APUSH Period 5 Vocab

Abolitionism

The movement to abolish slavery in the U.S., led by activists like William Lloyd Garrison and Frederick Douglass.

William Lloyd Garrison

Editor of The Liberator, a radical abolitionist newspaper advocating for immediate emancipation.

Frederick Douglass

A former slave who became an influential abolitionist and civil rights advocate, known for his writings and speeches.

Uncle Tom’s Cabin

A novel by Harriet Beecher Stowe that illustrated the horrors of slavery and swayed public opinion in the North.

Mexican Cession

Territory ceded to the U.S. after the Mexican-American War, leading to renewed debates over slavery.

Wilmot Proviso

A proposal to ban slavery in the territories acquired from the Mexican-American War, highlighting sectional divides.

Free Soil Party

A political party formed to oppose the expansion of slavery into new territories.

Compromise of 1850

A five-part deal designed to ease sectional tensions, including the admission of California as a free state.

Stephen Douglas

Senator who advocated for popular sovereignty in deciding slavery issues in new territories.

Kansas-Nebraska Act

Legislation that allowed territories to decide on slavery by vote, leading to violent conflict.

Know-Nothing Party

A nativist political party opposing immigration and Catholic influence in the 1850s.

Republican Party

Formed to combat the spread of slavery, uniting former Whigs and anti-slavery Democrats.

Bleeding Kansas

A violent conflict between pro-slavery and anti-slavery settlers in Kansas.

John Brown

A radical abolitionist who believed in violent action to end slavery.

Sumner-Brooks Incident

The beating of Senator Charles Sumner by Congressman Preston Brooks, symbolizing the collapse of civil discourse.

Lecompton Constitution

A pro-slavery constitution for Kansas, rejected by Congress, highlighting sectional tensions.

Dred Scott v. Sanford

Supreme Court case ruling that African Americans were not citizens and Congress could not regulate slavery in territories.

Roger Taney

Chief Justice who delivered the ruling in Dred Scott v. Sanford, known for his pro-slavery stance.

Abraham Lincoln

16th president of the U.S., known for leading the nation during the Civil War and issuing the Emancipation Proclamation.

Lincoln-Douglas Debates

Seven debates focusing on slavery between Lincoln and Douglas, highlighting differing ideologies.

Freeport Doctrine

Douglas's argument that territories could still exclude slavery despite the Dred Scott ruling.

Harpers Ferry Raid

John Brown's failed attempt to start a slave rebellion by seizing a federal arsenal.

Election of 1860

Lincoln's victory that led to Southern states seceding from the Union.

Fort Sumter

The location where the first shots of the Civil War were fired.

Habeas Corpus

Legal right suspended by Lincoln during the Civil War, allowing detention without trial.

Border States

Slave states loyal to the Union, crucial for strategic reasons during the Civil War.

Confederate States of America

Government formed by seceding Southern states, led by Jefferson Davis.

Jefferson Davis

President of the Confederacy during the Civil War.

Bull Run

First major battle of the Civil War, resulting in a Confederate victory.

Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson

Confederate general known for his firm stand at the Battle of Bull Run.

Anaconda Plan

Union strategy aiming to block Southern ports and control the Mississippi River.

George McClellan

Union general known for his cautious strategies during the Civil War.

Robert E. Lee

Commander of Confederate forces, recognized for his tactical skill.

Antietam

The bloodiest single-day battle in U.S. history, resulting in a strategic Union victory.

Ulysses S. Grant

Union general who achieved critical victories and accepted Lee's surrender.

Emancipation Proclamation

Lincoln's declaration freeing slaves in Confederate states.

Gettysburg

A turning point Union victory that halted Lee's march into the North.

Vicksburg

Union victory that split the Confederacy in two.

Gettysburg Address

Lincoln's speech that redefined the war's purpose as a struggle for equality.

Sherman’s March to the Sea

Union campaign that aimed to destroy Southern resources to hasten the war's end.

Appomattox Courthouse

Site where Lee surrendered to Grant, effectively ending the Civil War.

John Wilkes Booth

Assassinated President Lincoln in 1865, shocking the nation.

Mexican-American Revolution

1846

Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo

1848

Compromise of 1850

1850

Kansas-Nebraska Act

1854

Dred Scott Decision

1857

John Brown’s Raid on Harper’s Ferry

1859

Abraham Lincoln Elected + South Carolina secedes

1860

Fort Sumter

1861

Battle of Antietam

1862

Emancipation Proclamation + Battle of Gettysburg + Gettysburg Address

1863

Sherman’s March/Battle of Atlanta

1864

Lee Surrenders at Appomattox Courthouse + Lincoln’s Assassination

1865