Rise of Modern America Unit 1

Northwest Ordinance of 1787

Created the northwest territory(Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and part of Minnesota), outlawed slavery, and stated that people there had rights. It also said that congress would first run the territory until a certain amount of people resided there.

3/5 Compromise

South wanted slavery to be counted fully in the population because they wanted more seats in congress- while the north didn't want them to be counted at all. The compromise stated that 3/5 of the slave population is included in the census-- south has to pay taxes on the slaves.

Missouri Compromise 1820

Allowed Missouri to enter the union as a slave state, Maine to enter the union as a free state, prohibited slavery north of latitude 36˚ 30' within the Louisiana Territory (1820). Attempt to keep peace between the north and south.

Gag Rule

Prohibited all petitions, papers and other things related to the banning of slavery or slave trade from being discussed in congress.

Lewis Cass and Stephen Douglas

Proposed an idea based on popular soverignty where the citizens of each new territory would want slavery or not.

Popular Soverignty

where the people decide for themselves whether or not to have something, the right of the people to govern themselves(in this time period, it was mainly focused on slavery)

David Wilmot/Wilmot Proviso

After the house began to authorize funds to buy territory from MX, Dave Wimot from PENN introduced a change to the bill. His change banned slavery in all the land they would purchase from MX. The south threatend to secede if this law was passed. The wimot proviso was eventually cut from the bill.

Mexican Cession

Land gained from the Mexican Cession. Treaty of Guadlupe Hidalgo ended the MX-US war and set the boundary of MX and TX. Mexico losed 1/3 of their land.

Zachary Taylor and the Election of 1848

Zachary Taylor of the Whig Party wins the election of 1848, but before he is elected, congress still hadn't decided on if slavery would be in the Mexican Cession.

Free-Soil Party

Neither party (whigs and dems) adressed the slavery issue. As a result, anti-slavery whigs and dems form this party in august of 1848. They demanded that slavery must not be expanded into those territories, and they appealed to farmers, land reformers, industrial workers, and others. This party nominates Martin Van Buren for the election.

Henry Clay and the Compromise of 1850

California wants to enter the union as a free state, but the south strongly opposes it. Same case with New Mex, anti slavery members push to ban slavery while southern members of congress demanded rights of settlers to own slaves there. Texas becomes a source of problems again too-- they want to extend their western boundary to New Mex. In 1850, Henry clay returned to congress and urged both sides to compromise. He presents a plan that benefits both the north and south. Clay's proposal admitted California as a free state and abolishing slave trade. He also suggested paying Texas 10 million to abandon their claim for New Mexico, and and also spoke up about the New Mex territory being split into two territories on the basis of popular soveirgnty. In addition to this, he wanted congress to pass a tougher slave fugitive law.

Fire Eaters and Secession

Radicals pro slavery southerners who pushed for secession.

John C Calhoun

Born in South Carolina, loved reading books and had a great taste for politics. Won election to the house of reps. in 1810. Served as US secretary of state, senator, and secretary of war. Strong supporter of southern rights.

Millard Fillmore

When zachary taylor dies, this man fills his position. He was VP at the time. Supported and helped pass the compromise of 1850.

Fugitive Slave Law

This law made it legal to arrest escaped slaves even in states where it was illegal. Stated that it was also a federal crime to assist them--the law faced hard opposition in the north. Northerners didn't want to submit to the act.

Prigg vs. Pennsylvania

1842: Court ruled that only the federal government had the authority to enforce the fugitive slave act. Pennslyvania's state law, which tried to protect free black people from being kidnapped, was ruled unconstituional because it went against federal law.

Personal Liberty Laws

These laws were created by the northern states in response to the fugitive slave act. It would protect escaped black slaves and free black residents from being captured and sent into slavery again.

Uncle Tom's Cabin

Written by harriet beecher stowe in 1853--she was involved in the abolitionist movement, and was inspired by her sister to stand up against slavery by writing about it. Exercepts from Uncle Tom's cabin were inserted in the newspaper-- this book potrayed slavery in many different forms. The book impacted northerners in a positive way, while the southern audience despised it(banned in the south). 3 years after this book was written, the south published 14 pro slavery novels.

Election of 1852: Franklin Pierce

Free soil candidate: John P Hale. Whig party canditate: Windfield Scott. Democratic Candidate: Franklin Pierce. Franklin wins the election by a large margin, and calls for a national harmony and appointed a cabinet with northerners and southerners. Abolitionists labeled him as a "northern man with southern principles". Pierce was considered a weak leader.

Ostend Manifesto

Secret document written by American Diplomats in Ostend, Belgium. It stated that the US should try to purchase Cuba from Spain, and if they refuse, the US would be justified in taking the territory by force. Several northerners believed that it was an attempt by southern politicians to expand slavery.

Gadsden Purchase

Purchased more land from MX, which cost $!0 million. The US bought this territory for the purpose of building transcontinental railroads. This purchase finalized the border of the south.

Kansas Nebraska Act/ stephen douglas

Senator Stephen Douglas introduces the Kansas Nebraska Act, which creates both states of KAN and Nebraska. Settlers there voted yes or no on whether slavery should be allowed in those regions. The act completely ignored the boundaries of the Missouri Compromise.

Popular Sovereignty

A belief that ultimate power resides in the people.

What was Bleeding Kansas?

A series of violent conflicts between anti-slavery and pro-slavery factions in Kansas during the 1850s.

What caused the conflict during the territorial elections in Kansas in 1855?

Pro-slavery residents from Missouri illegally crossed into Kansas to cast ballots and control the legislature.

What was the outcome of the pro-slavery control of the Kansas legislature?

The pro-slavery legislature banned many anti-slavery activities.

What did anti-slavery settlers create in response to the pro-slavery legislature?

