APUSH VOCAB QUIZ 8

Dred Scott Case

refers to the landmark Supreme Court decision, "Dred Scott v. Sanford," where the court ruled that a slave named Dred Scott could not sue for his freedom because enslaved people were not considered citizens and therefore had no legal rights, essentially declaring that Congress could not prohibit slavery in any territory, significantly escalating tensions leading up to the Civil War; this ruling is widely considered one of the worst decisions in Supreme Court history

Roger Taney

Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court who is most remembered for authoring the controversial "Dred Scott v. Sanford" decision, which ruled that enslaved people were not considered citizens and could not sue for their freedom, essentially upholding the legality of slavery nationwide; his ruling significantly contributed to tensions leading up to the Civil War.

House Divided Speech

a famous address given by Abraham Lincoln in 1858 during his Illinois Senate campaign against Stephen A. Douglas, where he declared that the nation could not endure "half slave and half free," using the biblical phrase "a house divided against itself cannot stand" to emphasize the growing crisis over slavery and the need to take a firm stance against its expansion; essentially arguing that the country would either fully embrace slavery or fully abolish it, and that a divided stance was unsustainable.

Lincoln-Douglas Debates

a series of seven public debates held in 1858 between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas during their campaign for the Illinois Senate seat, where they fiercely debated the issue of slavery's expansion into new territories, with Lincoln advocating against its spread and Douglas supporting popular sovereignty to decide the matter in each territory; these debates significantly elevated Lincoln's national profile and highlighted the growing divisions over slavery in the United States

Freeport Doctrine

a statement made by Senator Stephen A. Douglas during the Lincoln-Douglas debates in 1858, asserting that while the Dred Scott decision declared slavery legal in all territories, a territory could effectively exclude slavery by simply refusing to pass local laws protecting it, essentially allowing local populations to decide on slavery through popular sovereignty, even if it contradicted the Supreme Court ruling; this was articulated in Freeport, Illinois, hence the name "Freeport Doctrine."

John Brown - Harpers Ferry

a pivotal event in the lead-up to the Civil War where radical abolitionist John Brown led a raid on the federal armory at Harpers Ferry, Virginia (now West Virginia) in October 1859, attempting to incite a slave uprising by seizing weapons from the arsenal, which ultimately heightened tensions between the North and South and is considered a major catalyst towards the war

Crittenden Compromise

a proposal by Kentucky Senator John J. Crittenden in 1860 to address the issue of slavery and prevent the Civil War

Fort Sumter

a federal fort located in Charleston, South Carolina, where the first battle of the American Civil War took place on April 12, 1861, when Confederate forces fired upon the fort, marking the official start of the war

Anaconda Plan

the Union military strategy during the Civil War, proposed by General Winfield Scott, which aimed to defeat the Confederacy by establishing a naval blockade around Southern ports and gaining control of the Mississippi River, effectively "squeezing" the South economically and isolating it from vital supplies, much like an anaconda snake constricting its prey

War of Attrition

a military strategy where one side aims to win a conflict by gradually wearing down the enemy's strength through sustained attacks, causing heavy losses in personnel and resources, until they are too exhausted to continue fighting, essentially winning by outlasting them rather than through decisive battles

Monitor vs. Merrimac

"Monitor" refers to a Union ironclad warship, while "Merrimack" refers to a Confederate ironclad warship, originally a Union ship that was salvaged and renamed the "Virginia" by the Confederates; the "Monitor vs. Merrimack" battle was a famous Civil War naval engagement where these two ironclad ships fought, signifying the obsolescence of wooden warships.

The Trent Affair

a diplomatic crisis during the American Civil War where a US Navy captain, Charles Wilkes, captured two Confederate envoys, James Mason and John Slidell, who were traveling on a British mail ship, the RMS Trent, leading to a tense standoff between the United States and Great Britain that was ultimately resolved peacefully by releasing the envoys

Suspension of Habeas Corpus

a legal action taken by President Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War, where he temporarily suspended the right of individuals to be brought before a court to challenge their arrest, allowing the government to detain people without formal charge

Martial Law

the temporary replacement of civilian government authority with military rule, usually implemented during times of crisis or emergency, where the military takes control of civilian affairs and enforces laws, often suspending civil liberties in a specific area to maintain order.

