Flashcards on Westward Expansion, Slavery, and the Civil War

Flashcards covering Manifest Destiny, Westward Expansion, key figures, and events leading up to the Civil War in the United States.

What is Manifest Destiny?

The belief that the USA was destined to expand across the continent, often with the idea that God had granted Americans the land.

Why did Western Pioneers move out West?

Land, opportunity, freedom, and financial gain.

What types of people were Western Pioneers?

Farmers, merchants, and adventurers.

What were some hardships faced by Western Pioneers?

Isolation, lack of supplies, harsh weather, and conflict with Native Americans.

Which two countries had joint occupation of Oregon?

The US and Great Britain.

Who was the founder of the Whig party?

Henry Clay.

Who were the Empresarios?

Mexican colonization agents who encouraged Americans to settle in Texas.

What were the major battles fought for Texas Independence?

Losses at Goliad and the Alamo, and victory at the Battle of San Jacinto in 1836.

What were the key outcomes of the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo (1848)?

The United States received 500,000 square miles (CA, NV, UT, AZ, NM, CO, WY), the southern border was set at the Rio Grande, and the US paid Mexico $15 million.

Who were the Abolitionists?

Anti-slavery people

What was the Kansas-Nebraska Act?

Divided the territory into two, Nebraska and Kansas, allowing popular sovereignty to decide on the issue of slavery.

What was the Pottawatomie Creek Massacre?

John Brown and his followers attacked a pro-slavery camp on Pottawatomie Creek, killing five people.

What was the Brooks/Sumner Caning incident about?

Representative Preston Brooks (SC) attacked Charles Sumner (MA) with a cane on the Senate floor after Sumner verbally attacked Brooks' uncle, Senator Andrew Butler.

What were the goals of the Republican Party?

They wanted to prevent southern planters from controlling the federal government and to stop the spread of slavery into western territories.

Who was James K. Polk?

President known for escalating tensions related to territorial expansion and slavery.

What was the key ruling in the Dred Scott Decision?

Slaves aren’t American citizens and have no rights, but the widow is a citizen, has rights and does have a protection so she has the right to move him around to Missouri.

What was the goal of John Brown's Raid at Harpers Ferry?

John Brown believed he was chosen by God to lead an armed revolt to free the slaves.

Besides Abraham Lincoln, what were the platforms of the other candidates during The Election of 1860?

Stephen A. Douglas - Northern Democrat - Popular Sovereignty.
John Breckinridge - Southern Democrat - Pro Slavery.
John C. Bell - Constitutional Union - State Issue.

Who was the conductor of the Underground Railroad?

Harriet Tubman.

What book did Harriet Beecher Stowe write, and what was its impact?

She wrote “Uncle Tom’s Cabin,” which galvanized anti-slavery sentiment in the North.

Who was Frederick Douglass?

Advocate for the end of slavery and equal rights for all Americans.

Who was Stephen A. Douglas?

He was an Illinois senator who championed popular sovereignty.

Who was John Bell?

Southern slaveholder, opposed slavery expansion in new territories, defense of slavery in existing states.

Who was Charles Sumner?

Us senator and leader of Radical Republican, ensuring for policies of full equality of African Americans.

Who was Jefferson Davis?

President of the Confederate States of America.

Who was Henry Clay?

He was called “The Great Compromiser" , while he owned slaves he did not support the institution.

How did abolition play a major role in moving the USA toward the Civil War?

It intensified sectional divisions between the North and South over slavery.

Why was the nullification crisis a threat to US Unity?

Challenges the core idea of a constitutional government, in South Carolina. President Andrew Jackson preserved federal authority.

Why was the Dred Scott Decision so significant in bringing the Nation closer to war?

The Dred Scott Decision in 1857 upheld slavery in the United States territories.

Explain how the concept of Popular Sovereignty intensified the Conflict over the spread of slavery?

Citizens of a territory vote on whether the territory enters Union as Free or Slave State, a compromise of Lewis Cass & Stephen A. Douglas.

Why did the Missouri Compromise of 1820 maintain in the congress between slave states and free states?

Maintaining the balance of power in Congress betweem slave and free states

How was President Abe Lincoln an effetive leader?

1861-1865 preserved the Union, opposing slavery expansion, triggered secession, issued the Emancipation Proclamation(1863), unify the north, and set stage to abolish slavery

Why did Compromise fail to keep the Peace before the Civil War?

Agreement deepened sectional divisions, exposing the limitations of political compromise over slavery, creating mistrust in North and South.

James K. Polk

a key figure in territorial expansion, known for supporting the idea of Manifest Destiny and aiming to extend slavery into new territories. President of escalating tensions in territorial expansion and slavery, creating a divisive issue of advocating slavery expansion in new territories. Belief in the Manifest Destiny and nullify federal tariffs attempted in South Carolina.

Harriet Tubman

Conductor” of the Underground Railroad to free slaves from the South to the North that has more opportunities & freedom. She was an activist in the abolitionist movement.

