What did the Stono Rebellion cause?

Stono Rebellion
“On Sunday, September 9th, 1739 the British colony of South Carolina was shaken by a slave uprising that culminated with the death of sixty people” (Foster). This was one of the first major slave revolts in which many slaves tried to escape to freedom. The fact that it was Sunday affected the timing of the revolt. The promise of freedom that the Spanish made, contributed to the idea of rebellion. This rebellion forced a negative compromise towards the slaves because all of the slave codes became even more strict; even though there was no long term effect of the uprising. In 1739, the Stono Rebellion created conflict between slaves and South Carolinian elite landowners which resulted in slaves being forced to endure stricter slave codes.
First of all, the Stono Rebellion was led by an Angolan named Jemmy in South Carolina in 1739. This uprising occurred because slaves in Southern South Carolina wanted to escape to freedom. The enacting of the Security Act of 1739, the fact that it was a Sunday, and the malaria epidemic in the Charlestown were three factors that influenced the timing of Stono Rebellion. The Security Act of 1739 required all white males to carry their firearms to church. Because most of the armed males went to church (on sunday), they were not ready for a rebellion. Furthermore, the malaria epidemic had also weakened many militiamen and regular men to the point of them not being able to fight or function very well. Jemmy and his

As the population of enslaved Africans in the American colonies grew in the late 1600s and early 1700s, so did the social anxiety of the white farmers, planters, and plantation owners who controlled these enslaved peoples' labor production and lives. Their concern stemmed from racial fear, cultural differences, and the enslaved population outnumbered white colonists. These anxieties and worries came to fruition in the Stono Rebellion. What happened in this rebellion, when was it, and how significant was this rebellion for enslaved people? Let's find out.

Stono Rebellion Definition

The Stono Rebellion was a significant slave rebellion in South Carolina in 1739 near River Stono. It was not only a large rebellion but the largest in the history of the American Colonies.

Its causes and effects are an essential case study into the treatment of enslaved people and the tensions in the colonies.

Stono Rebellion Causes

By the early 1700s, in plantation areas of the colonies that grew sugarcane, rice, and other high labor crops, the ratio of enslaved Africans to European colonists was eight to one. Enslavers imposed harsh restrictions and punishments on enslaved Africans to maintain control over them. Most enslaved people were not allowed or able to be educated, accumulate material possessions, or create associations with other enslaved people.

Stono Rebellion: Treatment of Enslaved Africans

Enslaved Africans who challenged these restrictions did so with the possibility of severe punishment. White planters punished enslaved people who refused to work through physical violence; others turned to the dismemberment of toes, feet, fingers, hands, or ears.

The extent of white violence depended on the size and density of the enslaved population. In the northern colonies, where there were fewer enslaved Africans, white violence was sporadic. However, plantation owners and overseers in the sugar and rice-growing areas, where Africans outnumbered whites, routinely whipped assertive enslaved people.

Enslavers prohibited their workers from leaving the plantation without special passes and called on poor white neighbors to patrol the countryside at night for those enslaved people attempting to run away.

Enslaved people dealt with their plight in several ways:

• Some newly arrived Africans fled to the frontier, where they established traditional villages to marry into Indigenous tribes.
• American-born Black people adopted English as their primary language as they fled to other towns to pass as free men and women.
• Africans who remained enslaved often bargained with their masters over the terms of their enslavement; some bartered extra work for better food and clothing; others seized small privileges such as books and dared the master to revoke them.
• In this way, Sundays gradually became a day of rest- asserted as a right, leaning on a master’s Christianity, rather than granted as a privilege.
• Other Africans, provoked beyond endurance, killed their owners or overseers. In the 1760s, an enslaved person in Virginia killed four white planters, and other small plots to kill owners were successful.
• Some Africans even planned all-out revolts and uprisings. These uprisings and rebellions have been studied extensively by historians of abolition and social historians.

Stono Rebellion: The Promise of Freedom

The governor of the Spanish colony of Florida bordering South Carolina contributed to the Stono Rebellion by promising freedom to fugitive slaves.

The governors of Spanish Florida instigated unrest in the southern colonies to force England to use resources to quell the issues. At the time, Spain and England were at odds over trade, and Spain explored ways to disrupt that trade. Fugitive slaves who made it to Florida would be granted freedom in exchange for service in the Spanish militia and converting to Catholicism. By February 1739, at least sixty-nine enslaved people had escaped to St. Augustine in Florida.1

In September, before the Rebellion took place, the War of Jenkins Ear (1739-1741) broke out between England and Spain, further encouraging the governor of Florida to cause issues in the English colonies.

The Stono Rebellion 1739

The rebellion occurred on Sunday, 9 September, which is significant as Sunday was the enslaved people's day of rest. Let's look at how the rebellion played out.

