abolishing.
to do away with completely
abolitionists.
someone who fights to end slavery
agriculture.
having to do with raising and harvesting
crops and/or animals
air brakes.
an invention that allowed oneman to
stop an entire train
alloys.
ametal that ismade by mixing two or more
kinds of metals together
alternating current.
known as AC, it is an electric
current that continually changes direction
aluminum.
a silvery metal found in themetal ore
bauxite
amendments.
changes to laws found in the U.S.
Constitution
anarchy.
no ruling body is in control of government
resulting in chaos, confusion, and civil war
ancestry.
a person's racial and ethnic background;
where a person's parents were born before they
came to the U.S.
anthracite.
hard coal
appeal.
an urgent and serious request
aqueducts.
special water bridges to carry a canal
over a river
archaeologists.
the study of past cultures through
actual objects that are found
ascended.
to rise up
audit.
to examine financial records for accuracy
avenge.
to hurt or punish someone (or a
government) for a past action
bankrupt.
to run out of money; an inability to pay
your debts
bartering.
exchanging items for other goods without
the use of money
bauxite.
a clay-like substance fromwhich aluminium
is obtained
bills.
written statements telling you howmuch you
owe for goods or services
bituminous.
soft coal
borough.
a type of local government within the
county
boycott.
to refuse to buy, sell, or trade; refuse to be
a part of
canal.
a waterway dug through the earth to connect
lakes and rivers
capitalistic.
an economic systembased upon
private ownership and capital (money)
casualities.
the number of people killed, wounded,
or missing in a battle or accident
cement.
a fine gray powder that turns into concrete
whenmixed with water, small stones, sand, and
gravel
census.
an official population count every 10 years
chambers.
large rooms in which government bodies
meet; judges' offices
charter.
a formal document describing the principles
of a government and/or the rights of a group of
people
cities.
a large geographic area containing
populations of over 10,000 people
citymanager.
an official hired or appointed to run a
city's daily operations
civic.
the duties , responsibilities, and feelings that
people have because they belong to a particular
community.
civil war.
a war between citizens in the same
country
clans.
small villages
commissioner.
a government official elected to run
a county's daily operations
communist.
an economic system in which capital is
owned by government
competitivemarket.
amarket in whichmany
producers compete for the consumers' money in
order tomake a profit
compromise.
a settlement of differences reached
by each side giving up something it wanted
conductors.
people in the Underground Railroad
who led slaves to freedom
Conestogawagon.
a large, sturdy freight wagon
confederacy.
a group organized politically, such as
the southern states in the American Civil War
conflict.
a fight, argument, or disagreement
constitutional monarch.
government in which a
king or queen is the head of state but has limited
powers, as defined by a constitution
converted.
changed one's beliefs
council.
a group of people whomake laws for a
town or Indian tribe
G
LOSSARY
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