Immigration, Agriculture, and Slavery in the North and South (Lecture Notes)

Vocabulary flashcards covering immigration groups, anti-Catholic sentiment, Southern agriculture and slavery, economic differences between the North and South, and related topics from the notes.

Irish immigrants

A major early 19th‑century wave; mostly Roman Catholic; faced biases for cultural and religious differences; settled mainly in the Northeast and Midwest, aided by the potato famine.

German immigrants

Second large wave; about half Lutheran and half Catholic; settled in the Midwest (e.g., Milwaukee); contributed to beer brewing traditions.

Nativist bias against Catholics

American fear that Catholic immigrants would vote as directed by the pope rather than American citizens.

Papal influence conspiracy

Belief that the pope would direct immigrant voting to influence U.S. democracy.

Ballot box cartoon

A political cartoon depicting immigrants seizing ballots, implying they threaten American democracy.

Potato famine

The famine in Ireland that pushed many Irish to emigrate to the United States.

Milwaukee

Midwestern city where many German immigrants settled; tied to German brewing traditions.

Milwaukee Brewers

Baseball team named after the city’s German brewing heritage.

Industrial North

Northern states moving toward industrialization, with growing cities and railroads linking regions.

Agrarian South

Southern states with an economy centered on plantations and small farms, reliant on cash crops.

Plantation owners

A small, powerful minority (about 10–15% of the population) who owned slaves and often led in politics.

Small farmers

The majority in the South; independent family farmers who often did not own slaves but supported slavery to emulate planters and avoid competition.

Free African Americans in the South

A small free Black population (roughly 200,000–250,000) living in the South, legally required to carry freedom papers.

Abolition in the North

The Northern states had abolished slavery, contrasting with the institution in the South.

Southern cash crops

Crops grown for export: tobacco, rice, indigo, and especially cotton.

Cotton and textiles

Cotton exports fueled the Southern economy; the North began industrializing with looms; Britain was a major trading partner for finished goods.

New Orleans cotton port

One of the South’s busiest cotton ports, a key hub for export.

Britain's role

Great Britain was a major trading partner and potential ally; Southern hopes for recognition and support.

North–South divergence

Two regions developed distinct economies and visions of the federal government—industry vs. slavery-based agriculture.

Immigrant settlement patterns

Irish and Germans settled in cities of the Northeast and Midwest; Germans also in the Midwest (e.g., Milwaukee).