Texas Independence and the Road to the Civil War

Texan Independence

Struggle for Texas independence from Mexico, 1836.

Population Growth

Rapid increase of settlers in Texas during 1830s.

Cultural Conflict

Differences between Mexican authorities and American settlers.

Texas Revolution

War for Texas independence from Mexico, 1835-1836.

Lone Star Republic

Independent Texas nation from 1836 to 1845.

Annexation by Tyler

Texas annexed by the U.S. in 1845.

James K. Polk in Office

Presidency marked by territorial expansion, 1845-1849.

Oregon ('54-40 or fight')

Slogan demanding U.S. claim to Oregon Territory.

Mexican War

War between U.S. and Mexico, 1846-1848.

Rio Grande vs. Nueces

Conflicting boundary claims between Texas and Mexico.

John Slidell

U.S. diplomat rejected by Mexico for territory purchase.

Gen. Zachary Taylor

U.S. general in Mexican War, later became president.

Polk's war message

Justification for war claiming American blood spilled.

Lincoln's 'spot resolutions'

Resolutions challenging Polk's justification for Mexican War.

Emerson's quote

Warning against war with Mexico, likened to poison.

Sectional Effects of the War

Impact of Mexican War on North-South political divisions.

Wilmot Proviso

Proposal to ban slavery in territories acquired from Mexico.

Slavery in territories

Debate over slavery in newly acquired territories.

Free-Soil Party

Political party opposing slavery expansion into territories.

Compromise of 1850

Laws aimed at resolving slavery and territorial conflicts.

Fugitive Slave Act

Law requiring return of runaway slaves to owners.

Uncle Tom's Cabin

Novel depicting slavery's horrors, influencing Northern opinion.

Kansas-Nebraska Act

Law allowing popular sovereignty on slavery in territories.

Destruction of Whig Party

Collapse due to internal divisions over slavery issue.

Emergence of Republicans

Rise of party opposing slavery expansion in territories.

Bleeding Kansas

Violent conflict between pro-slavery and anti-slavery settlers.

Crime Against Kansas

Sumner's speech condemning violence in Kansas.

Dred Scott v. Sanford

Supreme Court ruling denying citizenship to African Americans.

Harper's Ferry

John Brown's raid to incite a slave rebellion.

Election of 1860

Lincoln's victory leading to Southern states' secession.

Lincoln and Fort Sumter

Events leading to the Civil War's first battle.

Secession votes

Votes by Southern states to leave the Union.

Inaugural Address

Lincoln's speech to reassure Southern states.

Call for troops

Lincoln's request for 75,000 troops to suppress rebellion.

Border States

Slave states loyal to the Union during Civil War.

Technology in War

New military technologies revolutionizing warfare.

Emancipation Proclamation

The 1863 executive order by Abraham Lincoln freeing slaves in Confederate-held territories.

Influence of Radicals

The impact of Radical Republicans, who sought immediate emancipation and civil rights for African Americans.

Radicals vs. Conservatives

The political divide between those who wanted to immediately abolish slavery (Radicals) and those who sought to preserve the Union (Conservatives).

Lincoln's fears

Lincoln's concern that the Emancipation Proclamation might alienate border states and certain factions of the North.

European recognition

The concern that European powers might recognize the Confederacy and intervene in the Civil War.

Emancipation Proclamation's details

The specifics of the proclamation, which declared all slaves in Confederate states to be free.

War goals

The shift in Union war aims to include not only preserving the Union but also ending slavery.

Turning Points

Key battles and events that marked significant shifts in the Civil War.

Manassas/Bull Run

The first major battle of the Civil War.

Shiloh

A bloody battle in Tennessee that marked a turning point in the war.

Antietam

The bloodiest single-day battle in American history, leading to the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation.

Vicksburg

The Union victory that gave them control of the Mississippi River.

Gettysburg

The turning point battle of the Civil War, resulting in a significant defeat for the Confederacy.

Sherman's March to the Sea

A destructive Union campaign through Georgia that crippled the South's war effort.

Election of 1864

The re-election of Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War, securing his leadership in the final years of the conflict.

Presidential Reconstruction

The plan for reintegrating Southern states into the Union, led by Presidents Lincoln and Johnson.

Lincoln's 10% Plan

Lincoln's proposal for readmitting Southern states into the Union once 10% of voters took an oath of loyalty.

Wade-Davis Bill

A more stringent proposal for Reconstruction, requiring a majority of Southern white males to swear loyalty.

Johnson's restoration plan

President Andrew Johnson's plan to reintegrate the South with lenient terms, which was opposed by Radical Republicans.

Black Codes

Laws passed in the South that restricted the rights of newly freed African Americans.

Sharecropping

A system in which freedmen worked land owned by others and paid a share of the crops as rent.

Military Reconstruction Act of 1867

A law that divided the South into military districts and required states to ratify the 14th Amendment before rejoining the Union.

Ironclad oath

An oath requiring former Confederates to swear they had never supported the Confederacy in order to vote or hold office.

14th and 15th Amendments

Amendments to the Constitution guaranteeing citizenship and voting rights to African Americans.

Impeachment of Johnson

The political conflict that led to the impeachment of President Andrew Johnson over his opposition to Radical Reconstruction.

Family, Religion

The role of family and religion in shaping the lives of freedmen during Reconstruction, as they sought to redefine their freedom and build new lives.

Freedmen's Bureau

A federal agency created to assist former slaves and poor whites in the South by providing food, housing, education, and legal support.

Higher Education

The establishment of schools and colleges for African Americans during Reconstruction, aimed at providing opportunities for higher education and social advancement.

Grant Administration

The presidency of Ulysses S. Grant (1869-1877), marked by corruption scandals but also efforts to enforce Reconstruction laws.

Corruption

Scandals and political corruption that plagued the Grant administration, such as the Credit Mobilier and Whiskey Ring scandals.

Enforcement Acts

Laws passed to protect African Americans' rights and combat the rise of the Ku Klux Klan and other white supremacist groups.

Decline of Reconstruction

The gradual end of Reconstruction policies as Northern support waned and Southern resistance grew.

Panic of 1873

An economic depression that led to financial instability and a reduction in support for Reconstruction efforts.

KKK

The Ku Klux Klan, a white supremacist group that used violence and intimidation to suppress African American rights and maintain white control in the South.

US v. Cruikshank

A Supreme Court case that weakened the federal government's ability to protect African Americans' rights in the South.

Election of 1876

A contested presidential election between Rutherford B. Hayes and Samuel Tilden, leading to the Compromise of 1877.

Rutherford B. Hayes

The 19th President of the United States, elected in 1876 after a contested election.

Samuel Tilden

The Democratic candidate in the 1876 election, who won the popular vote but lost after a controversial electoral count.

Compromise of 1877

The agreement that ended the disputed 1876 election, resulting in the withdrawal of federal troops from the South and effectively ending Reconstruction.