history study guide

What were the three amendments added after the Civil War that aimed to secure rights for freed slaves?

The 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments.

What was the primary outcome of the Dred Scott v. Sandford case?

The Supreme Court ruled that African Americans could not be considered citizens of the United States.

What was the significance of the Missouri Compromise?

It attempted to balance the power between free and slave states but ultimately failed to resolve sectional tensions.

What does the term 'sectionalism' refer to in the context of U.S. history?

The division of the United States into different regions with distinct economic, social, and political interests.

What was the purpose of the Kansas-Nebraska Act?

To allow territories to decide for themselves whether to allow slavery through popular sovereignty.

What was Uncle Tom's Cabin and why was it important?

A novel by Harriet Beecher Stowe that depicted the harsh realities of slavery, influencing public opinion against it.

What was the significance of the Compromise of 1850?

It aimed to address the territorial and slavery issues arising from the Mexican-American War.

What was the main cause of the Civil War according to the notes?

Sectional differences primarily related to slavery.

Who were the Radical Republicans?

A faction within the Republican Party that sought more stringent measures for Reconstruction and advocated for civil rights for freedmen.

What was the 'gag rule'?

A regulation that prevented the discussion of slavery in Congress.

What was the result of the Election of 1860?

It led to the election of Abraham Lincoln and heightened tensions between the North and South.

What does the term 'Jim Crow Laws' refer to?

State and local laws that enforced racial segregation in the Southern United States after the Reconstruction era.

What was the goal of the Wilmot Proviso?

To ban slavery in any territory acquired from Mexico.

What was the Emancipation Proclamation?

An executive order by Abraham Lincoln freeing slaves in the Confederate states.

What was the significance of the Battle of Gettysburg?

It was a turning point in the Civil War that ended Lee's invasion of the North.

What was the Louisiana Purchase?

A land deal in 1803 where the United States acquired territory from France, effectively doubling the size of the nation.

What does the term 'popular sovereignty' mean in the context of slavery?

The principle that the people living in a territory should decide whether to allow slavery.

Who was James K. Polk?

The 11th President of the United States who advocated for territorial expansion and the acquisition of Oregon and California.

What were the Black Codes?

Laws passed in the South after the Civil War to restrict the rights of freedmen.

What is the significance of the Emancipation Proclamation in American history?

It declared the freedom of slaves in the rebellious states and transformed the Civil War into a struggle for freedom.