• Around twenty enslaved people, led by a slave named Jeremy, seized guns and ammunition from a local store, killing the storekeepers and nearby planter families.
• Many of these enslaved people were from the Kongo and had military experience - decades of slave raiding in their home region of Central Africa had militarized the society.
• The rebels began the march to Florida with military drums accompanying them.
• Other enslaved people from the area joined them to find refuge in the Spanish colony.
• By midday, white colonists in the area had sounded the alarm. In the late afternoon, a militia troop caught up with the fugitives, then numbering about one hundred, and attacked them, killing some and dispersing the rest.
• The white colonists finally captured most of the remaining rebels a week later. Many were killed on the spot, others executed later, but there were rumors of rebels still at large for more than two years after the rebellion.
• More than 20 white colonists were killed, and around 50 slaves were killed in the rebellion.

What were the effects of this violent slave rebellion?

The Effects of the Stono Rebellion

This Image shows how authorities in the Province of New York executed 34 people for conspiring to burn down the city. Thirteen African men were burned at the stake and another seventeen black men, two white men, and two white women were hanged. An additional seventy blacks and seven whites were banished from the city.

The Stono Rebellion shocked white South Carolinians and residents of other colonies.

It was especially shocking when coupled with the history of a revolt in New York City in 1712, during which about twenty enslaved Africans set fire to a building, killing nine white colonists and others who came to put out the fire. The Stono Rebellion contributed to the paranoia of the 1741 New York Conspiracy. The white population was convinced enslaved people and poor white people were conspiring to burn down the city. Thirty black people and four white people were executed, with around eighty more people exiled.

The Stono Rebellion exemplified the precariousness of white colonists clinging to power over their slaves. In reaction to these revolts and growing fears, white colonists cut the imports of newly enslaved people and tightened plantation discipline and slave codes of conduct.

Responses to the Stono Rebellion

White colonists, especially in the south, were all too aware that the enslaved people they had brought to the colonies outnumbered them eight to one. To combat these fears, plantation owners increased the harshness of their disciplinary actions against unruly enslaved people. Many choose to afflict great harm on one individual as an example for others instead of mass physical violence.

Notably, in 1740, the "Negro Act" was introduced in South Carolina in direct response to the rebellion. Under this act, enslavers were allowed to kill any rebellious slaves. The act also forbade enslaved people to:

• assemble in groups,
• grow their own food,
• earn money,
• move abroad,
• learn to write.

In addition, there was a systematic culture change in how plantation owners “civilized” their enslaved labor. A more concerted effort was made to eradicate their language and customs. It became the practice for masters to create a psychological environment that forced people to forget family ties by:

• selling away family members,
• forcing a new colonial name on enslaved people,
• forcing conversion to Christianity as a method of breaking language and culture.

However, many enslaved Africans defiantly held on to their language, customs, and religions for as long as they could.

Many Southern plantation owners also began to adopt the practice of northern planters of purchasing more female enslaved labor to produce more slaves naturally within their plantation and purchase fewer imported slaves. Though there was a decline in the importation of newly enslaved people between 1750 and 1808, this period still saw approximately 100,000 to 250,000 new slaves imported from Africa and the Caribbean.

Stono Rebellion - Key Takeaways

• As the population of enslaved Africans in the American colonies grew in the late 1600s and early 1700s, so did the social anxiety of the white farmers, planters, and plantation owners who owned and controlled these enslaved people.

• Planters whipped enslaved people who refused to work; others turned to the dismemberment of toes, feet, fingers, hands, or ears—the extent of white violence depended on the size and density of the enslaved population.

• Around 100 Africans rose in revolt in 1739. Initially, around 20 slaves seized guns and ammunition from a local store and killed storekeepers and nearby planter families. More slaves later joined this group. Many of these Africans were from the Kongo and demonstrated their skills as soldiers due to decades of slave raiding.

• The rebellion was stopped by a white militia, with many African rebels being killed or executed for their role in the revolt.

• The reaction of the white colonists to this rebellion is telling of their fear of an uprising. Plantation owners increased the harshness of their disciplinary actions against unruly slaves. Policies about the conduct of enslaved Africans were also made more strict.

1. Henretta, J. A., & Brody, D. (2009). America: A Concise History, Combined Volume. Bedford/St. Martin’s., pg 84.

The Stono Rebellion was the largest slave revolt in the British colonies. Up to one hundred enslaved Africans in South Carolina rebelled against their owners, killing many, and then attempted to march to Spanish-controlled Florida where fugitive slaves would be granted freedom. The revolt was quelled by a militia and many of the rebels were killed. 

The Stono rebellion took place on September 9, 1739.

The causes of the Stono Rebellion were the changes in the treatment of the enslaved Africans in South Carolina and the Spanish governor in Florida proposing freedom to fugitive slaves from the American Colonies. 

The Stono Rebellion was led by a slave named Jeremy, who, along with approximately twenty other Kongoese slaves, revolted against their captors. Along their march to Florida, they were joined by other fugitive slaves, numbering up to one hundred total before they were stopped. 

The impact of the Stono rebellion was threefold. First, there was a change and increase in the violence and disciplinary measures used to punish rebellious enslaved Africans, as a method of controlling the enslaved population through fear. Second, there was an increase in disciplinary codes and practices to keep control over the enslaved population. Third, there was a decline in the importation of new slaves as plantation owners centralized control over their enslaved labor. 