They created their own legislature called the Free State Party.

What were the consequences of the conflict between the two legislatures in Kansas?

The conflicts resulted in violence and physical chaos.

Border Ruffians

Pro-slavery settlers from Missouri who crossed into the Kansas Territory in the 1850s to influence whether kansas would have slavery or not.

Free state party/emigrant aid society

The free state party was made in response to the legislature created by the pro-slavery residents in the area.

Republican Party

In 1884, a group of Whigs, Democrats, and Free Soilers created a party that opposed the expansion of slavery. This party worked with the anti-immigrant and anti=catholic American Party to defeat the democrats in congressional elections in 1854.

Lecompton Constitution

Pro slavery groups gathered in LeCompton, Kansas and drafted a constitution that protected slavery no matter what voters decided.

John Brown's Pottawatomie Massacre

led an attack on five pro-slavery settlers, hacked off their hands and killed them, resulting in more conflict

Charlie Sumners "Crime against Kansas"

Senator Charles Sumner of MASS ridicules pro slavery senator Andrew Butler from SC during his fiery speech called "The Crime against Kansas"-- two days later, Butler's relative Preston Brooks retaliated in the senate chamber and beats Sumner unconscious with a cane.

Election of 1856 and James Buchaan

James Buchanan, democrat from PENN, wins this election. The biggest issue was slavery at this time-- democrats tried to appeal to both north and south but leaned towards the expansion of slavery.

Scott vs Sanford

A case brought forth by Dred Scott , a slave to the late John Emerson(his slave owner), to sue for his freedom. He stated that his prior residence in Illinois and Wisconsin granted him freedom. Judge Roger B. Taney writes the majority opinion against Scott in 1857, and states that since Scott wasn't a citizen, he had no rights whatsoever. Taney also argued that the 5th amendment stated that the government can't take away property without due process of law. Because of this, Taney argued that congress violated the constitution by passing the Missouri Compromise, which banned bringing slaves above the 36 30 line. He believed that this took property rights from citizens.

Chief Justice Roger Taney

chief justice in the dred scott decision, argued that blacks were not citizens and therefore did not have rights. Also argued that the Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional.

Lincoln Douglas Debates

Series of debates between Abe Lincoln and Stephen Douglas mainly about the expansion of slavery. Both were candidates running for a seat in the senate. Lincoln spoke out against the expansion of slavery, while Stephen Douglas supported Popular Soverignty. These two debated each other 7 times between August and October of 1858. Lincoln frequently attacked the Dred Scott desicison in his speeches.

Freeport Doctrine

During a debate in Freeport, Illinois, Abe prompted Douglas to explain how popular soverignty was still manageable. Douglas responded by saying that the people can exclude slavery out by refusing to pass local laws necessary to make a slave system work--up to the people, they have the lawful means to introduce or exclude slavery. This was known as the freeport doctrine.

John Brown's Raid in Harper's Ferry, VA

A year after the Lincoln Douglas debates, John Brown captivates the nation's attention by arming a band of 20 men, 5 being black. On October 16th, 1859, Brown's band of men seized control of the federal arsenal at Harper's Ferry, VA. His plan was to arm slaves with the arsenal's guns and establish an independent regime in the southern appalachian mountains. He hoped that runaway slaves could also join him, but none came to aid them. Then, federal troops assaulted Brown's position killing half of his men.

Election of 1860

Lincoln wins this election-- southerners create the Constutional Union party, and nominate John Bell for president. Stephen Douglas wins nomination for the democratic party, but loses the backing of the southern democrats. These southern dems. nominate VP John Breckinridge. Republican party nominates Abe Lincoln. After Lincoln's victory, the southerners viewed it as a victory for abolishing slavery, and some southern legislatures voted in a convention they held to leave the union.

John Bell

Presidential candidate of the Constitutional Union Party. He drew votes away from the Democrats, helping Lincoln win.

John Breckinridge

vice president under James Buchanan and Democratic presidential nominee in 1860 who supported slavery and states' rights; he split the Democratic vote with Stephen Douglas and lost the election to Lincoln. He served in Confederate army and as secretary of war.

Abe Lincoln

Republican party nominates Abe Lincoln in the 1860 election-- against the expansion of slavery, and viewed it as immoral, and socially wrong.

Stephen Douglas

Senator from Illinois who ran for president against Abraham Lincoln. He was the candidate representing the NORTHERN democrats. Lost the support of the southern dems. Wrote the Kansas-Nebreaska Act and the Freeport Doctrine

Crittenden Compromise

Proposed by senator John J Crittenden right after Lincoln was elected. It was a last attempt to prevent the Civil war. The compromise proposed to extend the Missouri Compromise line all the way to the Pacific Ocean(slavery banned north of line, protected south of line). It guaranteed slavery in states where it already existed, and stated that no future laws could abolish slavery in D.C. Southern leaders liked this proposal, while Republicans like Abe Lincoln rejected it because it would allow slavery into new territories. This compromise was not passed.

Secession

South carolina legislature called for a convention and voted to leave the union. Bama, Florida, Texas, Louisana, and Georgia all wrote similar acts stating their secession.

South Carolina

It was the first state that called for secession from the union.

Confederate States of America

Delegates from 6-7 of the seceding states drafted a constitution for the confederate states of america. These states were the group of southern states that broke away from the US in 1860-1861 right before and during the civil war.

Border States

Slave states that did not secede from the union during the civil war.

Jefferson Davis

President of the Confederate States of America during the Civil War

Fort Sumter

Military fort in Charleston Harbor, SC. After SC seceded in 1860, confederate forces demanded that the U.S troops leave the fort. Major Robert Anderson refused to surrender(Union commander). On april 12th, 1861, confederate forces opened fire on the fort. Union troops eventually surrender.