Embedded Files
12/10/25 USH Vitamin #52
Reconstruction – A period after the Civil War of reintegrating the South into the Union and bringing African Americans into public life
13th Amendment – The amendment which ended slavery throughout the United States
14th Amendment – Former slaves are granted citizenship and are given full legal protections and rights
15th Amendment – Voting rights cannot be limited based on race or former status as a slave
12/9/25 USH Vitamin #51
Sherman’s March to the Sea – A “scorched earth” campaign through the South by Union general William Tecumseh Sherman. The armies destroyed everything in their paths and weakened the southern will to continue fighting.
Appomattox Court House – The location of Robert E. Lee’s surrender to Ulysses S. Grant, effectively ending the Civil War on April 9, 1865
Assassination of Lincoln – Lincoln was shot on Good Friday, April 14, 1865, by actor John Wilkes Booth and died early the next morning
12/5/25 USH Vitamin #50
Write what you predict will be the differences between Northern and Southern Civil War music.
12/4/25 USH Vitamin #49
Battle of Gettysburg – A major turning point in the Civil War that ended South attempts to attack the North
Gettysburg Address – A speech given by Lincoln while making the battlefield of Gettysburg a national cemetery. The speech outlines American ideals of liberty and equality justifying the fight against slavery.
Emancipation Proclamation – An executive order from Lincoln which declared that all slaves in the Confederacy are free
Freedman – An individual freed from slavery
12/3/25 USH Vitamin #48
First Battle of Bull Run – The first major battle of the Civil War, fought only 30 miles from Washington, D.C. The Confederate victory in this battle ended hopes of the North ending the conflict quickly.
Anaconda Plan – A war strategy made by Winfield Scott which involves blockading the Southern coast and taking control of the Mississippi River. Together, this would cripple the Southern economy and force a surrender with minimal bloodshed.
12/2/25 USH Vitamin #47
Abraham Lincoln – 16th President of the United States that led the country through civil war and ended slavery
Jefferson Davis – The first and only President of the Confederacy
Habeas Corpus – A constitutional protection suspended by Lincoln during the Civil War which protects people from being unreasonably detained
12/1/25 USH Vitamin #46
Confederate States of America (CSA) – More commonly known as the Confederacy, the CSA was a break away country from the Union of the US between 1861-1865
Fort Sumter (1861) – A federal fort off the coast of Charleston, SC that was attacked by Confederate forces, starting the Civil War
Civil War (1861-1865) – A conflict between the United States and secessionist southern states who left the Union over the issue of federal regulation of slavery
11/20/25 USH Vitamin #45
Secession – States leaving the Union
Election of 1860 – The election of Lincoln which angered the South and triggered a string of secessions, leading to the Civil War
11/10/25 USH Vitamin #44
Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854) – A law which made the Kansas and Nebraska territories vote on slavery, resulting in the political violence of Bleeding Kansas
Bleeding Kansas (1854-59) – A small civil war in Kansas fought over the voting to make Kansas a free or slave state
Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857) – A Supreme Court decision which decided that blacks did not qualify as U.S. citizens, and therefore had no protection from the legal system or the Constitution
John Brown – A radical abolitionist who attempted to start a slave revolt and was ultimately executed, escalating the conflict over slavery
11/7/25 USH Vitamin #43
Compromise of 1850 – A compromise in which California joined the Union as a free state in exchange for stricter fugitive slave laws in the North
Popular Sovereignty – A policy in which the populations of territories can choose whether or not to allow slavery as new states
Caning of Charles Sumner (1856) – An incident in which a senator was beaten by another congressman in the Senate with a walking cane in retaliation for a speech attacking slaveholders
11/6/25 USH Vitamin #42
Frederick Douglass – A former slave who became a prominent abolitionist and black civil rights activist
Abolitionism – A movement in antebellum (pre-Civil War) America to outlaw slavery
Underground Railroad – A network of secret routes and safehouses used to help fugitive slaves escape to the North
11/5/25 USH Vitamin #41
Republic of Texas – A short lived country that existed from 1836-1846 between the U.S. and Mexico before becoming a state. Dispute over this land was a cause of the Mexican-American War.
