Civil War and Reconstruction Study Guide

Flashcards about the Civil War

Popular Sovereignty:

The idea that residents of a territory should decide on the issue of slavery.

California Gold Rush & Impact on Nation:

The influx of population to California led to its application for statehood, upsetting the balance between free and slave states.

Sectional Balance:

Refers to the equilibrium between free and slave states in the Union, which was constantly threatened by westward expansion.

Harriet Tubman & Underground Railroad:

A network of secret routes and safe houses used by slaves to escape to freedom in the North.

Daniel Webster & 7th of March Speech:

Webster's speech advocating compromise to preserve the Union, criticized by some abolitionists.

Henry Clay – Compromise 1850:

A series of laws intended to resolve the territorial and slavery controversies arising from the Mexican-American War.

Fugitive Slave Act 1850:

Required citizens to assist in the capture of runaway slaves and denied slaves the right to a jury trial.

Protests against the Fugitive Slave Act & “Personal Liberty Laws”:

Northern states enacted these laws to undermine the Fugitive Slave Act, providing some protection to escaped slaves.

John C Calhoun’s Position:

Advocate for states' rights and the protection of slavery, even to the point of secession.

Daniel Webster’s Position:

Initially focused on preserving the Union through compromise, even if it meant tolerating slavery where it existed.

Pacific Railroad & Gadsden Purchase:

The Gadsden Purchase facilitated the construction of a transcontinental railroad, further fueling westward expansion and sectional tensions.

Kansas Nebraska Act:

Allowed popular sovereignty in Kansas and Nebraska, effectively repealing the Missouri Compromise and leading to violence.

Uncle Tom’s Cabin - Impact on Awareness:

Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel heightened awareness of the cruelty of slavery in the North.

Bleeding Kansas (Pro slavery vs. Abolitionists):

Violent conflicts between pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions in Kansas.

‘Border Ruffians’:

Pro-slavery activists from Missouri who crossed into Kansas to influence the vote on slavery.

Know Nothing Party & Banner:

An anti-immigrant and anti-Catholic political party.

Dred Scott Decision:

The Supreme Court ruled that slaves were not citizens and that Congress could not prohibit slavery in the territories.

Lincoln Douglas Debates:

Seven debates between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas during the 1858 Illinois Senate race addressing key issues such as slavery.

Freeport Doctrine:

Stephen Douglas argued that territories could effectively exclude slavery by failing to pass laws to protect it.

John Brown Harpers Ferry Raid:

An attempt by abolitionist John Brown to start a slave revolt in Virginia, which further polarized the nation.

The Crittenden Amendments:

A last-ditch effort to prevent secession by guaranteeing the permanent existence of slavery in slave states and extending the Missouri Compromise line.

Jefferson Davis – Confederate States of America:

President of the Confederacy, formed by seceding states.

Attack on Fort Sumter - Implications and Lincoln’s Decision:

The Confederate attack on Fort Sumter marked the beginning of the Civil War.

Importance of Border States & Lincoln’s Reaction:

Lincoln worked to keep the border states (Delaware, Maryland, Kentucky, and Missouri) in the Union.

The Emancipation Proclamation:

Lincoln declared slaves free in Confederate-held territory, transforming the war into a struggle for abolition.

The 5 Tribes & Their Involvement:

The involvement of the Five Civilized Tribes (Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole) in the Civil War, with some siding with the Confederacy.

Billy Yank & Johnny Reb:

Nicknames for Union and Confederate soldiers.

Recruiting Immigrants for the UNION ARMY:

The Union actively recruited immigrants to bolster its forces.

Limits on WarTime Liberties:

Suspension of certain civil liberties, such as freedom of the press and speech, to maintain order and security.

The Balance of Force:

The shifting military advantages and disadvantages of the Union and Confederacy.

Antietam:

The bloodiest single-day battle in American history; prompted Lincoln to issue the Emancipation Proclamation.

Writ of Habeas Corpus:

A legal action that requires a person under detention to be brought before a court.

Amputations and Prisoner Hospitals:

The harsh realities of Civil War medicine, including frequent amputations and inadequate care for prisoners.

Clara Barton:

A nurse who founded the American Red Cross.

Elizabeth Blackwell:

The first woman to receive a medical degree in the United States.

New York Draft Riots:

Violent protests against the draft in New York City, fueled by class and racial tensions.

Homestead Act of 1862:

Offered 160 acres of public land to settlers who agreed to live on and cultivate it for five years.

US Sanitary Commission:

A private organization that supported the Union war effort through medical care and supplies, largely thanks to women.

1st & 2nd Battle of Bull Run:

Early Confederate victories that demonstrated the war would not be short or easy for the Union.

Monitor and Merrimac - War at Sea:

A famous naval battle between ironclad ships, signaling a revolution in naval warfare.

Killing Fields at Antietam:

The immense loss of life at the Battle of Antietam, emphasizing the war's brutality.

13th Amendment:

Abolished slavery in the United States.

The Massachusetts 54th:

An African American regiment that fought with distinction in the Civil War.

Fredericksburg:

A major Confederate victory where Union forces suffered heavy casualties.

Battle of Gettysburg:

A turning point in the war, marking the Confederacy's farthest advance into the North.

Gettysburg Address:

Lincoln's concise and powerful speech dedicating the Gettysburg battlefield as a national cemetery.

Ulysses S. Grant:

A prominent Union general who later became President of the United States.

General Robert E. Lee:

The commander of the Confederate Army.

Sherman’s March to the Sea:

A devastating military campaign that destroyed infrastructure and resources in the South.

Copperheads:

Northern Democrats who opposed the war and advocated for peace with the Confederacy.

Women of the War North & South:

The roles of women in supporting the war effort on both sides, including nursing, fundraising, and managing farms and businesses.

Events at Appomattox Courthouse:

The surrender of General Lee to General Grant, effectively ending the Civil War.

Lincoln’s Assassination:

The assassination of President Lincoln by John Wilkes Booth, impacting Reconstruction plans.

Freedmen's Bureau:

A federal agency established to aid former slaves in their transition to freedom, providing education, healthcare, and legal assistance.

Education Young Freedmen and Freedwomen:

The importance of education for newly freed slaves, with schools established by the Freedmen's Bureau and other organizations.

Letter from a Freedman to His Old Master 1865:

Illustrates the complex relationships and negotiations between former slaves and their former masters during Reconstruction.

10 PERCENT Reconstruction Plan:

Lincoln's plan for Reconstruction, which required 10% of a state's voters to pledge allegiance to the Union.

WADE DAVIS BILL:

A stricter Reconstruction plan passed by Congress but vetoed by Lincoln.

Black codes:

Restrictive laws passed by Southern states to limit the freedom and rights of African Americans.

Sharecroppers Picking Cotton:

A system in which former slaves and poor whites worked land owned by others in exchange for a share of the crop.

Reconstruction Act:

Divided the South into military districts and required states to ratify the 14th Amendment.

Scalawags:

White Southerners who supported Reconstruction.

Carpetbaggers:

Northerners who moved to the South during Reconstruction for political or economic gain.

Ku Klux Klan:

A white supremacist organization that used violence and intimidation to suppress African Americans and maintain white dominance.