Studied by 68 people
Mormon settlements in Utah (1847)
The migration of Mormons to Utah, led by Brigham Young, to escape religious persecution and establish a community based on their beliefs.
California gold rush (1848)
A massive migration to California following the discovery of gold, leading to significant economic growth and the state's rapid population increase.
Chinese immigration
Large-scale immigration of Chinese workers, particularly during the 19th century, driven by economic opportunities like gold mining and railroad construction.
Comstock Lode - silver mining in Nevada (1859)
The first major discovery of silver ore in the U.S., leading to a mining boom in Nevada.
Pike’s Peak gold rush (1858-1861)
A gold rush that brought thousands of settlers to the Colorado Territory, stimulating economic and population growth.
Manifest Destiny
The belief that the United States was destined to expand westward across the continent, justified by cultural and political ideals.
Election of 1844
Presidential election where James K. Polk defeated Henry Clay, campaigning on expansionist policies like the annexation of Texas and Oregon.
Slidell Mission (1845)
An unsuccessful U.S. diplomatic mission to purchase California and resolve border disputes with Mexico before the Mexican-American War.
U.S. annexation of Texas (1845)
The formal incorporation of Texas into the United States, which heightened tensions with Mexico and led to the Mexican-American War.
Bear Flag Revolt (1846)
A short-lived rebellion by American settlers in California against Mexican rule, leading to the U.S. claiming California.
Oregon Boundary Treaty (1846)
Agreement between the U.S. and Britain setting the 49th parallel as the border between the U.S. and Canada in the Oregon Territory.
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848)
Ended the Mexican-American War; Mexico ceded California and much of the Southwest to the U.S., solidifying U.S. territorial expansion.
Gadsden Purchase (1853)
The U.S. purchased land from Mexico to facilitate the construction of a southern transcontinental railroad.
Pony Express (1860-1861)
A mail service using horseback riders that connected the eastern U.S. with California, improving communication across the country.
Wilmot Proviso (1846)
A proposed law to ban slavery in territories acquired from Mexico; it heightened sectional tensions but failed to pass
Lincoln’s Spot Resolutions (1846)
Abraham Lincoln's demand for President Polk to specify the exact location where American blood was shed, questioning the justification for the Mexican-American War.
Free Soil Party (1848)
A political party opposing the expansion of slavery into western territories, emphasizing "free soil, free speech, free labor, and free men."
Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau (1849)
An essay advocating for nonviolent resistance to unjust laws, inspired by Thoreau's opposition to the Mexican-American War.
Popular Sovereignty
The idea that settlers in a territory should decide for themselves whether to allow slavery.
Ostend Manifesto (1854)
A controversial document suggesting the U.S. should purchase or seize Cuba from Spain, criticized for its pro-slavery implications.
Pacific Railway Act (1862)
Legislation providing federal support for the construction of the first transcontinental railroad.0
Homestead Act (1862)
Allowed citizens to claim 160 acres of public land, encouraging westward settlement and agricultural development.
Morrill Land Grant Act (1862)
Provided land for states to establish colleges focused on agriculture and the mechanical arts, boosting higher education.
Completion of the Union Pacific Railroad (1869)
Marked the completion of the first transcontinental railroad, linking the east and west coasts and transforming transportation and commerce.
Clipper Ships
Fast sailing ships used in the mid-19th century, especially for trade routes to Asia and California.
Commodore Matthew Perry’s Expedition to Japan
Perry's 1853-1854 mission opened Japan to trade with the U.S., ending its period of isolation.
Missionaries
Individuals who spread Christianity, often in foreign territories, contributing to cultural exchange and Western influence.
Irish Potato Famine
A mid-19th-century famine in Ireland that caused mass starvation and immigration, particularly to the U.S
Parochial Schools
Private religious schools, often established by Catholic immigrants to preserve their faith and culture.
Know-Nothings
A political movement opposing immigration and Catholic influence, associated with the American Party.
American Party
A political party in the mid-19th century advocating for nativist policies and restrictions on immigrants.
Mariano Vallejo
A prominent Californio who supported U.S. annexation of California, despite losing much of his land and influence.
