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This list is NOT all-inclusive! It WILL serve as a review of many of the most important terms you
NEED to know in order to pass. The inclusive list is in your notes and textbook.

Basic terms....

Anathema – "accursed;" the strongest possible condemnation. When something is anathema to someone, it goes against everything they believe. (Example: school vouchers are anathema to the teachers' unions.)
Bias – one's particular belief system and philosophy influences how one interprets history, what is important, and why.
Capital – usually refers to money to invest in a new business, but really means any money or goods used to produce other goods. A hammer is capital when used by a carpenter, but not when a homeowner has one for occasional repairs.
Euphemism – a nice, inoffensive term that is used to disguise an ugly meaning. (Example: "reproductive rights" is often used to refer to "abortion rights.")
Precedent – an event that serve as an example to be followed; in law, a court decision that serves as pattern for later decisions
Revisionist History – advocates that the long-standing interpretation of events be changed—usually to conform to a "modern-day" philosophy or outlook. Often an attempt to correct one bias with another!

Government terms...

Three Branches of Government:


Autonomous – self-ruling. Semi-autonomous means somewhat self-ruling.
Bicameral – two-house; refers to the legislature. (Like the Senate and House of Representatives make up Congress.)
Boycott – to refuse to by something (usually in protest)
Checks and Balances – each branch of government's power is limited by the others to keep any one branch from
becoming too powerful. Examples: Congress approves Presidential appointments; Supreme Court may declare
a law unconstitutional, etc.
Capitalism – free enterprise; every individual is free to undertake his/her own business and succeed (or fail!) without government interference or help.
Cabinet – the heads of the Executive departments, who meet with the President to advise him.
Elastic Clause – or, the "necessary and proper" clause (Article I, Sec. 8, Clause 18) which allows Congress to make any laws "necessary and proper" to carry out its Constitutional powers. For instance, even though the Constitution does not give Congress the power to institute an Air Force, the power is implied by its Constitutional power to raise an army and a navy. This clause is subject to abuse. See Implied Powers; Express Powers.
Express Powers – those specific powers enumerated or "spelled out" in the Constitution for the federal government.
Implied Powers – powers not specifically mentioned in the Constitution but inferred from it. See "elastic" clause.
Lassiez-faire -French for "hands off" – gov't keeps away from regulating the economy or businesses.
Precedent – a happening that becomes an example for the future. In court cases, a decision that serves as a model for later decision.
Implied Powers – powers not specifically mentioned in the Constitution but inferred from it. See loose construction; elastic clause.
Reformation – break away from Roman Catholicism begun by Luther; return to Bible-based doctrine with an emphasis on individual interpretation of Scripture. TOTALLY revolutionized Western culture; a MAJOR turning point in history with ramifications in every area of life down to the present time.
Strict Construction – a strict or literal interpretation of the Constitution; the government may only assume powers specifically granted it.
Unicameral – one-house. (I.e., a one-house legislature.)

17^th~ & 18^th~century terms...

