Glossary
abolitionist one who favors the end of slavery
abomination a vicious or vile action that is met with great distaste
affirmative action policies of the government aimed at increasing access to jobs, schooling, and opportunities to people previously discriminated against
agrarian pertaining to farming or agriculture
anarchist an individual who advocates the overthrow of all government
annex the act of taking a smaller territory into a larger one
antebellum before the war; usually used with regard to the time before the Civil War
anti-Semitic one who is prejudiced against Jews
apologists those in the South who justified slavery by claiming African Americans were better off under the current system than left on their own
appeasement a policy of giving into modest demands of an enemy to hold off potential conflict
apportionment the proportional distribution of the number of members of the U.S. House of Representatives on the basis of the population of each state
arbitration the settlement of a dispute by a third, unbiased party
armistice a suspension of fighting; a cease-fire
arsenal a stockpile of weapons or a place for making and storing weapons
artisans those considered skilled in certain industries such as metal work, carpentry, or printing
autocrat a ruler having unlimited power; a despot
bandwagon a political cause that draws increasing numbers of proponents due to its success
bicameral composed of or based on two legislative chambers or branches
blasphemy a contemptuous or profane act, utterance, or writing concerning God or a sacred entity
blitzkrieg Hitler’s tactic of “lightning war,” which involved swift action against the enemy
bond an interest-bearing note that guarantees repayment at a set date
boycott to refrain from engaging, purchasing, or trading with another in an expression of protest
bracero a Mexican farm worker brought to the United States to work during World War II
buying on margin the act of purchasing stock on credit
capitalism an economic system in which the means of production and exchange are controlled by individuals
caravel any of several types of small, light sailing ships, especially one with two or three masts and lateen sails used by the Spanish and Portuguese in the 15th and 16th centuries.
carpetbagger a Northern Republican who moved South for financial and political gain
ceded given up or surrendered to another, possibly by treaty
charter a written grant from the sovereign power of a country conferring certain rights and privileges on a person, a corporation, or the people
closed shop a workplace in which workers must join the labor union as a condition of employment
collective bargaining employees and management negotiating wages, working conditions, and work hours
confederation an alliance or body of states loosely united for common purposes
conquistador a Spanish conqueror of the Americas
conscription compulsory enrollment of persons in the armed forces
constituents the voters or citizens of a particular region who are represented by an elected official
conversion experience a rite of passage for Calvinists, who publicly confessed all sins to become one of the “elect”
corollary an inference that follows proof from a previous instance
coup the overthrow of a ruling party/person by a small group illegally and/or by force
de facto “in fact”; usually with regard to segregation
de jure “in law”; usually with regard to laws passed for segregation
demography the study of the characteristics of human populations, such as size, growth, density, distribution, and vital statistics
depression a prolonged period of declining economic activity characterized by rising unemployment and falling prices
détente a period of relaxed tensions between countries
direct primary an election in which registered members of the party elect their party nominees for office
dissent to object or disagree
domestic of or relating to a country’s internal affairs
duty money collected by government from a tariff
egalitarian upholding the equality of all people
elect according to Calvinists, those who have been chosen by God for salvation
elite a group or class of persons, or a member of such a group or class, enjoying superior intellectual, social, or economic status
emancipate to free from slavery or bondage
embargo a prohibition or ban; usually used with regard to trade or shipping
encomienda the Spanish labor system whereby individuals were bound to unpaid labor but were not legally owned by a master
enfranchisement giving the right to vote
entrepreneur a person who engages in a risky business venture
established church a church that is officially recognized and protected by the government
excise tax a fee collected on goods and services bought and sold within a country
executive privilege the claim by a president that certain information should be kept from Congress
expatriates individuals who have chosen to leave their native country in favor of living abroad
fascism a dictatorial form of government that glorifies military service and nationalism
filibuster the act of members of congress of delaying a vote or action by refusing to release the floor during debate
Fire Eaters term used by Northerners to describe Southern slavery advocates
foreclosure the repossession of a property by a lender after a borrower fails to pay on the loan
fugitive an individual who flees danger or capture
Fundamentalism a religious movement or point of view characterized by a return to rigid adherence to fundamental principles
genocide the systematic extermination of a race or ethnicity by another group
gentry people of gentle birth, good breeding, or high social position; usually land owners
ghetto an area where ethnic minorities are forced to live either by law or discrimination
graft the use of one’s position to gain money or property illegally
greenback paper currency in the United States that replaced specie before the founding of the Federal Reserve
gross national product (GNP) the sum of all goods and services produced both within and abroad by citizens of a country in a given year
guerrilla warfare irregular, paramilitary units operating in small bands in occupied territory using subversive tactics to surprise the enemy
hard money limited currency with high value
headright system a system of obtaining land in colonial times in which one received 50 acres of land for every emigrant to America one sponsored
heresy an opinion or a doctrine at variance with established religious beliefs
hierarchy a system that places things in graduated order, from lowest to highest
homestead a single-family home or farm
horizontal integration a single company’s absorption of other companies in the same industry to control one aspect of the manufacture of a product
ideology the body of ideas and beliefs that represent a culture or large group
impeach to charge a government official with a criminal offense
imperialism a policy of extending a country’s authority over a foreign country by acquisition or colonization
impress to force into military service
incumbent an individual running for an office he or she currently holds
indentured servant a person who is bonded or contracted to work for another for a specified time, in exchange for learning a trade or travel expenses
indigenous native to a particular region
inflation an increase in the value of currency relative to the cost of consumer goods
infrastructure the basic structure needed for the functions of a society; usually refers to transportation, sanitation, and communication
initiative process by which voters can propose legislation and place that law on a ballot in a popular election
insurrection the act or an instance of open revolt against civil authority or a constituted government
isolationist an individual who would rather remain uninvolved in world affairs
Jim Crow the practice of legal racial segregation
jingoism extreme nationalism coupled with an aggressive foreign policy stance
joint-stock company a company that has some features of a corporation and some features of a partnership
laissez faire the belief that government should refrain from interfering in business and the economy
landslide the winning of an election by a large margin
literacy test an exam given to individuals to prove they were literate before they could register to vote
lynching the illegal act of putting to death a person accused of committing a crime; usually conducted by mobs
mandate a command or instruction given by the electorate to their representative
martial law military occupation imposed upon an area when civilian resources have failed or collapsed
martyr an individual who makes a great sacrifice to further a cause; one who chooses death rather than renouncing beliefs
materialism a belief that the accumulation of possessions is more important that spiritual pursuits
matrilineal relating to, based on, or tracing ancestral descent through the maternal line.
