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US History 121 > Midterm > Flashcards

Midterm Flashcards

1
Q

Lief Erikson

A

established a viking colony in Newfoundland.

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2
Q

Portuguese explorers were driven to find a route around Africa in order to access the

A

spice markets of the East.

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3
Q

Bartolomeu Dias

A

The first to sail to the southern tip of Africa, discovering the Cape of Good Hope in the process.

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4
Q

Vasco da Gama

A

was the first to reach India via the southerly route around Africa.

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5
Q

Christopher Columbus

A

did not wish to prove once and for all that the earth was not flat.

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6
Q

Amerigo Vespucci

A

concluded after two voyages that the New World was a new continent and not the Indies. He was also the reason that Martin Waldseemuller used the name “America” when creating maps of the new continents.

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7
Q

The Treaty of Tordesillas

A

divided the world (in terms of colonies and trade routes) between Spain and Portugal.

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8
Q

This explorer searched for the fountain of youth in Florida.

A

Ponce de Leon

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9
Q

Hernando de Soto was the first European to see the

A

Mississippi River

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10
Q

The Grand Canyon and Great Plains were first visited by this Spanish explorer

A

Francisco de Coronado

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11
Q

It is estimated that millions of native Indians died during the Age of Discovery due to

A

disease

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12
Q

What was not true of the explorer John Cabot?

A

He held defeat the Spanish Armada in 1588.

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13
Q

What was then name of the sea route that linked the Atlantic and Pacific oceans?

A

The Northwest Passage

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14
Q

This explorer established a settlement at Quebec and is considered the Father of New France.

A

Samuel de Champlain

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15
Q

The first permanent English settlement in North America was

A

Jamestown

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16
Q

The Jamestown colony finally began to prosper with

A

the successful planting and export tobacco.

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17
Q

What is not true of the Indian princess Pocahontas?

A

She married John Smith shortly after saving his life.

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18
Q

The Virginia House of Burgesses

A

was the first English legislative assembly in the New World.

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19
Q

Indentured Servants

A

made up a large portion of the population of Virginia, usually were under contract for 3-7 years, and usually indentured themselves to a ship’s captain in return for passage across the Atlantic.

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20
Q

What was not true of the Plymouth colony?

A

They declared war on Chief Massasoit shortly after their arrival.

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21
Q

This Puritan leader sought to establish a “city upon a hill” to inspire people back in England.

A

John Winthrop.

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22
Q

Roger Williams established a colony based on religious freedom in

A

Rhode Island

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23
Q

Lord Baltimore founded the colony of Maryland as a safe haven for

A

Catholics

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24
Q

This monarch lost his head after the English Civil War

A

Charles I

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25
Q

What is not true of the Treaty of Breda?

A

The French were given control of Nova Scotia.

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26
Q

The English Quakers

A

believed in the equality of all people under God’s law, were often persecuted for their beliefs in England, settled in large numbers in Pennsylvania under their leader William Pennsylvania.

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27
Q

The colony of Carolina (later split between North and South)

A

had a very large slave population.

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28
Q

The colony of Georgia was founded by

A

James Oglethorpe

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29
Q

What was not true of the Glorious Revolution?

A

James II won the Battle of the Boyne in 1690.

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30
Q

What was not true of John Locke?

A

He wrote “Leviathan” which cited absolutist monarchy as the best form of government.

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31
Q

“The Wealth of Nations”, which endorsed laissez-faire capitalism, was written by

A

Adam Smith

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32
Q

King William’s War, Queen Anne’s War, and King George’s War primarily pitted

A

France against Britain

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33
Q

The Battle Quebec during the French and Indian (Seven Years’) War resulted in

A

a British victory

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34
Q

The Navigation Acts of the 1600s

A
  • were designed to restrict foreign economic access to the American colonies.
  • were designed to limit American manufacturing and keep the colonists dependent upon Britain.
  • gave Britain great control over the economic trade of the colonies.
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35
Q

What was not true of the Stamp Act?

A

Despite its unpopularity, it raised millions of dollars for Britain and helped ease the debt crisis.

