US History Vitamins

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 #27

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 #26

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

9/29/25 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 you need to do to be successful on the first test.

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.