North & South

North and South in Conflict

A regional dispute rooted in economic, social, and political differences between the North and South. Led to heightened tensions that ultimately contributed to the Civil War.

Railroad Building

The construction of railroads that connected various regions across the United States. Boosted economic growth, enabled faster transportation of goods, and facilitated westward expansion.

Walker Tariff (1846)

A tariff created to lower rates on imported goods to promote trade and revenue. Helped stimulate the economy in the 1840s but also intensified sectional tensions over tariffs.

Causes of Industrial Growth

Factors such as technological innovations, abundant resources, and a growing labor force spurred industrialization. Transformed the U.S. economy, increased urbanization, and shifted labor dynamics.

Transportation Revolution – Impact of

A significant change in transportation methods, including canals and railways, during the 19th century. Enhanced connectivity and commerce, drastically changing trade patterns and settlement in the West.

Clipper Ships

Fast sailing ships designed for quick transport of goods, especially tea and other commodities. Revolutionized maritime trade by reducing shipping times and costs, contributing to economic expansion.

Transcontinental Railroad

A railroad line that connected the eastern U.S. to the western territories. Enabled easier migration, economic development, and the integration of national markets.

Commonwealth vs. Hunt

A landmark court case that recognized the right of workers to organize for better conditions. Set a legal precedent that encouraged labor movements and unions in the U.S.

Irish and German Immigration

Large waves of immigrants arriving in the U.S. in the mid-19th century, primarily due to economic hardship and political unrest. Contributed significantly to the labor force but faced nativist backlash and discrimination.

Southern Society

A hierarchical structure centered around plantation agriculture and slave labor. Cultivated a distinct culture and identity, but also fostered social and economic disparities.

King Cotton

Refers to the dominance of cotton as the leading cash crop in the South. Created economic reliance on slavery and reinforced sectional tensions with the North.

Fire-eaters

Extremist pro-slavery politicians and advocates who promoted secession and the defense of slavery. Intensified the divide between the North and South and fueled pro-slavery sentiment.

Popular Sovereignty/Squatter Sovereignty

The principle allowing settlers in a territory to decide on the legality of slavery. Contributed to conflicts in territories, particularly in Kansas and Nebraska, leading to violence.

Wilmot Proviso

A failed proposal to ban slavery in any territory acquired from Mexico. Highlighted sectional divisions and escalated the debate over slavery.

Compromise of 1850

A series of legislative measures aimed at resolving disputes over slavery and territory. Temporarily eased tensions but contained provisions, like the Fugitive Slave Act, that provoked further conflict.

Fugitive Slave Act

A law that mandated the return of runaway slaves to their owners, even in free states. Generated significant opposition in the North and increased tension over the slavery issue.

Personal Liberty Laws

Legal measures enacted in northern states to counter the Fugitive Slave Act and protect escaped slaves. Increased sectional strife and led to clashes between state and federal law.

Election of 1852

A presidential election marked by declining party unity and the weakening of Whig influence. Highlighted the growing sectional divide, leading to the rise of the Republican Party.

Free Soil Party

A political party that opposed the expansion of slavery into the western territories. Played a crucial role in shaping anti-slavery sentiments and influencing later political alignments.

George Fitzhugh, Sociology for the South

A book promoting the idea of slavery as a positive good and defending the southern way of life. Contributed to pro-slavery ideology and rationalizations during the antebellum period.

Ostend Manifesto

A document advocating for the U.S. acquisition of Cuba by any means, including force, if Spain refused to sell. Intensified tensions over expansionism and the institution of slavery.

Clayton-Bulwer Treaty

An agreement between the U.S. and Great Britain regarding the construction of a canal in Central America. Aimed to prevent colonial expansion in the region, reflecting U.S. interests in international trade.

William Walker/Filibusters in Latin America

An American adventurer who led expeditions to establish English-speaking colonies in Latin America. Embodied the era’s filibustering spirit, reflecting expansionist ambitions linked to the idea of Manifest Destiny.

Matthew Perry & Japan

A naval officer who played a key role in opening Japan to American trade through the Convention of Kanagawa. Marked the beginning of significant U.S. engagement in Asia and greater access to international markets.

Uncle Tom’s Cabin – Harriet Beecher Stowe

A novel that exposed the brutal realities of slavery and stirred anti-slavery sentiments in the North. Played a crucial role in shaping public opinion and galvanizing the abolitionist movement.