Sand Creek Massacre
A brutal 1864 attack by Colorado militia on a peaceful Cheyenne and Arapaho village, killing many women and children.
Battle of Little Bighorn
An 1876 conflict where Lakota and Cheyenne warriors, led by Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse, defeated Custer’s U.S. forces.
Bessemer Process
A method developed in the 1850s for mass-producing steel efficiently and inexpensively, revolutionizing industrialization.
Liberty Party
A minor political party in the 1840s that advocated for the abolition of slavery through political and legal means.
Underground Railroad
A network of secret routes and safe houses used to help enslaved people escape to free states and Canada.
Harriet Tubman
An escaped slave and key conductor on the Underground Railroad, she led hundreds of slaves to freedom.
Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1852)
A novel by Harriet Beecher Stowe that exposed the horrors of slavery, intensifying sectional tensions and abolitionist sentiment.
Harper’s Ferry (1859)
A raid led by abolitionist John Brown to seize a federal arsenal and incite a slave rebellion, ultimately failing but increasing tensions before the Civil War.
John C. Calhoun
A prominent Southern politician who defended slavery as a "positive good" and championed states' rights.
“Positive Good” Thesis
John C. Calhoun's argument that slavery was beneficial for both enslaved people and slaveholders, justifying its continuation.
Minstrel Shows
A form of 19th-century entertainment featuring white performers in blackface, perpetuating racist stereotypes.
Compromise of 1850
A series of laws addressing slavery and territorial expansion, including the Fugitive Slave Act and California’s admission as a free state.
Fugitive Slave Act
Part of the Compromise of 1850, this law required citizens to assist in the capture of escaped slaves and penalized those who helped them.
Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854)
Allowed territories to decide the issue of slavery through popular sovereignty, leading to violence in “Bleeding Kansas.”
Bleeding Kansas
A series of violent confrontations in Kansas between pro-slavery and anti-slavery settlers following the Kansas-Nebraska Act.
Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857)
Supreme Court decision ruling that African Americans were not citizens and that Congress could not prohibit slavery in territories.
Freeport Doctrine
Stephen Douglas's argument that territories could effectively exclude slavery by failing to adopt laws to protect it, despite the Dred Scott decision.
Republican Party (1854)
Founded as an anti-slavery party, it opposed the expansion of slavery into western territories and later led the Union during the Civil War.
Lincoln-Douglas Debates
A series of debates in 1858 focusing on slavery and its expansion, boosting Lincoln’s national profile.
Crittenden Compromise (1860)
A last-ditch effort to prevent secession by protecting slavery in Southern territories, ultimately rejected by both sides.
Southern Secession
The withdrawal of Southern states from the Union following Lincoln’s election, leading to the formation of the Confederacy.
Confederate States of America
A coalition of seceded Southern states led by Jefferson Davis, fighting to preserve slavery and states’ rights.
Fort Sumter (1861)
The site of the first battle of the Civil War, where Confederate forces fired on a Union fort in South Carolina.
Lincoln’s Suspension of Habeas Corpus
During the Civil War, Lincoln suspended the constitutional right to a trial to suppress dissent and maintain public order.
Conscription Act
A law enacted during the Civil War requiring men to serve in the military, leading to opposition and draft riots.
Copperheads
Northern Democrats who opposed the Civil War and advocated for an immediate peace settlement with the Confederacy.
Draft Riots
Violent protests in 1863, particularly in New York City, against the Civil War draft, fueled by class and racial tensions.
Trent Affair
A diplomatic incident during the Civil War where Union forces seized Confederate diplomats from a British ship, nearly causing war with Britain.
Contraband
A term used during the Civil War for escaped slaves who sought refuge with Union forces, often employed in support roles.
Battle of Antietam
A major Civil War battle in 1862, it was the bloodiest single-day battle in U.S. history and led to the Emancipation Proclamation.
Emancipation Proclamation
Issued by Lincoln in 1863, it declared freedom for slaves in Confederate-held territories, shifting the war’s focus to ending slavery.
Massachusetts 54th
One of the first African American regiments in the Civil War, known for their bravery in the assault on Fort Wagner.
