US History PDF

1. Native Americans Pueblo - southwestern states, lived in stone houses, peaceful and settled, farmers Apache - southwestern states (great plains), nomadic tribes, warlike ppl, lived in teepees, hunters Sioux (enemies) - northern states (grassy plains), nomadic warriors, followed and dependent on th...

1. Native Americans Pueblo - southwestern states, lived in stone houses, peaceful and settled, farmers Apache - southwestern states (great plains), nomadic tribes, warlike ppl, lived in teepees, hunters Sioux (enemies) - northern states (grassy plains), nomadic warriors, followed and dependent on the buffalo Iroquois - northeastern states (ny), longhouses, gatherers, farmers, hunters, warriors, fisherman 2. Age of Discovery Vinland - Leif Erickson (vikings) came to America, found the grape vines and named America “Vinland the good” Treaty of Tordesillas 1494 - an agreement between Spain and Portugal, mediated by Pope Alexander VI, to divide newly discovered lands outside Europe between the two countries. It aimed to resolve disputes over territories explored during the Age of Exploration. Treaty of Saragossa 1529 - a follow-up to the treaty of Tordesillas. The line of demarcation was on the pacific. Spain and portugal divided the world, between the two lines was to belong to Portugal and outside was to belong to Spain Treaty of Tordesillas Treaty of Saragossa St. Augustine - St. Augustine, founded in 1565 by Pedro Menéndez de Avilés, is the oldest continuously inhabited European settlement in the U.S., located in modern-day Florida. Spain established it to secure its New World claims and protect shipping routes, defeating the nearby French Fort Caroline. It later became a key military and colonial hub, with the Castillo de San Marcos fort built to defend against attacks. New Amsterdam - Henry Hudson (English) looked for a northwestern passage to Asia; explored the area around today’s NYC; Hudson Bay, Hudson River named after him; his crew mutinied and he was cast adrift. New Netherlands was established. Manhattan Island bought and renamed New Amsterdam. New Amsterdam became New York because the English came and conquered the settlement. Black legend - stories in Europe about how horribly the Spanish treat native americans. The English hated the Spanish so they went to the new world to “protect” native people which was just an excuse to participate in exploitation Roanoke - The first colonizing attempt of the English was Roanoke, nicknamed the lost colony Soldiers sent to Roanoke Island refused to farm, but English ships couldn’t deliver supplies quickly - they had to stay in England because of the Armada, when the ships returned to the colony, the colony was gone which parts of NA were explored by: Spanish : Mexico, Florida, Southwest French: Canada, parts of the Midwest (Mississippi) English: lands along the Atlantic coast Dutch: New York Christopher Columbus - An Italian explorer sponsored by Spain who reached the Americas in 1492, mistakenly believing he had found a route to Asia. His voyages initiated European colonization of the New World. Amerigo Vespucci - Italian sailor and cartographer. (Columbus died believing he had reached Asia) Vespucci explored the coasts of South America and in his letters declared the lands to be a new continent. The new continent was called America (feminine form of Amerigo) John Cabot - Italian Sailor hired by the English king Henry VII to find a passage to Asia Walter Ralegh: An English courtier who sponsored the failed Roanoke Colony in 1587, known as the “Lost Colony.” Virginia Dare: The first English child born in the Americas, part of the Roanoke Colony. 3. Colonial era Virginia Company (kompania): A commercial trading company that financed the founding of Jamestown in 1607, the first permanent English settlement. Jamestown: Struggled with famine and disease until tobacco farming, led by John Rolfe, saved the colony. Jamestown 1607 - First permanent British colony - colonists sent to find gold, had no idea how to cultivate land, ⅔ died of disease, hunger, and attacks from the natives (the starving time). virginia company started shipping convicts and orphans to virginia Indentured servants vs. slaves: Indentured servants (temporary slaves from England) worked under contracts for years in exchange for a plot of land in America, while enslaved Africans were forced into lifelong labor without compensation. - Dutch pirates sold 20 captured black Africans to Jamestown planters - first slaves indentured for life - first group of african slaves brought to the us Plymouth: Founded by Pilgrims in 1620, it was the site of one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations. 