Key Figures & Events in Era leading up to and during the American Civil War (Chapter 10, 14, 15 &16)

Eli Whitney

Inventor of the cotton gin, which revolutionized cotton production by greatly speeding up the process of removing seeds from cotton fibers, thus increasing the profitability of cotton as a crop.

Robert Fulton

Known for developing the first commercially successful steamboat, named the Claremont, which played a significant role in the transportation revolution by improving inland and coastal navigation.

Alexis de Tocqueville

A French political thinker and historian who authored 'Democracy in America,' a seminal work that analyzed the strengths and weaknesses of the American democratic system.

National market economy

Refers to the shift towards a more interconnected and unified economy across the United States, characterized by the growth of national trade networks and the emergence of a more integrated market system.

Transportation 'revolution'

Refers to the period of rapid innovation and development in transportation infrastructure, including the expansion of canals, roads, and steam-powered locomotives, which facilitated the movement of goods and people across the country.

Communications 'revolution'

This refers to advancements in communication technology, particularly the invention of the telegraph by Samuel Morse, which greatly improved long-distance communication and coordination.

Commercial agriculture

The development of large-scale, profit-oriented farming operations, often specializing in the production of cash crops such as cotton, tobacco, and grains, fueled by technological innovations like the cotton gin and increased market demand.

'New Nationalism'

This term referred to a political and economic ideology that emerged after the War of 1812, advocating for a stronger central government and promoting policies to foster economic growth, national unity, and internal improvements such as infrastructure development.

The Erie Canal

A major canal that connected the Great Lakes to the Hudson River in New York (completed in 1825), significantly reducing transportation costs and stimulating economic development in the region.

Samuel Morse

Inventor of the telegraph and 'Morse code', which revolutionized long-distance communication by enabling messages to be transmitted quickly and efficiently over electrical wires.

Robert & Richard Hoe

Inventors of the rotary printing press (the power press), which greatly increased the speed and efficiency of printing newspapers, books, and other publications.

Chief Justice John Marshall

He was a key figure in shaping American constitutional law as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Cases included landmark decisions that expanded federal power and protected contracts from state interference.

The Boston Associates

A group of Boston-based investors who played a significant role in the development of the early American textile industry, particularly in the establishment of textile mills in Lowell, Massachusetts.

Samuel Slater

Often referred to as the 'Father of the American Industrial Revolution,' Slater was an English immigrant who helped to establish the first successful textile mills in the United States, based on designs he had memorized from his time working in British textile mills.

Lowell, Massachusetts

A key center of early American industrialization, particularly in the textile industry, where the Boston Associates established large-scale textile mills powered by water from the Merrimack River.

National Trades' Union (1834)

One of the earliest attempts to organize workers on a national scale in the United States, representing various craft unions and advocating for better working conditions and higher wages.

Francis Cabot Lowell

A prominent businessman and one of the founders of the city of Lowell, Massachusetts, who played a key role in the development of the American textile industry and the establishment of the Lowell Mills.

The Lowell 'Mill girls'

Young women who worked in the textile mills of Lowell, Massachusetts, during the early 19th century, often living in company-owned boarding houses and participating in early labor activism movements.

Manifest Destiny

The 19th-century belief that the United States was destined to expand across the entire North American continent.

John L. O'Sullivan

The journalist who coined the term 'Manifest Destiny.'

Mexican Revolution (1821)

Mexico's successful war for independence from Spain.

Empresario

A person who was granted the right by the Mexican government to settle immigrants in Texas during the early 19th century. These individuals were responsible for recruiting and bringing settlers, primarily from the United States, to Texas.

Rancheros

Wealthy Mexican landowners, particularly in California.

Moses & Steven Austin

Moses (father) and Stephen (son) Austin were 'empresarios' who played significant roles in the colonization of Texas by bringing in American settlers into the Mexican territory known as 'Tejas.'

The Battle of the Alamo

This battle took place from February 23 to March 6, 1836, during the Texas Revolution, where a small force of Texian rebels defended the Alamo Mission against a larger Mexican army.

"Remember the Alamo"

A slogan used during the Texas Revolution to remember the Texan defenders who died at the Battle of the Alamo.

Oregon Country

A region in the Pacific Northwest that was jointly occupied by the United States and Britain until resolved by the Oregon Treaty.

