8/21/25
Unit 1:
Early America
The Declaration of Independence:
o The Declaration asserted that all people are born with unalienable
rights-life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness-and that all
governments are responsible for protecting these rights.
o The Declaration listed the colonists’ grievances, or complaints, against
King George, the 3rd of England, these complaints justified the
colonist’s decision to separate from Great Britain.
o Consent of the governed/governments power comes from the people
U.S. Constitution:
o To balance power within the government, the Framers included two
important principles
o Separation of power, and Checks and Balances
Legislative: Congress, makes laws
Executive: President, implement laws
Judicial: Courts, interpret
o Amendments have changed and continue to change the
constitution
o U.S. Constitution:
Bill of Rights= the first ten amendments
Bill of Rights:
o The first amendment protects the freedom of religion, assembly,
the press, petition, and speech
o The 5th amendment guarantees due process steps must be taken
before the individuals’ rights can be taken away
o The 9th amendment states that citizens have more rights than
those specifically listed in the Constitution
o The 10th amendment states that if rights are not specifically
given to the federal government, then they belong to state
governments or the people, this principle is known as federalism
8/26/25
,Unit 1 Cont.
Values of a Constitutional Republic:
o Alexis de Tocqueville wrote Democracy in America
Liberty -freedom-
Egalitarianism -equal-
Individualism –independence/self-expression-
Populism -people participate in gov.-
Laisser-faire -French term- -gov. stays out of
businesses-
American Identity:
o E Pluribus Unum “out of many, one”
o In God we trust
U.S. Citizenship:
o A person can become a U.S. citizen by birth or by
naturalization
Civic Responsibilities:
o Civic participation allows Americans to engage in their gov.
by communicating their views.
Serving on juries and court cases
Voting in local and federal elections
Lobbying to influence governmental decisions
8/28/25
Unit 2:
The Gilded Age
Gilded Age:
o The Gilded Age was an era in the late 1800’s and early
1900’s characterized by
Industrialization
Big businesses
Labor Unions
Political Corruption
, New Technology:
o In the late 1800’s, the Bessemer steel process was
introduced as a revolutionary new method for mass
producing stronger, cheaper steel
Skyscrapers
Railroads
Bridges
o Light bulbs enabled employees to work longer hours and
therefore produce more goods
o Alexander Graham Bell introduced the first telephone,
which paved the way for long distance communication
o The light bulb and electrical power, both perfected by
Thomas Edison, drastically changed how businesses
operated
Transcontinental Railroad:
o The Transcontinental Railroad connected the east and west
coasts of the United States and encouraged rapid
economic and social growth
o Farmers and businesses now had affordable access to
national markets to sell their goods and products
Settle
The west
Farming In America:
o During the 1800’s and early 1900’s, many farmers
struggled financially; crop prices were low, and railroad
companies charged farmers more to ship their goods than
they did other businesses
Grange Movement
George Washington Carver
Rotate crops
9/2/25
Free Enterprise (capitalism):
o Free enterprise is an economic system that allows
individuals to have economic freedom with limited
government interference
Unit 1:
Early America
The Declaration of Independence:
o The Declaration asserted that all people are born with unalienable
rights-life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness-and that all
governments are responsible for protecting these rights.
o The Declaration listed the colonists’ grievances, or complaints, against
King George, the 3rd of England, these complaints justified the
colonist’s decision to separate from Great Britain.
o Consent of the governed/governments power comes from the people
U.S. Constitution:
o To balance power within the government, the Framers included two
important principles
o Separation of power, and Checks and Balances
Legislative: Congress, makes laws
Executive: President, implement laws
Judicial: Courts, interpret
o Amendments have changed and continue to change the
constitution
o U.S. Constitution:
Bill of Rights= the first ten amendments
Bill of Rights:
o The first amendment protects the freedom of religion, assembly,
the press, petition, and speech
o The 5th amendment guarantees due process steps must be taken
before the individuals’ rights can be taken away
o The 9th amendment states that citizens have more rights than
those specifically listed in the Constitution
o The 10th amendment states that if rights are not specifically
given to the federal government, then they belong to state
governments or the people, this principle is known as federalism
8/26/25
,Unit 1 Cont.
Values of a Constitutional Republic:
o Alexis de Tocqueville wrote Democracy in America
Liberty -freedom-
Egalitarianism -equal-
Individualism –independence/self-expression-
Populism -people participate in gov.-
Laisser-faire -French term- -gov. stays out of
businesses-
American Identity:
o E Pluribus Unum “out of many, one”
o In God we trust
U.S. Citizenship:
o A person can become a U.S. citizen by birth or by
naturalization
Civic Responsibilities:
o Civic participation allows Americans to engage in their gov.
by communicating their views.
Serving on juries and court cases
Voting in local and federal elections
Lobbying to influence governmental decisions
8/28/25
Unit 2:
The Gilded Age
Gilded Age:
o The Gilded Age was an era in the late 1800’s and early
1900’s characterized by
Industrialization
Big businesses
Labor Unions
Political Corruption
, New Technology:
o In the late 1800’s, the Bessemer steel process was
introduced as a revolutionary new method for mass
producing stronger, cheaper steel
Skyscrapers
Railroads
Bridges
o Light bulbs enabled employees to work longer hours and
therefore produce more goods
o Alexander Graham Bell introduced the first telephone,
which paved the way for long distance communication
o The light bulb and electrical power, both perfected by
Thomas Edison, drastically changed how businesses
operated
Transcontinental Railroad:
o The Transcontinental Railroad connected the east and west
coasts of the United States and encouraged rapid
economic and social growth
o Farmers and businesses now had affordable access to
national markets to sell their goods and products
Settle
The west
Farming In America:
o During the 1800’s and early 1900’s, many farmers
struggled financially; crop prices were low, and railroad
companies charged farmers more to ship their goods than
they did other businesses
Grange Movement
George Washington Carver
Rotate crops
9/2/25
Free Enterprise (capitalism):
o Free enterprise is an economic system that allows
individuals to have economic freedom with limited
government interference
