IB History of the Americas: Causes of Civil War

Articles of Confederation

First constitution of the US, governing from 1777 to 1789; established a firm league of friendship but had many weaknesses.

Shays Rebellion

Rebellion led by poor farmer Daniel Shays against the Massachusetts government, highlighting problems of the Articles of Confederation.

The Constitution

Document that replaced the Articles of Confederation; ratified in 1789.

Northwest Territory

Territory created by the Northwest Ordinance of 1787; method for admitting new states and a bill of rights.

Federalists

Supporters of a strong federal government and the Constitution.

Anti-Federalists

Advocates for a limited national government and a Bill of Rights, opposing the Constitution.

VA and KY Resolutions

States nullified the Alien and Sedition Acts, asserting their rights against the national government.

Hartford Convention

Gathering of New England Federalists attempting to establish their own confederacy but ultimately failing.

Missouri Compromise

Admitted Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state.

American Colonization Society

Believed black people would be better off in Africa, arguing they couldn't fully integrate.

David Walker

Free black man in Boston who advocated for slave rebellion and condemned colonization.

William Lloyd Garrison

Initially favored colonization, became a strong abolitionist advocating for immediate emancipation.

Nat Turner's Rebellion

Resulted in the death of over 60 white people; Garrison was blamed for encouraging the revolt.

John C. Calhoun

Defended slavery as a 'positive good' as a senator from South Carolina.

Cavalier Image

Southern belief in traditional values like chivalry and elegance.

Southern economy and slavery

Depended on slaves, who received no credit for their labor.

Tariffs of 1828

Created to encourage Americans to buy domestically by increasing the cost of imports.

Slave Codes

Laws that restricted slaves' behaviors, varying by state.

Slave adaptation

Developed cultures, religions, and worked to keep families together while adapting their personalities.

Gabriel Prosser

Slave who planned a rebellion in Virginia in 1800; was executed after authorities discovered his plans.

Denmark Vessey's rebellion

Rebellion plan leaked; resulted in execution of Vessey and 35 others.

Underground Railroad

An organized network to help slaves escape, led notably by Harriet Tubman.

Daily resistance of slaves

Manifested through faking illness, working slowly, and other means.

Manumission

The act of freeing a slave; easier in Brazil and Cuba than in the US.

US slavery vs Latin American slavery

US slavery seen as harsher due to fewer legal protections for slaves.

John Brown

Abolitionist known for leading an unsuccessful raid at Harpers Ferry and was executed.

Northern states by 1804

All Northern states voted to abolish slavery.

Great Awakening

Religious revival influencing various moral movements.

Frederick Douglass

Abolitionist who published 'The North Star,' an anti-slavery newspaper.

Abolitionist categorizations

Immediate: William Lloyd Garrison; Gradualists: Theodore Weld; Militants: David Walker.

Fugitive Slave Law

Allowed federal marshals to capture runaway slaves.

Calhoun's slavery arguments

Advocated for states' rights and nullification of federal laws.

Annexation of Texas

Texas declared independence and was annexed by the US in 1845.

Manifest Destiny

Belief in the US's divine right to expand, leading to conflicts with Mexico.

Wilmot Proviso

Unsuccessful proposal to exclude slavery from territories gained from Mexico.

Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo

Ended the Mexican War; US gained California and New Mexico.

Free Soil Party

Opposed the expansion of slavery into western territories.

Popular sovereignty

Principle that settlers decided if a territory would be free or slave.

Compromise of 1850

A series of resolutions on slavery and territory, included stricter fugitive slave laws and admitting California as a free state.

Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1852)

Anti-slavery novel that increased sympathy for slaves.

Gadsden Purchase

Acquisition of land from Mexico for a southern transcontinental railroad.

Ostend Manifesto

Attempt to acquire Cuba, angering the North.

Kansas-Nebraska Act

Allowed popular sovereignty, leading to violence known as 'Bleeding Kansas.'

John Brown’s Pottawatomie Massacre

Violent retaliation by John Brown against pro-slavery settlers.

Lecompton Constitution

Offered a choice between a pro-slavery constitution or a limited anti-slavery option.

1852 election

Signaled the death of the Whig Party.

Birth of the Republican Party

Formed from a coalition of anti-slavery groups, rapidly gained popularity.

Stephen Douglas

Authored the Kansas-Nebraska Act.

Brooks and Sumner incident

Illustrated violent confrontation highlighting the division over slavery.

Dred Scott Case (1857)

Supreme Court ruling against Scott, stating that blacks had no rights.

Lincoln-Douglas Debates

Focused on slavery; Lincoln won popular vote but lost the election.

John Brown's Harpers Ferry attempt

Aimed to start a slave uprising; his execution heightened North-South tensions.

Election of 1860

Lincoln's victory raised fears in the South about the end of slavery.

Free Soil Party (1848-1852)

Opposed the expansion of slavery into the west.

Liberty Party (1840-1860)

Focused on immediate abolition of slavery.