Anaconda Plan
The Union's strategy during the Civil War to blockade Southern ports and control the Mississippi River, strangling the Confederacy economically.
First Battle of Bull Run (1861)
The first major battle of the Civil War, ending in a Confederate victory and shattering the North's hope of a quick war.
Battle of Gettysburg (1863)
A turning point in the Civil War, this Union victory halted Lee’s invasion of the North.
Battle of Vicksburg (1863)
A key Union victory that gave the North control of the Mississippi River, splitting the Confederacy in two.
Sherman’s March to the Sea (1864)
A devastating Union campaign through Georgia led by General Sherman, aimed at destroying Confederate resources and morale.
Appomattox Court House (1865)
The site where General Robert E. Lee surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant, effectively ending the Civil War.
13th Amendment
Abolished slavery in the United States, ratified in 1865.
14th Amendment
Granted citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the U.S. and guaranteed equal protection under the law.
15th Amendment
Prohibited denying the right to vote based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude.
National Women’s Suffrage Association (1869)
Founded by Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, advocating for a constitutional amendment for women's voting rights.
American Women’s Suffrage Association (1869)
Founded by Lucy Stone and others, it supported a state-by-state approach to achieving women's suffrage.
Radical Republicans
A faction of the Republican Party during Reconstruction that sought to ensure civil rights for freedmen and harsh policies for the South.
Thaddeus Stevens
A leader of the Radical Republicans, he championed civil rights and land redistribution for freed African Americans.
Charles Sumner
A Radical Republican senator known for his advocacy for abolition and civil rights, as well as his caning by Preston Brooks.
Freedmen’s Bureau
Established in 1865 to aid freed slaves and poor whites in the South with education, employment, and housing.
Black Codes
Laws passed in Southern states during Reconstruction to restrict the rights and freedoms of African Americans.
Tenure of Office Act (1867)
A law restricting the president's ability to remove certain officeholders, leading to Andrew Johnson’s impeachment when he violated it.
Andrew Johnson’s Impeachment
The first impeachment of a U.S. president, stemming from Johnson’s violation of the Tenure of Office Act.
Congressional (Military) Reconstruction
Reconstruction plan dividing the South into military districts to enforce laws and protect freedmen's rights.
Carpetbaggers
Northerners who moved to the South during Reconstruction, often accused of exploiting the region for personal gain.
Scalawags
Southern whites who supported Reconstruction and the Republican Party, often viewed as traitors by other Southerners.
Senator Hiram Revels
The first African American to serve in the U.S. Senate, representing Mississippi during Reconstruction.
Senator Blanche K. Bruce
The second African American senator, also from Mississippi, who advocated for civil rights during Reconstruction.
Representative Robert Smalls
An African American politician and former slave who became a U.S. Congressman during Reconstruction.
Civil Rights Act of 1875
A law guaranteeing African Americans equal treatment in public accommodations and jury service, later struck down by the Supreme Court.
Redeemers
Southern Democrats who sought to end Reconstruction and restore pre-Civil War social order, often through violence and intimidation.
Sharecropping
A system where freedmen and poor whites rented land from landowners in exchange for a share of the crops, often trapping them in debt.
Crop-Lien System
A credit system used by sharecroppers and tenant farmers that often led to debt and poverty.
Ku Klux Klan
A white supremacist organization that used terror and violence to suppress African Americans and Republicans during Reconstruction.
Slaughterhouse Cases (1873)
Supreme Court cases that weakened the protections of the 14th Amendment by limiting its application to federal, not state, rights.
Compromise of 1877
The deal that resolved the 1876 presidential election, leading to the withdrawal of federal troops from the South and the end of Reconstruction.
Literacy Tests
Exams used in the South to disenfranchise African American voters by requiring literacy or interpretation of laws to vote.
Grandfather Clause
A law allowing individuals to vote only if their ancestors had voting rights before the Civil War, disenfranchising African Americans.
Jim Crow Laws
Laws enforcing racial segregation in the South after Reconstruction.
Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)
Supreme Court decision upholding segregation under the "separate but equal" doctrine, legitimizing Jim Crow laws.
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