Question

True or False: the Stono Rebellion was the first uprising of enslaved Africans in the British American Colonies

Answer

Question

What year did the Stono Rebellion take place?

Answer

Question

Which of the following was the most influential factor in Jeremy and other enslaved Africans rebelling against their South Carolinian captors?

Answer

Their violent treatment and disciplinary actions towards slaves

Question

Which of the following was a practice of slave owners in the northern colonies that was later adopted more fully by southern plantation owners?

Answer

The practice of using enslaved women to produce newly enslaved people born in the American colonies

Question

Which of the following best describes the influence of the changing disciplinary measures southern plantation owners used on their enslaved labor after the Stono Rebellion?

Answer

Southern plantation owners increased the violence in which they disciplined infractions, usually choosing to do much harm to a few individuals as a means of warning the others

Question

In what year did a revolt in New York City results in the burning down of a building and the deaths of approximately nine white colonists at the hands of rebelling enslaved Africans?

Answer

Question

Which of the following could be considered an immediate reaction to the Stono Rebellion and the rising fears of a slave uprising?

Answer

The New York scare of 1741

Question

Where did the Stono Rebellion originate?

Answer

The American Colony of South Carolina

Question

Which of the following was most influential in the initial violent success of the Stono Rebellion?

Answer

The fugitive slaves were of Congolese origin, a nation in Africa that had been militarized by conflict, so they had some military experience

Question

Use the Following Primary Source to Answer the following Multiple Choice Questions: 

“….On the 9th day of September last being Sunday which is the day the Planters allow them to work for themselves, Some Angola Negroes assembled, to the number of Twenty; and one who was called Jemmy was their Captain, they surprised a Warehouse belong to Mr. Hutchenson at a place called Stonehow [Stono]; they there killed Mr. Robert Bathurst, and Mr. Gibbs, plundered the House and took a pretty many small Arms and Powder, which were here for Sale. Next they plundered and burnt Mr. Godfrey’s house, and killed him, his Daughter and Son. They then turned back and marched Southward along Pons Pons, which is the road through Georgia to Augustine, they passed Mr. Wallace’s Tavern towards day break, and said they would not hurt him, for he was a good Man and king to his slaves, but they broke open and plundered Mr. Lemy’s House and killed him, his wife, and child. They marched on towards Mr. Rose’s resolving to kill him, but he was saved by a Negroe, who having hid him went out and pacified the others…”

-The Colonial Records of the State of Georgia on the Stono Rebellion (1739)

The events described in the primary source above were primarily caused by:

Answer

The dehumanizing nature of slavery

Question

Use the Following Primary Source to Answer the following Multiple Choice Questions: 

“….On the 9th day of September last being Sunday which is the day the Planters allow them to work for themselves, Some Angola Negroes assembled, to the number of Twenty; and one who was called Jemmy was their Captain, they surprised a Warehouse belong to Mr. Hutchenson at a place called Stonehow [Stono]; they there killed Mr. Robert Bathurst, and Mr. Gibbs, plundered the House and took a pretty many small Arms and Powder, which were here for Sale. Next they plundered and burnt Mr. Godfrey’s house, and killed him, his Daughter and Son. They then turned back and marched Southward along Pons Pons, which is the road through Georgia to Augustine, they passed Mr. Wallace’s Tavern towards day break, and said they would not hurt him, for he was a good Man and king to his slaves, but they broke open and plundered Mr. Lemy’s House and killed him, his wife, and child. They marched on towards Mr. Rose’s resolving to kill him, but he was saved by a Negroe, who having hid him went out and pacified the others…”

-The Colonial Records of the State of Georgia on the Stono Rebellion (1739)

Which of the following examples is a continuation of the efforts described in the excerpt?

Answer

Colonial legislatures began passing laws restricting the liberties of slaves

Page 2

The 13th Amendment freed enslaved people within America. The 14th Amendment made African Americans citizens. It wasn't until the 15th Amendment that African Americans received the right to vote. African Americans had to fight for this right and when they finally received it, white Southerners found ways to take it away again. Let's take a closer look at the fight for the 15th Amendment!

15th Amendment Summary

Nothing happens in a vacuum, let's explore the context for this amendment. The 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments were all passed during the Reconstruction Era. This was the period after the Civil War when the South was to be reconstructed. It lasted from the end of the Civil War until the Great Compromise of 1877.

The 13th Amendment abolished slavery and the 14th defined citizenship and naturalization for immigrants. This was a period of unrest because the Southern states did not like that African Americans were gaining rights. The South would not accept these rights unless they were forced to. The political party in power, the radical republicans, passed the Reconstruction Act of 1867.

This act divided the South into five sections each with a military general in charge. The soldiers would protect the newly established rights of African Americans and enforce other laws and plans established by Congress.

