Glossary

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Pronunciation Key

 

a

cat (kat), plaid (plad), half (haf)

ah

father (fah THur), heart (hahrt)

air

carry (kair ee), bear (bair), where (whair)

aw

all (awl), law (law), bought (bawt)

ay

say (say), break (brayk), vein (vayn)

e

bet (bet), says (sez), deaf (def)

ee

bee (bee), team (teem), fear (feer)

i

bit (bit), women (wim uhn), build (bild)

ı

ice (ıs), lie (lı), sky (skı)

o

hot (hot), watch (wotch)

oh

open (oh puhn), sew (soh)

oi

boil (boil), boy (boi)

oo

pool (pool), move (moov), shoe (shoo)

or

order (or dur), more (mor)

ou

house (hous), now (nou)

u

good (gud), should (shud)

uh

cup (kuhp), flood (fluhd), button (buht uhn)

ur

burn (burn), pearl (purl), bird (burd)

yoo

use (yooz), few (fyoo), view (vyoo)

hw

what (hwuht), when (hwen)

TH

that (THat), breathe (breeTH)

zh

measure (mezh ur), garage (guh razh)

abundantly (uh buhn duhnt lee): more than enough

acre (ay kur): an area of land almost as large as a football field

adverse: bad or negative

almanac: a book published once a year with facts on many subjects

ancestor: a family member from long ago

assimilated: took in and made as one’s own

baptized (bap tızd): sprinkled with or dunked in water as a sign of becoming a Christian

bilingual (bı ling gwuhl): spoken or written in 2 different languages

bishop: a high-ranking church leader

bluff: a cliff or steep natural wall

boarding school: a school at which students live during the school year

calash: a large, folding hood worn by women in the 1800s

canal: a waterway made by people

catechism (kat uh kiz uhm): a manual that teaches religious beliefs

cavalry (ka vuhl ree): soldiers who fight on horseback

ceded (seed ed): gave up

ceremony (ser uh moh nee): a formal event to mark an important occasion

citizen: someone who is an official member of a country or state and has a right to live there

colonial (kuh loh nee uhl): of or about a colony

competent (kom puh tuhnt): capable

composing: putting something together

Confederacy: the group of 11 Southern states that fought against the Union during the Civil War; the South

congregation: a group of people who gather for religious worship

constitution: the formal written laws and plans of government

culture: the way of life, ideas, and traditions of a group of people

devote: give time, energy, and attention

distinguished (dis ting guishd): well known and respected

dormitory: a large room with many beds for sleeping

elevation (eh leh vay shun): the height of land

editor: a person who decides what should go in a newspaper, magazine, or book

enchanting: delightful and charming

faithful: loyal and caring

famine: a serious and widespread lack of food

female seminary: a school where girls were taught to be proper ladies

financial panic: a sudden, widespread fear about money

foretold: said ahead of time that some event would happen

fur trade: the exchange of goods such as metal knives and guns for animal pelts

habitat: the place or environment where a plant or animal naturally or normally lives and grows

heartily: deeply and with all your heart

heritage (her uh tij): traditions and culture passed down from generation to generation

historian: a person who studies and writes about the past

immigrant (im uh gruhnt): someone who leaves one country to permanently live in another country

independence: the right to live freely, without being ruled by another government

Indian agent: someone who worked for the US government and whose job was to communicate with Indian tribes

Indian Removal Act: a law passed in 1830 that required all Native Americans living in the southern United States to move west of the Mississippi River

Indian Territory: a large area of the United States set aside in 1834 where only Indians could live

legal: having to do with laws

lock: a section of a canal that is closed off with gates. A ship can be raised or lowered in a lock by pumping water in or out.

mahogany (muh hog uh nee): a hard, dark, and reddish brown wood from a tropical tree

Methodist: a Christian group known especially for sending out missionaries

Michigan Territory: a large area of the northern United States, near the Great Lakes, that included the future states of Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota and parts of North and South Dakota

missionary (mish uh nair ee): someone who travels to spread a religion and to do good work

mortgage (mor gij): money lent by a bank to buy a house

native speaker: a person who learns a language as a baby

orthography (or thog ruh fee): spelling

pamphlet: a small booklet that usually contains information on a single topic

persecution: cruel and unfair treatment because of religion or beliefs

pneumonia (nuh mohn yuh): a disease that causes the lungs to be filled with fluid, making breathing difficult

politics: having to do with government or the work of government leaders

portaged: carried boats and supplies overland between 2 waterways or around a rough part such as a waterfall

preserve: carefully save for the future

pressured: demanded that someone make a decision

printer: a person whose job or business is printing text or images on paper

prophecy (prof uh see): a statement or warning that something will happen in the future

prospect: a possibility for the future

Quaker: a Christian group founded in the 1600s, also called the Religious Society of Friends

rapids: a place in a river where water flows very fast

redeem: to pay off a debt so that an item is yours

remote: far away from other people or cities

reservation: government land reserved or set aside for Indian nations to live on

reverend: the title for a pastor or minister

revolution: a sudden and violent overthrow of a government or ruler

sachem (sa chum): tribal leader

save: except for

secede (si seed): to leave or withdraw from a group or an organization, often to form another

settlers: people who make their home in a new country or area

slavery: the practice of owning people and making them work

snuffer: a tool used for putting out candles

stenography (stuh nog ruh fee): note taking

tax: money paid to a government

temper: a person’s usual attitude or mood

territorial legislature (lej uhs lay chur): a group of people elected by citizens who have the power to make the laws for a territory

treaty: an official written agreement between countries or peoples

trespassed: illegally went onto someone else’s property

tuition: money paid to take classes

Union: the group of states that remained loyal to the US government during the Civil War; the North

wampum: beads made from polished and carved shells and strung together to make belts, collars, and necklaces

wigwam: a home made of cattail mats or tree bark attached to a framework of small branches