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8TH GRADE STAAR REVIEW
IMPORTANT DATES
1607- Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement, was founded.
1620- Mayflower Compact was signed
July 4th, 1776- Declaration of Independence was signed
1787- the United States Constitution was written.
1803- Louisiana Purchase doubled the size of the United States.
1861-1865- Civil war was fought
IMPORTANT EVENTS
Battles of Lexington and Concord- first battles of the American Revolution; Lexington was known as the
“shot heard round the world”
Valley Forge- served as quarters for the American army in one winter (1777–1778) of the Revolutionary
War. George Washington, who was commanding the army, had been forced to leave Philadelphia, and his
troops suffered from the cold and from lack of supplies.
Battle of Saratoga- the turning point of the American Revolution
Battle of Yorktown- last battle of the American Revolution; General Cornwallis surrendered at this battle
War of 1812- war between Britain and the United States, fought between 1812 and 1815. It began over
British violations of American shipping rights, such as the impressments of sailors
U.S. – Mexican War- between the United States and Mexico, resulting in the cession by Mexico of lands
now constituting all or most of the states of California, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, and Colorado.
Fort Sumter- first shots fired in the Civil War. Confederate victory
Battle of Antietam- was the bloodiest day in Civil War and first battle in Union territory.
Battle of Gettysburg- was the turning point in the Civil War. Stopped Confederate invasion of the North
Battle of Vicksburg- Victory by the union, effectively split the Confederacy in two and gave control of the
Mississippi River to the Union.
Trail of Tears- forced removal of nearly 16,000 Native Americans from the Southern US to reservations in
present day Oklahoma
Appomattox Court House- Robert E. Lee Surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant ending the Civil War resulting
in a union victory.
Cotton Gin- invention by Eli Whitney that sped the cleaning of cotton fibers and in effect, increased the
need for slaves.
Nullification Crisis- struggle between some states and President Jackson. The states didn't want to pay the
protective tariff that Jackson wanted, and the states claimed the right to "nullify," or declare void the tariff.
This would have meant that the states didn't have to pay the tariff.
IMPORTANT VOCABULARY
Mercantilism is an economic theory that a country’s strength is measured by the amount of gold it has, that
a country should sell more than it buys and that the colonies exist for the benefit of the Mother Country.
Abolitionist-a person who wanted to end slavery in the United States.
Tariff-a tax on goods brought into a country.
Protective tariff-a tax placed on goods from another country to protect the home industry.
Interchangeable Parts- parts that can be replaced easily; making manufacturing cheaper
Sectionalism-a strong sense of loyalty to a state or section instead of to the whole country.
Manifest Destiny- belief that the US should stretch from sea to shining sea
Temperance Movement-a campaign against the sale or drinking of alcohol.
Representative Government- a system of government in which voters elect representatives to make laws
for them.
Republic- a nation in which voters choose representatives to govern them
House of Burgesses- the first representative assembly in the new world.
Three Branches of Government-Legislative Branch, the Judicial Branch, and the Executive branch.
Checks and Balances- a system set up by the Constitution in which each branch of the federal government
has the power to check, or control, the actions of the other branches.
Free Enterprise is the freedom of private businesses to operate competitively for profit with minimal
government regulation.
Federalism- division of power between the states and the national government.
Republicanism- elected officials make and enforce the laws; citizens elect officials;
Separation of Powers- a system in which each branch of government has its own powers.
Popular Sovereignty- the power of the government resides in the people
Limited Government- a system in which everyone, even elected officials must obey the laws.
Amend- change.
Unalienable rights- rights that cannot be given up, taken away or transferred
Tyranny- cruel and unjust government.
Ratify- to approve by vote.
Judicial Review- the right of the Supreme Court to declare a law unconstitutional; set up by Marbury v
Madison
Civil Disobedience- refusal to obey a government law or laws as a means of passive resistance
Federalists- supporters of the Constitution who favored a strong national government.
Anti-federalists- opposed to the Constitution, preferring more power be given to the state governments than
to the national government.
Primary Sources- the original records of an event. They include eyewitness reports, records created at the
time of an event, speeches, and letters by people involved in the event, photographs and artifacts.
Secondary Sources- the later writings and interpretations of historians and writers. Often secondary
sources, like textbooks and articles, provide summaries of information found in primary sources.
Industrial Revolution- era in which a change from household industries to factory production using
powered machinery took place.
State’s Rights- idea that the power of the states should not be trampled on by the national government.
Gadsden Purchase (1853)- gave the US more land that had been northern Mexico and completed the
acquisition of land that makes up the present day borders of the US
Hudson River School- group of American landscape painters active from about 1825 to 1875.
Transcontinental Railroad- continuous rail line connecting a location on the U.S. Pacific coast with one or
more of the railroads of the nation's eastern trunk line rail system
IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS AND LEGISLATION
Magna Carta (1215)- limited the power of the King of England; used as a basis of limited government
English Bill of Rights- listed individual rights; used as a basis for the Bill of Rights
Fundamental Orders of Connecticut- first colonial constitution drafted by Thomas Hooker
Declaration of Independence (1776)- was a document mainly written by Thomas Jefferson, declaring the
colonies independent from England.
