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1 Continental Divide ______ It is the name given to the principal, and largely mountainous, divide of the Americas that separates streams that flow into the Pacific Ocean from those that flow into the Atlantic. 2 New England ______ the northeastern corner of the United States including the present states of Mine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut. It was once the chief center of the American War of Independence. 3 Say something about the economy of the United States including its size, structure and characteristics. （For detailed answer see the corresponding chapter in the text book） 4 The melting pot ______ It means that the US is composed of immigrants from different nations all over the world. 5 WASPs ______ It stands for White Anglo-Saxon Protestants. They are the mainstream of Americans who are the descentdents of the early English settlers. 6 What factors cause the Americans to move frequently within the United States? 7 Thanksgiving Day ______ It is an annual one-day holiday to give thanks to at the conclusion of the harvest season. The United States celebrates Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of November. 8 Jamestown ______ The first permanent colony established by the English in 1607. 9 Amerigo Vespucci ______ An Italian merchant and explorer; the first person to realize that the Americas were separated from the continent of Asia. Therefore, the land was named America after him. 10 Jacques Cartier ______ A French navigator who first explored and described the Gulf of St-Lawrence and the shore of the Saint Lawrence River, which he named Canada. 11 Which colony was the first permanent British colony in Emerica? In which year was it established? Say something about it. 12 Declaration of Independence ______ The United States Declaration of Independence is a statement adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, which announced that the thirteen American colonies should be free and independent states. It was drafted by Thomas Jefferson. 13 The Treaty of Paris (1783) ______ The treaty to conclude the American War of Independence. Britain acknowledged their independence of the United States. ixed its boundaries along the line of the St. Lawrence-Great Lakes system to the north, the Mississippi River to the west, and the thirty-first parallel to the south; Both sides possessed free navigation of the Mississippi. 14 George Washington ______ A dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army in 1775–1783, and he presided over the writing of the Constitution in 1787. As the unanimous choice to serve as the first President of the United States (1789–1797), he developed the forms and rituals of government that have been used ever since, such as using a cabinet system and delivering an inaugural address. As President, he built a strong, well-financed national government that stayed neutral in the wars raging in Europe, suppressed rebellion and won acceptance among Americans of all types, but also saw the advent of contentious political parties. Washington was universally regarded as the "Father of his country". 15 Thomas Jefferson ____ The third President of the United States (1801–1809) and the principal author of the Declaration of Independence (1776). An influential Founding Father, Jefferson envisioned America as a great "Empire of Liberty" that would promote republicanism.He was the first United States Secretary of State (1789–1793) under George Washington and advised him against a national bank. He was the second Vice President (1797–1801) under John Adams. Jefferson took the oath of office and became President of the United States in 1801. As president he negotiated the Louisiana Purchase (1803). 16 What were the main contents of the Declaration of Independence? (P43 of text book) 17 The Constitutional Convention ______ In May 1787, 55 men met in Philadelphia and wrote the Constitution of the United States. They generally approved of a stronger central government than that authorized under the Articles. The convention had opened on May 25, and by September 12 the final draft was submitted for approval. 18 Bill of Rights ______ The Bill of Rights is the collective name for the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution. They were introduced by James Madison to the First United States Congress in 1789 as a series of legislative articles and came into effect as Constitutional Amendments on December 15, 1791, through the process of ratification by three-fourths of the States. The Bill of Rights is a series of limitations on the power of the United States federal government, protecting the natural rights of liberty and property including freedom of religion, freedom of speech, a free press, free assembly, and free association, as well as the right to keep and bear arms. In federal criminal cases, it requires indictment by a grand jury for any capital or "infamous crime", guarantees a speedy, public trial with an impartial jury composed of members of the state or judicial district in which the crime occurred, and prohibits double jeopardy. In addition, the Bill of Rights reserves for the people any rights not specifically mentioned in the Constitution and reserves all powers not specifically granted to the federal government to the people or the States. 19 The Louisiana Purchase ______ The acquisition by the United States of America of 2,147,000 km2 France's claim to the territory of Louisiana in 1803. The U.S. paid $11,250,000 plus cancellation of debts worth $3,750,000, for a total sum of 15 million dollars for the Louisiana territory ($219 million in 2010 dollars). 