1620 - Plymouth Settlement - the “pilgrim fathers” on board of Mayflower (puritan extremists) left Plymouth to set up Plymouth - Not prepared, came to Plymouth 6 weeks before winter, thanks to natives’ help they survived. - Organized thanksgiving to thank the native people, on the other hand natives asked for protection from other tribes and weapons to fight other tribes. - squanto - helped the colonists a lot, could speak english well - 1691 - Plymouth settlement incorporated into Massachusetts colony Mayflower (Compact): An agreement among Pilgrims to establish self-governance based on majority rule in the new colony Pilgrim Fathers: Religious Separatists who sought freedom from the Church of England, settling in Plymouth. Quakers (the Religious Society of Friends): a Christian religious movement that emphasized a direct, personal experience with the divine, Known for their commitment to simplicity, pacifism, and social justice. They objected to war, refused to take up arms, believed in the equality of all people, which led them early on to advocate for women's rights and the abolition of slavery. Wilderness Road, Cumberland Gap: Daniel Boone helped establish this route through the Appalachian Mountains, aiding westward expansion. The Wilderness Road, running from northeast Tennessee through the Cumberland Gap, was the main thoroughfare for Americans heading west into the new promised land of Kentucky from 1775 to about 1820 Salem Witch Trials: In 1692, in Salem, Massachusetts, a group of young girls, led by Betty Parris and Abigail Williams, began experiencing strange fits (were pretending to be possessed) and several local women were accused of witchcraft. The accusations quickly spiraled as fear of the devil spread through the Puritan community. Trials were held, and anyone who seemed suspicious, eccentric, or was an enemy of the accusers could be charged. Hysteria swept the town, leading to over 200 accusations. The court convicted many based on flimsy evidence like "spectral sightings," and 20 people were executed. Eventually, doubts about the legitimacy of the trials grew, and the governor stepped in to stop the proceedings, admitting the trials were a tragic mistake. NEW ENGLAND COLONIES Massachusetts - 1620 - Plymouth Settlement 1691 - Plymouth settlement incorporated into Massachusetts colony - 1630 - boston settlement - Another large group of puritans came from England (persecution of Charles I) - this time they were prepared - Prosperous from the very beginning - Founded by an English company American exceptionalism - the belief that the United States is either distinctive, unique, or exemplary compared to other nations. - John Withrop: “For we must consider that we shall be as a City upon a Hill, the eyes of all people are upon us;” - this quote became the idea of american exceptionalism Rhode Island - 1636 - Roger Williams: a puritan minister who was banned from the Massachusetts colony for his religious views - He was essentially too puritan for the puritans, he opposed the idea of mixing the state and the church. - went south and formed their own colony - Basic rule: total religious freedom and separation of church and state Connecticut - 1636 - Thomas Hooker - Went south and established his own colony next to Rhode Island New Hampshire MIDDLE COLONIES New York - In 1620s settlers from Holland founded the colony New Netherlands - 1626 - Peter Minuit bought Manhattan Island → New Amsterdam - 1664 - the English took over the colony and renamed it New York Pennsylvania - Proprietary colony - private colony - 1681 - English King Charles II to William Penn - The society of friends - Quakers (Ann Hutchinson banished from massachusetts colony) - william penn was a quaker - pacifist who refused to swear oaths and participate in wars, opposed alcohol and drugs, believed in equality, imprisoned for refusing to fight in a war - Religious freedom in Pennsylvania was guaranteed - new settlers from other European countries arrived New Jersey Delaware SOUTHERN COLONIES Maryland - The first private colony - proprietary colony - George Calvert was given the land in 1634 by King Charles II - The only Catholic colony The Carolinas - 1663 - to honor King Charles II - soon became very prosperous - had a large export industry of tobacco and lumber Georgia - 1733 - the last english colony to be founded in america - it was meant to be a buffer between the carolinas and spanish florida Pocahontas: A Powhatan woman who acted as a mediator between her tribe and Jamestown settlers; she married John Rolfe, symbolizing temporary peace. John Smith: A leader at Jamestown who helped the colony survive by imposing discipline and forming alliances with Native Americans. A Jamestown settler who introduced tobacco cultivation, making it a profitable crop for Virginia. Eventually married Pocahontas. Squanto: A Patuxet Native American who