civil rights - geog

What was the position of black Americans in 1850?

By 1850, there were around 3.2 million enslaved black Americans and approximately 400,000 free black Americans, with slavery concentrated in southern states.

What was the Atlantic slave trade?

The Atlantic slave trade forcibly transported black West Africans to the Americas to work as slaves.

What proportion of the US population were black Americans in 1790?

Around 700,000 black Americans made up approximately 19% of the US population.

Why was slavery called the “peculiar institution”?

It was referred to as the “peculiar institution” because it was unique to certain southern states.

Which states allowed slavery before the Civil War?

Slave states included Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North and South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Missouri and Texas, as well as Washington DC.

What were free states?

Free states were those where slavery had been abolished between 1777 and 1850.

How did the US Constitution treat enslaved people?

Enslaved people were counted as three

What was the Three

Fifths Compromise?

What role did slavery play in the southern economy?

Slavery was central to agriculture, particularly in producing cotton, tobacco and rice.

Why was cotton important to the US economy?

Cotton was the most valuable crop and was exported to Britain for textile manufacturing.

How did the North differ economically from the South?

The North had a growing industrial economy and attracted European immigrants, unlike the agricultural, slave

Why did northern workers oppose slavery?

Many saw enslaved labour as unfair competition in the labour market.

What was sectional conflict?

Sectional conflict was the growing rivalry between free northern states and slave

What was the Missouri Compromise (1820)?

It admitted Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state to maintain balance.

Why was balance between free and slave states important?

Each state had two senators, so balance ensured equal political power.

What did the Kansas

Nebraska Act (1854) introduce?

What was the result of popular sovereignty in Kansas?

Violent conflict broke out between pro

Why was the Republican Party formed in 1854?

It was formed to oppose the expansion of slavery into western territories.

What happened in the 1860 presidential election?

Abraham Lincoln was elected president, prompting southern fears about the future of slavery.

Why did southern states secede?

They feared Lincoln would abolish slavery and believed they had the right to leave the Union.

What was the Confederacy?

The Confederate States of America was formed by 11 seceding southern states to preserve slavery.

How did the North view secession?

The North believed the Union was permanent and could not be dissolved.

What was the initial aim of the Civil War for the North?

The North initially fought to preserve the Union, not to end slavery.

When did abolition become a war aim?

From 1862 onwards, ending slavery became a key Union objective.

How did black Americans contribute to the Civil War?

Over 300,000 black Americans served in the Union army and many more worked as labourers.

How did the Confederacy treat black Union soldiers?

Captured black soldiers were often executed rather than treated as prisoners of war.

What was the Emancipation Proclamation (1863)?

It declared slaves in Confederate territory to be free.

What did the Thirteenth Amendment (1865) do?

It abolished slavery across the United States.

What did the Fourteenth Amendment (1868) do?

It granted equal protection under the law to all citizens.

What did the Fifteenth Amendment (1870) do?

It granted voting rights to black men.

Why were these amendments limited in impact?

They granted rights in theory, but discrimination and inequality continued in practice.

What was the Freedmen’s Bureau?

A federal agency created to help former slaves transition to freedom.

Why did landownership fail for most freed slaves?

Most lacked money and faced opposition from white southerners.

What was the Southern Homestead Act (1866)?

It set aside 44 million acres of land for freed slaves, but few benefited.

What was sharecropping?

A system where farmers rented land and paid with a share of their crops, often leading to debt.

Why did sharecropping trap people in poverty?

High interest rates and low crop prices kept farmers in constant debt.

What was the pattern of black migration after 1865?

There was a slow migration north and west, though most remained in the South.

Why did most black Americans remain in the South by 1910?

High relocation costs and limited opportunities kept 89% in the South.

What was the Underground Railroad?

A network helping enslaved people escape to free states before 1865.

Which cities attracted black migrants in the late 19th century?

Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, Detroit and Cleveland.

What were push factors for migration?

Poverty, racial violence, segregation, and lack of jobs in the South.

What were pull factors for migration?

Better job opportunities, higher wages, and perceived freedom in the North.

What was the boll weevil crisis?

A pest that devastated cotton crops, worsening southern poverty.

What was the First Great Migration (1915–45)?

Around 1.6 million black Americans moved from the South to northern cities.

How did World War I affect migration?

It created labour shortages, increasing job opportunities for black Americans.

What role did newspapers like the Chicago Defender play?

They encouraged migration by promoting northern opportunities.

How did wages compare between North and South?

Northern industrial wages were significantly higher than southern agricultural wages.

What impact did the 1920s economic boom have?

It increased industrial jobs, attracting more black migrants.

How did the Great Depression affect black Americans?

Many gained jobs through New Deal programs but still faced discrimination.

What were the WPA, NYA and CCC?

Government programs providing jobs, with some allocation for black Americans.

Why did discrimination persist despite New Deal programs?

Southern Democrats limited access and many unions excluded black workers.

How did World War II affect migration?

It created 17 million jobs and led to further migration north and west.

What new migration trend emerged during WWII?

Movement to the West Coast for jobs in shipbuilding and aircraft industries.

What was the “Sun Belt”?

A region in the South and West with growing economic opportunities after WWII.

Why did black Americans return to the South after 1960?

Better job opportunities, family ties, and decline of northern industries.

What was the Rust Belt?

Northern industrial areas that declined economically after WWII.

What was de jure segregation?

Legal segregation enforced by laws, especially in the South.

What was Plessy v Ferguson (1896)?

A Supreme Court case that upheld segregation under “separate but equal”.

What was de facto segregation?

Segregation in practice due to social and economic factors, especially in the North.

What was Harlem’s significance?

Harlem became a major black cultural and population centre in New York City.

Who was Philip Payton?

A businessman who helped develop Harlem as a black residential area.

What was the Harlem Renaissance?

A cultural movement in the 1920s celebrating black art, literature and identity.

What problems did Harlem face?

Overcrowding, unemployment, poverty and crime.

What was the Red Summer (1919)?

A period of racial violence with 26 riots across the USA.

What caused the Chicago riot of 1919?

Racial tensions, housing competition, and the death of Eugene Williams.

What was the Tulsa Race Massacre (1921)?

White mobs destroyed the black community of Greenwood, killing up to 300 people.

What caused the Watts Riot (1965)?

Police brutality, unemployment, and poor housing in Los Angeles.

What were the results of the Watts Riot?

34 deaths, over 1,000 injuries, and $40 million in damage.

What caused the Newark Riot (1967)?

Police brutality, poor housing, and racial inequality.

What was the Kerner Commission?

A government investigation into the causes of race riots.

What was suburbanisation after WWII?

White Americans moved to suburbs, leaving black Americans in inner cities.

What role did the FHA play in segregation?

It supported discriminatory housing policies excluding black Americans.

What were Levittowns?

Mass

What was the impact of suburbanisation?

Cities became racially divided between white suburbs and black inner cities.

What was Brown v Board of Education (1954)?

It declared segregated schools unconstitutional.

What was the Civil Rights Act (1964)?

It outlawed discrimination in public places and employment.

What was the Voting Rights Act (1965)?

It removed barriers preventing black Americans from voting.

Why was integration slow in the South?

White resistance and local segregation patterns delayed change.

What was busing?

Transporting students to different schools to achieve racial integration.

How did black political representation change after 1965?

More black Americans were elected to office, including mayors in southern cities.

What was the long

term impact of civil rights reforms?

What was the “two societies” outcome?

A growing black middle class alongside continued poverty for many others.