20 Alexander Hamilton ______ An army pfficer, lawyer, founding father, leading statesman, financier, first Secretary of the Treasury, and advocate of strong national government and a member of the Continental Congress and Constitution Convention. He proposed Bank of the United States and helped create the Federalist Party. 21 James Madison ______ An American politician and the fourth President of the United States and one of the most influential founding fathers of the United States. He was credited Father of the US constitution for his role in the Constitution Convention. He also negotiated with France and helped to finish the Lousiana Purchase. 22 What does the “checks and balances” mean” in the United States political system? 23 Gettysburg Address ______ A speech by Lincoln on Nov. 19,1863 after the northern victory at Gettysburg. The speech was considered unimportant at the time, but has come to be viewed by the Americans as one of the most significant expressions of American democracy. 24 Emancipation Proclamation ​​​​​______ An executive order issued by United States President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, during the American Civil War under his war powers. It proclaimed the freedom of 3.1 million of the nation's 4 million slaves, and immediately freed 50,000 of them, with the rest freed as Union armies advanced. 25 Alaska Purchase ______ An area twice as large as the origional 13 colonies which was bought from the Russian Empire for $7,200,000 in 1867. The act was engineered by the then Secretary of States William H. Seward. 26 Sam Houstan _______ Nineteenth-century American statesman, politician, and soldier. He was leader of Texas Revoluation and served as President of the short-lived Republic of Texas and is best known for his leading role in bringing Texas into the United States. 27 Henry Clay: (April 12, 1777 – June 29, 1852), A 19th-century American, statesman and orator who represented Kentucky in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, where he served as Speaker. He also served as Secretary of State from 1825 to 1829. He opposed the annexation of Texas, fearing it would inject the slavery issue into politics. Clay also opposed the Mexican-American War and the "Manifest Destiny" policy of Democrats, which cost him votes in the close 1844 election. Dubbed the "Great Compromiser," he brokered important compromises on the slavery issue, especially in 1820 and 1850. 28 Harriet Beecher Stowe ______ American novelist who is mainly remembered as the author of the anti-slave novel uncle Tome’s Cabin, which produced powerful influence in the years before the Civil War. 29 William H. Seward _______ US secretary of State and best remembered for his engineering of the Alaska Purchase. 30 What was the importance of the Monroe Doctrine? 31 Ku Klux Klan ______ Racist terrorist organization in the U.S. organized by veterans of the Confederate army, first as a social club and then as a secret means of resisting Reconstruction and restoring white domination over newly enfranchised blacks. 32 The Gilded Age ______ A term refering to substantial growth in population in the United States and extravagant displays of wealth and excess of America's upper-class during the post-Civil War and post-Reconstruction era, in the late 19th century (1865-1901). Modern America’s formative period, when an agrarian society of small producers was transformed into an urban society dominated by industrial corporations. 33 Open door policy ______ It is a statement of U.S. foreign policy toward China. Issued by U.S. secretary of state John Hay (1899), the statement reaffirmed the principle that all imperialist powers should have equal access to any Chinese port open to trade. 34 John Davison Rockefeller ______ An American industrialist and philanthropist who revolutionized the petroleum industry, defined the structure of modern philanthropy. In 1870, he founded the Standard Oil Company and ran it until he officially retired in 1897. He is the world's richest man, first American billionaire, often regarded as the richest person in history. 35 Andrew Carnegie ______ Scottish-born American industrialist, businessman, and a major philanthropist who built Pittsburgh's Carnegie Steel Company. With the fortune he made from business, he turned to philanthropy and interests in education, founding the Carnegie Corporation of New York, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh and the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh. He is often regarded as the second-richest man in history after John D. Rockefeller. 36 Alexander Graham Bell ______ (March 3, 1847 – August 2, 1922) an eminent scientist, inventor, engineer and innovator who is credited with inventing the first practical telephone. 37 Samuel Morse _______ American contributor to the invention of a single-wire telegraph system based on European telegraphs, co-inventor of the Morse code, and an accomplished painter. 38 What factors made it possible for the US to have a rapid industrial growth after the Civil War? 1 Federalism ______ A The division of powers by a constitution between the central government and the state government is called federalism. B Federalism operates on two levels, the national level and the state. C Units of government within a state enjoy no indipendent existence. 2 What are the specific powers and implied powers of Congress? 3 Veto power ______ The power of the US President to unilaterally stop an official action, especially enactment of a piece of legislation. 4 What are the powers of the US President? 5 Party platform ______ A party platform, also known as a manifesto, is a list of the actions which a political party supports in order to appeal to the general public for the purpose of having said party's candidates voted into office. This often takes the form of a list of support for, or opposition to, controversial topics. Individual topics are often called planks of the platform. 