Important events
Election of 1860
The election of 1860 was a landmark election in which Abraham Lincoln (R) defeated 3 other candidates all without support from the South.
The other candidates included: John C Breckinridge (Southern Democrat), Stephen A Douglas (Democrat) and John Bell (Constitutional Union)
The election showed how North-South tensions over slavery were growing tremendously, with the South in particular feeling threatened by Lincoln's win without their support.
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson was a Democrat who served as president following the assassination of Lincoln. His stance on reconstruction was overly lenient, giving Southern States space to implement anti-black laws and systems.
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Emancipation Proclamation
The Emancipation Proclamation was an order from Lincoln in 1863 stating that all enslaved individuals in confederate territory were to be freed from slavery. This declaration effectively solidified slavery as the key issue in the war.
Uncle Tom's Cabin
A heavily influential anti-slavery book authored by Harriet Beecher Stowe. The book aided in exposing the moral failings of slavery and helped to grow anti-slavery sentiment in the North. On the other hand, the South largely opposed the novel, which fueled tensions between the two regions.
Bleeding Kansas
Bleeding Kansas was a conflict between 1854-1859 in the Kansas territory over the expansion of slavery into the territory. Since popular sovereignty had been declared for the area with the Kansas-Nebraska act, the conflict saw anti-slavery and pro-slavery settlers fighting over the state's status as a slave or free state.
John Brown
Primarily guided by his evangelical religious convictions, John Brown was a militant abolitionist active most active during the 1850s. He is most famous for his raid on Harpers Ferry, which resulted in him being executed for treason and subsequently seen as a martyr for the abolition movement.
Fugitive Slave Act
The Fugitive Slave Act was a piece of legislation in 1850 that mandated that all runaway slaves must be returned to their enslavers. This ruling was effective even if the runaway was found in a free state, which prompted opposition from Northerners, furthering tensions.
Know-Nothing Party
The Know-Nothing party was an extremely nativist political party active during the 1850s. The party platform was founded upon anti-immigrant sentiment, particularly against Catholic immigrants. The party was eventually split along the line of slavery.
Lincoln Douglas Debates
The Lincoln-Douglas Debates were a series of debates in 1858 between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A Douglas. The pair, both fighting for an Illinois senate seat, debated a variety of issues, but primarily slavery and the expansion of slavery.
Stephen A. Douglas
Stephen A. Douglas was a Democratic politician who heavily influenced debates about the expansion of slavery through his support of popular sovereignty. He's notable for going against Lincoln in both the Lincoln-Douglas debates and the 1860 election.
Dred Scott V. Sanford
Dred Scott V. Sanford was a supreme court case which ruled that African Americans were not considered U.S. citizens, and therefore could not take legal action against an individual. It also declared on that basis that congress did not have reign to regulate slavery.
Carpetbaggers and Scalawags
Scalawags was a derogatory a term used to describe white southerners who supported reconstruction efforts. Scalawags often faced severe backlash from other anti-reconstruction southerners.
Carpetbaggers was a term describing Northerners who moved south following the war. The term was often used to imply that Carpetbaggers were exploitative and opportunistic towards the war-torn south.
Election of 1876
The Election of 1876 featured Republican Rutherford B Hayes up against Democrat Samuel J Tilden. Hayes' victory was viewed as controversial due to him losing the popular vote but winning the electoral vote. The close election prompted the compromise of 1877, in which Hayes would be granted the presidency in exchange for the withdrawal of troops in the South, effectively ending reconstruction.
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Jefferson Davis
Previously a pro-secession senator, Jefferson Davis served as the president of the confederacy during the Civil War. He acted as the main leader in the Confederate war effort against the Union.
he lost lolKansas Nebraska Act
The Kansas Nebraska Act was a piece of legislation in 1854 which allowed for popular sovereignty in the territories of Kansas and Nebraska. The act was introduced by Stephen A. Douglas and eventually lead to increased tensions over slavery, as seen with Bleeding Kansas.
Freeport Doctrine
The Freeport Doctrine is an ideology peddled by Stephen A Douglas during the Lincoln-Douglas debates which argues that states could effectively exclude slavery by not passing laws that protected it.
Sumner-Brooks Affair
The Sumner Brooks Affair was an incident of political violence in 1856 in which Southern Democrat Brooks caned Northern Republican Sumner in reaction to an anti-slavery speech from Sumner. The incident displayed how tensions regarding slavery were seeping into congress, and was used by Northerners to display Southern aggression.
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The 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments
The 13th amendment, ratified in 1865, abolished slavery and involuntary servitude in the U.S. except as punishment for a crime.
The 14th amendment, ratified in 1868, gave citizenship to all individuals born or naturalized in the U.S. It also guarantees equal protection to those formerly enslaved.
The 15th amendment, ratified in 1870, prohibited both the federal and state government from denying the right to vote based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude.
Freedmen's Bureau
The Freedmen's Bureau was a government agency formed post-war aimed at aiding formerly enslaved Americans in the South. The agency provided food, education, and medical service to millions of Americans.