Bill of Rights – the first ten amendments; you must be aware of numbers 1-5, 9, and 10 (6-8 all are important, but all have to do with the right to a fair trial).
Confederacy – the national government is subordinate to the state governments and has only the powers they grant it. The Articles of Confederation called it a "firm league of friendship."
Congregationalism – believed every church body should be independent and autonomous. Opposite of Presbyterianism.
Continental Congress – The First and Second Continental Congresses consisted of delegates from each of the colonies who met in response to the unfair treatment the colonies suffered from England. The First Continental Congress (1764) issued the Declaration and Resolves, instituted a boycott, and banned exports to the British Empire. The Second Continental Congress (1775-1781?) still hoped to reconcile with England but began to organize an army, appointed George Washington as commander-in-chief. It issued the Olive Branch Petition, the Declaration of the Causes and Necessity of Taking Up Arms, and the Declaration of Independence. During the war, the Second Continental Congress became the de facto government of the colonies.
County – the unit of local government in the South; a republican form of government necessitated by the many large plantations.
Deism - belief that God created the universe to operate solely by natural law and does not interfere with human events; man must use his own intellect alone to solve his problems. John Locke and Voltaire were deists.
Democrat-Republicans – Later shortened to "Republicans," this was NOT the beginnings present-day Republican Party; it is more the beginnings of today's Democratic Party.
Elastic Clause – or, the "necessary and proper" clause (Article I, Sec. 8, Clause 18) which allows Congress to make any laws "necessary and proper" to carry out its Constitutional powers. For instance, even though the Constitution does not give Congress the power to institute an Air Force, the power is implied by its Constitutional power to raise an army and a navy. This clause is subject to abuse. See Implied Powers; Express Powers.
Express Powers – those powers "spelled out" for Congress in the Constitution; those explicitly mentioned.
Federalism – a division of power between the states and the national government.
Foreclosure – when a bank loans money for someone to buy a home, farm, etc., and is not paid for a while, the bank will ask a court to take the property from the owner and give it to the bank. The bank then typically auctions the property off to get its money back. The owner, of course, loses everything. This is what Shays' Rebellion was about.
"Great Compromise" – the Connecticut Compromise," whereby the present bicameral legislature was proposed, the lower house based on proportional representation and the upper house based on equal representation.
"Great Decision" – decision by delegates to the Philadelphia Convention to write a new Constitution for our country rather than revising the Articles of Confederation; thus we now refer to this as the "Constitutional Convention."
Headright system – system of granting land to those who came to America or those who sponsored them; caused the growth of plantations in the South.
Halfway Covenant – allowed descendants of church members to become members without evidence of their own salvation. Such members had full privileges—even voting--except for Communion.
Hierarchical – top-down administration; a system over oversight of local churches by higher authorities.
Implied Powers – powers not specifically mentioned in the Constitution but inferred from it. See loose construction.
Joint-stock company – several businessmen pooled their money to form a company; forerunner of the modern corporation.
Magna Charta (Magna Carta) – The "Great Charter" King John was forced to sign in 1215 limiting the king's power.
Mayflower Compact – document drawn up by Pilgrims when they found that they were geographically outside of England's jurisdiction. Important because it set a precedent for self-government.
Mercantilism – a county's wealth is based on accumulation of wealth; colonies exist to benefit the mother country.
Pilgrims (Separatists & Strangers) vs. Puritans – check your handout!
Precedent – an event that serve as an example to be followed; in law, a court decision that serves as pattern for later decisions.
Presbyterianism – a hierarchical system of church government. Opposite of Congregationalism. (see hierarchical)
Peace of Paris - ended the French & Indian War. The Treaty of Paris ended the Revolutionary War.
Stamp Act – a tax in the form of stamps/seals for all legal documents, pamphlets, and newspapers. Offenders were to be tried without a jury.
Stamp Act Congress – a kind of precedent for the Continental Congresses; a gathering of representatives from the colonies in 1765 to formally petition the king to end unfair taxation (e.g., the Stamp Act), restore the Royal charters, and restore the colonies original land grants.
States' Rights – the idea that the Constitution was a compact between the states and that each state could judge for itself what federal acts violated that compact; such acts would be declared void in the state. The Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions mark the beginning of the states' rights movement which would only be ended by the Civil War.
Tariff – a tax, usually on imported goods. It forces the price of imported goods to go up so people will hopefully buy goods made inside the country.
Town Meeting - in New England, the whole town would gather to vote on each proposed piece of legislation; still in use in smaller towns.
Townshend Acts – taxes on imports; established a Board of Customs in Boston; led indirectly to the Boston Massacre.
Writs of Assistance – essentially, these were search warrants allowing British officials to search at will for anything they might find. (U.S. Law now prohibits this; an officer of the law must show good reason before he is allowed to search a home or ship, etc.)

19^th~century terms...

Communal societies – groups of people who attempted to equally share work and rewards in a kind of socialist community. (Brook Farm, New Harmony, etc.)
Entrepreneur – one who risks personal loss to market a new product or idea.
Laborer – one who works for his wages, usually in a factory or on a farm. (See investor, below.)
Initiative, Referendum, & Recall
^u Initiative - people have the right to propose a new law. (Populist idea.)
^u Referendum - a law passed by the legislature can be reference to the people for approval/veto. (Populist idea.)
^u Recall - the people can petition and vote to have an elected official removed from office. (Populist idea.)
ð These all were supposed to make elected officials more responsible and sensitive to the needs of the people.
Investor – one who invests his money in a business, hoping to realize a profit. Often several investors pool their money, thus forming a corporation. A laborer works directly for his pay, while an investor lets his money work for him.
Philanthropy – the giving away of large sums of money by an individual to worthy causes.
Plebiscite – the people express their will by direct vote (as opposed to letting elected officials decide for them).
Populist – Party formed by Farmers Alliance (think Grangers) and labor groups. It looked to the government to solve problems. Platform: free silver, graduated income tax, gov't ownership/control of transportation and communication facilities (railroads & telegraphs), initiative, referendum, shorter workdays, etc. See Progressivism, below.
Socialism – basically, an economic system of government control/regulation of the means of production. (In other words, the gov't regulates the businesses, prices, wages, etc.) Socialism can be achieved through the democratic process or forced upon a country by a dictator.

20^th~century terms...

Communism – a totalitarian state in which the government controls every area of the citizen's lives. The citizen exists for the state. True Communists see violent revolution as simply a way to help the evolution of society toward its final, classless state.
"on margin" – borrowing to buy stocks.
Progressivism – basically the descendent of 19^th-century Populism, Progressivism also looked to the government to alleviate societal ills (e.g., 16^th Amendment). Never a unified movement, it opposed government waste and corruption, promoted government regulation/supervision of business, and more direct voter involvement (e.g., 17^th Amendment).
Speculation – buying risky stocks, hoping (speculating) that they will become valuable.