Test: Civil War and Key Terms

Compromise of 1850

New Mexico and Utah use popular sovereignty regarding slavery, Texas becomes a slave state, California a free state, and the fugitive slave law was enforced in northern states. Ends the status quo over slavery that was set by the Missouri Compromise.

Kansas-Nebraska Act

 Kansas and Nebraska now determine statehood based on popular sovereignty - leads to bleeding Kansas, people moving into the states to try to determine the outcome of slavery. 

John Brown

Abolitionist who led the Raid of Harpers Ferry (insurrection against the US government). Believed that the US should take a violent stance against slavery. 

Raid of Harper’s Ferry

raid on an ammunition building led by John Brown with the purpose of abolishing slavery in the United States. Used by southerners to support that abolitionists are violent and want to destroy the country. Changes the discussion over slavery from an argument to political survival. 

Abraham Lincoln

16th president of the US - leads the country through the civil war. His leadership eventually leads to the abolition of slavery.

Steven Douglas

Big supporter of popular sovereignty in regards to the expansion of slavery- brings about the compromise of 1850

Robert E. Lee

General of the confederate army. Success at both Battle of Bull Runs. Without his leadership, war would not have gone on for four years. 

Ulysses S. Grant

Union General. Led troops to Vicksburg (divided confederacy and took control of MS River) His efforts were instrumental to the Union winning the war. 

Ft. Sumter

 First battle of the Civil War in South Carolina. South Carolina opens fire on Ft. Sumter to prevent Union Army from supplying troops - marks beginning of the Civil War.

Anaconda Plan

 Union army is blockading the south from goods going in and out of the country. Union using their superior navy to block the south. Harbors south ability to trade and sustain itself. 

Antietam

Battle in Maryland, bloodiest battle of the Civil War. Ended in a draw, Lee’s army retreated after. Brings about the Emancipation Proclamation.

Emancipation Proclamation

Proclamation that freed slavery in confederate states. Changes focus of the Union from preserving the Union to preventing and abolishing slavery.

Battle of Gettysburg

turning point of the war - ended Lee’s major invasion of the north - secured Union’s path to ultimate victory.

Battle of Vicksburg

secured Union control of the Mississippi River, which split the confederacy in two. Achieved a major goal of the anaconda plan for the Union

Battle of Appomattox

Battle where Lee surrenders to Grant’s Army, marking the end of the Civil War.

10 percent plan

Abraham Lincoln’s plan to allow States back into the Union if 10% of their population promised their loyalty to the Union. Shows his efforts to reunite the divided nation.

Andrew Johnson

 17th president of the United States, born in Tennessee. First president to be impeached because he fired his secretary of war, and the first president to take office after the previous president’s (Abraham Lincoln) assassination. 

Radical Republicans

group of republicans that wished to punish the south after the Civil War. Because of them, the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments are ratified.

Reconstruction

period of time after the Civil War spent trying to rebuild the economy and unite the states. First steps towards the process of abolishing slavery, but also sets the stage for the continuance of slavery issues. 

13th Amendment

The amendment that abolishes slavery. It extends the legitimacy of abolishing slavery instead of establishing an executive order.

14th Amendment

establishes equal protections for all citizens under the law. Guarantees African Americans as citizens.

15th Amendment

expands the right to vote to where states cannot deny based on race

Copperheads

northern democrats that supported making peace with the south during the civil war. Their activism leaves the US hesitant to make slavery the main issue of the civil war.

Frederick Douglass

abolitionist and escaped slave that was a strong advocate for abolition. Argued that the constitution did not support slavery and wanted to uphold the intentions of the countries founding documents.

Black Codes

put in place to try and control freed African Americans in order to maintain white supremacy and cheaper enforced labor.

The Alaska Purchase

 William Seward proposes this purchase in 1867 in order to gain more resources for the US. Almost doubles the size of the United States again

Bloody Kansas

a period of violent civil confrontations in the Kansas Territory, where pro-slavery and anti-slavery settlers fought for control over whether the territory would enter the Union as a slave or free state.

Corwin Amendment

a proposed 13th Amendment in 1861 designed to protect slavery in existing states by preventing federal interference, done in hopes that wouldn’t secede, but it fails.

Missouri Compromise

Compromise where the federal government attempted to create a balance of power by balancing the number of free and slave states in the senate. Added Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state. Compromise established the law that slavery was illegal in the Louisiana Territory above the 36°30’ line.

Fugitive Slave Law

a federal law that was part of the Compromise of 1850 requiring the return of escaped slaves to their owners, even if found in free states

Dred Scott Case

Case where the Supreme Court ruled that Black Americans weren’t citizens and Congress couldn’t ban slavery in territories.