ID Terms: Civil War and Reconstruction

ID terms to study

Northwest Ordinance 1787

law passed by the Confederation Congress on July 13, 1787, that established the framework for governing the Northwest Territory and the admission of new states to the Union, created five states (Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin)

Mexican Cession (Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo)

Land Mexico transferred to the U.S. in 1858 after the Mexican-American War and treaty that ended the Mexican-American War and transferred territory to the U.S.

Wilmot Proviso

a proposed amendment in 1846, introduced by David Wilmot, to prevent the expansion of slavery into new territories gained from the Mexican Cession, sought to ban slavery in any territory acquired from Mexico after the Mexican-American War

Compromise of 1850

agreement passed to ease rising tensions between free and slave states after the Mexican-American War. It attempted to balance interests of the North and South as the U.S. expanded west. Cali was a free state ad UT and NM were to decide if they wanted slavery

Pennsylvania Gradual Abolition Act of 1780

The first act in the U.S. to begin ending slavery. No new slaves could be brought to Penn and allowed slaves born in the state to be free, but current slaves were enslaved for life. Inspired other Northern states to pass similar emancipation laws

Three-Fifths Compromise

Southern states wanted enslaved people fully counted to increase their representation in Congress. Each enslaved person should count as 3/5ths of a person when calculating a state’s population. The compromise was a political solution to keep both sides in the Union. This compromise gave the South more representation.

Cotton Gin

Machine invented by Eli Whitney in 1793 that begins cotton boom in the deep south which increased demand for slaves. Cotton became the dominant cash crop

American Colonization Society

Founded in 1816, an organization that aimed to relocate free slaves back to Africa, specifically Liberia. One of the earliest ways of dealing with slavery, but this was controversial and didn’t end well.

“Necessary Evil”

Many Southern slaveholders used this term to describe slavery. It was necessary for the economy, social order, and survival of the South. They recognized it a morally wrong yet still necessary.

Fugitive Slave Law of 1850

Major part of the Compromise of 1850 was a law that require all states to capture and return escaped slaves to their owners. People who didn’t follow this law could be fined or arrested. It didn’t allow fugitives a jury trial and they couldn’t testify. Because slaves couldn’t testify, many were kidnapped and forced into slavery by someone they didn’t know.

Kansas-Nebraska Act

Law passed in 1854 that created territories of KS and NB. Slavery would be decided through popular sovereignty (voting), but it overturned earlier compromises (Missouri Comp) and ignited national conflict. Helped with the rise of the Republican Party

Popular Sovereignty

people living in a territory should vote to decide whether slavery would be allowed there. It shifted the power from the government to the settlers in the territories. This method was used during the Compromise of 1850 and when deciding if KS and NB are free or slave states. It intensified sectional conflict.

Bleeding Kansas

Violent conflict (1854-1859) in Kansas between pro-slavery and anti-slavery settlers as a direct result of the KS-NB Act, which allowed settlers to decide slavery through popular sovereignty. Pro-slavery Missourians crossed into KS to illegally vote and attack anti-slavery towns. Anti-slavery northerners getting paid to move to KS to stop slavery. Development of two different governments

Dred Scott v. Sandford

Supreme Court Case in 1857 of Dred Scott, enslaved man, who was suing for his freedom. He argued that living on free soil made him free. Justic Roger B. Taney ruled against him, giving three reasons: African Americans, free or enslaved, were not citizens, enslaved people were property, and the MO Compromise was unconstitutional, therefore slavery in MO was constitutional

Harper’s Ferry

John Brown’s raid to bring slave uprising on Oct 16, 1859. Brown attacked a federal arsenal to seize weapons to arm enslaved people. His plan fell apart quickly. He was captured and kill, causing an uprising in the North. This explosive event led to Southern secession

Crittenden Compromise

Compromise, proposed in Dec. 1860, was an attempt to prevent secession and Civil War, reinforced the MO Compromise, protect where slavery already existed, compensate owners of fugitive slaves. It was opposed by Lincoln and congress.

