Abolish
to do away with; put an end to
Abolitionist
a person who wanted to end slavery
Amend
To alter, Modify, rephrase, or add to or subtract from; to change for the better
Annex
to attach or add to something larger or more important
Antebellum
used to describe a period of time before a war, especially the American Civil War
Arsenal
a gun warehouse
Assimilation
process of becoming part of another culture
Bias
leaning toward or against a certain person, group, or idea
Blockade
the isolating, closing off, or surrounding of a place, as a port, harbor, or city, by hostile ships or troops to prevent entrance or exit
Capitalist
a person who invests in a business in order to make a profit
Casualty
a person injured or killed in an act of war
Cede
to yield or formally surrender to another
Commerce
The buying and selling of goods, especially on a large scale
Compromise
A settlement of differences by mutual concessions; an agreement reached by adjustment of conflicting or opposing claims, principles, etc., by reciprocal modifications of demands
Confederacy
an alliance between persons, parties, states, etc., for some purpose
Confederation
a group, especially of states, united for common purpose
Constituent
a person who elected a representative to office
Constitution
a document that sets out the laws and principles of a government
Controversy
argument or dispute
Convention
a meeting or formal assembly, as of representatives or delegates, for discussion of and action on particular matters of common concern
Culture
way of life
Defensive
serving to defend; protective
Delegate
a representative
Democratic
ensuring all people have the same rights
Depression
a period characterized by a decline in business, high unemployment, and falling prices
Diplomat
a person appointed by a national government to conduct official negotiations and maintain political, economic, and social relations with another country or countries
Discrimination
a policy or attitude that denies equal rights to certain groups of people
Draft
the law requires people of a certain age to enlist in the military
Economic
having to do with business (the production, exchange and use of goods and services
Emancipate
to free from bondage, restraint, or influence
Embargo
a ban on trade with another country
Emigrate
to leave one country or region to settle in another
Exclusion
keeping apart; blocking entrance
Executive
any of the persons who see the laws of a nation or state carried out
Exploitation
to use someone or something for profit
Export
goods that are shipped from one country to another
Faction
a group inside a political party or other group
Famine
widespread starvation
Federalism
the division of power between the states and the national government
Foreign Policy
actions that a nation takes in relation to other states
Frontier
the land or territory that forms the furthest extent of a country's settled or inhabited regions
Fugitive
a runaway
Immigrate
to come to live in a new country for permanent residence
Impeach
to bring a formal charge of wrongdoing against a president or other public official
Import
to bring in (merchandise, goods, etc.) from a foreign country for use or sale
Independence
freedom from the control, influence, support, aid, or the like, of others
Industry
trade or manufacture in general
Inflation
a rise in prices and a decrease in the value of money
Infrastructure
the basic physical systems business or nation as in transportation, communication, sewage, water, and electric systems
Interchangeable
capable of replacing or changing places with something else
Interrogate
to examine by questions
Judicial
of judges, laws, courts, or their duties
Lawsuit
a legal case brought to settle a dispute between people or groups
Legislate
to make or enact laws
Legislature
a deliberative body of persons, usually elective, who are empowered to make, change, or repeal the laws of a country or state; the branch of government having the power to make laws
Manufacture
the making of goods by using manual labor or machinery
Martial Law
law imposed on an area by military authority rather than by elected government
Martyr
a person who willingly dies or endures great suffering for a belief
Miner
person who works in a mine
Moderate
kept or keeping within reasonable or proper limits; not extreme, excessive, or intense
Nationalism
pride or devotion to ones country
Nativist
person who wanted to preserve the United States for white, American-born Protestants and who was opposed to immigration
Neutral
not aligned with or supporting any side or position in a controversy
Nullify
to cancel
Offensive
Characterized by attack; aggressive
Oppose
to act against or provide resistance to
Philanthropy
the giving of money, property, or work to needy persons through the creation of institutions (such as schools and hospitals)
Political
having to do with politics (government, laws, etc.)
Precedent
any act, decision, or case that serves as a guide or justification for subsequent situations
Prejudice
unreasonable feelings, opinions, or attitudes, especially of a hostile nature, regarding a racial, religious, or national group
Proclamation
a public or official announcement
Production
the act of producing, creating, or manufacturing something
Prominent
Leading, important, or well-known
Proponent
a person who argues in favor of something; an advocate
Provisions
the providing or supplying of something, usually food or necessities
Ratify
to approve
Rebellion
open, organized, and armed resistance to one's government or ruler
Reform
to improve or make better that which is wrong, corrupt, or unsatisfactory
Refuge
a place of shelter, protection, or safety
Regulate
to control or direct by rule, principle, or method
Repeal
to revoke or withdraw formally or officially
Republic
a nation in which the voters elect representatives to make laws for them
Restrict
to confine or keep within limits
Rural
having to do with the country or people who live there, as on farms
Secede
to withdraw from membership in a group
Sedition
creating a rebellion against a legitimate government
Siege
a military encirclement of an enemy position and blockading or bombarding it in order to force a surrender
Seize
to take possession or control by force
Social
having to do with the people (how they interact with one another; lifestyles; and classes
Sovereign
supreme; preeminent; indisputable
Suffrage
the right to vote
Tariff
a tax on foreign goods brought into the country
Territory
a tract of land
Textile
any cloth or goods produced by weaving, knitting, or felting
Treason
action against one's country, the offense of acting to overthrow one's government or to harm or kill its sovereign
Treaty
a formal agreement between two or more states in reference to peace, alliance, commerce, or other international relations
Union
a number of persons, states, etc., joined or associated together for some common purpose
Urban
a city area
Urbanization
the migration of an increasing proportion of rural dwellers into cities
Veto
to reject