Ex Parte Milligan

a landmark Supreme Court case from 1866 where the court ruled that military tribunals cannot try civilians in areas where civil courts are functioning

Copperheads

a faction of Northern Democrats during the American Civil War who strongly opposed the war effort and advocated for a negotiated peace settlement with the Confederacy

Confiscation Act

a series of laws passed by the U.S. Congress during the Civil War that authorized Union forces to seize Confederate property, including slaves, effectively freeing them if they were used to support the Confederate war effort

Antietam

refers to the Battle of Antietam, a pivotal Civil War battle fought on September 17, 1862, near Sharpsburg, Maryland, considered the single bloodiest day of the war, where the Union army effectively halted a Confederate invasion of the North, leading to President Lincoln issuing the Emancipation Proclamation

Emancipation Proclamation

an executive order issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, which declared that all enslaved people within the Confederate states then in rebellion against the Union were to be freed

54th massachusetts

a Union regiment in the American Civil War that was one of the first to be made up of Black soldiers:

Gettysburg

the pivotal Battle of Gettysburg, fought in July 1863 during the American Civil War, considered a turning point in the war where the Union army decisively defeated the Confederate forces under Robert E. Lee, marking a significant shift in favor of the North; it is also notably associated with Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address delivered at the site commemorating the fallen soldiers.

Vicksburg

the strategically important Confederate city on the Mississippi River that was captured by the Union Army during the American Civil War, marking a major turning point in the war by giving the Union control of the Mississippi River and effectively splitting the Confederacy in two; the Battle of Vicksburg is considered a crucial victory for the Union.

Gettysburg Address

a famous speech delivered by President Abraham Lincoln at the dedication of the Soldiers' National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, following the Battle of Gettysburg during the American Civil War, where he emphasized the importance of preserving the Union and the ideals of liberty and equality for all men as outlined in the Declaration of Independence; it is considered a pivotal moment in defining the purpose of the Civil War and solidifying Northern resolve to win the conflict.

Pacific Railway Act

an 1862 legislation that authorized the construction of a transcontinental railroad across the United States, primarily by providing government land grants and financial subsidies to companies like the Union Pacific and Central Pacific to facilitate its building, effectively connecting the West Coast to the rest of the nation; it was a key factor in westward expansion.

Homestead Acr

a federal law passed in 1862 that allowed any U.S. citizen or intended citizen to claim 160 acres of public land in the western territories, provided they lived on it and improved it for a set period of time, essentially encouraging settlement of the American West by providing free land to farmers

Morrill Land Grant Act

a federal law passed in 1862 that provided states with large tracts of public land to establish colleges focused on practical subjects like agriculture, mechanics, and military tactics

Morrill Tariff

a significant increase in import tariffs passed in 1861, primarily designed to protect and bolster the growing Northern industries by raising duties on foreign goods, essentially giving them an advantage over overseas competition, while also generating revenue for the federal government; it was named after its sponsor, Representative Justin Morrill of Vermont.

National Banking System

a system established during the Civil War era where the federal government created a network of privately owned banks that were regulated by the government, allowing them to issue a standardized national currency backed by government bonds, essentially unifying the nation's financial system under federal oversight

Sherman’s March

refers to a military campaign led by Union General William Tecumseh Sherman during the American Civil War, where he marched his troops through Georgia, destroying civilian property and infrastructure in an effort to cripple the Confederate war effort by targeting their economy and morale, starting in Atlanta and ending in Savannah, Georgia; this tactic is often considered a form of "total war.".

Appomattox

the location where Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered his army to Union General Ulysses S. Grant, effectively ending the American Civil War on April 9, 1865, at the Appomattox Court House in Virginia; essentially signifying the surrender that marked the end of the Civil War.