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36
Q

This Boston firebrand was the leader of the Sons of Liberty and an early “radical” leader in the Patriot cause.

A

Samuel Adams

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37
Q

The Declaratory Act

A

stated that the British Parliament had the right to make and enforce laws in the Colonies.

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38
Q

What was not true of the Boston Massacre?

A

It resulted in the death of more than 500 colonists.

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39
Q

The Boston Tea Party

A
  • was carried out by the Sons of Liberty, who dumped valuable cargo of East India Company tea into the Boston Harbor.
  • was a result of the colonists’ refusal to pay the British tax on tea.
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40
Q

The British Coercive (Intolerable) Acts

A
  • were a reaction to the Boston Tea Party
  • closed the port of Boston until the lost tea was paid for
  • put Boston under de facto military occupation
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41
Q

“A Summary View of the Rights of British America” was written by

A

Thomas Jefferson

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42
Q

This battle marked the beginning of the Revolutionary War with an American victory as a British army was forced to retreat, under harassing fire, back to Boston.

A

Lexington and Concord

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43
Q

The Battle of Bunker Hill

A

resulted in a British victory, but at a horrendous cost in casualties

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44
Q

What was not true of the Second Continental Congress?

A

They formally declared war on Great Britain.

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45
Q

In 1775, King ____ declared the Colonies to be in a state of rebellion.

A

George III

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46
Q

The American Invasion of Canada resulted in

A

the defeat of both American armies involved in the campaign.

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47
Q

The American siege of Boston resulted in the evacuation of the British forces

A

after cannon, brought in an epic journey from Fort Ticonderoga by Henry Knox, were set up on hills south of the city.

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48
Q

“Common Sense”, written by ____ helped to push public opinion towards independence.

A

Thomas Paine (Pain - Common Sense)

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49
Q

What was not true of the Declaration of Independence?

A

It blamed the British Parliament for most of the injustices inflicted upon the American colonies.

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50
Q

What is true of the armies which fought in the Revolution?

A
  • The American (Continental) Army was often under-manned and poorly equipped.
  • The British used large numbers of Hessian mercenaries to make up their shortage in manpower.
  • British generals often displayed poor judgement and lack of strategic vision, which hampered their cause.
51
Q

What was not true of the New York campaign of 1776?

A

George Washington won a crushing victory over the British at Long island.

52
Q

The battles of Trenton and Princeton

A

were small, but solid, American victories which rallied American morale at a critical moment in the war.

53
Q

Probably the most critical outcome of the American victory at Saratoga was

A

the signing of the Franco-American alliance which brought France into the war on the American side.

54
Q

What was not true of the American Army at Valley Forge in the winter of 1777-78?

A

The British launched a surprise mid-winter attack which destroyed most of Washington’s army.

55
Q

This French naval victory resulted in the British army being cut off at Yorktown:

A

the Virginia Capes

56
Q

The Battle of Yorktown

A
  • was probably the decisive battle of the Revolutionary War.

- resulted in the surrender of British General Cornwallis’ army.

57
Q

What was not true of the Treat of Paris (1783)?

A

It annexed large portions of New England into British Canada.

58
Q

The “Newburgh Conspiracy”

A

collapsed after George Washington met privately with his officers.

59
Q

He is known as the “Father of the Constitution”

A

James Madison

60
Q

Who was George Washington’s Secretary of State?

A

Thomas Jefferson

61
Q

Who was George Washington’s Secretary of the Treasury?

A

Alexander Hamilton

62
Q

Who was considered the “First True America”?

A

Alexander Hamilton

63
Q

Was Jefferson Pro-English or Pro-French?

A

Pro-French

64
Q

Was Hamilton Pro-English or Pro-French?

A

Pro-English

65
Q

What was the Assumption Bill?

A

It would be best if the entire country took on all of the states debt

66
Q

What was the Residence Act

A

Would create a new capitol, which would be between Virginia and Maryland

67
Q

Who was opposed to and who was for the creation of the First Bank of the US?

A

Proposed: Alexander Hamilton
Opposed: Thomas Jefferson

68
Q

What was Hamilton’s vision of America?