Articles of Confederation- first American constitution; It was a very weak document that limited the power
of the Congress by giving states the final authority over all decisions.
U.S. Constitution (1787)- sets out the laws and principles of the government of the United States.
George Washington’s Farewell Address- advised the U.S. to stay out of foreign affairs and away from
political parties
Amendment Process- amending, or adding to, the Constitution requires a 2/3 vote in both houses of
congress and ratification in 3⁄4 of the states.
Monroe Doctrine- was a foreign policy statement by President James Monroe stating that the western
hemisphere was closed to colonization and/ or interference by European nations.
Treaty of Paris of 1763- ended the French and Indian War and effectively kicked the French out of North
America.
Proclamation of 1763- legislation that told colonists that they could not settle west of the Appalachians
Treaty of Paris of 1783- ended the American Revolution and forced Britain to recognize the United States
as an independent nation.
Northwest Ordinance- established a government for the Northwest Territory and describes rules that a
territory would follow in order to become a state.
Mayflower Compact- was the agreement signed in 1620 by the Pilgrims in Plymouth, to consult each other
about laws for the colony and a promise to work together to make it succeed.
Federalist Papers- were a series of essays written by James Madison, John Jay, and Alexander Hamilton,
supporting the ratification of the U.S. Constitution
Common Sense- was a pamphlet written by Thomas Paine to convince colonists that it was time to become
independent from Britain.
Bill of Rights- is the first ten amendments to the Constitution
Missouri Compromise (1820)- had Missouri enter as a slave state, and Maine enter as a free state to
preserve the balance between slave and free states.
Gettysburg Address- was a short speech given by Abraham Lincoln to dedicate a cemetery for soldiers
who died at the Battle of Gettysburg.
Emancipation Proclamation (1863)- address by Lincoln setting all slaves in the Confederate states free.
Lincoln’s First Inaugural Address- address by Lincoln that set forth his intended policies and desires for
the country, particularly the South where 7 states had seceded prior
Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address- was meant to help heal and restore the country after four years of
Civil War.
Jefferson Davis Inaugural Address- he argued that separation from the Union was a "necessity, not a
choice."
Great Compromise- compromise that created two houses of Congress. One based on population (House of
Representatives), the other gave equal representation to each state (Senate).
Three fifths Compromise- an agreement reached at the constitutional convention that allowed slaves to be
counted as 3/5 of a white person for population purposes.
Alien and Sedition Acts- placed restrictions on the immigrants in the country and restricted the freedom of
speech and the press. Policy of President Adams.
Adams Onis Treaty- Spain gave Florida to the US for $5 million.
Indian Removal Act- required the Indians east of the Mississippi River to be moved to new lands in the
west.
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo- ended the war with Mexico and the US acquired the Mexican Cession.
Civil Rights Act of 1866- declared that everyone born in the US was a citizen and entitled to equal rights
regardless of race.
Reconstruction Acts- imposed military control over southern states and stated that they had to ratify the
14th amendment and allow all former slaves to vote.
Tariff of Abominations- the name given to the Tariff of 1828 by outraged southerners who felt the tax on
imports was excessive and unfairly targeted their region of the country.
Kansas Nebraska Act- allowed people in the territories of Kansas and Nebraska to decide whether or not to
allow slavery within their borders.
Homestead Act- special act that made public lands in the West available to settlers without payment,
usually in lots of 160 acres, to be used as farms.
Dawes Act- allowed for the President to break up reservation land, which was held in common by the
members of a tribe, into small allotments to be parceled out to individuals.
Morrill Act- this act made it possible for new western states to establish colleges for their citizens.
IMPORTANT PEOPLE
Anne Hutchinson- was banished from the Massachusetts colony she become the first Puritan woman
minister and co-founder of Rhode Island.
William Penn- Quaker leader and founder of Pennsylvania.
Samuel Adams- founder of the Sons of Liberty; patriot during the Revolutionary era; associated with the
Boston tea party
Benjamin Franklin- inventor, statesman, diplomat, signer of the Declaration of Independence and delegate
to Constitutional Convention, Albany Plan of Union.
King George III- King of England during the Revolutionary War
Thomas Jefferson- wrote the Declaration of Independence; 3rd President of the United States and purchased
the Louisiana territory, doubling the size of the United States.
Thomas Paine- writer of Common Sense and other works that encourage colonists to fight for independence
from Great Britain
George Washington- leader of the Continental Army who became the first President of the United States.
Mercy Otis Warren- female writer of works that encouraged independence;
Crispus Attucks- first person killed at the Boston Massacre
George Mason- Anti-Federalists; refused to sign the Constitution unless it included a Bill of Rights
Bernardo de Galvez- sealed off the port of New Orleans so that British ships could not utilize the
Mississippi River and sent supplies to aid the Patriots during the Revolutionary War
Haym Saloman- a banker who loaned money to the American Revolution without being repaid.
