Parties & Territories
This event attracted tens of thousands of people quickly, overwhelming the local government. Many were lawless men and immoral women, which led to a rise in crime, including robbery and murder. Vigilante justice was common but didn’t stop all the violence. Boom towns came to be because of it.
What is the California gold rush?
This is a 19th-century belief that the United States was destined to expand westward across North America. The term was first used in 1845 by New York City journalist John Louis O'Sullivan in the context of the annexation of Texas.
What is Manifest Destiny?
This law, known as the Bloodhound Bill, said that fleeing slaves could not testify on their own behalf and they were denied a jury trial. Northerners who aided slaves trying to escape were subject to fines and jail time. This law was the South's only real gain from the Compromise of 1850.
What is the Fugitive-Slave Law of 1850?
This treaty was negotiated by Caleb Cushing and marked the first formal diplomatic agreement between the U.S. and China. It aligned the U.S. with Western powers that disrupted China’s cultural and political integrity, sowing seeds of future resentment.
What is Treaty of Wanghia (1844)?
This President was regarded as "Old Tippecanoe" and was an impressive figure head of the Whig party. He had the longest inaugural address in American history but the shortest presidency.
Who is William H. Harrison?
This Party promoted "Free soil, free speech, free labor, and free men," arguing that slavery hurt chances for free white workers to own property and that free land in the West was important for upward mobility. This party was the first to focus on slavery and helped pave the way for the Republican Party.
What is the Free-Soil Party?
This war is when Britain and America soon came to blows once again over in Maine. The British aimed to build a road to travel from Halifax to Quebec while the St. Lawerence River was frozen over. The road ran through disputed territory however (Maine claimed it under the Treaty of Paris), and lumberjacks from both sides entered the disputed area. When fights inevitably started, both Maine and Canada sent militias.
What is the Aroostook War?
A network that guided slaves to freedom in Canada. Harriet Tubman was a brave former slave and conductor who helped over three hundred slaves escape and was called "Moses."
What is the Underground Railroad?
This treaty states that neither America nor Britain would fortify or secure exclusive control over any isthmian waterway.
What is the Clayton-Bulwer Treaty of 1850?
This President, known as "Young Hickory", was very purposeful completely completing a four-point program with remarkable success in less than four years.
Who is James K. Polk?
It was an abolitionist political party in the United States before the American Civil War. The party experienced its greatest activity during the 1840s, while remnants persisted as late as 1860. It supported James G. Birney in the presidential elections of 1840 and 1844.
What is the Liberty Party?
The secretary of state instructed the American ministers in Spain, England, and France to prepare confidential recommendations for the acquisition of Cuba. This document stated that if Spain didn't allow America to buy Cuba for $120 million, then America would attack Cuba on grounds that Spain's continued ownership of Cuba endangered American interests. The document eventually leaked out and the Northerners foiled the President's slave-driven plan.
What is the Ostend Manifesto?
This was a popular slogan during the 1844 U.S. presidential election that meant the United States should claim the Oregon Territory up to 54° 40' north latitude or go to war with Great Britain over the land.
What is 54, 40 or Fight?
This treaty was approved to avoid risking losing the treaty with Mexico's political instability and the threat posed by antislavery agitation in the US. It secured Texas and vast territories for the U.S. for $15 million.
What is the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo?
This President, known as the "Young Hickory of the Granite Hills", was the Democratic nominee for the election of 1852. He supported the Compromise of 1850 and the Fugitive Slave Law.
Who is Franklin Pierce?
During this Revolt, from June to July 1846, a small group of American settlers in California rebelled against the Mexican government and proclaimed it an independent republic.
What is the California Bear Flag Republic?
This was a significant conflict that took place during the Mexican-American War on February 22–23, 1847. The United States Army, led by General Zachary Taylor, fought against the larger Mexican Army, led by General Antonio López de Santa Anna. The battle was a turning point in the war, boosting American morale and helping to shape the political landscape of the United States. It also enhanced Taylor's national reputation, which helped him win the U.S. presidency in 1848.
What is the Battle of Buena Vista?
Webster's famous speech on March 7, 1850, helped many in the North lean towards compromise, and many copies were printed and distributed. He argued that there was no need to legislate on slavery in new territories since the conditions there didn’t support a plantation economy. His speech strengthened support for the Union, especially among banks and businesses that feared economic loss from secession.
What is the Seventh of March Speech?
This act had a pivotal measure that escalated tensions leading to the Civil War. It was seen by antislavery northerners as a betrayal by pro-slavery lawmakers (“Nebrascals”) and made future compromises between North and South increasingly unlikely, paving the way for conflict.
What is the Kansas-Nebraska Act?
This president was a general and national hero serving in the United States Army from the time of the War of 1812 to the Mexican-American War 1846-1848. He opposed slavery and seemed ready to veto any compromise between the North and South that went through Congress.
Who is Zachary Taylor?
This event secured a treaty with Mexican leader Santa Anna, purchasing land for $10 million and added nearly 30,000 square miles of land to the U.S., just south of the existing border.
What is the Gadsden Purchase?
This war was a series of conflicts between Britain and China over the illegal opium trade.
What is the Opium War?
Lewis Cass advocated for this which allowed territories to decide their own stance on slavery. This approach was popular because it aligned with democratic principles and aimed to resolve the slavery debate locally. However, it posed a risk of expanding slavery into new territories.
What is popular sovereignty?
This treaty terms were proper treatment of shipwrecked sailors, U.S. coaling rights in Japan and establishment of consular relations.
What is the Treaty of Kanagawa (1854)?
This President was a Democrat in Whig clothing, embracing a lot of the Jeffersonian state ideals even vetoing bills to establish a national bank.
Who is John Tyler?