My ABC Book Of U.S. HistoryLane Gerrald

2nd

May 2011

AAbstain-to not take part in some

activity, such as votingAffluence-the state of having

much wealth

Ambush-a surprise attack Archaeologist-the study of ancient people

BBack country-a region of hills and

forests west of the waterBlockade Runner-ship that

sails into and out of a blockaded runner

Boycott-to refuse to buy items from a particular country

Burgesses-elected representatives to an assembly

Canal-an artificial waterway

C Cede-to give up by treaty

Census-offical count of a population

Campion-dishonest or illegal actions

DDebtor-person or country that owes money

Depreciate-to fall in value

Desert-to leave without permission

Diversity-variety or difference

EEffigy- rag figure representing an unpopular individual

Emancipate-to free from slavery

Entrenched-occupying a strong defensive position

Export-to sell goods abroad

FFamine-an extreme shortage of food

Freedman-a person freed from slavery

Frigate-warship

Fugitive-runaway or trying to run away

G

Genocide-the deliberate destruction of a racial, political or cultural group

Global warming-a steady increase in average world temperatures

Greenback-a piece of U.S. paper money first used by the North during the civil war

Guerilla Tactics- referring to surprise attacks or raids

HHabcas Corpus- a legal order for an inquiry to determine whether a person has been lawfully imprisoned

Holocaust-the name given to the mass slaughter of Jews and the other groups by the Nazis during World War 2

Horizontal Integration -combining of competing firms into one corporation

Human Rights- rights regarded as belonging to all persons , such as freedom from unlawful imprisonment, torture or execution

IImpeach-to formally charge a public official with misconduct in office

Import-to buy goods from foreign markets

Inflation-a continuous rise in the price of goods and services

Interchangeable parts- uniform pieces that can be made in large quanties to replace other identical parts

JAndrew Jackson-the 7th president

Joint Occupation-the possession and settling of an and shared by two or more countries

Judicial Branch- the branch of government including the federal court system that interprets the nations laws

Judicial Review-the right of the supreme court to determine if a law violates the constitution

KBleeding Kansas- a civil war in Kansas

Kansas-Nebraska act- fighting to be a free state or slave state

Francis Key Scott-wrote the star Spangled Banner

King George 3-king of England

LLandslide-overwhelming victory

Legislative Branch-the branch of government that makes the nations laws

Literacy-the ability to read or write

Loyalists-American colonists who remained loyal to Britain

MMajority-more than half

Manumission-the freeing of some enslaved states

Mercantilism-a theory that a states or a nations power depended on its wealth

Militia-a group of civilians trained to fight in emergencies

NNationalism-loyalty to a nation and promotion of its interests above all others

Naturalization-to grant full citizenship to a foreigner

Neutral-taking so side in a conflict

Nullify-to cancel or make ineffective

OOffensive-position of attacking or the attack itself

Ordinance-a law or regulation

Override-to overturn or defeat, as in a bill proposed by congress

Overseer-person who supervises a large operation or its workers

PPacifist-person opposed to war or violence to settle disputes

Petition-a formal request

Precedent-a tradition

Puritans-protestants who in the 1600s wanted to reform the Anglican Church

QQuakers-a name of a member of the religious society of friends

Quebec Act-act passed in 1774 by the British Parliament to establish French Civil War

Quartering Act-where American colonists had to ensure that British had housing

John Quincy Adams-6th president

RRatify-to give official approval to

Repeal-to cancel an act or law

Resolution-a formal expression of opinion

Revenue-incoming money

SSecede-to leave or withdraw

Secession-withdrawal from the Union

Sectionalism-loyalty to a region

Suffrage-the right to vote

TTariff-a tax on imports or exports

Temperance-the use of little or no alcoholic drink

Toleration-the acceptance of different beliefs

Tribute-money paid for protection

UUnalienable Rights-a right that cannot be taken away

Unconstitutional-not agreeing or consistent with the constitution

Underground Railroad-a system that helped enslaved African Americans follow a network of escape routes out of the south to freedom in the North

Utopia-vision of a perfect society

VVaquero-Hispanic ranch hand

Vertical Integration-the combining of companies that supply equipment and services needed for a particular industry

Veto-to respect a bill and prevent it from being a law

Vigilantes'-people who take the law into there own hands

WWar Hawks- Republicans during Madison's presidency who pressed for war with Britain

Writ of Assistance-legal document that enabled officers to search homes and warehouses for goods that might be smuggled

George Washington-1st president of the U.S. and a great leader

Whiskey Rebellion-When colonists hurt tax collectors

XXYZ Affair-a dispute between the U.S. and France

YYankee-union soldier

Yellow Journalism-a type of sentinel, biased, and often false reporting

Yeoman-southern owned small farm who didn’t have enslaved people

Z

Zuni-people of the South west