Marquis de Lafayette- a French nobleman who aided Washington during the Revolutionary war.
Andrew Jackson- 7th President; hero of the Battle of New Orleans. He was also responsible for the Trail of
Tears, which forced Native Americans west of the Mississippi River.
John Paul Jones- founder of the U.S. Navy; said “I have not yet begun to fight”
Henry Thoreau- transcendentalists author; practiced civil disobedience
James Armistead- African American spy during the Revolutionary war who helped spy on the British
during the battle of Yorktown
John C. Calhoun- South Carolina Congressman and Senator; Jackson’s VP; supported states’ rights like
during the Nullification Crisis
Henry Clay- powerful Kentucky Congressman and Senator who proposed the Compromise of 1850.
Daniel Webster- lawyer who won major constitutional cases before the Supreme Court such as, Gibbons v.
Ogden and McCulloch v. Maryland; Elected to the House of Representatives due to his opposition to the
War of 1812
Jefferson Davis- President of the Confederacy during the Civil War
Ulysses S. Grant- General of the Union Army during the Civil War
Robert E. Lee- General of the Confederate Army during the Civil War
Abraham Lincoln- 16th President; President during the Civil War; issued the Emancipation Proclamation;
assassinated 5 days after the end of the Civil War.
Alexander Hamilton- leader of the Federalists, first Treasurer of the United States, creator of the Bank of
the U.S., and killed in a duel by the Vice President of the United States, Aaron Burr.
Patrick Henry- patriot who became famous for his fiery speeches in favor of American independence. His
most famous quote included the words, “Give me liberty or give me death!”
James Madison- father of the Constitution; 4th President of the US; president during the War of 1812
Frederick Douglass- former slave; and famous abolitionist; Owner of the publication, The North Star
Sojourner Truth- former slave, abolitionist, and first black women to speak out for women’s rights.
James Monroe- author of the Monroe Doctrine, 5th President of the US
Harriet Tubman- escaped slave who became a Conductor on the Underground Railroad and helped over
300 slaves to freedom in the North.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton- women’s rights activist; organized the Seneca Falls Convention
Susan B. Anthony- women’s right’s activist who fought for women’s suffrage
John Audubon- American artist who used birds, and other animals and nature as his focus
Phillip Bazaar- first Hispanic American to be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor
William Carney- African American soldier during the American Civil War who received the Medal of
Honor for his actions during the Battle of Fort Wagner.
John Marshall- Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court during Marbury v. Madison and other major
Landmark cases
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow- popular American poet wrote “The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere”
John Hancock- American revolutionary patriot who was president of the Continental Congress
John Adams- signer of the Declaration of Independence; second president; Alien and Sedition Acts were
passed while he was president.
Abigail Adams- wife to President John Adams and mother to John Quincy Adams. She is known for
giving advice regarding women’s rights in letters to her husband
John Quincy Adams- 6th US President; elected by a “Corrupt Bargain”
Paul Revere- remembered for his midnight ride (celebrated in a poem by Longfellow) to warn the colonists
in Lexington and Concord that British troops were coming.
John Locke- English philosopher who we based many of our ideals off of today
Wentworth Cheswell – African American patriot known for warning people that the british were coming
during the Revolutionary war
William Lloyd Garrison- abolitionist; publisher of the anti-slavery newspaper The Liberator
Dorothea Dix- social reformer pioneered in the reform of prisons and in the treatment of the mentally ill;
Hiram Rhodes Revel- first African American to serve in the United States Senate
IMPORTANT AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION
First Amendment- protects freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly, and petition.
Second Amendment- right of states to organize militias, or armies, and to bear arms.
Third Amendment- no quartering of soldiers
Fourth Amendment- no unreasonable searches or seizures
Fifth Amendment- protects an accused person from having to testify against him or herself;
Sixth Amendment- guarantees the right to a speedy public trial by an impartial jury;
Seventh Amendment- guarantees the right to a jury trial in civil suits.
Eighth Amendment- prohibits cruel and unusual punishment and excessive bail or fines.
Ninth Amendment- states that the people have rights other than those specifically mentioned in the
Constitution.
Tenth Amendment- states that powers not given to the federal government belong to the states.
Thirteenth Amendment- abolished slavery.
Fourteenth Amendment- guarantees citizenship and rights to all people born or naturalized in the United
States.
Fifteenth Amendment- guarantees the right to vote to all citizens regardless of race.
LANDMARK SUPREME COURT CASES
Marbury v. Madison-1803 Court decision that gave the Supreme Court the right to determine whether a
law violates the Constitution.
Dred Scott v. Sanford- Supreme Court decision that said slaves were property and not citizens.
Gibbons v. Ogden- landmark decision of the Supreme Court that held the power to regulate interstate
commerce was granted to the Federal government
Maryland v. McCullough- established states do not have the power to tax the federal government.
Worcester v. Georgia- Supreme Court decision that said that Georgia had no right to kick the Native
Americans out of their land