Important People
Former slave, most photographed, famous abolitionist, writer/speaker
Frederick Douglas
Led the Union through the Civil War, issued Emancipation Proclamation, delivered Gettysburg address, President of Union
Abraham Lincoln
Treaty ended the Mexican-American war and resulted in the Mexican session which gave the U.S. California, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, and Utah. The addition of this land caused major dispute on whether slavery should expand in new territory.
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
Attempt to ease tensions by admitting California as a free state, with the use of popular sovereignty in new territories, and strengthening the fugitive slave act. Instead of calming tensions it just increased them.
Compromise of 1850
U.S. acquired new territory through the Mexican- American War
Rising sectional tension over the debate to allow slavery in new territories
Confederate General, surrendered at Appomattox Courthouse
Robert E. Lee
Union General, made Lee surrender, supported Reconstruction.
Ulysses S. Grant
Bringing Texas into America as a slave state upset sectional values in America. Intensified arguments on whether new territories should allow slavery.
Annexation of Texas
War massively expanded U.S. territory and caused more debate over slavery. It also set the stage for civil war leaders.
Mexican-American War
Stephen Douglas’s 1854 Act allowed popular sovereignty in Kansas and Nebraska
Both sides flooded Kansas, leading to violent clashes, both sides were stubborn and unruly and began to push nation towards war.
Author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin, increased northern support, “the little woman who wrote the book the started this great war.”
Harriet Beecher Stowe
President of Confederacy, lead confederate political ideas and states’ rights ideals.
Jefferson Davis
Outlined the future of the Union and ended slavery. Change relationship between states and government, led to massive casualties, and called for reconstruction.
Civil War
Polk’s victory signaled major support for manifest destiny. Polks determination to acquire more territory, like Texas, escalated tensions with Mexico.
Election of 1844
Name 2 Changes
End of Slavery - The Civil War and the 13th amendment abolished slavery, upending the Southern infrastructure
Federal Power Expanded - The Civil War and the Reconstruction acts granted more power to the federal government and took it away from the states
Rights for African Americans - 14th and 15th amendments granted citizenship and voting rights to newly freed African Americans
Republican Party overtakes Democratic - The Whig Party collapsed, Republicans formed, and the Democrats split along sectional lines
Southern Economy was Transformed - Plantation slavery ended, but was replaced by sharecropping, wage labor, and tenant farming
Encouraged the idea of Popular Sovereignty, responsible for Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 which led to Bleeding Kansas
Stephen Douglas
Led Pottawattomie Massacre and Harper’s Ferry Raid, advocated for the abolition of slavery.
John Brown
Introduced the idea of popular sovereignty in Kansas and Nebraska which at the same time repealed the Missouri Compromise. Eventually led to Bleeding Kansas, destroyed the Whig Party, and set the framework for the beginning the Republican party.
Kansas-Nebraska Act
13th Amendment (Abolished slavery), 14th Amendment (birthright citizenship and equal protection), and 15th Ammendment (voting rights for black men). Reconstruction reshaped the Constitution and expanded civil and political rights for the formerly enslaved. Howver, its end just resulted in the return of white supremacy ideals.
Reconstruction
Name 2 Continuities
White Supremacy - Even after slavery ended, white dominated groups enacted laws and practices to maintain racial control
Economic Dependence on cash crops - The South was still dependent on cotton and agriculture instead of industrializing
Westward Expansion - The push for land and Manifest destiny persisted throughout the era
Political Tensions - Debates over who counts as an American remained central
Limited RIghts for Women - Despite activism throughout the period, women still lcked suffrage and legal equality.
Leader of the Radical Republicans, pushed for rights of freedmen and helped establish the 14th amendment.
Thaddeus Stevens
Lincoln’s Vice President and later became President after Assassination, attempted Reconstruction, first to be impeached
Andrew Johnson
Convinced the Southern states that they had completely lost political power. This prompted many states such as South Carolina to secede.
Election of Abraham Lincoln
Supreme court rules that African Americans are not citizens and do not deserve the right to citizenship, and that congress did not have the ability to ban slavery in the territories. Decision outraged Northerners, but delighted Southerners.
Dred Scott Decision
Compare and Contrast abolitionists and free soilers.
Abolitionists oppose slavery, free soilers opposed slavery only in western states. Free Soilers cared more about economics and money while abolitionists were more focused on morals. Both active in northern politics and fueled sectional tension.