8 Grade
American History
th
STAAR Review
“Men are born to succeed,
not fail.”
Henry David Thoreau
8th Grade American History STAAR Review 2016
Social Studies Words to Know
Joint-stock company-a company in which investors buy
stock, in return for a share of the future profits.
Burgesses-elected representatives to an assembly.
Representative government- People chosen by the
citizens to make decisions on their behalf and to
represent them in the legislative assembly.
Toleration- the acceptance of different beliefs.
Proprietary colony-colony run by individuals or groups to
whom land was granted.
Mercantilism- theory that a state or nation’s power is
dependent on its wealth.
Writs of Assistance-legal document that allowed officers
to search homes and warehouses for goods that might
be smuggled.
Non-importation agreements- agreements to not import
or use certain goods.
Committee of Correspondence-governments created in
each colony before the revolution to organize resistance
against the British.
Militia-military force made up of ordinary citizens.
Minutemen- civilian soldiers who boasted they were
ready to fight at a minute’s notice.
Imports-goods that a country brings in.
Blockade-using ships to prevent goods from leaving a
harbor.
Exports-goods that a country sends out.
Traitor- person who betrays their country.
Enumerated articles-powers belonging only to the
federal government.
Patriots-American colonists who were determined to
gain independence from the British.
Indentured servant- laborer who agreed to work without
pay for a certain period of time in exchange for passage
to America.
Loyalists-American colonists who stayed loyal to Great
Britain.
Subsistence farmer-farmer who grew only what they
needed to survive.
Cash crop-a crop which is grown to make money.
Slave codes- the laws passed in the Southern states that
controlled and restricted enslaved people.
Racism-discrimination against another person based on
their race.
Apprentice-person who is learning a skill.
Triangular Trade-trade system between the US colonies,
Africa, and the West Indies.
Boycott-refusing to buy goods from a certain country.
Repeal-to cancel an act or law.
Ratify-to approve.
Constitution-the supreme law of the land in the United
States. Written in 1787.
Bill of Rights-the first ten amendments of the US
Constitution.
Economic Depression- a period of low economic activity
and widespread unemployment.
Legislative Branch-the law making branch of the US
government, made up of the House of Representatives
and Senate.
Executive Branch-Enforces the laws, made up of the
President.
Judicial Branch-interprets the laws, made up of the
Supreme Court and other federal courts.
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8th Grade American History STAAR Review 2016
Compromise-agreement between two or more sides, in
which both sides give up something they want.
Appropriated-to set something aside for a particular
purpose.
Separation of Powers- each branch of the government
has certain powers that the others do not.
Standing committees- permanent committees in
Congress who consider bills.
Federalism- sharing of power between federal and state
governments.
Joint committees- committee made up of members from
the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Electoral College- special group of voters by state’s
voters to vote for the president.
Constituents- residents in a district who can vote.
Checks and balances- system in which each branch of
government has a check on the other two branches;
prevents one branch from becoming too powerful.
Bill- a proposed law.
Veto-power of the president to cancel a law.
Override- to overturn a bill proposed in Congress.
Impeach- to charge a public official with misconduct in
office.
Federalist-person who supported the US Constitution.
Executive agreements- agreement between the United
States and a foreign country that is made by the
president. Not an official treaty.
Jury-group that delivers a verdict in a court case.
Appeal-a petition to review a court case that has already
been decided.
Bond-a contract to repay borrowed money at a future
date.
National Debt- amount of money a national government
owes to other governments.
Anti-Federalist-person who opposed the US Constitution.
Speculator- a person who risks money in order to make a
larger profit.
Amend-to change.
Tariff/Tax/Duty-a tax on goods.
Due Process- idea that the government must follow
procedures established by law.
Alien-person from a foreign country.
Unconstitutional-against the Constitution.
Sedition-activities aimed at weakening an established
government.
Necessary and Proper- the right of Congress to make any
laws that are needed to carry out their powers
guaranteed in the Constitution.
Elastic clause- another name for the Necessary and
Proper Clause.
Nullify-to cancel a law.
Laissez faire-economic system where the government
does not interfere.
Impressment-forcing people into service, as in the navy.
Precedent- a tradition.
Embargo-prohibition of trade with a country.
Cabinet-group of advisers to the president.
