Militia
A group of vonteered soldiers
Minutemen
The name for a soldier who was ready to fight at a minutes notice.
Desert
To leave or abandon one's military duty
Inflation
A rapid raise in prices
Mercenary
A group of paid soldiers
Blockade
A barrier preventing the movement of troops and supplies
Patriot
A person who supported the USA
Loyalist
A person for who supported Great Britian
Petition
A formal request
Profiteering
The act of charging high prices during a war
Spy
A person who secretly watches people or events to get information
Articles of confederation
One of the first plans for the US government
Legislature
A person who has power to pass laws
Delegate
A person who represents others
Defend
To protect
Due process
The idea that the government must follow the rules/laws
Jury
Group of citizens who decide a court case
Amendment
Change or addition to the constitution
Ratify
To approve or adopt
Bill of Rights
A statement that lists the liberties guaranteed by the government and people
Checks and balances
The system that keeps one of the government branches from getting too much power
Fundamental
basic
Supreme Court
The highest court in the United States
Federalism
A system in which federal and state government share power
Gold Rush
The sudden rush of people to an area here gold has recently been discovered
Discrimination
Unfair treatment of people based on their differences
Cotton Gin
A machine that separates the cotton from its seeds
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
The treaty under which Mexico sold its territory to the US
Manifest Destiny
The belief that the United States had right to expand its borders west to the Pacific Ocean and south to the Rio Grande
Wagon Train
A line of wagons led by an experienced guide
Trail of tears
The name given to the forced march of 15,000 Cherokee in 1838 from their homes in Georgia to the Indian Territory
Immigrant
A person who lives in a country in which he or she was not born in
Steam engine
A machine that uses steam from boiling water to create power
Reaper
A machine that cuts grain for harvesting
Stagecoach
Large carriege pulled by horese used to carry passengers
Previous
Coming before; earlier
Interchangable parts
Part of a machine or device that can be replaced by another identical part
Application
Way in which somthing is used
Union
Group of states or nations that are ruled by one government or agree to work together
Abolitionist
A person who wanted to end slavery
Debate
A discussion where each person defends his or her opinion on a topic
Sectionlism
Excessive regard for regoinal or local intrest
Missouri compromise
Agreement that allowed Missouri and Maine to enter the Union and divide the Lousiana Territory into areas allowing slavery and areas outlawing slavery
Treason
Betraying one's country
Slave state
State where slavery was allowed
Civil war
An armed conflict between groups within the same country
Popular soverinty
The belief that the government is subject to the will of the people
Free state
State where slavery is not allowed
Secede
Withdraw or breakaway from a nation or oraganization
Contribute
Give or supply
Assinsination
The murder of an important person
Malice
Desire to harm someone
Proposition
Intention or plan
Dedicated
Set apart for a special purpose
Consecrate
Set apart as holy
Score
Times twenty
Draft
The selction of persons for military duty to some or other special duty
Tradition
An inherited pr established way of doing something
Conceived
Formed
Emancipation prclamation
official announcement issued by president Abraham Lincoln in 1862 that led to the end of slavery
Anaconda Plan
The Union's army three step plan for defeating the Confederate army and ending the civil war
Total war
Attacking an enemy's soldiers, civilians, and property