A glossary of ideas that help make sense of historical texts and debates.
12 entries, A–Z
1775–1865·Movement
The movement to end slavery in the United States
Concept
How power is divided between the national government and the states
America’s homegrown music, born in New Orleans
1880s – 1965·Concept
The system of legal segregation and disenfranchisement, 1880s–1960s
1845·Concept
The belief that the United States was destined to spread across the continent
c. 1890s – c. 1920·Movement
Reformers confront the problems of industrial America, c. 1890s–1920
1865–1877·Event
The struggle to rebuild the Union and define freedom after the Civil War
The founders’ ideal of self-government by virtuous citizens
1619–1865·Concept
The institution that shaped the nation’s economy, politics, and conflicts for nearly 250 years
1492 – c. 1600s·Concept
The transfer of plants, animals, people, and diseases between the hemispheres after 1492
1969–present·Concept
Computers, the internet, and smartphones transform American life
c. 1870s – c. 1900s·Concept
An era of industrial wealth, inequality, and corruption, c. 1870–1900
