USH - Unit 1: Slavery to Secession

Compromise of 1850

CA entered the Union as a free state, Washington D.C. outlawed slavery, a tougher Fugitive Slave Law and Utah/New Mexico territories get to decide the slavery issue by voting.

About how many slaves (out of 100) made it to the age of 60?

4/100

Macadamization

One of the important changes to early American transportation involved the crushing of gravel on to dirt roads to prevent them was washing out.

Uncle Tom’s Cabin

Published in 1852 by Harriet Beecher Stowe, this book was an overly dramative view of slaver in the South

What popular war did Fredrick Douglass speak out against?

Mexican War.

Reasons he spoke out: worried about expansion of slavery, imperialism and agression, moral and humanitarian concerns, racial prejudice, diverting attention from the abolitionist cause

Gross national product (GNP)

The total value of all goods and services produced by a nation in a single year

Missouri compromise

Maintained senatorial power by entering as a slave state (11 free / 11 slave). The artificial boundary at 36 30 was created.

John C. Calhoun

Pro-Slavery - wanted slavery to expand

believed blacks and whites couldn’t coexist, and that slavery was a positive good because slave’s lives were better in America than they would’ve been in Africa.

Died during 1840s before Civil War.

What was the number one killer of Native Americans in the U.S?

diseases

Wendell Phillips

Nicknamed “golden trumpet” after his scorching oratory about the evils of slavery

Task system

Rice and tabacco fields.

In this system, slaves were given a set of tasks, and once they were all complete they had free time for themselves.

Harriet Tubman

Former slave that returned to the South multiple times to free other slaves, and at one point had a $40,000 bounty on her head.

Her nickname was "Moses”

What was the Southern states reaction to Lincoln winning the 1860 election?

They realized they were politically powerless.

What did the term “conductor” mean for the underground railroad

Individuals who led, housed, and fed runaway slaves on their trip north

Gang System

Sugar and Cotton fields.

Enslaved individuals were forced to work the entire day.

Why did the evolution of manufacturing mainly happen in the North?

* they had cheap labor due to the steady stream of immigrants
* cities provided cheap resources due to the accessibility of land, water and transportation

What did the term “stations” mean for the underground railroad

The homes that runaway slaves would stay at as they headed north

When did the territory in the U.S quadruple?

between 1800-1850 due to treaties, purchases and wars

Which political party was excited to talk about the issue of slavery

republicans

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Denmark Vesey

Former slave (won lottery and bought his freedom) planned to take control of Charleston, SC through a slave rebellion, he was unsuccessful and executed before his plan was attempted.

Overseer

White person in charge of a number of slaves out in the field

Abraham Lincoln

Morally didn’t like slavery at all. But he was a good politician and supported keeping the union together. He was originally a Whig, but then joined republican party when running for president.

James Kirk Paulding

Pro-Slavery, saw abolitionists as un-American radicals. Claimed African Americans had it better than factory workers in England and the North.

Who was the first president of the Confederate States of America?

Jefferson Davis

Grimke Sisters

Anti-Slavery. Had to move to North because of all the hate and backlash they reciveved from their anit-slavery pamphlets. grew up wealthy, but freed the slaves they were given by their mother.

Why were steamboats such a great invention?

Enabled trade to flow both wats on the Mississippi river

John C. Breckinridge

1860 democratic president nominee. Supported Dred Scott case decision and split votes with the other democratic party contender.

Kansas-Nebraska Act

Organized the kansas and Nebraska territory, each territory will decide the slavery issue by voting and the Missouri Compromise is nullified.

Northern Fire-Soilers

Wanted to stop spread of slavery

What happened in Laurance, Kansas?

It was attacked by pro-slavery forces, who destroyed two printing presses and burned down some buildings

Dred Scott v. Sanford Case

Dred Scott sued for his freedom based on having lived in a free territory. Supreme court ruled slaves as property, and therefore protected under the 5th admendment.

