Heimler's History APUSH Unit 5 Review

APUSH Unit 5 Flashcards

Manifest Destiny

19th Century American ideology advocating expansion across the North American continent and justified through perceived superiority of American culture, religion, technology, and democracy

How did Texas become an independent republic?

As a Mexican territory, Americans were invited to settle but brought Protestantism and slaves, causing tension, leading to a Texan victory and independence.

Which territories/ states were added during the Polk presidency?

Texas, Oregon, Mexican Cession (California, Nevada, Utah, and parts of Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming)

What caused the Mexican-American War?

Dispute over Texas border (Rio Grande vs Nueces River) that turned violent

What was the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo?

After swift American victory, Mexico was forced to sell much of their territory in present-day United States as well as recognize Rio Grande as the southern border of Texas.

What was the Gold Rush?

After the 1848 discovery of gold in California, thousands of Americans, Asians, and Mexicans poured into the region

Pro-slavery stance on slavery in the West

Southern position that claimed slavery was a Constitutional right

Free-soil stance on slavery in the West

Anti-slavery position that aimed to prevent the spread of slavery into the West

Popular sovereignty stance on slavery in the West

Leave the decision up to the voters in the territory/state

How was the debate over slavery addressed?

Compromise of 1850 (4 provisions) and the Kansas-Nebraska Act in 1854

How did abolitionists further their cause prior to the Civil War?

Helped slaves escape to freedom in the North and published newspapers and books to spread their ideas

Explain the Dred Scott decision.

Argued that slaves were not citizens and therefore not able to sue in federal court. Also, slaves were considered property and the Constitution explicitly states that no person can be deprived of their property without due process of law.

What caused the Civil War?

Election of anti-slavery Republican Abraham Lincoln in 1860 without any Southern electoral votes led to secession of South Carolina (and others) which, in turn, led to Fort Sumter

What were the Border States?

Delaware, Maryland, Kentucky and Missouri were part of the Union despite being slave states.

What were the Union and Confederate strategies?

Union: Take advantage of economic and naval superiority by blockading Southern ports and taking control of Mississippi River; Confederate: solicit help from Britain and France due to their trade relationship (cotton)

What was the Emancipation Proclamation?

Lincoln’s executive order stating that all enslaved people in Confederate states were free. Enlarged the purpose of the war from preserving the union to abolishing slavery, thus preventing abolitionist Britain and France from supporting the South.

Explain the 2 key turning point battles.

Battle of Vicksburg: Union victory along Mississippi River that successfully cut the Confederacy in half; Battle of Gettysburg: Massive death toll but Union victory stopped Confederate push northward

How did the war end?

General Sherman’s use of total war destroyed Confederate morale and resources. Quickly followed by Lee’s surrender to Grant

What was Lincoln’s plan for readmitting seceded states?

At least 10% of the population must swear an oath of allegiance to the Union/ Constitution and each state must ratify the 13th Amendment (abolish slavery)

Who were Radical Republicans?

Wing of the Republican Party that fought to extend equal civil rights to blacks and to establish political and economic punishments for seceded states

How did Lincoln’s assassination and Johnson’s impeachment affect Reconstruction?

His successor, Andrew Johnson, was a Southern apologist who was against affording rights to blacks. He vetoed most of Congress’s Reconstruction efforts and was ultimately impeached in 1868, allowing Radical Republicans to lead Reconstruction going forward

What were the Reconstruction amendments?

13th: abolished slavery (except criminal convictions); 14th: naturalized citizenship and equal protection; 15th: universal male suffrage

List and describe at least 3 examples of continued oppression of blacks after the Civil War.

Sharecropping: economic system of tenant farming that still tied poor blacks to the land and white patronage; Ku Klux Klan: white supremacist organization that terrorized blacks in an effort to limit their civil rights; Black codes: laws in Southern states that undermined Reconstruction efforts and relegated blacks to 2nd class citizens.

How did Reconstruction end?

Disputed election of 1877 led to a deal between Republicans and Democrats. Hayes would maintain presidency while federal troops would be removed from Southern states