Key Concepts in American Slavery and Expansion

These flashcards encapsulate critical vocabulary and concepts related to American slavery, expansion, and socio-political dynamics in the 19th century.

3/5ths Compromise

A constitutional provision where each enslaved person would count as 3/5ths of a person for representation in Congress.

Chattel Principle

The system of treating enslaved people as personal property that could be bought, sold, and inherited.

Underground Railroad

A network of secret routes and safe houses used by enslaved people to escape to freedom, notably aided by figures like Harriet Tubman.

Radical Abolitionism

A movement that emerged from dissatisfaction with colonization and framed slavery as the nation’s original sin, advocating for immediate emancipation.

Jacksonian Democracy

A period characterized by the shift towards popular democracy and increased voter participation, extending some rights to white men while excluding black voters.

Indian Removal Act

A law enacted in 1830 that authorized the federal government to relocate Native American tribes from their homelands, often using military force.

Manifest Destiny

The 19th-century belief that American expansion across North America was justified and inevitable, often at the expense of indigenous populations.

Fugitive Slave Act

A law that required federal marshals to assist in the capture of escaped enslaved people and imposed penalties on those who aided their escape.

Bleeding Kansas

A violent conflict between pro-slavery and anti-slavery settlers in the Kansas Territory, resulting from the Kansas-Nebraska Act.

Second Great Awakening

A religious revival in the early 19th century that emphasized individual responsibility for salvation and spurred various social reform movements.