(AMH2020)Chapter 1-7: Introduction to Civil War and Reconstruction (Vocabulary)

Twenty vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and concepts from the lecture notes on the Civil War and Reconstruction.

Election of 1860

A four-candidate presidential race (Lincoln, Douglas, Breckenridge, Bell). Lincoln's victory, without Southern electoral votes, highlighted deep sectional divisions over slavery, leading to the secession crisis.

Republican Party

Founded in the 1850s on an anti-slavery platform, specifically opposing slavery's expansion into new territories. It emerged from the collapse of the Whig and Free-Soil parties, with Abraham Lincoln as a key early figure.

Democratic Party

In 1860, the Democratic Party split over slavery. Northern Democrats nominated Stephen A. Douglas (popular sovereignty), Southern Democrats nominated John C. Breckenridge (pro-slavery). John Bell's Constitutional Union Party avoided the issue, seeking to preserve the Union.

Lincoln-Douglas Debates

Seven highly publicized debates in 1858 between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas for an Illinois U.S. Senate seat. Though Lincoln lost, these debates brought him national prominence and established the format for direct political campaigns.

Abraham Lincoln

The sixteenth U.S. president (1861-1865), a self-taught prairie lawyer. He led the Union in the Civil War, preserving the nation, and issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, reframing the war's purpose.

John C. Breckenridge

Southern Democratic nominee for president in 1860. A strong proponent of slavery and states' rights, his candidacy further divided the Democratic Party, contributing to Lincoln's victory.

John Bell

Candidate for the Constitutional Union Party in 1860. His platform was vague on slavery, focusing on maintaining the Union and upholding the Constitution. He sought moderate votes to prevent a sectional victory.

Ten Percent Plan

Abraham Lincoln’s lenient Reconstruction proposal (Dec. 1863). A former Confederate state could rejoin the Union once 10% of its 1860 voters pledged loyalty and agreed to emancipation. It aimed for swift, forgiving reunification.

Reconstruction (1865-1877)

The post-Civil War era (1865-1877) focused on reintegrating former Confederate states and defining African Americans' rights and status. Marked by debates between Radical and Moderate Republicans and social upheaval in the South.

Emancipation Proclamation

Executive order by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863. It declared all enslaved people in Confederate-held territories free, reframing the Civil War's purpose to include a moral struggle against slavery.

Radical Republicans

An influential faction of the Republican Party during and after the Civil War. They advocated for aggressive measures against Confederate states and extensive federal intervention to protect freedpeople's civil rights.

Moderate Republicans

A Republican Party faction during Reconstruction favoring incremental reforms and a less punitive approach to the South than Radical Republicans. They supported federal protection for freedmen but were hesitant about immediate full equality.

Suspension of the writ of habeas corpus

During the Civil War, President Lincoln controversially suspended habeas corpus, allowing detention without trial, primarily for suspected Confederate sympathizers. Critics saw it as unconstitutional, supporters as a wartime necessity.

Gold standard

A monetary system where a country's currency value is directly linked to a fixed quantity of gold, limiting the money supply. It was debated for its deflationary effects and impact on farmers and debtors.

Fiat currency

Money not backed by a physical commodity; its value comes from government decree. During the Civil War, the Union issued 'greenbacks' (fiat currency) to finance the war, leading to inflation.

Tariffs

Taxes on imported goods, used to protect domestic industries and generate revenue. Republicans often favored higher tariffs for manufacturing; Democrats advocated lower tariffs for free trade and consumers.

Three-Fifths Compromise

A 1787 Constitutional Convention rule counting enslaved people as three-fifths of a person for state population, affecting representation in the House and direct taxation, boosting Southern political influence.

Nullification Crisis

A 1832-1833 political confrontation between the federal government and South Carolina. South Carolina threatened secession over federal tariffs. President Andrew Jackson asserted federal supremacy, resolving the crisis with a revised tariff and threat of force.

Second Party System

An era of intense political competition (1820s-1850s) between the Democratic and Whig parties. It expanded political participation, established national parties, and focused on issues like tariffs and slavery, preceding the Republican Party's rise.

Lincoln’s Inaugural Address (malice toward none)”

Abraham Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address (March 4, 1865) famously stated, 'With malice toward none, with charity for all.' It promoted national unity, reconciliation, and forgiveness for the South, shaping post-war Reconstruction goals.