Slavery in Texas
What did enslaved African Americans in Texas primarily do?
They worked on plantations, picking and planting crops.
What is an abolitionist?
A person who wanted to end slavery.
What does it mean to secede?
To officially leave or separate from a group.
What was the first battle of the Civil War?
The first shots were fired at Fort Sumter.
What major event took place in April 1865?
Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union General Ulysses S. Grant.
By 1860, what percentage of Texans were enslaved African Americans?
Three out of every ten Texans were enslaved.
Why did the South oppose tariffs?
Tariffs made Northern goods more expensive, which hurt the Southern economy.
What year did Texas officially secede from the Union?
Texas officially seceded in March 1861.
How many Texans fought for the Confederacy?
About 90,000 Texans fought for the Confederacy.
What did the Emancipation Proclamation declare?
It declared that all persons held as slaves in the Confederacy were free.
What type of farm is a plantation?
A plantation is a large farm that produces crops to sell.
What was the Southern belief about states' rights?
Many Southerners believed states could nullify laws they disagreed with.
Who was one prominent Texan that opposed secession?
Sam Houston
What was a major challenge for Texas during the war?
Union blockades prevented shipping cotton and importing supplies.
What was the Thirteenth Amendment?
It made slavery illegal in all states
What was one reason the demand for cotton increased in the 1850s?
The growing demand for cotton in Europe and Northern textile mills.
Who was elected president in 1860 and opposed the spread of slavery?
Abraham Lincoln.
What did Texas delegates protest at the secession convention?
The "insults, threats, and aggressions of the North."
Who led the Confederate soldiers at the Battle of Laredo?
Colonel Santos Benavides.
What was the last battle of the Civil War?
The Battle of Palmito Ranch.
How did most enslaved people live their lives?
They worked long hours without pay and had no say over their lives.
What did many Southerners do after Lincoln's election?
They began talking about leaving the United States.
How many Texans voted against secession?
Almost 15,000 Texans voted against it.
What was one way Texas cotton growers bypassed blockades?
They shipped cotton to the Rio Grande Valley and out through Mexico.
What was one impact of the Civil War on Texas families?
Many families faced shortages and had to manage homes without men who were fighting.