15th Amendment Date

Voting was considered a political right, not a natural right therefore it was up to the state to determine who had the right to vote. The 15th Amendment was passed by Congress in 1869. It would be added to the conditions for Southern states to rejoin the Union. The generals stationed in the different sections would make sure that all eligible voters were registered including African Americans.

15th Amendment Ratified

The 15th Amendment was passed in 1869 but would not be ratified until 1870. This means that Congress passed the article in 1869 but could not get the majority of the House of Representatives to pass it until 1870. The majority means that it has to be two-thirds.

15th Amendment Simplified

• Politicians had three reasons for giving voting rights to African Americans
  • It was the right thing to do
  • It prevented Confederates from gaining power
  • They would vote for Republicans

This amendment was pushed and passed by the radical republican party. They had three reasons for wanting African American male suffrage. It was the right thing to do, it would prevent Confederate politicians from gaining power, and they would vote for Republicans.

Keeping former Confederates out of Congress was very important for reconstruction. The radical republicans wanted to control reconstruction and could not do so if Confederates were in power. Part of the radical republican plan for reconstruction was the enfranchisement of African Americans through rights, education, and government programs.

The 15th Amendment gave voting rights to any man who is an American citizen. It also placed the responsibility of upholding and protecting these rights onto Congress. This included African Americans and people who immigrated to America. There was a large number of Chinese immigrants who came to America looking for work. They often worked in the North on railroads.

Voter Suppression

The 15th Amendment left room for voter suppression. Congress did not want the "unworthy poor" to be able to vote or immigrants. A way of keeping them from voting was allowing for poll taxes, literacy tests, and grandfather clauses. Let's take a closer look at each of these techniques.

Literacy Tests

When someone went to the poll, they would have to read a section of the Constitution. If they could not read it, then they had to explain it to whoever was administering the test. The administrator would determine whether or not the person could vote. In the South, this was used to prevent African Americans from voting.

Most African Americans were formerly enslaved. It was illegal for an enslaved person to learn to read so many African Americans were illiterate. They could not read, and the Constitution had never been explained to them. The administrators were white men. When an African American passed the test, the administrator lied and said that they didn't.

Poll Taxes

It cost one dollar to vote. This might seem like a small amount of money today but for an impoverished person in the 19th century, this was a great deal of money. Many African Americans worked as sharecroppers and had to buy food and supplies on credit. They truly could not afford the one dollar that it cost to vote.

Grandfather Clauses

Politicians did not want to prevent white men from voting and many poor white men were illiterate. If someone's father or grandfather could vote before 1867 then he could vote without passing the literacy test or paying the fee. Black people were only able to vote after 1870 so this clause only applied to white men.

Fear Tactics

African Americans who could pass the literacy test and afford the one dollar then had to deal with white mobs. These mobs patrolled voting booths and would fight and sometimes kill black men who were voting. This turned into a lawsuit that went all the way to the Supreme Court in the US vs Cruikshank case. The Supreme Court decided that Congress could not intervene as long as politicians were not preventing Black voters. If private individuals or groups did then it was not a federal matter.

The Voting Rights Act of 1865 made poll taxes, literacy tests, and other forms of voter suppression illegal. During the following decades, more voting rights acts were passed to further protect American voters.

The 15th Amendment did not include women or Native Americans. White and black women supported the 15th Amendment believing that everyone would get the right to vote. Though that was not the case. Even though some of the largest African American suffrage leaders were also active in women's suffrage, like Franklin Douglass, the African American male suffrage movement wanted to remain separate from the women's cause.

This created a divide within the women's suffrage movement where some women stayed and advocated for black male voting rights while others separated and focused on women's voting rights. Often white women would insult African Americans because they were able to vote when the white women could not. Women would not be able to vote until 1920.

Native Americans were not considered citizens therefore they could not vote. They would not be given the right to vote until 1924. Even then it was left to the state to decide if the indigenous person could vote. It would not be until 1948 that indigenous people could vote in every state. They still had to pass literacy tests and pay poll taxes.

Significance of the 15th Amendment

The 15th Amendment signified a time of change. Even though African American voting would be suppressed in the South for the following 70 or so years, African Americans were gaining rights. Political power is an important contribution to change. As African Americans gained political power, they were able to change America.

15th Amendment - Key takeaways

• The 15th Amendment was passed in 1869 and gave African American men the right to vote.
• Each former Confederate state had to ratify the 15th Amendment before it could rejoin the Union.
• Even though the 15th Amendment gave African American men the right to vote, Southern Democrats found ways to suppress their votes.
• Literacy tests, poll taxes, grandfather clauses, and fear tactics were used to prevent African Americans from voting.
• The 15th Amendment excluded women of all races and Native Americans.

The 15th Amendment gave all American men the right to vote including African American men and immigrants who became citizens.

The 15th Amendment gave all American men the right to vote including African American men and immigrants who became citizens.

The 15th Amendment was passed by Congress in 1869 and ratified in 1870.

The 15th Amendment was passed by Congress in 1869 and ratified in 1870.

The 15th Amendment gave all American men the right to vote including African American men and immigrants who became citizens.

