Pre-Civil War & Slavery Debates
What does "Manifest Destiny" mean?
The belief that the U.S. had a God-given right to expand westward across the continent
What was the first battle of the Civil War?
The Battle of Fort Sumter.
What was Reconstruction?
The process of rebuilding and reuniting the South after the Civil War.
What industry was Andrew Carnegie associated with?
Steel
What did muckrakers do?
They exposed corruption and problems in society through journalism.
What did the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 require all citizens to do?
Help catch and return runaway slaves.
What was the Union’s main goal at the start of the Civil War?
To preserve the Union.
What were the Black Codes?
Laws that restricted the rights of African Americans in the South during Reconstruction.
What is vertical integration?
A company controls all parts of production, from raw materials to finished product.
What was the main goal of the Pure Food and Drug Act?
To stop unsafe and mislabeled food and drugs from being sold.
What happened in “Bleeding Kansas”?
Violent fighting between pro-slavery and anti-slavery settlers over the future of slavery in the territory.
What was the significance of the Battle of Gettysburg?
It was the turning point of the war; after this, the Union began winning.
How did the Freedmen’s Bureau help formerly enslaved people?
It provided food, shelter, education, and helped with labor contracts.
Why were labor unions formed?
To fight for better wages and safer working conditions.
How did Theodore Roosevelt's approach to labor disputes differ from earlier presidents?
He supported workers and unions instead of siding only with business owners.
How did the Kansas-Nebraska Act challenge the Missouri Compromise?
It repealed the Missouri Compromise and allowed popular sovereignty to decide slavery in the territories.
How did the Emancipation Proclamation affect African Americans in the Union army?
It allowed African Americans to join and fight for the Union army.
How did Southern whites react to African Americans gaining rights during Reconstruction?
They formed groups like the KKK and passed discriminatory laws to suppress Black rights.
How did the Haymarket Riot affect union membership?
It led to a decline in union membership due to violence and fear.
What was the purpose of the 16th Amendment in Wilson’s economic policy?
It allowed the government to collect income taxes to replace money lost from lower tariffs.
How did the Dred Scott decision increase tensions between the North and South?
It ruled that Black people were not citizens and that Congress couldn’t ban slavery in territories, angering the North.
Why was the Civil War the bloodiest war in U.S. history?
It was Americans fighting Americans, with new weapons and poor medical care.
What caused Reconstruction to fail?
President Hayes removed federal troops from the South in exchange for political support.
What was the role of political machines and party bosses in city governments?
They controlled city jobs, influenced politics, and helped businesses that supported them.
How did Ida B. Wells-Barnett fight against the injustice of lynching, and what impact did her work have?
She investigated and exposed the real reasons behind lynchings, showing they were used to control Black people, not to punish crimes. Her work raised national awareness and pushed for anti-lynching laws, though those efforts failed at the time.