Mexican-American War – A war fought from 1846-1848 between the U.S. and Mexico, resulting in American domination of the current Southwest
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo – Treaty that ended the Mexican-American War in which the U.S. purchased 55% of Mexico's territory for $15 million
11/4/25 USH Vitamin #40
Manifest Destiny – The belief that the United States was destined by God to spread westward to the Pacific Ocean
Pioneer – A person who is among the first to explore or settle a new territory
Squatter – A person who unlawfully occupied western land owned by the federal government
11/3/25 USH Vitamin #39
Spoils System – A winning political candidate giving government jobs to their supporters, started by Andrew Jackson
Nullification Crisis – A political crisis in which South Carolina refused to follow federal tariff laws, declaring them null and void in the state
Trail of Tears – The forced removal of thousands of Native Americans from the South to modern Oklahoma, resulting in many deaths
10/28/25 USH Vitamin #38
Election of 1824 – The election of John Quincy Adams over Andrew Jackson by the House of Representatives, end of the Era of Good Feelings
Corrupt Bargain – A deal made in the election of 1824, with Adams promising Henry Clay the position of Secretary of State in exchange for support in the House
Jacksonian Democracy – A movement led by Andrew Jackson for more democracy in American government, including expanded voting rights and rotating bureaucratic government officials
10/24/25 USH Vitamin #37
Monroe Doctrine – US foreign policy that officially opposes any European colonialism or influence in the Western Hemisphere
John Quincy Adams – Son of President John Adams, establishment candidate in the election of 1824
Andrew Jackson – General during the War of 1812, outsider frontier candidate in the election of 1824
10/23/25 USH Vitamin #36
Missouri Compromise – A law that balanced slave and free states in Congress by admitting Missouri and Maine at the same time. It also drew a line for future states, determining that new states south of Missouri would allow slavery.
Death Knell of the Union – A phrase used by Thomas Jefferson to say that compromises over slavery would eventually tear apart the Union
10/22/25 USH Vitamin #35
Plantation – A farming estate that produces crops using slave labor
King Cotton – A phrase to describe how cotton production was the center of the southern economy before the Civil War
Cotton Gin – A machine which reduced the manual labor needed to process cotton, making the crop more profitable
10/21/25 USH Vitamin #34
Era of Good Feelings – A time of national unity and single-party politics after the War of 1812, especially during the presidency of James Monroe
National Road – The first major highway built by the federal government, from Baltimore to St. Louis, increasing trade and settlement in the west
Urbanization – A trend towards people living in urban areas (cities), especially because of industrial jobs
10/20/25 USH Vitamin #33
James Madison – Fourth President of the United States and author of the Constitution who oversaw the War of 1812
War of 1812 – A war fought between the United States and Great Britain, mostly on American soil
Treaty of Ghent – The treaty that ended the War of 1812 with a “white peace” (neither side gained anything)
10/17/25 USH Vitamin #32
Election of 1800 – Election of Thomas Jefferson, the first peaceful transfer of power between political parties in American presidential history
Louisiana Purchase – A major land purchase from France by the Jefferson administration that doubled the territorial size of the United States
Marbury v. Madison – An 1803 case decided by the Supreme Court that ruled a law unconstitutional, establishing the power of judicial review (invalidating laws not in line with the Constitution)
10/16/25 USH Vitamin #31
Federalist Party – Political party aiming to strengthen the power of the new federal government
Democratic-Republican Party – Political party aiming to increase the power of the states and decrease the power of the new federal government
Washington’s Farewell Address – A speech given by Washington upon resigning from office after two terms which warned of political divisions and foreign entanglements
10/9/25 USH Vitamin #30
Ratification – The formal signing and approval of the Constitution by the states
Federal Government – The national government of the US over the state governments established by the Constitution
Political Party – An organization that organizes people of similar political beliefs in order to enact changes in government institutions
10/7/25 USH Vitamin #29
3/5 Compromise – An agreement in the constitution that gives slave states more representatives in Congress by counting each slave as 3/5 of a person.
