apushunit 5: lessons 15-17 vocab

Dred Scott Case

case which ruled that slaves were property, and that they could not be citizens

Roger Taney

chief justice during the Dred Scott case

House Divided Speech

speech given by Lincoln stating that the Union could not survive half free, half slave

Lincoln-Douglas Debates

series of debates between Lincoln and Stephen Douglas that were primarily focused on slavery. They would eventually shape public opinion on the matter

Freeport Doctrine

an idea stated by Douglas during his debates saying that a state can decide whether or not slavery should exist based on popular sovereignty

John Brown - Harpers Ferry

a radical abolitionist leader whose raid on Harpers Ferry aimed to supply slaves with the arms needed for an uprising

Crittenden Compromise

a failed compromise by Senator Crittenden saying that the Missouri Compromise should be extended to all of the Western territories

Fort Sumter

site where the first shots of the war were fired by the Confederates at Union soldiers attempting to fortify the fort

Anaconda Plan

northern plan to surround the Southern forces and cut off supplies, forcing them to surrender

War of Attrition

war in which one side attempts to wear down the other over time

Monitor vs. Merrimac

the battle between two revolutionary battleships with full iron hulls. Although the battle was inconclusive, it led to a change in the way naval battles were fought

Trent Affair

when Confederate troops set for Britain were captured by Union forces before they could leave. Britain responded angrily, saying that the Union had violated the neutrality agreement

Suspension of Habeas Corpus

Lincoln’s way of keeping the Union together during the war

Martial law

temporarily placing military rule instead of rule by a leader or government

Ex Parte Milligan

ruled that the government could not establish military courts to try non-military civilians

Copperheads

northern Democrats who wanted an immediate end to the war

Confiscation Acts

authorized Union forces to confiscate Confederate property, which included slaves

Antietam

one of the bloodiest battles of the war that led to Lincoln issuing the Emancipation Proclamation

Emancipation Proclamation

freed slaves in Confederate territory

54th Massachusetts

first black military regiment in the Union

Gettysburg

turning point of the war, as it was the last time the confederates ever made an offensive

Vicksburg

battle in which Union forces under General Grant captured the Mississippi River

Gettysburg Address

short yet influential speech by Lincoln after the Battle of Gettysburg that inspired Union forces to fight for equality

Pacific Railway Act

authorized the building of the first transcontinental railroad

Homestead Act

gave 160 acres of land to anyone willing to settle out west

Morrill Land Grant Act

gave states western land to establish colleges and educational institutions

Morrill Tariff

increased tariffs to support American businesses

National Banking System

network of banks created by the federal government during the war which allowed them to have a standardized currency

Sherman’s March

when Union General Sherman marched into the south and burned/destroyed resources

Appomattox

court house where Confederate forces were forced to surrender and negotiate