taught the Pilgrims agricultural techniques and helped them survive their first winter. John Winthrop: A Puritan leader who became the first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, envisioning it as a "city upon a hill." American exceptionalism - the belief that the United States is either distinctive, unique, or exemplary compared to other nations. William Penn: Founder of Pennsylvania, he was a Quaker who established the colony as a haven for religious freedom and democracy. Daniel Boone: An explorer and frontiersman who blazed the Wilderness Road through the Cumberland Gap, helping settlers reach Kentucky. Pushed the Frontier further west into today’s kentucky. The frontier - western border of the US 4. The revolutionary war French and Indian War: It was a prelude to the American Revolution. Britain and its colonies fought France and Native allies (1754–1763) over North American territory, especially the Ohio River Valley. (The seven years war). George Washington led colonists to that war. eventually England won the war, but the money they invested in the war doubled their national debt Triangle Trade: A trade system connecting Europe (manufactured goods), Africa (slaves), and the Americas (raw materials). Peace of Paris: The 1763 treaty ending the French and Indian War, giving Britain control of Canada and lands east of the Mississippi. Territories west of the Mississippi were ceded (given) by France to her ally - Spain (Spain was the less evil according to the french) Proclamation Line: A British ban on colonial settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains to prevent conflicts with Native Americans. - Colonists could not settle west of the Appalachians until it had not been agreed with the Amerindians - issued by king George III to stop amerindians from rebelling - But the colonists had just finished fighting a war for the right to settle there, so for the first time the colonists decided to disobey the King. They ignored the proclamation line and started to settle west - Like the first step towards revolution Sons of Liberty: A radical group opposing British taxation, organizing protests like the Boston Tea Party. “No taxation without representation”: A slogan expressing colonists' anger at being taxed without having representation in British Parliament. Stamp Act: A 1765 tax on printed materials that sparked widespread colonial protests. Another act issued during that time that angered the colonists. All documents had to be printed on a special “stamped” paper or a special stamp had to be attached to them (Of course these stamps cost money). The colonists objected and boycotted the Act. It mainly angered those most rich and powerful people who read books (since book paper was also stamped). Boston Massacre: A 1770 clash where British soldiers killed five colonists, fueling revolutionary sentiment. Name thanks to Samuel Adams and Paul Revere who were great at propaganda. The fight was not that bad. People rebelled against taxes imposed by the British King. Angry colonists started insulting British soldiers,eventually shots were fired. After the Boston massacre, all duties (taxes) were removed except the one on tea. Boston Tea Party (1773): protest where colonists dumped British tea into Boston Harbor to oppose the Tea Act. -When a ship full of tea arrived in America only the governor of Massachusetts agreed to unload the ship. While it waited to be unloaded, a group of colonists disguised as native americans snuck onto the ship and threw the tea in the sea - It was kinda insane to tax tea since it was such a basic commodity for the British. If the government is taxing basic commodities, that means there is no limit for them Coercive / Intolerable Acts: Harsh laws passed by Britain in 1774 to punish Boston, further uniting the colonies against British rule. King George wanted to punish Massachusetts for what happened in Boston and ordered the policy of terror towards Massachusetts - Boston port closed to trade, troops stationed in the colony etc. Colonial response to these acts is the beginning of revolution. First Continental Congress: A 1774 meeting of colonial leaders in Philadelphia to discuss responses to British policies. – It consisted of 12 colonial leaders (Georgia not present) - They all agreed that they are loyal to the British King, but the British parliament had no right to impose taxes on the colonies - Called upon all colonists to support Massachusetts, all colonies were to refuse to import British products and import goods to Great Britain - For some historians this is the First national government - It was not about the independence yet Concord and Lexington: The first battles of the American Revolutionary War in 1775; the “shot heard ’round the world.” Minutemen: american