. Harriet Beecher Stowe

She wrote, “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” which was galvanized the anti-slavery sentiment in the North and inflaming the slavery sentiment in the South, it depicted the slavery’s horrors intensify the sectional tensions that divided the two regions of the North and the South.

William Lloyd Garrison

Abolitionist and social reformer that influenced the causes of civil rights by advocating for emancipation and equal rights, including women. The Liberator of the anti-slavery newspaper and established the Anti-Slavery Society.

Frederick Douglass

Advocate for the end of slavery and equal rights for all Americans, African Americans to fight for the Union army.

John Brown

Influenced the abolitionist cause by advocating militant action and challenging the status quo surrounding slavery. Raid Harpers Ferry, Unsuccessful and forced nation to confront the moral and political implications of slavery.

Abraham Lincoln

President that issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 to declare freedom for enslaved people, preserve Union.

Stephen A.Douglas

Illinois senator and lawyer, championed popular sovereignty, idea that residents territories decided whether or not allow slavery, fighting for rights. Repealed Missouri Compromise to allow Kansas-Nebraska Act, violence in Kansas.

John C. Breckinridge

14th Vice President, represent free blacks in court, support voluntary emancipation, advocate for education of former slaves, and opposed secession hope Kentucky is neutral

John Bell

Southern Slaveholder, oppose slavery expansion in new territories, defense of slavery in existing states. Oppose President Polk . His platform was to preserve the Union and the Constitution to appeal to voters in border states, Kentucky and Virginia.

Preston Brooks-

Pro-Slavery South Carolina represnettaive, assualt on Senator Charles Summer in 1856. He triggered Sumner’s anti slavery speech, the deep divisions over slavery and foreshadowed the Civil War. A symbol of Soutern resistance to abolition and hero of pro-slavery Democrats.

Charles Sumner

Advocate for rights of African Mericans during and after Civil War, US senator and leader of Radical Republican, ensuring for policies of full equality of African Americans. Ex: Civil Rights Act 1875, Reconstruction policies, and “Crime Against Kansas” speech.

James Buchanan

15th US President, negative impact he supported states to decide whether or not to permit slavery, advocate state rights. Supported the Dred Scott Supreme Court Decisions, denied citizenship to African Americans and invalidated the Missouri Compromise.

Franklin Pierce

Northern Democrat 14th President he backed the Kansas-Nebraska Act which is pro slavery and the enforcement of the Fugitive Slave Act that alienated anti-slavery groups.

Jefferson Davis

President of the Confederate States of America, presided over the South’s creation of its own armed forces and acquisition of weapons, and justified slavery and Southern secession. Chose Robert E.Lee as commander.

John C. Calhoun

Defender of states rights and supporter of slavery, his arguments were to justify the South’s position and reisst federal policies that threatened the institution of slavery.

Henry Clay

“The Great Compromiser”, civil rights debate regarding slavery, while he owned slaves he did not support the institution. He believed in the freedom of enslaved people, advocated for the American Colonization Society, and aimed to send freed slaves back to Africa. Involvement with Missouri Compromise, Compromise Tariff of 1833, and Compromise of 1850.

Toussiant Louveturre

Leader of the Haitian Revolution, he helped to transform Saint-Domingue from a slave colony into the first independent black republic. His efforts against French colonial rule laid the groundwork for Haiti's freedom. Jean Jacques, independence in 1804.

Simon Bolivar

”Great Liberator” that created grand Colombia and claimed Venezuela, Jose de San Martin claimed Ecuador as he was an Argentinian General. Bernando Higgins claimed Chile and they fought in the Battle of Ayachucho in 1822.

Miguel Hildago

Priest that marched the Cry of Dolores in 1810, but was killed and Pedro Jose Morelos fought in 1815 Augustin de Iturbide. Creoles wanted independence and got it 1821.

Dom Pedro I

Claimed the Brazilian independence in 1822 when Portugal regained the kingdom after Napoleon.

Sectionalism

division of interest like the North(anti-slavery) and South (pro-slavery)

Missouri Compromise 1820

Missouri (slave state) & Maine (free state), divided states to have more power and rights over the Congress. The creation of 36 30’ parallel border.

Compromise of 1850

California (free state), strengthened the Fugitive Slave Act(escaped slaves returned to owners) compromised by Henry Clay .

Kansas-Nebraska Act 1854

Repealed the Missouri Compromise and input popular sovereignty for the citizens votes to decide whether the states were free or slave. Led to the Bleeding of Kansas which was the violent conflict of pro-slavery and anti-slavery. John Brown awakened to create a massacre by this in the Harper’s Ferry.

Dred-Scott Supreme Court Decision 1857

A slave owned in Missouri(slave) to Illinois(free) sent him to be a slave once his owner died and widow took over.The court ruled that he was not freed, as slaves were not citizens but viewed as property, and property could not be taken by the Government.