The Compromise of 1850
Why was the Mexican-American War fought?
Over a border dispute between the two countries
What did the Kansas-Nebraska Act do?
Organized the territories of Kansas and Nebraska; established popular sovereignty in the newly formed territories
Who was Dred Scott?
A slave who lived in the slave state of Missouri
What words might people in the South have used to describe John Brown?
Terrorist; zealot; Radical; extremist
Who won the presidential election of 1860?
Abraham Lincoln (R)
Land gained from the Mexican Cession had to be established as free or slave territories
How did the Kansas-Nebraska Act overturn the Missouri Compromise?
It allowed the potential of slavery north of the Missouri Compromise line
What was Dred Scott's legal argument?
That he should be free because his master moved him to free territories
What words might people in the North have used to describe John Brown?
Martyr; liberator
How did southern states react to the election result?
They seceded from the Union
What did the North gain from the Compromise?
Free state of California
What were the two terms used to refer to anti-slavery and pro-slavery activists who rushed to Kansas?
Free-Soilers (anti); Border Ruffians (pro)
How did the North react to the Court's ruling?
They considered it a "nullity"
What did John Brown do to inflame tensions between the North and the South?
Raided the federal armory at Harpers Ferry
What was the Confederacy?
The shorthand for the newly formed country by the southern states; aka The Confederate States of America
What did the South gain from the Compromise?
The Fugitive Slave Act; Popular sovereignty in Utah and New Mexico territories
What was "Bleeding Kansas"?
Violence that broke out between anti- and pro-slavery activists in Kansas
Why was this ruling significant for the South?
It gave them a legal victory and formally settled the issue of slavery
What was John Brown's goal?
To arm and foment a slave rebellion
What happened at Fort Sumter in April 1861?
Confederate forces fired on the Union troops in the fort
Why was the Compromise of 1850 considered an overall win for the South?
Popular sovereignty opened the door to the possibility of slavery in newly gained territories
Why was the North so outraged by the Kansas-Nebraska Act?
It made them not be able to trust the South because they had broken the Missouri Compromise
What were the two rulings of Chief Justice Taney's Supreme Court in Scott v. Sandford?
African Americans are not citizens; the government does not have the authority to prohibit slavery
Explain why one might describe the North's reaction to John Brown's raid as "mixed".
While many Northerners supported his cause, they disagreed with his use of violence
What was the ultimate result of "The Fiery Fifties"?
The American Civil War (1861-1865)