1.1

Balance of Sectional Interests

The equilibrium between the interests of the Northern and Southern states regarding political issues, especially slavery.

Federal Government

The national government of the USA created by the Constitution, with powers separate from state governments.

The White House

The official residence of the US president, symbolizing the executive branch of government.

US Congress

The legislative branch of the federal government, composed of the House of Representatives and the Senate.

House of Representatives

The chamber of Congress that represents the people, with members elected from districts based on population.

Senate

The chamber of Congress that represents the states, with each state having two senators regardless of population.

Separation of Powers

A governance principle that divides government responsibilities into distinct branches to prevent any one branch from exerting too much power.

Checks and Balances

A system that ensures that no branch of government exceeds its powers, as each branch has some measure of influence over the other branches.

Supreme Court

The highest court in the USA that interprets the Constitution and federal law.

Slavery as 'Peculiar Institution'

A term used by Southern politicians to describe slavery's unique status and cultural significance in the South.

Abolitionists

Individuals and groups who sought to end slavery and promote emancipation.

Missouri Compromise

An 1820 agreement that maintained the balance of free and slave states by allowing Missouri to enter as a slave state and Maine as a free state.

Compromise of 1850

A series of laws aimed at resolving disputes over slavery, including the admission of California as a free state and the Fugitive Slave Act.

Manifest Destiny

The 19th-century belief that the expansion of the USA across the American continents was both justified and inevitable.

Wilmot Proviso

An unsuccessful proposal to ban slavery in territory acquired from Mexico, highlighting sectional tensions.

Fugitive Slave Act

A law that required the returned escaped slaves to their owners, intensifying tensions between North and South.

Popular Sovereignty

The doctrine that the people of each territory should decide for themselves whether to allow slavery.

Sectional Politics

Political disagreements that arise from regional differences, particularly regarding slavery in this context.

Internal Slave Trade

The domestic trade of slaves from older slave states to the newer ones, especially in the South.

Checks and Balances

The principle that ensures each branch of government can check the powers of the others to prevent any single branch from dominating.

Personal Liberty Laws

State laws that aimed to protect escaped slaves by forbidding state officials from cooperating in their capture.

Secession

The act of withdrawing from the Union, often justified by Southern leaders as a response to perceived threats to their rights and interests.