6 What are the steps to elect the President of the United States? 7 The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle ______ The first official history of England started by Alfred the Great. 8 The Westminster Abby ______ An abby built by Edward the Confessor and later most of the British kings and queens have been crown here and many of them have been buries here. There is also a poets’ corner where many British men of letters are buried. 9 London Tower ____ A tower built by the Normans to keep a watch on the people. Later was used as a prison for the kings’ political enemies. Now a museum. 10 Boudicea ______ Queen in one of the kingdoms of England who led her people to fight against the Roman invaders. 11 Alfred the Great ______ King of Wessex who led his people to fight against the Danes and twice defeated them; Singed a treaty with the Danes: the Danelaw; Tried to build a fleet:= father of the English navy; Started the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle; Build schools and Abbeys; Laid emphasis on Education. Translated books from Latin into English and wrote text books himself =father of English prose. 12 William the Conqueror ______ Duke of Normandy who invaded England and defeated King Harold at the Battle of Hastings and crown as king of England. He established a strong Norman government and the feudal system in England. 13 What was the consequences of the Norman Conquest? Common Law ______ (also known as case law or precedent), is law developed by judges through decisions of courts and similar tribunals rather than through legislative statutes or executive branch action. A "common law system" is a legal system that gives great precedential weight to common law, on the principle that it is unfair to treat similar facts differently on different occasions. 1 Magna Carta ______ A feudal charter of liberties issued at Runnymede by King John under the coercion of the barons and a group of church men under Langton. The charter attempted to protect the rights of the barony against encroachment by the royal prerogative. 2 The Black Death ______ The deadly plague, most probably bubonic, which was widespread in Asia and Europe in the 14th C. It struck Europe (1347-50) and returned intermittently until 1383. 3 Henry II ______ first Plantagenet King of England (1154-89). He restored order to an England ravaged by civil wars of Stephen's reign. Henry II is best remembered for his reform of the courts and their law. The Common Law was first collected by him. 4 John (Lackland) ______ Son of Henry II. Attempted unsuccessfully to usurp the throne; succeeded on Richard's death. John made 70 towns buy charters of freedom at immense cost. An army of angry lords marched to London, opened gates. At Runnymede, the lords forced John on 17th June, 1215 to sign the Magna Carta, the great charter of English freedom. 5 Edward I ______ King of England who led royalist troops to victory in the Barons' War. He conquered Wales in two campaigns (1277 and 1284- 6) and started naming the heir to the British thrown Prince of Wales. 6 Edward II (1307-27) ______ Son of Edward I, first Pince of Wales before he became king. He was weak and inept as ruler and his Queen, Isabella, in alliance with Roger Mortimer, invaded (1326) from France, deposed Edward and put him to death (1327) in Berkeley Castle. 7 Geoffrey Chaucer _______ Father of the English poetry and author of The Canterbury Tales. 8 What are the main contents of the Magna Carta? What is the significance of the Magna Carta? 9 Utopia ______ A political and philosophical treatise by Sir Thomas More, in the form of an account of an imaginary, newly discovered country. 10 Renaissance ______ The word was first used by Italian scholars in mid-16th C to express the rediscovery of ancient Roman and Greek culture, which was now studied for its own sake and not used merely to enhance the authority of the Church. 11 Henry VIII ______ King of England and son of Henry VII. He carried out the Reformation of the English Church and was made Supreme Head of the Church of England. 12 Thomas More ______ Scholar, thinker, and statesman. He was the leading humanist of his day. For sometime he was a particular favorite of Henry VIII, who raised him to the Lord Chancellorship. He was against the Act of Supremacy and was executed for treason. He wrote Utopia. Comment on the Religious Reformation in England including its causes, result and influences in history. 1 Puritan ______A member of a Protestant Movement in England in 16th and 17th Centuries, which sought to purify worship in the Church of England by excluding everything for which authority could not be found in the Bible. 2 Roundheads ______ Puritans or Parliamentaries in the English Civil War; puritan supporters of the Parlia mentary party. They were so called because they habitualy cut their hair close to their heads. 3 Cavalier ______ a word meaning "horseman", which was used for the supporters of Charles I in the Civil War. 4 Glorious Revolution ______ The name given to the overthrow (1688-9) of James II and the proclamation of William III and Mary II as joint sovereigns. The resultant Bill of Right (1689) marked the ascendancy of parliamentary authority over the divine right that had been claimed by the Stuarts. This marked the real beginning of the constitutional monarchy in England. 5 James Watt _____Scottish inventor who made vast improvements to the steam engine, making it practical for large-scale industrial use. 6 Darwin ______ British scientist who published his Origin of Species in which he proved that the physical species are not fixed, but changing by natural selection in which the fittest survive. 7 Describe the General elections in the United Kingdom including its timing, processes and common practices.