A

Pro-business, Pro-banking, Pro-industry, Infrastructure

69
Q

What was Jefferson’s vision of America?

A

Agrarian

70
Q

What were some of Hamilton’s more important achievements as America’s first Treasury Secretary?

A

Revenue Cutter Service (later became the Coast Guard), the Whiskey Act (Tax)

71
Q

Why was the Revenue Cutter Service created?

A

In order to combat smuggling.

72
Q

What was the Whiskey Act?

A

Tax on the production of whiskey

- Led to the Whiskey Rebellion (which was put down by Washington)

73
Q

What did the Treaty of Greenville do?

A

Opened the Northwest to settlers

74
Q

What caused the Treaty of Greenville to come about?

A

Fallen Timbers - War with the Tribes (which were united by two tribes men and defeated the militia that were sent against them)

75
Q

What was the Northwest Ordinance?

A

It laid out the ways to make a new state.

76
Q

What were the provisions of the Northwest Ordinance?

A
  • No colonies, equal states
  • Must have a republican government
  • Must have a total population of 60,000 people
  • Slavery is banned (in certain states - Michigan, Wisconsin, etc)
77
Q

What was Jay’s Treaty?

A

A treaty made with Britain that stated:

  • Britain agrees to evacuate the forts
  • Britain maintains the rights of seizure/impressment
  • Britain get Most Favored Nation trade status. US trade with West Indies limited.
  • US agrees to compensate Loyalists for Revolutionary losses
  • Brits compensate US $10 million for seized cargo
78
Q

What were the two parties that formed?

A

The Federalists and the Republicans

79
Q

Who was the founder of the Federalists?

A

Hamilton

80
Q

Who was the founder of the Republicans?

A

Jefferson

81
Q

What was Pinckney’s Treaty?

A

America gained control of the Mississippi River all the way to the city of New Orleans

82
Q

What was the makeup of the American Army during the Revolution?

A 
The Continental Army (Or Regulars): (Sort of) Trained Soldiers
The Militia (The Minutemen): Farmers
83
Q

Who led the American Army during the Revolution?

A

George Washington

84
Q

Why was George Washington considered the perfect general for the American Revolution?

A

He knew when to retreat and he knew to not lose the army.

85
Q

What was one of the biggest flaws in the American Army?

A

Short on manpower, short on supplies, fought on a shoestring for pretty much the whole war

86
Q

What was the makeup of the British Army during the Revolution?

A

British Soldiers: more professional, better equipped
Hessian Mercenaries
Loyalists

87
Q

What were some of the flaws of the British Army?

A

Didn’t work well together, didn’t have a proper strategy, didn’t have a proper army, didn’t have a killer instinct

88
Q

Describe the New York/New Jersey campaign of 1776-77 in which Washington was forced to retreat from new York City but finally achieved victory at Trenton and Princeton.

A

The British (led by General Howe) landed at Stanton Island and crossed into New York City. They forced Washington to retreat into New Jersey. Instead of pursuing Washington, the British (Howe) instead let him leave and Howe went back to New York City to be with his mistress.

89
Q

Describe the Battles of Trenton and Princeton.

A

They were small, but solid, American victories which rallied American morale at a critical moment in the war. Trenton was against the Hessian Mercenaries and Princeton was against the British.

90
Q

Why was the battle of Saratoga so important?

A

It convinced the French government to formally recognize the colonist’s cause and enter the war as their ally.
It led to the creation of the Franco-American alliance in which the French decided to aid America in their Revolution.

91
Q

Describe the campaign of Saratoga

A

It was supposed to be a three pronged attack, but General Howe went to Philadelphia, St. Leger was defeated at Fort Stanwicks, and John Burgoyne was defeated in two battles just outside of Saratoga, New York.

92
Q

What was Benjamin Franklin’s role in the creation of the Franco-American Alliance of Amity and Commerce?

A

He negotiated with the French and due to the American victory at Saratoga, the Treaty of Alliance was created and thus brought France into the war on America’s side.