Sam Houston

He was a key figure in Texas history, known for his leadership during the Texas Revolution and as the first President of the Republic of Texas.

Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna

A Mexican general and politician who played a central role in Texas' fight for independence.

Battle of San Jacinto

This was a decisive battle for Texan independence, led by Sam Houston, which helped secure independence from Mexico.

The Overland Trail

The most popular route used by pioneers traveling westward in the 19th century.

Texas Revolution

The armed conflict fought between Texan settlers and the Mexican government from 1835 to 1836, resulting in Texas gaining independence from Mexico and becoming the Republic of Texas.

Residents of Mexican descent in Texas

Residents of Mexican descent living in Texas during the 19th century, playing diverse roles in the state's history, including involvement in the Texas Revolution and shaping its cultural heritage.

Lone Star Republic

Name referring to the independent Republic of Texas, established in 1836 after winning independence from Mexico, with the lone star symbolizing Texas' identity as an independent nation before its annexation by the United States in 1845.

President William Henry Harrison

Died of pneumonia just 31 days into his presidency (1841), making his the shortest term in U.S. history.

The Oregon Treaty

The compromise between the United States and Britain that settled the boundary dispute between the Oregon Territory and British North America.

The Bear Flag Revolt

A brief armed conflict in California in 1846, leading to the establishment of the short-lived Bear Flag Republic.

David Wilmot

A Democratic congressman from Pennsylvania who proposed the Wilmot Proviso in 1846. This proviso sought to ban slavery in any territory acquired from Mexico as a result of the Mexican-American War.

Henry Clay

A prominent American statesman known as the 'Great Compromiser' for his efforts to find compromises on sectional issues, particularly regarding slavery.

John Slidell

The Louisiana politician and diplomat who served as a special envoy to Mexico during James K. Polk's presidency, tasked with negotiating a settlement regarding the disputed territory between Texas and Mexico.

General Winfield Scott

The United States Army general who served in the War of 1812, the Mexican-American War, and briefly as a presidential candidate in 1852, known for his military leadership during the Mexican-American War.

President James K. Polk

The 11th President of the United States, serving from 1845 to 1849, known for his aggressive role in the Mexican-American War and the Treaty with Great Britain over the Oregon Territory.

"Mr. Polk's War"

This term refers to the Mexican-American War, during which James K. Polk, as President, played a significant role.

The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

Signed in 1848, this treaty ended the Mexican-American War, recognizing the annexation of Texas by the United States and ceding vast territories in the Southwest.

President John Tyler

The 10th President of the United States, serving from 1841 to 1845, known for his annexation of Texas.

California "Genocide"

Refers to the systematic violence, displacement, and mistreatment of Native American populations in California during the mid-19th century, particularly following the Gold Rush of 1849.

California state law (1850)

A California state law passed in 1850 that legalized and facilitated the removal of Native Americans from their lands, essentially legalizing the enslavement of Native Americans.

Act for the Government and Protection of Indians (1850)

A series of legislative measures passed by the U.S. Congress to address the contentious issue of slavery and its extension into new territories acquired after the Mexican-American War.

Compromise of 1850

Included provisions such as the admission of California as a free state, the creation of the territories of New Mexico and Utah with the question of slavery left to popular sovereignty, and the passage of a stronger Fugitive Slave Law.

Millard Fillmore

The 13th President of the United States, who served from 1850 to 1853 following the death of President Zachary Taylor.

San Francisco

This city's origins trace back to the California Gold Rush of 1848-1855, when the discovery of gold attracted thousands of prospectors to the area, leading to rapid growth and the establishment of the city.

Brigham Young

The leader in the Latter-day Saint movement who led his Mormon pioneers from the mid-west to Utah, where they settled around the Great Salt Lake in 1847.

Polygamy

The name for plural marriage, which was practiced by some members of the Latter-day Saint movement under Brigham Young's leadership.

The "Great Triumvirate"

The nickname which refers to three prominent American statesmen of the early 19th century (Henry Clay, Daniel Webster & John C. Calhoun) who played significant roles in shaping U.S. politics and policy during a turbulent period, particularly concerning issues of slavery and sectionalism.

Fugitive Slave Law

Part of the Compromise of 1850, this law required from ALL U.S citizens that escaped slaves be returned to their owners, even if they were found in free states, causing significant controversy and resistance in the North.