militia men who had been gathering weapons and ammunition prior to the war outbreak so that they were ready to fight in a minute Second Continental Congress: Managed the war effort and adopted the Declaration of Independence in 1776. - All colonial Leaders met in Philadelphia - Still, many people were against the separation from England, they prepared the Olive branch Petition that was sent to king George apologizing for what the colonists did and begging for forgiveness - beginning of the American national Government - it set up the national army under the command of George Washington - the congress asked Europe for help on behalf of the colonists, especially France - the biggest enemy of GB “Common Sense”: A pamphlet by Thomas Paine urging Americans to seek independence from Britain. It inspired the colonists’ outlook on revolution. It included clear arguments based on the Bible, influential ideology and simple language. After the publication of “Common Sense”, the fighting spread beyond massachusetts. Declaration of Independence: Written by Jefferson in 1776, it proclaimed the colonies’ freedom and outlined grievances against Britain. - Issued by the 2nd continental congress - Colonies are “free and independent states” - name United States of America - new nation Battles of Saratoga, Savannah, Yorktown: Saratoga was the turning point, colonists won (Kościuszko participated and helped) (1777); Savannah marked British advances in the South (Pułaski dead) (1778); Yorktown, final battle eventually the colonists won (George Washington) (1781). Peace (Treaty?) of Paris: The 1783 treaty that ended the war and recognized U.S. independence. King George III: The British monarch during the American Revolution, criticized by colonists for oppressive policies and taxation. Samuel Adams: A revolutionary leader who organized protests like the Boston Tea Party and helped ignite anti-British sentiment. Paul Revere: A silversmith and patriot famous for his midnight ride to warn colonists of British troop movements before Lexington and Concord. Tadeusz Kościuszko: A Polish engineer who contributed to American defenses during the Revolution, notably at Saratoga. Kazimierz Pułaski: A Polish nobleman who trained American cavalry and is often called the "Father of the American Cavalry." Died in the Savannah battle. George Washington: The commander of the Continental Army during the Revolution and the first President of the United States, known as the "Father of His Country." 5. The constitution and Founding Fathers Bill of Rights: The first ten amendments to the Constitution, guaranteeing individual freedom. To appease the anti-federalists, there was another document added to the constitution called the bill of rights. Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists: Federalists supported a strong central government, while Anti-Federalists opposed the idea of a strong federal government. They opposed the constitution. Preferred the power of local governments The founding fathers: George Washington - the 1st president stupid dick. Thomas Jefferson: The primary author of the Declaration of Independence and the third U.S. President, known for the Louisiana Purchase. Jefferson thought states should be more or less independent and have way more power than the government. - People can govern themselves. - The political party that formed around him was called democratic republican - Francophile, did not support returning to trade - Wanted america to be a land of self-sufficient farmers Alexander Hamilton: A key Federalist, the first Treasury Secretary, and founder of the national financial system and the Bank of the United States. He wasn’t born in the US (Caribbean) so he couldn’t run for a president. Wanted to trade with GB. - He wrote many essays in defense of the constitution (since it gave power to the federal government) - Believed in the upper class running the country (meritocracy - well educated elites) - Electoral college - created to prevent the uneducated masses choosing - Hamilton believed they should find a way to trade with GB again Benjamin Franklin: A statesman, inventor, and diplomat who helped draft the Declaration of Independence and secured French support during the Revolution. - man of many talents - ambassador of france, convinced france to help them in the revolution - founding father, on the 100 dollar bill - when he retired he started to conduct more experiments, eg he discovered electricity in the lightning bolt and came up with lightning rod and also bifocal glasses, glass harmonica etc - he was never a president 6. Expansion westwards 19th century North-West Ordinance: Organized western territories banned slavery north of the Ohio River. Document issued by the congress of the Confederation (which worked under