Unit 5 flashcards 1844-1877

1844-1877

Slavery (1600s-1865)

An institution where individuals are owned by others and forced into labor, critical to the history of the United States.

Northwest Ordinance of 1787

Legislation that banned slavery in the Old Northwest, highlighting the ideological conflict over slavery.

Market Revolution (early 19th century)

A period of rapid economic growth and change in the early 19th century that increased demand for cotton and thus for slavery.

Fugitive Slave Act of 1850

Law that mandated the return of escaped slaves to their owners and heightened tensions between North and South.

Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854)

1854 legislation that allowed popular sovereignty to decide the issue of slavery in the Nebraska and Kansas territories, effectively repealing the Missouri Compromise.

Dred Scott Decision (1857)

1857 Supreme Court ruling that stated African Americans were not citizens and that Congress could not limit slavery in the territories.

Emancipation Proclamation (1863)

Issued by President Lincoln in 1863, it declared freedom for all slaves in Confederate states but did not apply to border states.

Reconstruction (1865-1877)

The period after the Civil War (1865-1877) focused on rebuilding the South and integrating freed slaves into society. It aimed to address the consequences of slavery, promote civil rights, and rebuild the war-torn Southern economy.

Freedmen's Bureau (1865)

An agency established in 1865 to aid former slaves and poor whites in the South by providing food, shelter, education, and employment assistance.

14th Amendment (1868)

Constitutional amendment that granted citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the United States, including former slaves.

15th Amendment (1870)

Constitutional amendment that granted African American men the right to vote.

Ku Klux Klan (KKK) (1860s-present)

A white supremacist group founded in the post-Civil War South that used terror and violence to oppose Reconstruction efforts.

Sharecropping (1865-1940s)

A system in which freed slaves would rent land from landowners, often leading to a cycle of poverty similar to slavery.

Civil Rights Act of 1875

Legislation intended to guarantee African Americans equal access to public accommodations and services.

Bleeding Kansas (1854-1859)

A series of violent political confrontations in the Kansas territory between pro-slavery and anti-slavery settlers.

Total War (1861-1865)

Military strategy that aimed to destroy not just the enemy's army but also its resources and will to fight, as exemplified by Sherman's march.

Underground Railroad (late 1700s-1865)

A network assisting enslaved African Americans in escaping to free states and Canada.

Abolitionism (mid-19th century)

The movement to end slavery, gaining momentum in the North prior to the Civil War.

Gag Resolution (1836-1844)

A series of congressional rulings that prevented discussions or petitions against slavery.

Nat Turner's Rebellion (1831)

A violent slave uprising in 1831 that resulted in stricter slave codes across the South.

Lincoln-Douglas Debates (1858)

A series of debates in 1858 between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas focusing on the issue of slavery in the territories.

Harper's Ferry Raid (1859)

An attempted armed slave revolt led by John Brown in 1859, aiming to seize a federal arsenal.

Fort Sumter (April 12, 1861)

The site where the first shots of the Civil War were fired in April 1861.

Anaconda Plan (1861-1865)

Union military strategy to blockade Southern ports and capture the Mississippi River to suffocate the Confederacy.

Goals of Reconstruction (1865-1877)

The primary goals included restoring the Southern states to the Union, integrating freed slaves into society as citizens with rights, and rebuilding the Southern economy.

Key Legislation of Reconstruction (1866-1870)

Important laws included the Civil Rights Act of 1866, the 14th Amendment granting citizenship and equal protection (1868), and the 15th Amendment guaranteeing voting rights for African American men (1870).

Opposition to Reconstruction (1866-1877)

Reconstruction faced significant opposition from white supremacist groups like the Ku Klux Klan, which used violence to intimidate freedmen and oppose civil rights efforts.

End of Reconstruction (1877)

Reconstruction came to an end in 1877, largely due to political compromise and the withdrawal of federal troops from the South, leading to the establishment of Jim Crow laws and the disenfranchisement of African Americans.

Frederick Douglass

An escaped slave who became a leading abolitionist, orator, writer, and statesman, advocating for the rights of African Americans and women's suffrage.

Abraham Lincoln

The 16th President of the United States who led the nation through the Civil War and issued the Emancipation Proclamation to free enslaved people in Confederate states.

Harriet Tubman

A former enslaved woman who became a prominent abolitionist and conductor on the Underground Railroad, leading many enslaved people to freedom.

Sojourner Truth

An African American abolitionist and women's rights activist best known for her speech 'Ain't I a Woman?' which highlighted the intersection of gender and race.

W.E.B. Du Bois

An influential African American sociologist, historian, and civil rights activist who co-founded the NAACP and worked toward establishing equal rights for African Americans.

Stephen Douglas

A U.S. Senator and key political figure who advocated for popular sovereignty and debated Abraham Lincoln, notably in the Lincoln-Douglas debates over the issue of slavery in the territories.

Jefferson Davis

The President of the Confederate States of America during the Civil War, who advocated for the continuation of slavery in the South.

Andrew Johnson

The 17th President of the United States who succeeded Abraham Lincoln and oversaw the early stages of Reconstruction, facing criticism for his lenient policies toward the South.

Thaddeus Stevens

A prominent Radical Republican politician who was a leader in the House of Representatives during Reconstruction and advocated for civil rights and the impeachment of Andrew Johnson.

Ulysses S. Grant

The 18th President of the United States and a Union general during the Civil War, known for his efforts to protect the civil rights of freedmen during Reconstruction.

Abolitionism (mid-19th century)

The movement to end slavery, gaining momentum in the North prior to the Civil War.

Market Revolution (early 19th century)

A period of rapid economic growth and change that increased demand for cotton and thus for slavery.

Total War (1861-1865)

A military strategy that aimed to destroy not just the enemy's army but also its resources and will to fight, exemplified by Sherman's march during the Civil War.

Sharecropping (1865-1940s)

A system that emerged post-Civil War where freed slaves would rent land from landowners, often leading to a cycle of poverty similar to slavery.

Civil Rights Movement (1950s-1960s)

A social movement aimed at ending racial discrimination and gaining equal rights for African Americans, building on the changes made during Reconstruction.

Industrialization (late 19th century)

The transition to new manufacturing processes in the U.S., which reshaped the economy and contributed to social changes related to labor and migration.