Question

What did the 15ht Amendment do?

Answer

Gave voting rights to all American male citizens 

Question

Which of these groups did the 15th Amendment not extend to?

Answer

Question

Which act enforced the reconstruction amendments?

Answer

Reconstruction Act of 1867

Question

What year was the 15th Amendment ratified?

Answer

Question

How many votes were needed to ratify the 15th Amendment?

Answer

Question

Republicans wanted African Americans to vote to keep ___ out of office?

Answer

Question

What did the second section of the 15th Amendment do?

Answer

Gave Congress the power to enforce the amendment 

Question

Which of the following was not a form of voter suppresion?

Answer

Question

Which act outlawed voter suppression in the form of literacy tests, poll taxes, and grandfather clauses?

Answer

Question

When were women able to vote?

Answer

Page 3

Martin Luther, a Catholic monk, wrote a document referred to as 95 Theses, that changed Western Christian religion forever. What made a devout monk openly criticize the Church? What was written in the 95 Theses that made it so important? Let's look at the 95 Theses and Martin Luther!

95 Theses Definition

On October 31, 1417, in Wittenberg, Germany Martin Luther hung his 95 Theses on the door outside of his church. The first two theses were the issues that Luther had with the Catholic Church and the rest were the arguments that he could have with people about these issues.

Martin Luther and the 95 Theses

Martin Luther intended to be a lawyer until he was stuck in a deadly storm. Luther swore an oath to God that if he lived then he would become a monk. True to his word, Luther became a monk and then completed his doctoral program. Eventually, he had his very own church in Wittenberg, Germany.

95 Theses Summary

Over in Rome in 1515, Pope Leo X wanted to renovate St. Peter's Basilica. The Pope permitted the sale of indulgences to raise money for this construction project. Indulgences challenged Luther's view of Christianity. If a priest sold an indulgence, then the person who received it paid for forgiveness. The forgiveness of their sins did not come from God but the priest.

Luther believed that forgiveness and salvation could only come from God. A person could also buy indulgences on behalf of other people. One could even buy an indulgence for a dead person to shorten their stay in Purgatory. This practice was illegal in Germany but one day Luther's congregation told him that they would no longer need confessionals because their sins had been forgiven through indulgences.

95 Theses Date

On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther went outside of his church and hammered his 95 Theses to the Church wall. This sounds dramatic but historians think it probably wasn't. Luther's theses took off and were soon translated to different languages. It even made its way to Pope Leo X!

The Catholic Church

The Catholic Church was the only Christian church in existence at this time, there were no Baptists, Presbyterians, or Protestants. The Church (meaning the Catholic Church) also provided the only welfare programs. They fed the hungry, gave shelter to the poor, and provided medical care. The only education available was through the Catholic Church. Faith was not the only reason people attended church. At church, they could show off their status and socialize.

The pope was extremely powerful. The Catholic Church owned one-third of the land in Europe. The pope also had power over kings. This is because kings were thought to be appointed by God and the pope was a direct link to God. The pope would advise kings and could heavily influence wars and other political struggles.

When going forward, remember how important and powerful the Catholic Church was. This will offer context to the Protestant Reformation.

95 Theses Summary

The first two theses are about indulgences and why they are immoral. The first thesis refers to God as the only being who can grant forgiveness from sins. Luther was very dedicated to the belief that God could grant forgiveness to anyone who prayed for it.

The second thesis was directly calling out the Catholic Church. Luther reminds the reader that the church does not have the authority to forgive sins so when they sell indulgences, they are selling something they do not have. If God is the only one who can forgive sins and the indulgences weren't bought from God, then they are fake.

1. When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said, ``Repent'' (Mt 4:17), he willed the entire life of believers to be one of repentance.
2. This word cannot be understood as referring to the sacrament of penance, that is, confession and satisfaction, as administered by the clergy.

The rest of the theses are providing evidence of Luther's first two claims. These are written as arguing points. Luther opens the door that if anyone found fought in any of his points then they could write him and they would debate. The point of the theses was not to destroy the Catholic church but to reform it. The 95 Theses were translated from Latin to German and were read by people all over the country!

Luther wrote the theses in a conversational tone. While it was written in Latin, this would not be for the clergy alone. This would also be for the Catholics who, in Luther's eyes, wasted their money on indulgences. Luther proposed a reform of the Catholic Church. He was not trying to strike out and create a new form of Christianity.

Martin Luther no longer believed that priests could forgive people of their sins on behalf of God. He had a completely radical idea that people could confess in prayer on their own and God would forgive them. Luther also believed that the bible should be translated into German so that everyone could read it. At this point, it was written in Latin and only the clergy could read it.

The Gutenberg Printing Press and the Protestant Reformation

Martin Luther was not the first educated person to go up against the Catholic Church but he is the first to start a reformation. What made him different? In 1440, Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press. This made information spread quicker than it had previously. While historians are still researching the effect of the printing press on the Protestant Reformation, most agree that the Reformation would not have happened without it.