the articles of confederation) Created new states in the northwest territory (Region north of the Ohio river - soon states: Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana) Slavery was to be prohibited in the new states Document defined the process of how new states should be created - if the population in a territory was at least 50k they could apply for statehood (6k to create a state government) Louisiana Purchase: The 1803 U.S. acquisition of vast western lands from France, doubling the nation's size. Initially, Jefferson wanted to buy New Orleans from the French, but because Napoleon needed money for his wars in Europe, he suggested selling the whole area. Jefferson accepted but hesitated because he believed in the limited power of the federal government (system of checks and balances) Lewis and Clark Expedition: An exploration of the newly acquired Louisiana Territory to map routes and study resources. Officially they were to explore this new territory but actually they were sent to find the fastest and easiest route to the pacific coast because americans were already predicting that one day they’re going to expand to the west War of 1812: Fought between the U.S. and Britain over trade restrictions and impressment of sailors, ending in 1815. - America’s first declared war - fought against the British - The war started because of the impressment of American sailors - impressment - kidnapping and making them serve on british ships - The war was fought primarily in Canada. At some point British troops ended up in DC and burned the capital down - Andrew Jackson defeated Great Britain at New Orleans (war hero) - War ended with the treaty of Ghent - changed absolutely nothing Texas Annexation: In 1845, the U.S. annexed Texas, leading to tensions with Mexico. - It used to be Spanish, but later on it was Mexican - Texas was a part of Mexico but there were loads of people from america (settlers) living there - Texans decided they would like to join the US, Mexico opposed this idea - So Texas declared independence and for a while it was an independent country - Mexico could tolerate Texas being independent, but they could not tolerate it joining the US - Yet after being independent for a while, Texas asked congress to join as the 28th state Mexican-American War: Fought from 1846–1848, resulting in the U.S. gaining vast western territories. - Texas joining the US led to the outbreak of the Mexican-American war - Only lasted 2 years - Ended with a huge victory for the US - Because Mexico lost, they had to give up not only the territory of Texas, but also a huge area (Mexican Cessation) Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo: Ended the Mexican-American War, giving the U.S. control of California, Arizona, and more. Manifest Destiny: The belief that the U.S. was destined to expand across the continent. The idea that Americans have a divine mission to settle on every part of the continent because they bring civilization and progress with them. Oregon Trail - route across the continent to Oregon. People would cross the great prairies in their journey to Oregon. Oregon fever - lots of ppl wanted to move to Oregon because for them it was an opportunity to start anew, they'd cross the great plains which were deemed uninhabitable and moved to Oregon. Many also moved to California (it took cali only 2 years to apply for statehood) Oregon Treaty: Oregon treaty 1846 by President James K. Polk. Agreed to divide Oregon between the US and GB California Gold Rush: A mass migration to California after gold was discovered in 1848, boosting the economy. Indian Removal Act: A law forcing Native tribes to relocate west of the Mississippi. signed in 1830 by Andrew Jackson, went into effect 8 years later, led to the trail of tears Trail of Tears 1838: The forced and deadly march of Cherokee people to lands in present-day Oklahoma. Andrew Jackson – 7th president. Thanks to him, the democrats have a donkey symbol. He signed the Indian Removal Act in 1830 which led to a trail of tears 8 years later. It was an enforced march that native americans had to march from south Carolina to Oklahoma bc white people wanted to live in south Carolina. It was a very hard route so a lot of people died during the march. Oklahoma was believed to be not suitable for farming. 