Fort Sumter

Where the Civil War began, attack on April 12, 1861. South Carolina seceded first and US troops refused to leave Charleston Harbor, South Carolina.

Anaconda Plan

The Union’s initial military strategy for defeating the Confederacy during the Civil War, proposed in 1861 by Winfield Scott, cut off the south from necessary resources, control the Mississippi River, avoid massive casualties

First Bull Run (First Manassas) 1861

First major battle of the Civil War took place in Virginia, Beauregard for the South, Winfield and McC for the Union, the Union line collapsed and they fled back to DC, 3,000 Union casualties, and 1,750 Confederate casualties. This battle proved the war would be long and brutal

George B. McClellan

Union general known for his organizational skills, training, disciplining, and extreme caution. He commanded the Army of the Potomac, born into a rich Democratic family. Involved in Peninsula Campaign and Antietam. His failures prolonged the war.

Battle of Fort Donelson (February 1862)

Took place in TN along the Cumberland River, Grant controlled Ft. Henry and moved to Ft. Donelson. Donelson was more heavily defended and strategically important for the Confederacy because of the river. Buckner (confederate) agreed to unconditional surrender. Grant (Union) won which opened the door to Union control of the Western Theater.

Battle of Shiloh (April 6-7, 1862)

One of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War, major turning point in the Union’s campaign to control MS River Valley. Confederate surprised and attacked Grant’s camps, pushing them along the TN River. Fights continued in The Hornet’s Nest, The Peach Orchard, and Bloody Pond. Confed. Officer Johnston died, weakening the South. 13,000 Union casualties and 10,000 Confederate casualties. This battle revealed true brutality of the Civil War and strengthened Union’s momentum. Union won.

Contraband of War

Union war policy, started in 1861, that treated escaped enslaved people who reached Union as captured enemy property, not as fugitives that need to be returned. First major step in emancipation. Because slaves were being used for military labor, they were property used to support the enemy’s war effort, meaning that the Union could seize them just like weapons or supplies

First Confiscation Act 1861

allowed the Union army to seize any enslaved person being used to support the Confederate war effort because they were considered contraband

Second Confiscation Act 1862

All enslaved people owned by Confederate supporters who were seized were forever free, which expanded emancipation beyond the first act

Antietam (September 17, 1862)

Robert E. Lee (confed.) invaded the North, but McClellan (union) received Lee’s Battle plans and felt like it was a set up. Confederate troops eventually retreated back into VA, giving the Union the win. Lincoln needed this victory to announce emancipation. This battle reshaped the war into a fight over slavery.

Militia Act (1862)

Law passed in July 1862 that authorized the enlistment of black soldiers in the Union military. This was a major step toward emancipation

Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation (September 22, 1862)

A warning document issued by President Lincoln after Union’s victory at Antietam. Document stated that Confederate states had 100 days to return to the Union and if they refused, then the Union would free slaves forever

54^th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment

Formed in 1863, one of the first official Black regiments in the Union army, commanded by Colonel Robert Gould Shaw

Siege of Port Hudson (May 22 - July 9, 1863)

Union carrying out the Anaconda plan to control the MS River. Banks put Black troops on the front line, the assault failed and the Black troops suffered heavy casualties, was a turning point when realizing the capabilities of Black Troops

Fredericksburg/Marye’s Heights

Ambrose Burnside

Conscription

“A rich man’s war, and a poor man’s fight”

Richmond Bread Riots

Battle of Chancellorsville

War Democrats and Copperheads

Clement L. Vallandigham

General Order 38

Little Round Top

Gettysburg Address

William Tecumseh Sherman

Limited War

Hard War

Total War

Nathan Bedford Forrest

Detached Units

Partisans

Bushwackers

Partisan Ranger Act

Genera Order No. 11

Centralia

Fort Pillow

Prisoner Exchange

Overland Campaign

Cold Harbor

Shenandoah Valley Campaign

The Election of 1864

Andersonville

Thirteenth Amendment

Hampton Roads Conference

Louisiana Purchase