Final Exam Review 8 th Grade Social Studies PART 1: 7 TH Grade Material, Reconstruction & Westward Expansion

Let’s start at the very beginning. A very good place to start More than 20,000 years ago, human beings went from Asia to North America by crossing a land brifdge that once connected Siberia to Alaska.

Political Stuff from 7 th grade Bill of Rights (1791): First 10 amendments Chart shows separation of powers. Checks & balances prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful.

More Political Stuff… Electoral College: It is important to remember that the President is not chosen by a nation-wide popular vote. The Electoral College vote totals determine the winner. Electoral votes are awarded on the basis of the popular vote in each state. For example, all 55 of California’s Electoral votes go to the winner of the state election, even if the margin of victory is only 50.1 percent to 49.9 percent.

One more thing…slavery was a divisive issue Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854): allowed new states being added to the U.S. to decide for themselves whether or not they wanted slavery. Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe helped spur abolitionists to fight to end slavery and helped start the Civil War.

Economic Stuff from 7 th Grade The economy of the early colonies was based on mercantilism. Think of the “m” in mercantilism as the “mother” country. In mercantilism the “C”olonies are the “C”hildren, and they give their raw materials to the “mother” country. The Erie Canal (1825) connected the Great Lakes and NYC by water. – Improved trade – Provided jobs – Helped cities (Albany, Syracuse, Utica) grow and prosper – Made goods more affordable

Now on to the 8 th Grade! RECONSTRUCTION PERIOD ( ) Decade after the Civil War. Needed to rebuild, help newly freed slaves and decide how to readmit South to the Union. WESTWARD EXPANSION ( ) Settlement of the Great Plains, aka “The Last Frontier”. Homesteaders sought prosperity. Native Americans lost life as they knew it.

The Reconstruction Amendments

Two Plans for Reconstruction “THE HUG” (Lincoln’s 10% Plan) “THE SLUG” (Radical Republican Plan—Wade Davis Bill)

But here is the rule, and the rules are written by whites… Black Codes

Poll Taxes

Grandfather Clause (1898) allowed those who were able to vote before 1867 and those whose father or grandfather could vote before 1867 to skip the literacy tests and taxes that kept so many from voting. As no blacks could vote in Louisiana before 1867, the year in which the Reconstruction Act ordered universal male suffrage, the grandfather clause excluded blacks. Literacy Tests used for decades to keep African-Americans, and later other immigrant groups, from voting.

The Result? Jim Crow “Jim Crow” means segregation.

Westward Expansion ( )

What You Should Know Mining and railroads drew people out west The mining boom was short-lived (1850s to 1880s) The Transcontinental Railroad connected the country and changed how we lived, did business and traveled. Westward expansion meant the decline of American Indian civilizations. Expansion meant the near extinction of buffalo. The gold rush was replaced by cattle kingdoms and farming.

Westward Expansion Where: The Great Plains and Far West When: 1860s to the end of the century. Why: manifest destiny, opportunity, – Homestead Act (1862) Encouraged settlement of the West. Gave people 160 acres of land if they could last 5 years on the plains. How: Transcontinental Railroad cut travel time to the West, led to the rise of cattle trails. Built largely by Chinese immigrants.

Impact on Native Americans Between almost the entire population of plains buffalo were killed. The Dawes Act (1887) attempted to assimilate Native Americans by making them farmers.

Want to Keep Studying? Be my guest! After school review is a supplement to your studying, not a replacement.