Chapter 18 The American pageant 16th Edition

popular sovereignty

Notion advanced before the Civil War that sovereign people of a given territory should decide weather to allow slavery. Seemingly a compromise, it was largely opposed by northern abolitionists, who feared it would promote the spread of slavery to the territories.

Free Soil Party

(1848-1854) Antislavery party in the 1848 and 1852 elections that opposed the extension of slavery into the territories, arguing that the presence of slavery would limit opportunities for free laborers.

California gold rush

(began 1849) inflow of thousands of miners to northern California after news reports of the discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill in January of 1848 had spread around the world by the end of that year. The onslaught of migrants prompted Californians to organize a government and apply for statehood in 1849.

Underground Railroad

Informal network of volunteers that helped runaway slaves escape from the South and reach free-soil Canada. Seeking to halt the flow of runaway slaves to the North, southern planters and Congressmen pushed for a stronger fugitive slave law.

Compromise of 1850

Admitted California as a free state, opened New Mexico and Utah to popular sovereignty, ended the slave trade (but not slavery itself) in Washington D.C., and introduced a more stringent fugitive slave law. Widely opposed in both the North and South, it did little to settle the escalating dispute over slavery.

Fugitive Slave Law of 1850

Passed as part of the Compromise of 1850, it set high penalties for anyone who aided escaped slaves and compelled all law enforcement officers to participate in retrieving runaways. Strengthened the antislavery cause in the North.

Ostend Manifesto

(1854) secret Franklin Pierce administration proposal to purchase or, that failing, to wrest militarily Cuba from Spain. Once leaked, it was quickly abandoned due to vehement opposition from the North.

Gadsden Purchase

(1853) acquired additional land from Mexico for $10 million to facilitate the construction of a southern transcontinental railroad.

Kansas-Nebraska Act

(1854) proposed that the issue of slavery be decided by popular sovereignty in the Kansas and Nebraska Territories, thus revoking the 1820 Missouri Compromise. Introduced by Stephen Douglas in an effort to bring Nebraska into the Union and pave the way for a northern transcontinental railroad.

Treaty of Kanagawa

(1854) Ended Japan's 200 year period of economic isolation, establishing an American consulate in Japan and securing American coaling rights in Japanese ports.

personal liberty laws

denied local jails to federal officials and otherwise hampered enforcement, passed by individual states.

filibustering

from spanish word filibustero, meaning freebooker or pirate. During 1850-1851, two of these expeditions descended upon Cuba but they repelled and ended in tragedy.

Stephen A. Douglas

Helped Henry Clay, Senator of Illinois, known as the "Little Giant" whose role in the south issue was less spectacular but even more important.

Lewis Cass

veteran of the War of 1812, senator, and diplomat of wide experience and considerable ability. Enemies called him General Cass, father of popular sovereignty.

Seventh of March Speech

Daniel Webster's impassioned address urging the North to support of the Compromise of 1850. Webster argued that topography and climate would keep slavery from becoming entrenched in Mexican Cession territory and urged Northerners to make all reasonable concessions to prevent disunion.

Ostend Manifesto

A declaration (1854) issued from Ostend, Belgium, by the U.S. ministers to England, France, and Spain, stating that the U.S. would be justified in seizing Cuba if Spain did not sell it to the U.S.

Treaty of Wanghia

The first diplomatic agreement between China and America in history, signed on July 3, 1844. Since America signed as a nation interested in trade instead of colonization, it was rewarded with extraordinary amount of trading power.

Zachary Taylor

(1849-1850), WHIG president who was a Southern slave holder, and war hero (Mexican-American War). Won the 1848 election. Surprisingly did not address the issue of slavery at all on his platform. He died during his term and his Vice President was Millard Fillmore.

Harriet Tubman

United States abolitionist born a slave on a plantation in Maryland and became a famous conductor on the Underground Railroad leading other slaves to freedom in the North (1820-1913); nicknamed the 'Moses' of the Underground Railroad

Franklin Pierce

DEMOCRAT President elected in 1852; puppet of the Democrats; sought expansion in Nicaragua and Cuba; signed trade treaties with China (Wanghia) and Japan (Kanagawa)

Matthew C Perry

He was the military leader who convinced the Japanese to sign a treaty in 1853 with the U.S. The treaty allowed for a commercial foot in Japan which was helpful with furthering a relationship with Japan.

Clayton-Bulwer Treaty

1850. Signed by Great Britain and the U.S., it provided that the two nations would jointly protect the neutrality of Central America and that neither power would seek to fortify or exclusively control any future isthmian waterway. Later revoked by the Hay-Pauncefote Treaty of 1901, which gave the U.S. control of the Panama Canal.