95 Theses Effect on Europe

Luther was excommunicated from the church while the 95 Theses sparked the Protestant Reformation. This was also a political reform. It eventually took away the majority of the pope's power removing his role as a political leader and leaving him as a spiritual leader. The nobility began to break from the Catholic Church because they could then dissolve the church's landholdings and keep the profits. Nobles who were monks could leave the Catholics and get married then produce heirs.

Through the Protestant Reformation people were able to get a German translation of the bible. Anyone who was literate could read the bible for themselves. No longer did they have to rely so heavily on the priests. This created different denominations of Christianity that did not follow the same rules as the Catholic Church or each other's. This also sparked the German Peasant Revolt which was the largest peasant revolt at that time.

95 Theses - Key takeaways

• The 95 Theses was originally a response to the sale of Indulgences
• The Catholic Church was a social, political, and spiritual world power
• The 95 Theses sparked the Protestant Reformation which eventually drastically diminished the power of the Catholic Church

The 95 Theses was a document posted by Martin Luther. It was written so the Catholic Church would reform.

The 95 Theses was posted on October 31st, 1517 in Wittenberg, Germany.

Martin Luther wrote the 95 Theses so that the Catholic Church would reform and stop selling indulgences. 

Martin Luther wrote the 95 Theses.

The first two theses were against the sale of indulgences the rest of the theses backed up that claim. 

Question

Answer

Question

When were the 95 Theses written? 

Answer

Question

Where was the 95 Theses posted?

Answer

Question

When someone is removed from the Catholic church because of their actions it is called ________.

Answer

Question

What were tokens that could be purchased by anyone that meant the buyer's sins had been forgiven?

Answer

Question

Why did Pope Leo X allow Catholics to start back selling indulgences?

Answer

To Fund the restoration of St. Peter's Basilica

Question

What was the first thesis about?

Answer

Only God can forgive people of their sins

Question

What was the second thesis about?

Answer

The Catholic Church did not have the authority to forgive people of their sins

Question

What were the third through ninety-nine theses about?

Answer

They were points that backed up the first two theses. 

Question

What invention helped the spread of the Protestant Reformation?

Answer

The Gutenberg Printing Press

Question

What reformation was sparked by the Ninety-Five Theses?

Answer

Question

True/False

Nobles broke from the Catholic Church then dissolved the Church's holdings so that they could keep the revenue.

Answer

Question

True/False 

Before the Protestant Reformation, there were plenty of denominations of Christians.

Answer

Question

Which book did Luther translate into German that greatly influenced the Protestant Reformation?

Answer

Question

Who did Martin Luther think that people needed to forgive their sins?

Page 4

It is difficult to say what America's experience in the 21st century will be because we are only two decades in. What we can do is look at what Americans have accomplished. The presidents, social awareness, significant events, and achievements can tell much about present-day America. Let's take a closer look at 21st-century America so far!

21st Century America Summary

The 21st century began with the election of 2000, and America has seen three more presidencies since. There were natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina and the Covid Pandemic. Major human rights events have occurred, like the legalization of same-sex marriage and the progress brought on by the Black Lives Matter Movement. The 21st century has been very eventful; let's examine these events!

1992 Presidential Election

Before we jump into the 21st Century, let's look at the election of 1992. This election had three primary candidates. Up for re-election from the Republican party was George H. W. Bush. Bush had many accomplishments during his previous term, but an economic downfall caused his support to waiver. The Democrat party offered Bill Clinton. Clinton was a "New Democrat" and represented change. A third-party candidate, Ross Perot, also ran. Though he didn't win, Perot took votes away from the Republican candidate. Bill Clinton won the 1992 election. This signaled that America was ready for a change going into the 21st century!

21st Century American Presidents

America has seen four presidents since 2000, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and the current president (at the time of writing this article!) Joe Biden. Bush and Trump were Republicans, while Obama and Biden were Democrats.

George W. Bush (2000-2008)

The stakes for America are never small. If our country does not lead the cause of freedom, it will not be led."

-George W. Bush 4

George W. Bush became president in 2000. His presidency was thrust into action on September 11, 2001. Terrorists hijacked four planes and crashed two into the World Trade Center's Twin Towers, one into the Pentagon, and the last crashed into a Pennsylvania field because the passengers gained control over it. This tragic event is referred to as 9-11 by Americans who still remember the loss of life, from the passengers to the people within the buildings to the first responders.

The War on Terror

Bush launched the Patriot Act, which allowed the government to monitor civilians' phones and emails to find terrorists. The Department of Homeland Security was established, and the War on Terror began. Bush's War on Terror involved the United States and Great Britain, Russia, France, Afghanistan, and Iraq. The president sent the military into Afghanistan to capture Osama Bin Laden, the leader of the Taliban that claimed responsibility for 9-11.

It is highly debated if the Taliban was responsible for 9-11. While they claimed responsibility, they often did so for any terrorist event, even if they weren't responsible. Their goal was to spread terror, claiming different events made the organization seem larger and scarier than it was.

