The Rise of Secession

Secession

Withdrawal of a state from the Union.

Nullification Controversy

Southern states' claim to invalidate federal laws.

John C. Calhoun

Vice President advocating for Southern rights.

Extension of Slavery

Debate over slavery's legality in new territories.

Compromises over Westward Expansion

Agreements to balance slave and free states.

Kansas-Nebraska Act

Allowed territories to decide on slavery.

Dred Scott Decision

Supreme Court ruling denying citizenship to slaves.

Election of 1860

Triggered Southern states' secession after Lincoln's victory.

Westward Expansion

Movement of settlers into new territories.

Louisiana Purchase

1803 acquisition of land from France for $15 million.

Missouri Compromise

1820 agreement balancing slave and free states.

36°30' Latitude Line

Boundary for slavery prohibition in the Missouri Compromise.

Tariff

Tax on foreign goods to protect domestic industry.

Protective Tariff

Tax designed to shield local manufacturers.

Southern Hostility to Tariffs

South's resentment towards tariffs benefiting the North.

Impact on British Cotton Trade

British reduced cotton purchases due to Southern tariffs.

Tariff of 1828

Increased import taxes, worsening Southern economic conditions.

Calhoun's Shift on Tariffs

Calhoun initially supported tariffs, later opposed them.

Southern Economic Decline

South lagged behind due to tariffs and competition.

Sectionalism

Division of regions based on economic interests.

Slave and Free States Balance

Equal representation in Senate to prevent dominance.

Calhoun

Advocate for states' rights and nullification.

South Carolina Exposition and Protest

Calhoun's anonymous work on state rights.

Compact Theory

States can withdraw from federal agreements.

Nullification

State's right to invalidate federal laws.

Tariff of 1828

Controversial tariff favoring Northern interests.

Tariff of 1832

Tariff that South Carolina sought to nullify.

States' Rights Party

Also known as Nullifiers in South Carolina.

Unionists

Opponents of the Nullifiers in South Carolina.

Andrew Jackson

President opposing state nullification rights.

Force Bill

Allowed military action to enforce tariffs.

Proclamation of the People of South Carolina

Jackson's letter addressing South Carolina's actions.

Compromise

Agreement that reduced tariffs and eased tensions.

General Assembly

South Carolina's legislative body controlled by Nullifiers.

Secession

Withdrawal from the Union, debated by Nullifiers.

Convention

Gathering to vote on nullification issues.

3/4 Majority

Required for Congress to enforce nullified laws.

Tariff Collectors

Target of South Carolina's resistance.

Calhoun's Resignation

Stepped down as Vice President for Senate.

Supreme Court's Role

Decides constitutionality of federal laws.

Civil Conflict

Potential war between Nullifiers and Unionists.

Nullification Crisis

Conflict over state vs federal authority.

Mexican-American War

Conflict leading to U.S. territorial expansion.

California Gold Rush

1849 event attracting thousands to California.

Free State

State that prohibits slavery.

Slave State

State that allows slavery.

Missouri Compromise

1820 agreement balancing free and slave states.

Compromise of 1850

Series of laws addressing slavery and territories.

Popular Sovereignty

People decide on slavery in their territories.

Fugitive Slave Law

Law requiring return of escaped slaves.

Uncle Tom's Cabin

Harriet Beecher Stowe's anti-slavery novel.

Transcontinental Railroad

Railroad connecting Midwest to San Francisco.

Kansas-Nebraska Act

1854 law allowing territories to decide on slavery.

36 30' Parallel

Line dividing free and slave territories.

Bleeding Kansas

Violent conflict over slavery in Kansas.

Abolitionists

Individuals advocating for the end of slavery.

Slaveholders

Individuals owning enslaved people.

Northern States

Regions opposing the expansion of slavery.

Southern States

Regions supporting the expansion of slavery.

Washington, DC Slave Trade

End of slave trading in the nation's capital.

Controversy

Disagreement causing public unrest and debate.

Territorial Organization

Dividing land for settlement and governance.

Sympathy for Slaves

Public support for escaped enslaved individuals.

Political Tensions

Strained relations between North and South.

1855 Election

Pro-slavery election leading to Free-Soilers' legislature.

Bleeding Kansas

Violent conflicts over slavery in Kansas territory.

Republican Party

Political party formed post-Kansas-Nebraska Act.

Whig Party

Political party that dissolved due to internal conflicts.

Free Soil Party

Political party opposing slavery's expansion.

Liberty Party

Abolitionist political party advocating for emancipation.

Dred Scott

Slave who sued for freedom based on residency.

Dred Scott v. Sandford

Supreme Court case ruling against Dred Scott.

Supreme Court Ruling

Declared Dred Scott still a slave despite residency.

Citizenship Denial

Supreme Court ruled Blacks could not be citizens.

Property Rights

Supreme Court affirmed enslaved people as property.

5th Amendment

Constitutional protection against government property seizure.

Missouri Compromise

Legislation ruled unconstitutional by Dred Scott decision.

Kansas-Nebraska Act

Legislation limiting slavery's expansion deemed unconstitutional.

Southern Reaction

South Carolinians supported Dred Scott decision.

Northern Opposition

Northerners feared loss of popular sovereignty.

John Brown

Abolitionist who led armed rebellion plans.

Harpers Ferry

Location of John Brown's armed rebellion attempt.

Treason Trial

John Brown convicted and executed for treason.

Martyrdom

John Brown became a symbol for abolitionists.

Election of 1860

Republican Lincoln elected, opposing slavery's expansion.

South Carolina Secession

First state to secede after Lincoln's election.

Articles of Secession

Document claiming federal government failed to protect rights.