APUSH Unit 5: 1844-1877

These flashcards cover significant events and concepts from the lecture on American history from 1844 to 1877, focusing on Manifest Destiny, the Civil War, Reconstruction, and implications for African Americans.

What is Manifest Destiny?

A 19th Century American ideology advocating expansion across the North American continent, justified through perceived superiority of American culture, religion, technology, and democracy.

Which territories were added during Polk's presidency?

Texas, Oregon, and the Mexican Cession (California, Nevada, Utah, and parts of Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming).

How did Texas become an independent republic?

Americans settled in Texas as part of a Mexican invitation, but tensions arose due to cultural differences, leading to conflict and a Texan victory.

What was the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo?

The treaty concluded the Mexican-American War, forcing Mexico to sell territory that is now part of the U.S. and recognizing the Rio Grande as Texas' southern border.

What was the Gold Rush?

A period following the discovery of gold in California in 1848, where thousands from various backgrounds moved to the region in hopes of wealth.

What were the three primary stances on slavery in the West?

Pro-slavery, Free-soil, and Popular sovereignty.

Explain the Dred Scott decision.

The Supreme Court ruled that slaves were not citizens and therefore could not sue; slaves were considered property under the Constitution.

What was Lincoln's plan for readmitting seceded states?

The Ten Percent Plan required at least 10% of the population to swear an oath of allegiance and ratify the 13th Amendment.

What was the Emancipation Proclamation?

An executive order by Lincoln stating that all enslaved people in Confederate states were free, expanding the war's purpose to include ending slavery.

Who were the Radical Republicans?

A faction within the Republican Party that sought to extend equal civil rights to blacks and to impose political and economic punishments on seceded states.

What led to the end of Reconstruction?

The disputed election of 1877 resulted in a compromise where federal troops were removed from Southern states, marking the end of Reconstruction efforts.

What were the Reconstruction amendments?

13th Amendment (abolished slavery), 14th Amendment (granted citizenship and equal protection), and 15th Amendment (universal male suffrage).

What is sharecropping?

An economic system of tenant farming that kept poor blacks tied to the land and under white patronage.

What were Black Codes?

Laws in Southern states that undermined Reconstruction efforts and relegated blacks to second-class citizens.

What was the significance of the Battle of Gettysburg?

A turning point battle that stopped the Confederate push northward at a heavy cost in lives for both sides.

What was the purpose of the Anaconda Plan?

To use the Union's economic and naval superiority to blockade Southern ports and control the Mississippi River.

What caused the Mexican-American War?

Disputes over the Texas border, specifically the differences between the Rio Grande and the Nueces River.