U5 Ch18

Uncle Tom’s Cabin

A novel written by Harriet Beecher Stowe, published in 1852, that depicted the harsh realities of slavery and contributed to the anti-slavery movement in the United States.

The Impending Crisis of the South

A book written by Hinton Rowan Helper, published in 1857, that criticizes slavery and its negative impact on Southern economic development. It argues against the institution of slavery from a socioeconomic perspective, advocating for the rights of non-slaveholding whites.

New England Emigrant Aid Company

An organization founded in 1854 to promote the settlement of anti-slavery immigrants in Kansas, aiming to influence the state's admission to the Union.

Lecompton Constitution

A proposed Kansas state constitution in 1857 that would permit slavery, which was heavily contested and seen as a pro-slavery measure during the violent struggle over slavery in Kansas.

Bleeding Kansas

A series of violent civil confrontations in Kansas between pro-slavery and anti-slavery settlers during the mid-1850s, highlighting the fierce national debate over the expansion of slavery.

Dred Scott v. Sandford

An 1857 Supreme Court case that ruled African Americans were not citizens and therefore could not sue in federal court, also declaring the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional.

Panic of 1857

A financial crisis that triggered a severe economic depression in the United States, marked by bank failures, unemployment, and a decline in international trade.

Lincoln-Douglas Debates

A series of seven debates between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas during the 1858 Illinois Senate campaign, focusing on issues like slavery and its expansion.

Freeport Doctrine

A principle articulated by Stephen A. Douglas during the Lincoln-Douglas debates, asserting that territories could exclude slavery by refusing to adopt laws that protect it, despite the Dred Scott decision.

Harpers Ferry

A raid led by John Brown in 1859 aimed at initiating an armed slave revolt by capturing the United States arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia.

Constitutional Union Party

A political party formed in 1860, primarily consisting of former Whigs and Know-Nothings, that aimed to preserve the Union and avoid civil war by focusing on constitutional adherence and compromise.

Crittenden amendments

Proposed constitutional amendments by John J. Crittenden in 1860 intended to prevent the Civil War by protecting slavery in southern states and extending the Missouri Compromise line.

Confederate States of America

A group of southern states that seceded from the United States in 1861, forming their own government during the Civil War. They aimed to preserve slavery and states' rights.

Fort Sumter

The first battle of the Civil War, where Confederate forces fired on the federal garrison in April 1861, leading to its surrender.

Harriet Beecher Stowe

Author of "Uncle Tom's Cabin," a novel that depicted the harsh realities of slavery and fueled abolitionist sentiments.

James Buchanan

15th President of the United States, serving immediately before the Civil War. He believed in the legality of slavery and failed to unify the country as tensions escalated.

Charles Sumner

A leading abolitionist senator from Massachusetts known for his impassioned speeches against slavery and for civil rights.

Preston S. Brooks

A Democratic congressman from South Carolina who gained notoriety for physically assaulting Charles Sumner on the Senate floor in 1856, reflecting the intense sectional conflict over slavery.

Roger B. Taney

The Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court who delivered the majority opinion in the Dred Scott case, stating that African Americans were not citizens and reinforcing the legality of slavery.

Stephen A. Douglas

A Democratic senator from Illinois known for his debates with Abraham Lincoln and his role in the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which promoted the idea of popular sovereignty regarding slavery.

Abraham Lincoln

16th President of the United States, led the nation during the Civil War and issued the Emancipation Proclamation.

John Brown

An abolitionist who believed in armed insurrection to overthrow slavery. He is best known for his raid on Harpers Ferry in 1859, which aimed to initiate a slave uprising.

John C. Breckinridge

A prominent Southern politician and the 14th Vice President of the United States, he was the Southern Democratic candidate in the 1860 presidential election and supported the expansion of slavery into the territories.

Dred Scott

enslaved man who sued for his freedom after living in free states, intensified sectional tensions and pushed the nation closer to the Civil War.