Kansas-Nebraska Act

Legislation that created the territories of Kansas and Nebraska, allowing for popular sovereignty on the slavery issue. Led to violent confrontations known as "Bleeding Kansas" and further deepened sectional divides.

Know-Nothing Party

A nativist political party that emerged in response to increasing immigration, primarily targeting Catholics and immigrants. Highlighted the rise of nativism in American politics, leading to greater polarization.

Nativism

An anti-immigrant sentiment favoring native-born Americans and often targeting foreign-born groups. Influenced political agendas and exacerbated social tensions in the mid-19th century.

Origins of the Republican Party

Formed in the 1850s in response to the Kansas-Nebraska Act and the expansion of slavery. Emerged as a major political force advocating for anti-slavery principles.

Sumner-Brooks Affair

A violent incident in which Congressman Preston Brooks attacked Senator Charles Sumner on the Senate floor. Symbolized the rising tensions and personal animosities surrounding the slavery debate.

“Bleeding Kansas”

A series of violent events in the Kansas Territory over the issue of slavery in the 1850s. Showcased the failure of popular sovereignty and foreshadowed the broader conflicts of the Civil War.

Dred Scott Case

A Supreme Court decision declaring that African Americans could not be citizens and that Congress could not ban slavery in territories. Deepened national divisions and invalidated the Missouri Compromise.

Lecompton Constitution

A pro-slavery constitution proposed for Kansas that was rejected by Congress. Highlighted the contentiousness of the slavery issue and the failures of compromise.

Panic of 1857

An economic downturn triggered by various factors, including over-speculation and declining international trade. Deepened divisions between the North and South as economic interests varied by region.

Lincoln-Douglas Debates

A series of seven debates between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas during the 1858 Illinois Senate campaign. Brought national attention to Lincoln and highlighted the moral and political complexities surrounding slavery.

Stephen Douglas

A prominent politician and advocate for popular sovereignty regarding slavery in the territories. His positions on slavery and the Union shaped key policies leading to the Civil War.

Freeport Doctrine

Stephen Douglas's assertion that territories could exclude slavery by not enacting laws to protect it. Attempted to balance the demands of pro- and anti-slavery factions but ultimately alienated both sides.

John Brown

An abolitionist who believed in using violence to oppose slavery and led a raid at Harper's Ferry. Became a martyr for the abolitionist cause, influencing public sentiment and responses to slavery.

Harper’s Ferry

The site of John Brown's raid in 1859, aimed at initiating a slave uprising. Heightened fears in the South over northern intentions regarding slavery and marked a step toward civil conflict.

Constitutional Union Party

A political party formed in 1860 that aimed to preserve the Union above all else. Reflected the desire for compromise during a time of increasing sectional strife.

Hinton Helper – The Impending Crisis

A book that argued against slavery from a socioeconomic perspective, emphasizing its detrimental effects on the South's economy. Contributed to the abolitionist cause by challenging the pro-slavery narrative.

Millard Fillmore

The 13th President of the United States, known for his support of the Compromise of 1850. His presidency was marked by attempts to bridge sectional divides but ultimately failed to prevent the Civil War.

Franklin Pierce

The 14th President whose administration supported the Nebraska-Kansas Act. His presidency further deepened sectional conflicts and eroded party loyalties.

Election of 1860

A pivotal election that saw Abraham Lincoln elected as president amid deepening national divide. Triggered the secession of Southern states and set the stage for the Civil War.

Abraham Lincoln

The 16th President of the United States, known for leading the country during the Civil War and his opposition to the expansion of slavery. His leadership and policies were critical in the preservation of the Union and the abolition of slavery.

Fort Sumter

A federal fort in South Carolina where the first shots of the Civil War were fired in April 1861. Marked the beginning of the armed conflict between the North and South.

Secession

The act of Southern states leaving the Union, primarily in response to Lincoln's election. Led to the formation of the Confederate States of America and the outbreak of the Civil War.

Confederate States of America

A collection of seceded Southern states that formed a separate government during the Civil War. Represented the culmination of sectional tensions and a commitment to the institution of slavery.

Civil War – Repressible or Irrepressible Conflict

The debate over whether the Civil War could have been avoided or was an inevitable outcome of existing tensions. A key topic of historical analysis that addresses the underlying causes of the conflict.