Harriet Beecher Stowe

An American abolitionist and author who wrote 'Uncle Tom's Cabin,' a novel depicting the harsh realities of slavery, which played a significant role in shaping public opinion and fueling anti-slavery sentiment leading up to the Civil War.

The Sacking of Lawrence, Kansas

Refers to the violent events of May 1856 when pro-slavery forces attacked and looted the town of Lawrence, Kansas, which was known as a center of anti-slavery sentiment during the Bleeding Kansas period.

Popular Sovereignty

A political doctrine (espoused by Steven Douglas 'the Little Giant') that suggests that the legitimacy of the state is created by the will or consent of its people, often applied to the question of whether new territories should be admitted as slave or free states based on the vote of their residents.

Bleeding Kansas

A term used to describe the period of violent political conflict in Kansas territory between pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions in the years leading up to the Civil War.

John Brown

An abolitionist who played a prominent role in the events of Bleeding Kansas and later led the raid on Harpers Ferry in an attempt to initiate a slave revolt.

Pottawatomie Creek

Site of an infamous massacre in May 1856, where John Brown and his followers killed five pro-slavery settlers in retaliation for the sacking of Lawrence, Kansas.

John Deere

An American blacksmith and inventor who developed the first commercially successful steel plow, which revolutionized agriculture by making it easier to cultivate tough prairie soils.

Mechanical Reaper

An American inventor and businessman who patented the mechanical reaper, a horse-drawn machine used for harvesting grain, which greatly increased agricultural productivity.

Interchangeable parts

A manufacturing innovation where individual parts are produced to standardized specifications, allowing for easy assembly and replacement, pioneered by Eli Whitney in the early 19th century.

Isaac Singer

An American inventor and entrepreneur who played a significant role in the development and popularization of the sewing machine.

"Push" vs. "Pull"

The concept that immigration is influenced by both push factors (such as poverty, political unrest, or persecution in the home country) and pull factors (such as economic opportunity or political stability in the destination country).

The Great Famine

Refers to the Irish Potato Famine of the mid-19th century, caused by a potato blight that led to widespread crop failure, starvation, and mass emigration from Ireland.

The Revolutions of 1848

A series of widespread revolutions across Europe in 1848, seeking political liberalization and constitutional reform, although most were ultimately unsuccessful.

Tenement Houses

Multi-family urban dwellings, typically overcrowded and poorly maintained, which became common in American cities during the 19th century, particularly among immigrant communities.

Assimilate

The process by which individuals or groups acquire the cultural traits of another society, often used in the context of immigrant communities adapting to the culture of their new country.

NATIVISM

A political ideology that favors the interests of native-born inhabitants over those of immigrants, often characterized by opposition to immigration and support for policies that restrict or exclude immigrant populations.

The Know-Nothing Party

A secretive political movement prominent in the mid-19th century United States. Known for its anti-immigrant and anti-Catholic sentiments, it advocated for nativist policies and sought to limit the political influence of immigrants, particularly Catholics, through restrictive immigration laws and other measures.

Ostend Manifesto

A document drafted in 1854 by American diplomats in Ostend, Belgium, advocating for the acquisition of Cuba from Spain, which was met with strong opposition from anti-slavery forces in the United States.

The Election of 1860

A pivotal presidential election won by Republican Abraham Lincoln (Illinois) that ultimately led to the secession of Southern states and the outbreak of the Civil War.

Candidates in the Election of 1860

Lincoln (Republican); Breckinridge (S. Dem); Douglas (N. Dem); John Bell (Const. Union).

Gadsden Purchase

A treaty signed in 1853 between the United States and Mexico, in which the U.S. acquired a strip of land (present-day southern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico) for the construction of a transcontinental railroad.

Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854)

An act passed by Congress that repealed the Missouri Compromise of 1820 and allowed for the territories of Kansas and Nebraska to decide the issue of slavery through popular sovereignty, leading to violent conflicts in Kansas.

The Republican Party

A political party founded in the 1850s, primarily opposed to the expansion of slavery into new territories and states.

James Buchanan

The 15th President of the United States, serving from 1857 to 1861, immediately preceding Abraham Lincoln. Proved to be a very weak and ineffective leader for the country being torn apart by the issue of slavery.

Political influence of slaveholding interests

Refers to the perceived political and economic influence of slaveholding interests in the United States government, particularly in the antebellum South.