Connecticut Compromise – A compromise that combined the Virginia and New Jersey plans, giving the House of Rep. proportional representation and the Senate equal representation for states
Bill of Rights – The first ten amendments to the Constitution that protect basic rights of citizens from the government, passed to appease anti-federalists
10/6/25 USH Vitamin #28
Federalists – A supporter of the Constitution and the stronger federal government it would create
Anti-Federalists – An opponent to the Constitution concerned with the federal government becoming too powerful
Federalist Papers – A collection of essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay in defense of ratifying the Constitution
10/3/25 USH Vitamin #28
Constitutional Convention – A convention in 1787 that negotiated and wrote the United States Constitution
Constitution – A written document that establishes and guides all aspects of our government
Delegate – An individual sent somewhere to represent a particular group of people
10/2/25 USH Vitamin #27
Northwest Ordinance (1787) - Organized the introduction of new states into the Union from the Northwest territory
Shays' Rebellion (1787)- A violent insurrection in the Massachusetts over a debt crisis, showed the weakness of the federal government
9/30/25 USH Vitamin #26
Active Recall - Trying to recall information from your mind without looking at notes (quizzing yourself)
Pomodoro Technique - A time management technique which splits studying into 25 minute chunks, followed by 5 minute breaks
Procrastination - Delaying or postponing something until the last minute, detrimental to studying
9/29/25 USH Vitamin #25
Treaty of Paris (1783) – Treaty that ended the Revolutionary War, with Britain recognizing the 13 colonies as independent and surrendering all land east of the Mississippi River
Articles of Confederation – Document establishing the first government of the United States
United States of America – Independent union of states created from the 13 colonies
9/26/25 USH Vitamin #24
Valley Forge – The winter encampment of the Continental Army in 1777-78, mass starvation
Marquis de Lafayette – A French general who assisted George Washington in leading revolutionary troops
Battle of Yorktown (1781) – A siege in Virginia which resulted in a massive British surrender and ultimately led to the end of the Revolution
9/25/25 USH Vitamin #23
Guerilla warfare – Fighting with small groups in ambushes against a much more powerful military
General Howe – Leading British general during the Revolutionary War, responsible for capturing New York City and other early British victories
General Washington – Leading American general in the Revolutionary War, leading the fight against the British with the Continental Army
9/22/25 USH Vitamin #22
Describe which part of the paper writing you know you will struggle with the most (sticking to the argument, organization, flow, tone, word choice, etc.).
9/19/25 USH Vitamin #21
Patriot – A colonist who advocated for resistance to the British and, eventually, independence
Loyalist – A colonist who remained loyal to the British crown
Continental Army – An army created by the Continental Congress to face the British, led by George Washington
9/18/25 USH Vitamin #20
Thesis – The central argument of a paper that guides everything written in the body paragraphs
Transition – Connecting different ideas in a paper together so that it flows logically
Conclusion – An ending which ties together and summarizes the ideas of the paper without repeating the thesis
9/17/25 USH Vitamin #19
Continental Congress – A meeting of delegates from the 13 colonies that organized united resistance to the British
Olive Branch Petition – A petition from the Continental Congress pledging loyalty to the crown and trying to make a peaceful compromise
Thomas Jefferson – Founding father, 3rd President of the U.S., and primary author of the Declaration of Independence
Declaration of Independence – Document officially declaring and justifying the 13 colonies from Britain on July 4, 1776
9/15/25 USH Vitamin #18
Common Sense (1776) – A popular pamphlet written by Thomas Paine which promoted American independence
The Wealth of Nations (1776) – An economics book written by Adam Smith promoting free trade and capitalism
Independence – A country being free from the rule of another country or government entity
9/12/25 USH Vitamin #17
Militia – Local groups of colonial men who organized to protect their towns and colonies from threats
Lexington and Concord (1775) – An attempt by British soldiers to seize weapons being gathered by colonists. The first armed conflict between colonists and the British and the start of the Revolutionary War.
Paul Revere – A member of the Sons of Liberty who spread revolutionary ideals through political cartoons. Famous for warning revolutionaries of the British assault on Lexington and Concord.
Liberty – Living free of oppressive restrictions on one’s actions or beliefs
9/10/25 USH Vitamin #16
Boycott – The nonviolent refusal to buy a product in protest of a particular company or government
Sons of Liberty – A loosely organized group of men in the 13 colonies resisting British taxes
Daughters of Liberty – An organization of colonial women who helped resistance efforts through boycotts and making cloth to replace British fabric
Tar & Feathering – A form of public humiliation used to intimidate tax collectors in the colonies during the lead up to the Revolution
9/9/25 USH Vitamin #15
Boston Massacre (1770) – Nine British soldiers fired on a mob of colonists who were harassing them, killing five
Boston Tea Party (1773) – The destruction of a large amount of tea in Boston harbor by colonists protesting the Tea Act
Coercive Acts (1774) – A series of laws meant to punish Boston for the Boston Tea Party, including closing the port and taking over the local government
9/8/25 USH Vitamin #14
Sugar Act (1764) – A heavy tax on foreign sugar and a ban on foreign rum in the colonies
Stamp Act (1765) – A tax on various paper products in the colonies. It was the first direct tax of Parliament on the colonies.