93
Q

What effect did the winter at Valley Forge have on Washington’s Army?

A
  • the army was poorly supplied and suffered under the harsh conditions
  • many soldiers died from exposure and disease (about 2000 men)
  • the army became a more professional force under the stern training of the Prussian General Baron von Steuben
94
Q

Describe the British Southern Campaign and, most importantly, its culmination in the decisive siege at Yorktown.

A

The British landed in the South (Carolina) hoping to gain supporters, which they did not do.
At the Battle of Cowpens in South Carolina, American troops under Brigadier General Daniel Morgan routed British forces under Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton. The Americans inflicted heavy casualties on the British, and the battle was a turning point in the war’s Southern campaign.
The British were eventually forced to retreat to the the York James Peninsula.

95
Q

Describe the Battle of Yorktown

A

General Cornwallis was forced to retreat to the York James Peninsula, where he was surrounded by both Generals Washington and Rochambeau. Washington surrounded Cornwallis on land, and Rochambeau surrounded British naval ships at sea at the Battle of the Virginia Capes.

96
Q

Why is the Battle of Yorktown considered to be the decisive battle of the Revolutionary War?

A

It forced Britain to come to the realization that the Revolutionary War was unwinnable.

97
Q

What was the Articles of Confederation?

A

The first official government of the United States that was introduced by the First Continental Congress during the Revolution.

98
Q

What were some weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation?

A
  • No executive branch (or weak branch)
  • No judicial branch
  • No official currency
  • Inability to tax (and enforce taxes)
  • No military
  • All states had to agree to pass legislation
  • Weak legislation
  • States held all of the power
99
Q

What was Shay’s Rebellion?

A

A rebellion in response to a raised tax in Massachusetts. Had to be put down by the Massachusetts militia.

100
Q

Why did Shay’s Rebellion scare the leaders so much?

A

They were afraid that the Revolution would happen again unless the rebellion was put down. There was no centralized military, so there was little that could be done if the militia was overcome.

101
Q

Why did many fear a new constitution/government?

A
  • Fear of a strong, centralized government. That it would turn into a monarchy essentially and all of the powers that were afforded to the states would be stripped.
102
Q

Who were some of the key players at Philadelphia?

A

George Washington, Ben Franklin, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton

103
Q

What was the Virginia Plan?

A

Written by James Madison, it proposed the form of government that we have today in large part. He envisioned a government made of three branches: the executive, legislative, and judicial branches.

104
Q

Describe the function and makeup of Congress.

A
  • Bicameral (Two Houses): House of Representatives and the Senate. Both houses were originally populated by representatives and the number of representatives were supposed to be based on the population of each state.
  • The most basic function of the Congress is to create and pass laws.
105
Q

What was the Great Compromise?

A

Combined the Virginia and New Jersey Plans. The upper house of Congress (the Senate) became a house that had equal representation between the states (2 per), while the House of Representatives became the house where population size determined representative numbers.

106
Q

Did the issue of slavery come up at the convention?

A

Yes and the 3/5 Compromise came into being. This stated that for every five slaves, only three were counted towards the population size. They not want their slaves to be counted as citizens, they instead only wanted them to be counted towards population size to gain more representatives.
The slave trade was also prohibited and ended twenty years later in the 1800s (in 1808).

107
Q

How was the executive branch set up?

A

People were afraid that the president would be like a monarch and have absolute and total control over the people and the states.

108
Q

What were its powers?

A
  • Responsible for the internal/external security of the US
  • Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces
  • Appoints cabinet officers, judges, and diplomats
  • Guides the foreign policy of the US
  • Veto power
109
Q

What were the executive branch’s limitations?

A
  • Cannot declare war (not that that’s stopped them in the past)
  • Appointments and treaties must be ratified in the Senate
  • Can be impeached by Congress (“For High Crimes and Misdemeanors”)
  • Subject to election every four years (22nd Amendment made it so that there were only two terms allowed for the Presidency)
110
Q

What is the Electoral College?

A

The Electoral College is made up of 538 electors who cast votes to decide the President and Vice-President of the United States.

