Slavery: The Deep Divide

Flashcards summarizing key concepts related to the division of free and slave states in the United States leading up to the Civil War.

Abolitionists

People who believed slavery was wrong and wanted to abolish it completely.

Missouri Compromise

An agreement reached in 1820 that admitted Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state to maintain the balance of power.

Balance in Government

The principle of having an equal number of free and slave states to prevent one side from having an advantage in Congress.

Fugitive Slave Act

A law passed as part of the Compromise of 1850 that penalized individuals for helping escaped enslaved people.

Compromise of 1850

A package of five bills aimed at resolving conflicts arising from the status of territories acquired during the Mexican-American War.

Imaginary Line at 36° 30’

The latitude line drawn by the Missouri Compromise that determined where slavery was allowed in new states.

Slave State

A state that allowed the practice of slavery.

Free State

A state that prohibited the practice of slavery.

Enslaved Population

The portion of a state’s population that was enslaved prior to abolition.

Territory

An area of land governed by a specific authority that can become a state.