TCI Lesson 21, Unit 7 - A Dividing Nation

Northwest Ordinance

Established in 1787; outlined the steps to becoming a state; slavery was banned north of the Ohio River.

Why did many debate the admission of Missouri into the Union?

The territory was split in two by the Ohio River, theoretically being torn between the North and South.

What was the Tallmadge Amendment?

Declared that Missouri could join the Union, but only without slavery.

Why did Southerners disagree with the Tallmadge Amendment?

If Congress were to end slavery in Missouri, it may attempt to diminish the practice elsewhere.

Why was it important for there to be equilibrium between the North and South in Congress?

If more abolitionist states joined the Union, Congress would gain the power to create laws against slavery across the country.

What was the Missouri Compromise?

Established in 1820, it ended the deadlock over Missouri by splitting the state across the middle between North and South; a latitude line between the two sides was drawn at 36°30.

What was the reaction of the general public to the Missouri Compromise?

Although the act kept the nation united, many believed that it wasn't a sustainable solution to the conflict.

How did the Second Great Awakening affect beliefs surrounding slavery?

Many Americans believed that the Lord wanted the citizens to abolish slavery across the nation.

What was the Gag Rule?

Due to increased abolitionist protests, talk of slavery in Congress was prohibited in 1836.

What was the Wilmont Provoso?

The Wilmont Provoso attempted to disallow the practice of slavery occurring in any land gained through the Mexican-American War; the act was rejected and faced major backlash in the South.

What was the Compromise of 1850?

The trade of enslaved people was prohibited within Washington DC; New Mexico and Utah were able to decide whether they would legalize slavery; established strong laws surrounding fugitives; California was admitted to the Union as a free state.

What two important decisions did Henry Clay propose?

Both the Missouri Compromise and the Compromise of 1850.

What was the Fugitive Slave Act?

Runaways from slavery possessed almost no legal rights; those who assisted escapees from slavery were jailed.

Why was the Fugitive Slave Act found to be ineffective?

Northerners refused to assist those hired to track down fugitives.

What was Uncle Tom’s Cabin?

A novel, which was later transformed into a production, that brought the horrors of slavery into focus and further antagonized southerners.

What was the Ostend Manifesto?

A letter written to American delegates in Europe protesting against the purchase of Cuba as a potential state.

What was the Kansas-Nebraska Act?

Abolished the Missouri Compromise by allowing residents in the newly occupied states to decide whether the regions would allow slavery through popular sovereignty.

What occurred during the Bloodshed in Kansas?

Many settlers flooded to Kansas in order to decide whether the state would be for or against slavery; Southerners invaded an abolitionist residence in a bloody massacre, which led to more battles within the territory between the two sides.

Who was Charles Sumner?

Sumner spoke out against the violence in Kansas by the South, and was subsequently beaten by a pro-slavery Senator; the violence within the government revealed how divided the nation had become.

What was the Dred Scott decision and its consequences?

The court ruled that African Americans weren’t citizens; declared that the Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional; slaves were established as inhuman and property.

Who was Dred Scott?

Dred Scott was a slave who had traveled with his master to Wisconsin, in which slavery was banned; after setting foot in the abolitionist state, Scott went to court to plead for his freedom.

What was the Republican party?

The Republican party united abolitionists under a single political organization against slavery.

What were the Lincoln-Douglass debates?

Lincoln was a republican, avowedly against slavery, and Douglass believed in popular sovereignty— both were in the running to be the Senator of Illinois; Lincoln argued that slavery was a moral, not a legal, issue.

What were the consequences of the Senate election in Illinois?

Abraham Lincoln, despite his loss, was established as an important political figure in the nation; he proudly declared slavery to be immoral.

What was the John Brown Raid?

John Brown was an extremist abolitionist, who raided a Virginian arsenal and stocked slaves with weapons; this attack caused a bloody massacre and sparked fear throughout the South.

What occurred during the 1860 presidential election?

Abraham Lincoln became president through a landslide vote, despite the political parties being split in thirds and severely disunited.

What occurred on December 20, 1860?

In the weeks following the presidential election, a state convention was held in Charleston debating succession; following South Carolina’s lead, six more states ceded from the Union.

What were the Confederate States of America?

The Confederate Union was the grouping of the Southern states who had ceded from America.

What was the Battle of Fort Sumter?

Confederates open-fired on a government fort in an American, perceived as a call for violence by the South.

What action began the Civil War?

The Battle of Fort Sumter