Key Concepts of Antebellum America

These flashcards cover significant aspects of the Antebellum period, focusing on legislation, economic patterns, demographics, and the societal structure of the South.

What did the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 establish?

The Northwest Ordinance established methods for admitting new states to the Union and set a precedent for the future governance of territory.

What was the significance of the Missouri Compromise of 1820?

The Missouri Compromise maintained a balance between free and slave states by admitting Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state.

What phrase encapsulated the economic power of the South in the antebellum period?

Cotton Is King!

What was the main economic characteristic of the Antebellum South?

Primarily agrarian with a focus on cash crops like cotton.

What percentage of total U.S. exports did cotton account for by 1860?

57% of total U.S. exports.

Who were considered the 'Plain Folk' in Southern society?

White yeoman farmers.

How many slaves were there in the U.S. by 1850?

Approximately 3,200,000.

What was the role of section 16 in the township survey?

Reserved for school support.

What was the percentage of the slave population in Virginia by 1850?

36%.

Which states were part of the slave territory by the Missouri Compromise?

Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Florida, Arkansas, and others.

What was a prominent form of slave resistance according to the lecture?

The 'Sambo' pattern of behavior, where slaves acted submissively in front of whites.

What did the slave auction notice from 1823 indicate about the perception of slaves?

It portrayed slaves as property, valuing them similarly to livestock.

What was the significance of cotton production in the Southern economy?

Cotton production drove the Southern economy and dictated agricultural practices.

What was a common method slaves used to communicate secretly?

Quilt patterns served as secret messages to fleeing slaves.

What was the approximate value of cotton exports as a percentage by 1840?

More than 50% of all U.S. exports.

What were two major slave rebellions mentioned in the lecture?

Gabriel Prosser's Rebellion (1800) and Nat Turner's Rebellion (1831).

What is a characteristic of Southern agriculture?

It included crops like cotton, tobacco, rice, and various other staples.

What was the demographic breakdown of slave ownership in 1850?

18% of the population were non-slaveholders, while 64% owned no slaves.

How did the economy of the lower South differ from the upper South?

The economic power shifted from the upper South, which focused on tobacco, to the lower South, which emphasized cotton.

What was the purpose of the Anti-Slavery pamphlets mentioned?

To raise awareness against the injustices of slavery.

What does the term 'Slavocracy' refer to?

It refers to the political power of plantation owners in the South.

What was the role of music within the culture of slavery?

Music, especially spirituals, played a significant role in slave life, serving as a source of emotional expression and community.

What actions were taken to suppress slave rebellion?

Violent reprisals, legal restrictions, and social controls were implemented to prevent insurrections.

What was the outcome of the Adams-Onís Treaty of 1819?

It ceded Florida to the U.S. from Spain and defined the boundaries of the Louisiana Purchase.

What economic system ended with the Civil War for the South?

The plantation system based on slave labor collapsed.