In 2003, Bush claimed to suspect Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. American soldiers would go on to invade and occupy Iraq through Operation Iraqi Freedom for twenty years and never find proof of weapons of mass destruction. The War on Terror initially had the support of the American people, but after several years without results, Americans' faith wavered. They questioned if the cost of human lives was even worth it.

In 2005, Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans. Katrina was a category 5 hurricane that killed more than 1,300 people and caused 13 billion dollars worth of damages. Critics believed that Bush's response to Katrina was weak. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) didn't do enough, and what it did do was too late.

I want future generations to know that we are a people who see our differences as a great gift, that we’re a people who value the dignity and worth of every citizen -- man and woman, young and old, black and white, Latino, Asian, immigrant, Native American, gay, straight, Americans with mental illness or physical disability. Everybody matters." 3

-Barack Obama

Barack Obama was the first African American to become president, but he inherited an unofficial war from the Bush Administration. Obama allowed troops to remain in Afghanistan and Iraq but wouldn't let America become involved with the Syrian Civil War. Critics argued that Obama was too weak regarding foreign affairs in the Middle East. Obama also allowed drone strikes in the Middle East to kill Isis, a new terrorist organization threat. These strikes killed Isis targets but also innocent civilians.

America was also in the worst economic remission since the Great Depression at the start of the Obama administration. Obama passed the Recovery Act and the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). The Recovery Act created infrastructure projects to put Americans back to work, while Obamacare created affordable insurance. Obama tried to increase the minimum wage nationwide but was struck down by Congress. This did encourage many states to raise the minimum wage.

Donald Trump (2016-2020)

Donald Trump was elected into office promising to "Make America Great Again." One of his campaign promises was to build a wall that would keep immigrants from Mexico out of America and that the Mexican government would pay for it. By the end of his campaign, only a few miles, the wall had been put up in places with no previous defenses. The Mexican government didn't pay for it.

I think we’re gonna be very good with the coronavirus. I think that at some point that’s going to, sort of, just disappear—I hope" 1

-Donald Trump

In 2020, the Coronavirus spread throughout America, causing America to enter a global pandemic. Critics of Trump believed that he did not do enough to slow the spread of the virus. Trump believed that "it (the coronavirus) miraculously goes away." After the vaccine was released in December 2020, critics believed that Trump didn't properly encourage Americans to get vaccinated.

Trump was the third American president impeached by the House of Representatives and the first president to be impeached twice. A conservative majority Senate acquitted him during both impeachment trials, so Trump was not removed from office. Trump's first impeachment occurred because he attempted to bribe Ukraine to find damaging information on his political opponent, Joe Biden. The second article of impeachment came from the House of Representatives due to Trump's connections with the rioters' actions during the January 6th insurrection at the US Captial.

Joe Biden (2020 -)

Joe Biden is the current President of the United States and was Barack Obama's vice president. In 2020 America's unemployment rate had risen to 6.3, but Biden reduced it to 3.9. Unemployment has not seen a reduction this drastic since 1969. Biden issued a Covid Relief plan that spent 1.9 trillion dollars to give American adults 1,400 dollars. Biden re-entered the Paris Climate Accord, which Trump had left. The Climate Accord was an agreement between multiple countries to control climate change.

But . . . within the growing catastrophe, I believe there’s an incredible opportunity . . . . We have the ability to invest in ourselves and build an equitable clean-energy future and in the process create millions of good-paying jobs [while we] create an environment that raises the standard of living around the world. 2

-Joe Biden

Joe Biden's presidency is continuing, and we won't know the full scale of it until it has ended.

American Culture in the 21st Century

America has shifted its values in the 21st Century. Activist groups that support human rights and represent marginalized communities are a part of this. Third-wave feminism was popular in the 2000s but shifted to the fourth wave in the mid-2010s. The fourth wave is categorized by its use of social media in the information age.

Civil Rights Activists have formed groups like Black Lives Matter, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, and the Me Too movement to raise awareness for marginalized groups. The Black Lives Matter movement raises awareness about police brutality against African Americans. The Me Too movement empowers victims of sexual assault to come forward and seek justice. The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women movement raises awareness about the high numbers of missing and murdered Native American women.

Major Events in 21st-Century America

There were many significant events in America during the 21st Century; let's take a moment to highlight two of these: Hurricane Katrina and the Legalization of Same-Sex Marriage.

Hurricane Katrina

Hurricane Katrina touchdown in the Southern United States in August 2005; though it affected multiple states, the most damage was done in Louisiana. The American government was informed that a category five hurricane would strike. Government officials had six days to evacuate and prepare Louisiana for the hurricane's touchdown. The government's handling of Katrina was a failure.

Evacuation of New Orleans, the state capital, only began 24 hours before touchdown, even though the government knew it would take 72 hours to evacuate the city fully. Refugees were told that the Super Dome Stadium was safe to bunker down. The stadium did not have enough food or water, and the people left there had to wait five days after the storm to get supplies.

