routes had been carved: the Oregon Trail, California Trail, Santa Fe Trail
22. Second Great Awakening – A movement the religious leaders organized to revive the nation’s commitment to religion, which brought about the temperance, abolition, and Women’s Rights movement.
23. Abolition – This idea of banning slavery that began during the second awakening. The Abolitionist movement helped bring attention to enslave peoples plight, religious groups, such as Quakers & Baptists supported the Abolitionist movement.
24. Emancipation Proclamation – Northerners agreed that slavery had to end. To punish the South, Lincoln issued the proclamation freeing all enslaved people in States of war.
25. Reconstruction – After the abolitionist movement the U.S. began reconstruction by providing education, housing, food, jobs, and voting for former slaves. The 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments were also part of Reconstruction.
26. 13th Amendment – The amendment that banned slavery in the U.S. after four years of battling with the south during Reconstruction.
27. 14th Amendment – This Amendment granted citizenship to former slaves, created during Reconstruction.
28. 15th Amendment – The Amendment that stated African Americans can’t be banned from voting, created during Reconstruction.
29. Freedmen’s Bureau – The group that supported former slaves and provided jobs, education, shelter, and food.
30. Poll Taxes – A way to restrict African Americans from voting by having to pay a fee to vote. After being newly freed, African Americans didn’t have money to pay the fee, so they couldn’t vote.
Jim Crow – Jim Crow Laws aimed at separating races in the south (separate but equal).
32. Lord Baltimore – The first person to dream of a colony in America. He founded of the Maryland Colony.
33. John Locke – The creator of Natural Rights (Life, Liberty, and Property). According to Locke, people have the right to change or overthrow a government that does not protect their “natural rights”.
34. Thomas Jefferson – The writer of the Declaration of Independence, 3rd President of the United States, and one of our Founding Fathers. He voiced the aspirations of a new America as no other individual of his era. He also served his country for over five decades.
35. James Madison – The 4th President of the United States and also one of our Founding Fathers. He wrote the first draft of the United States Constitution,and decided to go to war with Britain.
36. Jon Marshall – The former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court who did the Judicial Reviews. He served as Chief Justice for six presidencies.
37. Harriet Tubman – Civil Rights activist who was well known to be a conductor in the Underground Railroad.
38. Abraham Lincoln – The 16th President of the United States, preserved the Union during the U.S. Civil War, and brought about the emancipation of slaves.
39. Dred Scott v. Standford – Dred Scott was a slave living in the slave state of Missouri. His owner took him to Illinois and then Minnesota, which were both free states under the Missouri Compromise. He sued for his freedom, claiming to be a citizen of Missouri, based on having obtained freedom by living in a free state for long period of time.
40. Plessy v. Ferguson – Plessy was denied a seat in the all white railway car because one of his great-grand parents was black, but segregation of the races is NOT unconstitutional so they got away with it(separate but equal).