The Lecompton Constitution

A proposed constitution for Kansas that would have allowed slavery, despite the majority of settlers being against it, leading to further strife in the territory.

Lincoln-Douglas Debates (1858)

A series of seven debates between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas during the Illinois senatorial campaign of 1858, which focused on the issue of slavery.

The Freeport Doctrine

A statement made by Stephen A. Douglas during the Lincoln-Douglas debates, asserting that territories could effectively exclude slavery by not enacting laws to protect it.

Secession; Confederate States of America

Refers to the withdrawal of Southern states from the Union, the formation of the Confederate States of America, and the presidency of Jefferson Davis, who served as the Confederacy's only president.

Jefferson Davis

The President of the Confederate States of America during the Civil War, serving from 1861 to 1865.

Abraham Lincoln

The 16th President of the United States, who served from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. He led the nation through the Civil War and is best known for his efforts to preserve the Union, abolish slavery, and strengthen the federal government.

Suspension of the Writ of Habeas Corpus

During the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln suspended the writ of habeas corpus, which allows individuals to challenge the legality of their detention, in order to suppress dissent and maintain order.

"King Cotton Diplomacy"

A strategy employed by the Confederacy during the Civil War to leverage its control over the cotton trade in order to gain diplomatic recognition and support from foreign powers, particularly Britain and France.

Emancipation Proclamation

An executive order issued by Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, during the Civil War, which declared that all slaves in Confederate-held territory were to be set free.

First Battle of Bull Run (1861)

The first major battle of the Civil War, fought near Manassas, Virginia, resulting in a Confederate victory and highlighting the long and bloody conflict that lay ahead.

Battle at Antietam (1862)

Was the bloodiest single-day battle in American history, fought near Sharpsburg, Maryland. The Union victory at Antietam provided President Lincoln with the opportunity to issue the Emancipation Proclamation.

Capture of Vicksburg (1863)

A pivotal Union victory during the Civil War, where General Ulysses S. Grant's forces besieged and captured the Confederate stronghold of Vicksburg, Mississippi, giving the Union control of the Mississippi River and splitting the Confederacy in two.

Battle at Gettysburg (1863)

A major turning point in the Civil War, fought in Pennsylvania. It was the largest battle of the war and resulted in a Union victory, ending General Robert E. Lee's invasion of the North and inflicting significant casualties on both sides.

General George McClellan

was appointed commander of the Union Army during the early years of the Civil War, known for his organizational skills but criticized for his cautious approach and failure to decisively defeat Confederate forces; he later ran as the Democratic candidate against Lincoln in the 1864 presidential election. After the war he became the Governor of the GREAT state of New Jersey.

Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain

A Union officer during the American Civil War, distinguished himself at the Battle of Gettysburg by leading the defense of Little Round Top, a crucial position on the Union left flank. His regiment, the 20th Maine, executed a daring bayonet charge that repelled Confederate forces and secured the Union line, earning Chamberlain acclaim for his bravery and strategic leadership.

General Ulysses S. Grant

emerged as one of the Union's most effective military leaders, leading successful campaigns in the Western Theater (won the key victory in the siege at Vicksburg) - and ultimately becoming General-in-Chief of the Union Army; his relentless pursuit of Confederate armies and strategic victories contributed significantly to the Union's victory.

General William Tecumseh Sherman

is best known for his 'March to the Sea' campaign, where he led Union forces on a devastating path through Georgia, destroying Confederate infrastructure and resources, as well as his subsequent Carolinas Campaign, which further weakened the Confederacy's ability to wage war.

General Robert E. Lee

was the commanding general of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, revered for his tactical brilliance and audacity on the battlefield. Despite his military prowess, he issued one of the most costly orders at the battle of Gettysburg when he sent General Pickett and his Division to be slaughtered in the infamous 'Pickett's Charge'. Ultimately Lee surrendered to Grant at Appomattox Courthouse in 1865, effectively ending the Civil War.

Jeb Stuart

The Confederate general during the American Civil War, was known for his daring cavalry raids. He played a significant role in reconnaissance and intelligence gathering for the Confederate Army. He let General Lee down at the Battle of Gettysburg when he went missing for a few days, which led to Lee severely miscalculating the size of the Union force coming his way.

Copperheads

A term used to describe Northern Democrats who opposed the Civil War and advocated for peace with the Confederacy, often accused of being sympathetic to the Southern cause.