Immigration and Slavery Debate in the 1840s-1850s

These flashcards cover key vocabulary terms and concepts related to the immigration surge and slavery debate during the 1840s and 1850s.

Irish Potato Famine

A period in the 1840s when a potato disease caused mass starvation in Ireland, leading to significant emigration.

Nativeism

A movement to protect the interests of native-born citizens against the influence of foreign cultures.

American Party (Know Nothings)

A political party formed in the 1850s that opposed immigration and was characterized by nativeist policies.

Free Soil Movement

A political movement that opposed the expansion of slavery into western territories on economic grounds.

Abolitionist Movement

A movement aimed at ending slavery and the slave trade; abolitionists sought to eradicate slavery altogether.

Underground Railroad

A network of safe houses and individuals helping enslaved people escape to freedom in the North and Canada.

Uncle Tom's Cabin

A novel by Harriet Beecher Stowe published in 1852 that depicted the brutal reality of slavery and became highly influential.

John Brown's Raid

An 1859 attempt by abolitionist John Brown to initiate an armed slave revolt by raiding Harper's Ferry, Virginia.

Positive Good Theory

The belief, articulated by John C. Calhoun, that slavery was beneficial for both enslaved individuals and slaveholders.

Three-Fifths Compromise

A constitutional provision that counted three-fifths of enslaved people for representation and taxation purposes.

Irish Potato Famine (Historical Event/Cause of Migration)

Context: 1840s Ireland. Description: A period of mass starvation and disease. Cause: Failure of the potato crop (blight) which was the dietary staple. Effect: Triggered massive migration of the lower-class Irish to the United States.

Irish Immigration (Migration/Group)

Context: 1840s-1850s United States. Description: Millions of Irish arrived in industrial Northern cities. Cause: Potato Famine and seeking economic opportunity. Impact: Provided low-wage labor for the market revolution; established ethnic enclaves for cultural preservation (Catholicism and Irish language).

German Revolution of 1848 (Historical Event/Cause of Migration)

Context: mid-19th century Germany. Description: A series of failed political upheavals. Cause: Economic hardship and political instability. Effect: many Germans migrated to the US to establish farms in the West or ethnic communities in cities.

German Immigration (Migration/Group)

Context: 1840s-1850s United States. Description: Migration of Germans to both Western homesteads and Northern cities (Klein Deutsland). Cause: Economic and political failure in Germany. Impact: Introduced cultural institutions like kindergarten, German theaters, and schools.

Nativism (Theme/Movement)

Context: Backlash against mass immigration in the mid-19th century. Description: A movement to protect native-born interests over foreign influences. Cause: Cultural and religious differences, specifically targeting Irish Catholics. Effect: Led to the creation of the American Party (Know-Nothings) and increased social conflict.

The American Party - Know-Nothings (Politics/Group)

Context: 1850s political system crisis. Description: A nativist political party. Views: Opposed to immigration and specifically Irish Catholics, claiming they undermined society. Impact: Won several state elections; exacerbated the breakdown of the existing party system; members famously stated 'I know nothing' when asked about the organization.

Western Territorial Acquisition (Geography/Conflict)

Context: 1850s expansion. Description: The acquisition of new lands in the West. Impact/Effect: Intensified the North-South debate over whether new states would allow slavery.

Free Soil Movement (Movement/Politics)

Context: 1850s sectional debate. Description: A political movement opposing slavery's expansion into new territories. Cause: Economic concern that slavery hurt free wage labor and blocked progress for workers. Goals: To prevent slavery in new lands while allowing it to persist where it already existed.

Abolitionist Movement (Movement/Resistance)

Context: Mid-19th century reform. Description: A movement dedicated to ending slavery entirely. Goals: Eradicate the institution of slavery. Impact: Used moral arguments, physical assistance (Underground Railroad), and occasional violence to achieve goals.

Harriet Beecher Stowe / Uncle Tom’s Cabin (Figure/Historical Document)

Context: 1852 Publication. Description: A revolutionary novel depicting the horrors of slavery. Views: Slavery is brutal and morally wrong. Impact: Successfully radicalized many Northerners against the institution of slavery.

Harriet Tubman (Historical Figure/Resistance)

Context: 1850s abolitionism. Description: A prominent 'conductor' for the Underground Railroad. Views: Freedom for all enslaved individuals. Impact: Successfully led numerous trips to rescue enslaved people despite great personal risk; symbolize the active resistance to slavery.

John Brown’s Raid (Historical Event/Resistance)

Context: 1859 raid on Harper’s Ferry. Description: An attempt by radical abolitionist John Brown to start a slave rebellion. Cause: Brown's belief that only violent action could destroy slavery. Effect: Failed militarily, but Brown became a martyr for the cause and heightened North-South tensions to a breaking point.

John C. Calhoun (Historical Figure/Views)

Context: 1850s Southern political leader. Description: A leading voice for the pro-slavery movement. Views: Promoted slavery as a 'positive good'; believed in white supremacy; argued the Constitution protected slavery as a state right. Impact: Provided the ideological and constitutional foundation for Southern secession and the defense of slavery.

Pro-Slavery Arguments (Debate/Conflict)

Context: 1850s North-South conflict. Description: Arguments defending the institution. Cause: Southern desire to protect economic and social structures. Effect: Framed slavery not as a 'necessary evil' but