mercantilism the belief that all economic activity should be for the good of the whole (country) rather than for the individual
mercenaries foreign soldiers hired to serve in the military
Mestizo a person of mixed racial ancestry, especially of mixed European and Native American ancestry
mobilization government organization of the nation for war
mudslinging unsubstantiated accusations and attacks on a political opponent
mulatto an individual of African and European ancestry
nation-state a political society that combines a central government with cultural unification
nationalism devotion to the interests or culture of one’s nation
nativism the policy of upholding the rights of native citizens over those of immigrants
naturalization the process of immigrants gaining legal citizenship
nullify to declare a law void
oligarchy rule by a few
omnibus bill a potential law that includes a variety of topics under one name
pacifist an individual who is opposed to all war
pardon the act of releasing an individual from responsibility for a crime
partisan supporting a particular political party
patronage the support of a cause through financial gifts
peculiar institution a name given to slavery by Southern apologists
political machine an organization controlled through spoils and patronage
poll tax a tax levied on individuals before they are allowed to vote
pool an alliance of competing companies to set prices and split profits by sharing customers
pork barrel congressional appropriations for political gain in a particular constituency
precedent a decision or action that establishes a standard for future instances
predestination the doctrine that God has foreordained all things, especially that God has elected certain souls to eternal salvation
primogeniture the right of the eldest child, especially the eldest son, to inherit the entire estate of one or both parents
proclamation an official announcement
propaganda information or materials provided by the proponents or opponents of an idea to influence public thought
proprietary colony a settlement in a region granted by a king or queen to a legal owner
proviso a clause within a document that stipulates an exception or restriction
pump priming the increase in government spending to stimulate the economy
puppet government a government that is controlled by outsiders
quota a proportional share of something to a group or members of a group; an allotment
ratification the act of approving and giving formal sanction of
recall the act of removing a public official from office by a vote of a specified number of citizens
referendum the submission of a law directly to the voters for approval or denial
reparations money, goods, or services paid by a government for destruction and damage caused during a war
republic a government whose power rests in a citizenry who is entitled to vote, is represented by those they vote for, and usually has a president rather than a monarch as head
Rustbelt states in the Northeast and Midwest that were once prosperous steel producers
scabs replacement workers during a strike
scalawag a white Southerner who supported Radical Reconstruction
secession the withdrawal from an alliance or association
sect a group of people forming a distinct unit within a larger group by virtue of certain refinements or distinctions of belief or practice
secular of the world rather than of the church or spirit
sedition the act of incitement of rebellion against the government
segregation the act of separating; usually regarding race and ethnicity
self-determination the belief that people should have the opportunity to decide their own form of government
sharecropper an individual who receives land on credit and pays back debt with a share of the crop yield
siege the surrounding and blockading of a city, town, or fortress by an army attempting to capture it
socialist an individual who believes that business and the economy should be controlled by the community, not individuals
soft money plentiful currency with low value
sovereignty power vested in an independent government
speakeasies illegal bars and clubs where liquor was sold during Prohibition
specie coined (gold, silver, or other metal) currency
speculation risky business transactions on the bet of quick or considerable profit
sphere of influence a region controlled by the influence of other powerful nations
spoils system the practice of the winning political party rewarding supporters with jobs regardless of qualifications
stagflation a combination of high unemployment and high inflation
stalwart an individual who has unwavering support for a party or cause
strike an action by organized labor to stop work in order to force management to negotiate
subversion a systematic attempt to overthrow or undermine a government or political system by persons working from within
suffrage the right to vote
Sunbelt states in the South and Southwestern United States
tariffs taxes placed on imported goods
temperance the belief in moderation, particularly with regard to alcohol
tenant farmer a person who leases land from a landowner
tenement an urban multifamily housing unit
theocracy a government by the church leaders
trust an organization of corporations where stockholders have traded their stocks for trust certificates
tycoon a wealthy and powerful businessperson
urbanization the growth of cities
utopian seeking perfection in society
vertical integration a single company controlling all aspects of manufacturing
Vietnamization President Nixon’s policy of turning over the Vietnam War to the South Vietnamese
virtual representation the political practice of a small group of people being elected to speak for a larger group
wildcat bank uncontrolled and unregulated Western banks of the 1800s whose speculation and unsafe practices helped spur the Panic of 1819
writ of habeas corpus from the Latin “of the body,” a formal order requiring the presentation of the accused before a judge to be charged with a crime or released from custody
yellow-dog contracts agreements that forced employees to promise never to join a union in order to gain or maintain employment
yeomen non-slave-owning farmers