7. Civil War Reasons for the outbreak of the War: One of the main causes of the outbreak of the Civil War was conflicts over slavery, also states’ rights led to the Civil War. Missouri Compromise 1820: Maintained balance by admitting Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state. - Tried to answer the question: Should slavery be allowed in new states? - Representatives from the South wanted to allow slavery in these new territories, representatives from the North strongly opposed it - They couldn’t come to an agreement so they decided on a line Missouri was to join as a slave state but all new states that were to be created in the future would join as free states to the North of Missouri (above the line) - slavery would be permitted in Missouri and Arkansas territory but banned west and north (Great plains - area after Louisiana purchase) - Missouri joined as a slave state, Maine (carved out of NH) joined as a free state - to keep balance in Senate (so that there would be an equal amount of representatives from free states and slave states) Nat Turner’s Rebellion: A violent 1831 slave uprising that increased Southern fears of abolitionist movements - a massacre of women and children by a group of slaves who moved from one house to the other and killed people (men were absent because of a religious revival meeting) - Nat Turner was killed and Virginia ended up passing even harsher laws (bans on reading, preaching education) Abolitionism: A movement to end slavery, gaining momentum with leaders like Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman. - supported by slaves, freed blacks and Quakers - American Colonization society - had the idea of freeing slaves by shipping all of them to Liberia (a special colony was created) - some of the freed slaves actually went there - Abolitionism mixed with religion in the north - slavery was viewed as a sin Underground Railroad: A secret network that helped enslaved people escape to freedom. Called that because railroads were the most popular means of transportation back then but it had nothing to do with an actual railroad - Network of safe escape routes to free states, Canada, Mexico - Depots, stockholders, conductors - helped the railroad function - Bounty hunters - Harriet Tubman 1822-1913 Compromise of 1850: - Territories acquired in the Mexican-American War ended in 1848 by the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo - should slavery be allowed in new territories - heated debates - eventually several bills were passed - California applied for statehood (the line cut cali in half) - admitted as a free state - New Territories - New Mexico and Utah would decide if slavery would be permitted there when joining the union - Slave trade banned in Washington DC - harsher Fugitive Slave Act/Law Fugitive Slave Act: In 1850 the Fugitive state clause was turned into an act and made even harsher. - all escaped slaves, upon capture, had to be returned to their master - all whites were to cooperate - report, testify etc. - even free blacks in the North were in danger - a new black person in a community may have been immediately treated as a runaway slave. Bleeding Kansas: a series of violent civil confrontations in Kansas Territory, and to a lesser extent in western Missouri, between 1854 and 1859. It emerged from a political and ideological debate over the legality of slavery in the proposed state of Kansas. The Confederacy: The Confederate States of America - 1861 – South Carolina was joined by other southern states which declared to be an independent nation - President – Jefferson Davies - capital: Richmond in Virginia - official aim: to be independent - unofficial aim: to preserve slavery Fort Sumter: The first shots of the Civil War in 1861. Confederate troops attacked Fort Sumter in South Carolina which had been occupied by the Union army - official beginning of the American Civil War - Confederate soldiers won Emancipation Proclamation:1863, it declared freedom for slaves in Confederate states. issued by President Abraham Lincoln (to gain popularity) - from 1st January 1863 all slaves living in the Confederate states were to be free - the aim of the war was now not only to preserve the Union but also to abolish slavery Battle of Gettysburg: A turning point of the war in 1863, marking the decline of Confederate forces. - the civil war ended with the battle of Gettysburg and it was a huge victory of the north - Eventually general Lee was defeated and had to surrender to General Ulysses S. Grant Appomattox: The battle of Gettysburg led to the eventual surrender of the confederate army in Appomattox in 1865, ending the Civil War. Harriet Tubman: An escaped slave and conductor on the Underground Railroad, she helped dozens of enslaved people gain freedom and worked as a spy during the Civil War. John Brown: An abolitionist who led a failed raid on Harpers Ferry in 1859, becoming a martyr for the anti-slavery movement. Dred Scott: An enslaved man who sued for his freedom, but the Supreme Court ruled in 1857 that Black people were not U.S. citizens. Abraham Lincoln: The 16th U.S. President, who led the Union during the Civil War and issued the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing enslaved people in Confederate states.