AP U.S. History Study Guide: Period 5 (1844-1877)

A collection of vocabulary flashcards summarizing key terms and concepts from AP U.S. History covering the period from 1844 to 1877.

Nativist

A native born person or group that opposes immigrants.

Manifest Destiny

The belief that Americans were destined to spread the United States from coast to coast.

Reconstruction

The period after the Civil War during which Northern political leaders imposed strict regulations and governance on the South so that the South could rejoin the Union.

Emancipation Proclamation

An executive order issued by President Lincoln to free the slaves in the states currently in rebellion against the Union.

Compromise of 1850

A legislative package that admitted California to the Union and imposed the Fugitive Slave Law on northerners.

Dred Scott Decision

A Supreme Court ruling that stated slaves were not considered citizens and therefore could not sue in federal courts.

Civil War

A conflict between the Northern states (Union) and Southern states (Confederacy) from 1861 to 1865 primarily over slavery and states' rights.

Reconstruction Acts

Legislation passed by Congress in 1867 to bring Southern states back into the Union and enforce civil rights for freed slaves.