Townshend Acts (1767) – Taxes on various goods imported to the 13 colonies
9/5/25 USH Vitamin #13
Virtual Representation – Individuals in Parliament represent the whole British Empire, regardless of where they live
Tariff – A tax on imports or exports intended to support the domestic economy
Civil Disobedience – Active, nonviolent refusal to obey certain laws or rules for moral reasons
9/4/25 USH Vitamin #12
Benjamin Franklin – Founding Father, publisher, and inventor who heavily influenced the American Revolution and the founding of American government
Albany Plan of Union – Proposal from Benjamin Franklin during the French and Indian war to unite the 13 colonies under a single federal government
Poor Richard’s Almanac – A general information manual written by Franklin that was very popular among common colonial people
8/29/25 USH Vitamin #11
Explain what you believe to be the most important parts of making a good piece of writing for a class.
8/28/25 USH Vitamin #10
French and Indian War – A conflict in the 1750s and 60s over French and British land claims in the Ohio River Valley
Frontier – The limit of settled land bordering unsettled wilderness or native territories
George Washington – A young army officer in the war who surrendered a fort to the French due to rain ruining his gunpowder
Proclamation Line of 1763 – A boundary made by the British government preventing settlers in the American colonies from settling west of the Appalachian Mountains
8/27/25 USH Vitamin #9
Tribe – A native social group made of families with a common language, culture, and background
Praying Indian – Native Americans who converted to Christianity, often adopting European lifestyles and language
Longhouse – A narrow, single-room building used by New England natives for communal living
8/26/25 USH Vitamin #8
John Winthrop – Founding Puritan governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1630, one of the models for American government
Iroquois Confederacy – An independent political and military union of five native tribes in New England during the colonial period of the U.S.
King Philip’s War – A conflict in 1675-76 between natives and New England settlers over european claims on land and the execution of three natives
Metacom – Leader of the Wampanoag, a New England native group. He at first cooperated with colonists, but later died leading King Philip’s War against them.
8/25/25 USH Vitamin #7
Mercantilism – An economic theory that promotes having more exports than imports, gaining wealth at the expense of other countries/territories
Navigation Acts – Acts passed by Parliament in the mid 1600s that restricted the colonies to trading only with England. It was intended to increase the self-sufficiency of the Empire.
Social Contract Theory – The consent of the governed is what gives a government the right to rule
Great Awakening – A religious revival in the 13 colonies that strengthened ideals of individual liberty and of distinctly American identity
8/22/25 USH Vitamin #6
Puritan – English Protestant Christians who wanted to “purify” the Church of England of Catholic elements
Pilgrim – Religious separatists who left the Church of England to practice their own faith in Massachusetts
Plymouth Colony – The first permanent English colony in New England founded by the Pilgrims
Mayflower Compact – The founding document of the Plymouth Colony that established self-government
8/21/25 USH Vitamin #5
Jamestown – The first permanent English settlement in North America
Virginia Company – A company founded to generate profit by establishing an English colony in the New World with the permission of the crown
John Smith – An English captain who helped the Jamestown colony survive its first years through leadership and negotiations with local Powhatan tribespeople
Pocahontas – Daughter of the chief of the Powhatans who saved Smith from execution. She married John Rolfe and was taken back to England.
8/20/25 USH Vitamin #4
Columbian Exchange – the exchange of diseases, ideas, food, crops, and people across the Atlantic between the Old and New Worlds
Mestizo/métis – A person with mixed European and Native American ancestry
Missionary – A person sent to a foreign country to spread Christianity
8/19/25 USH Vitamin #3
Encomienda – a system of forced labor imposed on indigenous workers by Spanish colonists
Slavery – condition in which one human being is owned by another, usually involving forced labor and a lack of rights
Indentured Servitude – a form of labor in which a person is contracted to work without salary for a specific number of years
8/18/25 USH Vitamin #2
Primary Source – A first-hand account of a past time period. It can be any form of media, including documents and objects.
Secondary Source – A source created after a past time period by someone with no direct experience with that time. Usually overviews and summarizes multiple primary sources.
1. What makes a source reliable?
Conciseness – Writing in a clear, comprehensive, and brief way. Only necessary words are used.
8/15/25 USH Vitamin #1
Christopher Columbus – Italian explorer who was the first modern European to discover the Americas and their native populations in 1492.
Colonization – The process of settling among and establishing control over the indigenous people of a foreign land.
New World – Lands in the Western Hemisphere discovered by Europeans in the 15th and 16th centuries.
Native American/Amerindian – An individual whose ancestors have lived in the Americas for thousands of years before the arrival of European colonial powers.
Page updated
Report abuse