Fredrick Douglass

Former slave. Bought his freedom, taught himself to read and write, and wrote many books about his life as a slave. White people who felt threatened by his existence claimed he was half white and that is why he doesn’t follow pseudo-science hypothesis.

What was the worst punishment for a slave?

Being sold.

Paternalism

Plantation owners considered themselves father-like in their care for slaves.

How did the railroad help businesses?

Allowed them to expand their markets to other parts of the nation.

What were Douglas and Lincoln debating for?

They debated 7 times to win one of 7 seats in the Illinois senate.

How many pounds of cotton could a slave produce in a 10 hour day?

1 lb

Stephen Douglas

Advocated for popular sovereignty when dealing with the slavery issue of new states.

Two main hubs on the Underground Railroad

NYC, and Philly

William Lloyd Garrison

Anti-slavery. Wrote anti-slavery newspaper called the Liberator. Burned constitution once in defance because he believed it wasn’t valid as it did not outlaw slavery.

What was the Jayhawk state nicknamed in 1850s

Bleeding Kansas due to the violent outbreaks

Which state was the first to secede from the Union?

SC

California

required 60,000 people to populate a territory before applying for statehood

Robert Grier

Supreme court justice from Pennsylvania voted with the Southern and Democratic majority in the Scott v Sanford case

George Fitzhugh

Studied law, wanted to enslave whites and blacks.

Colonel Robert E. Lee

captured John Brown

Nat Turner

Enslaved preacher, old testament vision, he and his 50 followers killed over 60 white men, children and women.

Hinton Helper

Anti-Slavery because he believed it was economically hurting the South as Northern cities were surpassing Southern cities in many ways. Cared about the poor whites that couldn’t afford slaves.

How many pounds of cotton did the Cotton Gin produce in a single day?

A thousand

Reasons it was hard for slaves to run away

1. New geography
2. bounty hunters
3. hard to get the coordination and support necessary

John Brown

He, his four sons, and a group of other abolitionists slaughtered pro-slavery settlers in the night, from Kansas to Virginia.

to the north he was a martyr, to south was a signal to build military

Pottawatomie creek

Driver

Black man in charge of a number slaves out in the field

What age did children get sent out into the fields?

12

Erie Canal

Huge part of why the transportation price of goods decreased from 1800-1850.

made NY good, big population, lots of industry, economically strong.

Harpers Ferry

A place in Virginia that a had a federal arsenal that was necessary to take over in order to facilitate a slave rebellion

America at 1850

population increased due to immigration, higher life expectancy, lower infant mortality rate, and promoting

GNP and PCI both increased

huge land increase

South characteristics

* long summers, mild winters, long growing season
* large navigable rivers
* small towns
* family centered traditional society
* large planttions
* tabacco, sugar, rice, cotton
* lacked manufacturing capabilities
* social classes, planters at top
* only 25% of population owned slaves

North characteristics

* large port cities
* concentrated population
* produced textiles, ships, iron, lumber
* shallow fast moving rivers
* lots of railroads
* manufacturing, foriegn trade, agriculture
* cities were centers of culture
* 95% literacy rate
* hot summers, cold winters
* media outlets
* huge emphasis on public education
* rapid population growth

North-West characteristics

* american indians remained the most numerous inhabitants
* wheat, corn, cattle, sheep, pigs
* small successful family farms
* meatpacking industries, and agricultural manufacturing

slavery in the old south

justification: religion, pseudo-science, treated better than factory workers

worked 14-15 hours per day

whippping was last resort of punishment

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slave codes

* couldnt own property (no generational wealth)
* couldnt leave without permission
* couldnt defend themselves
* shouldnt be taught to read or write
* can be killed without punishment

Fredrick Douglass source

* life on plantation: tar, horse workers
* life in baltimore: slaves had nicer clothes but still were treated bad

Northwest Ordinance

slavery below ohio river

Southern fire eaters

want slavery everywhere

unionists

want to prevent secession