The immediate support of victims of Katrina was a failure because of the government's slow response. It was not declared national significance until 36 hours after the hurricane ended. At least 1,833 people died, and 80% of New Orleans was flooded.

Legalization of Same-Sex Marriage

In 2015, the Supreme Court found denying same-sex couples marriage rights was unconstitutional in the Obergefell Vs Hodges case. All states had to recognize the rights of same-sex married couples, which were to be the same as the rights of heterosexual couples.

This landmark decision was because marriage was defined as between a man and a woman in defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) of 1996. Homosexual couples were denied over 1,000 benefits that come from marriage.

American Achievements in the 21st Century

America has made many achievements in the 21st century. In 2004 Mark Zuckerberg launched the social media platform Facebook, which would revolutionize online communication. In 2007, Steve Jobs released the first iPhone. The 21st Century has introduced new technologies at a fast pace.

America in the 21st Century

America has had many accomplishments and setbacks in the 21st century. It is difficult to say what the 21st century will mean on the greater scale of history because we are only two decades into it. We can say that this century has already been quite eventful and will most likely continue to do so.

21st Century America - Key takeaways

• America has had four presidents in the 21st century:
  • George W. Bush
  • Barack Obama
  • Donald Trump
  • Joe Biden
• Activist groups continue to spread awareness
• Hurricane Katrina devastated Louisiana in 2005
• Same-sex marriage was legalized in 2015

A 21st century American is someone who is living in America in the 21st century.

America will survive the 21st century. We have already seen many social changes in America in the first twenty years of the 21st century but cannot predict the outcome of these changes. 

America is still a post-slavery country meaning that slavery still affects America today. This is evident in the wage discrepancy, employment discrepancy, and white supremacy that still exist today.

The significant problems in 21st century America include but are not limited to human rights and climate control. 

The 21st century American dream is to achieve a comfortable life through hard work. 

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Who won over 50% of the popular vote? 

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Which candidate ran an independent political campaign?

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What became the primary campaign issue on the minds of the voters?

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The economy (in recession)

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Which candidate pushed for election reform and transparency? 

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In 1992, America had recently been successful in which of the following?

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The winner of the electoral vote also won the popular vote.

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The election contained the strongest third-party results since the election of 1912.

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George H.W. Bush ran for re-election against Democrat Ross Perot and a third-party reformer - Bill Clinton

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What is an economic recession?

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A significant decline in economic activity lasting months or years. 

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The 1992 election featured 

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a focus on the ongoing Cold War

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Bill Clinton was a self-proclaimed..

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What was the result of the 1992 election?

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Bill Clinton took office with a new, moderate approach.

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How can we characterize the role of a third party in American politics as a result of this election?

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A third party was shown to be unable to gain double-digit popular support

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Whose "no new taxes"  impacted his candidacy?

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In which state did media scrutiny and legal challenges result in a recount of votes?

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What job did Bush hold in 2000?

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What job did Gore hold in 2000?

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Who was the U.S. President that Gore served under as Vice-President?

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Which third-party candidate received the third-highest amount of popular votes in the 2000 Election?

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What is minimum number of electoral votes needed in order to win in the Electoral College?

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Which of the following statements is true?

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George W. Bush was the son of a U.S. President and brother of the Governor of Maine.

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Which of the following statements is false?

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Al Gore won the electoral vote but lost the popular vote

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The recount of ballots in Florida was impacted by the decision of which institution?

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The 2000 election was the first instance of a presidential candidate winning the electoral vote but losing the popular vote.

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Political polls leading up to the election predicted a strong win by Al Gore.

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America watched the 2000 election and followed issues including which of the following?

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Who was the 2008 Democratic nominee?

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Who was the 2008 Republican nominee?

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What war was going on during the 2008 campaign?

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John McCain's record on reform issues and taking unpopular stances earned him what characterization?

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During the election, Barack Obama and John McCain were both....

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Obama's election in 2008 was controversial because he won the popular vote but not the electoral vote.

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Which factors greatly impacted the 2008 election?

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How could we characterize McCain's military service?

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U.S. Air Force pilot who narrowly evaded capture by enemy forces

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Which campaign challenged the state of the economy and handling by the current administration?

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In the 2008 election, which demographic was won by Obama?

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Obama was a Senator from which state?

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McCain was a Senator from which state?

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Obama's election victory was seen by many as a victory for race relations in America.

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Mitt Romney faced primary challengers who were more _____

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Who was the Democratic nominee in the 2012 election?

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Who was the Republican nominee in the 2012 election?

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Who was the incumbent in the 2012 Presidential election?

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What political position had Mitt Romney held before the 2012 election?

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Who won the 2012 presidential election?

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What controversial response did Barack Obama to the Great Recession?

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What did Mitt Romney controversially say was true about 47% of Americans?

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They don't pay taxes and are dependent on the government

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What Obama program was unpopular with conservatives and Romney tried to differentiate from his program as Masschusetts state governor?

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What did Mitt Romney manage that gave him public exposure before he entered politics?

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Which US president launched the Patriot Act and created the Department of Homeland Security?

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