111
Q

What is the purpose of the Judicial Branch?

A

To enforce laws

112
Q

How did the framers arrange for the Constitution to be changed in the future?

A

Amendments (2/3 of both Houses and then 3/4 of the states have to agree to pass an Amendment)

113
Q

Describe the ratification process

A

Some of the important figures in the American Revolution were against the forming of the Constitution and a strong centralized government. They believed that it would create what would essentially be a monarchy in the United States.

114
Q

What were the Federalist Papers?

A

A series of essays that were written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay in order to convince the American people to accept the Constitution and ratify the Constitution.

115
Q

What is the Bill of Rights?

A

The first 10 amendments to the Constitution.

116
Q

Who were the Bill of Rights written by?

A

James Madison

117
Q

What are some of its key amendments?

A

1st: Freedom of expression (Speech, Press, Assembly/Petition, Religion)
2nd: Bear Arms
3rd: No quartering of soldiers in peacetime
4th: Person and Property Rights; no illegal searches and seizures
5th: Rights of the accused (no self-incrimination, no double jeopardy)
6th: Protections of the accused (speedy and public trial, attorney, confront witnesses, impartial jury)
7th: Civil Law
8th: No cruel and unusual punishment; no excessive bail or fines
9th: Rights not listed
10th: Rights given to the states

118
Q

Describe the general viewpoints that Hamilton and Jefferson had and how/why they differed so profoundly, particularly on how the Constitution should be interpreted.

A

Jefferson: Republican, Pro-France, Farmers (agrarian), Strict Constructionist (what the Constitution says is all that you can do)

Hamilton: Federalists, Pro-British, Business/Banks/Factories, Loose Interpretation of the Constitution (government should be able to have implied powers)

119
Q

What were some of Hamilton’s more important achievements as America’s first Treasury Secretary?

A
  • First Bank of the US
  • Revenue Cutter Service (later the Coast Guard): to stop smugglers
  • Whiskey Act
  • Assumption Bill/Residence Act (Government assumes the debt of all of the states - particularly the northern states) (Jefferson agreed to the Assumption Bill on the provision that the Residence Act would be passed) (The Residence Act created a new location for the Presidency)
120
Q

Explain the role that Hamilton played in securing Jefferson’s election to the presidency in 1800.

A

Tie between Burr and Jefferson, which had reached a standstill in Congress. Hamilton stepped in and convinced enough people to vote for Jefferson, stating that the two men might not get along, but he [Hamilton] respects Jefferson. On the other hand, Hamilton despised Burr.

121
Q

Describe Jefferson’s presidency and the important events that he was a part of from 1801-1801.

A
  • Barbary Wars
  • Louisiana Purchase
  • Marbury v. Madison
122
Q

Describe the Barbary Wars

A

A war against the Barbary (who were Muslim Sea Pirates). in this war, the American navy was sent to stop the pirates raiding their ships. They landed away from the capitol and marched to Tripoli, gathering allies and intelligence and supplies along the way. Once in Tripoli, the Barbary were defeated and stopped raiding American vessels.

123
Q

Describe the Louisiana Purchase

A

Jefferson sent Robert Livingston and James Monroe to France in order to pay for New Orleans because they feared that the French might one day deny their access to the shipping port. Napoleon, at the time, was discouraged from creating New France and instructed Talleyrand to see the entirety of France’s claim in America to America. Talleyrand approached Livingston and offered him all of the territory for $15 million. Livingston agreed and the Senate (which was largely controlled by Jefferson’s Republicans at the time) passed the bill despite the Federalist party’s fears that it would only lead to the creation of more Federalists.

124
Q

Describe Marbury v. Madison

A

At the end of his presidency, Adams made many last minute appointments. When Jefferson took over the Presidency, many of those appointments were annulled (rejected actually). One of the few that fought was Marbury, where he sued and the case went to the Supreme Court. John Marshall - the Chief Justice at the time - declared that the Judiciary Act of 1789 was deficient and unconstitutional.
This case is most known for setting the precedent of Judicial Review - which interprets a law’s constitutionality.

US History 121 (2 decks)

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