Nationalism-love of one’s country.
Judicial Review- right of Supreme Court to determine if a
law violates the Constitution.
War Hawks-person in government who favors going to
war.
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8th Grade American History STAAR Review 2016
Capitalists-a supporter of capitalism.
Factory System-method of manufacturing in the
Industrial Revolution, using machines and factories.
Interchangeable parts-parts that are identical and can be
replaced.
Panic of 1837-economic depression caused by the closing
of the National Bank.
Manifest Destiny-belief that US should spread from “sea
to shining sea.”
Cede-to give land up by treaty.
Era of Good Feelings-period of time following the War of
1812 when the US had a sense of Nationalism.
Forty-niner- person who went to find gold in California in
1849.
Dumping-charging a lower in price in a foreign market
than in a domestic market.
Vigilantes-person who takes the law into their own
hands.
Protective tariff-tax on imported goods to protect the
American economy.
Skilled/unskilled workers-a worker who has a special skill
or knowledge to complete a task.
American system- factory system that used
interchangeable parts and machines.
Trade unions-workers that have banded together to
achieve certain goals.
Suffrage- the right to vote.
Immigrant-person who moves into a foreign country.
Nominating conventions-conventions that nominated a
candidate for president.
Nativist-person who opposes immigrants.
Caucus-a meeting of members of a political party.
Spoils system-after an election government jobs are
given to political supporters of the new president.
Discrimination- unfair treatment of a group based on
race, religion, ethnic background, or place of birth.
Abolitionists-people opposed to slavery.
Old Hickory-nickname for Andrew Jackson.
Underground Railroad-network of safe houses to
transport runaway slaves to freedom.
Kitchen cabinet-Andrew Jackson’s advisors made up of
friends.
Temperance Movement- reform movement to reduce
use of alcoholic beverages.
Pet banks-banks created by Andrew Jackson within the
states, rather than a National Bank.
Sectionalism-loyalty to one’s own region or section of the
country.
Tariff of Abominations-protective tax from 1828 to
protect US industry. Strongly opposed by the South.
Popular sovereignty- principle that government is
sustained by the consent of the people.
Nullification-the right of a state to nullify any federal law
they oppose.
Fugitive-person fleeing from custody, especially a slave.
States’ rights- political powers reserved for the state, as
opposed to the federal government.
Secede- to leave the Union.
Border ruffians-pro-slavery activist who went to Kansas
to force the acceptance of slavery.
Bleeding Kansas-series of violent confrontations between
pro- and anti-slavery forces to decide whether Kansas
would be a free or slave state.
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8th Grade American History STAAR Review 2016
Republican Party-party created in the 1850s to oppose
slavery.
Black Codes- laws passed in the South after the Civil War
aimed at controlling freedmen.
Democratic Party-political party created from the AntiFederalist party.
Radical Republicans- Republicans who favored extreme
approach to Reconstruction.
Confederate States of America-name for the states that
seceded from the Union during the Civil War.
Scalawags- name given to Southerners who supported
Republican Reconstruction of the South.
Martial Law-temporary rule by a military force over
civilians.
Carpetbaggers-name given to Northern whites who
moved South after the Civil War and supported the
Republicans.
Emancipate- to free from slavery.
Civilians-people not in the military.
Bounty-money offered as a reward for the capture of a
person.
Draft-the selection of persons for required military
service.
Habeas Corpus-legal order for an inquiry to determine
whether a person has been lawfully imprisoned.
Inflation-a continuous rise in the price of goods and
services.
Profiteer- person who makes an unfair profit; usually in
the black market.
Tax-in-kind-refers to any taxation that is paid in kind, that
is with goods or services rather than money.
Sharecroppers-farmers who work land for an owner who
provides the equipment and seeds and receives a share
of the profit.
Ku Klux Klan- a violent opposition group to the Radical
Republican policies.
Poll taxes- a tax per person that had to be paid before
the person could vote.
Literacy tests- method used to prevent African Americans
from voting by requiring to prove they could read and
write.
Grandfather clause- clause that allowing people who did
not pass the literacy test to vote if their fathers or
grandfathers had voted before Reconstruction began.
Segregation- separation or isolation of a race, class, or
group.
Freedmen- a person freed from slavery.
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