Giddes APUSH Unit 7

William Henry Harrison

William Henry Harrison

recently (1841) elected president (9th)+ almost hounded to death by Whigs; Whigs thought "Old Tippecanoe" was a bit more than an impressive figurehead; Amer military leader + politician; 1st president to die in office + shortest administration in Amer (4 weeks); died of pneumonia; death had a short crisis but resolved many questions abt presidential succession unanswered by constitution

Daniel Webster

secretary of state; took senate spotlight to upload Clay's compromise measures in last 3-hour speech; 68 years old + suffering from liver complaint; urged all reasonable concessions to south, including new fugitive-slave law; made Seventh of March speech; found no reason to legislate slavery in territories God passed the Wilmot Proviso

Henry Clay

uncrowned king of Whigs + best spokesman in Senate; wanted much political power; 73 years old; "Great Compromiser"; came to Senate from KT to reprise role that was placed 2x before; proposed + defended series of compromises; seconded by 37 yo Douglas; urged that north + south both make concessions that north yielded by enactive more feasible fugitive-slave law

John Tyler

VA gentleman of old school; became 10th president after Harrison's death; stubbornly attached to principal; resigned from senate earlier + unnecessarily; gave up Jacksonian Democrats for Whigs, but was at odds w/Whigs (pro-bank, pro-protective tariff, + pro-internal improvements); still a democrat

Independent treasury

Whigs wanted to pass law ending system of fed depositories; Tyler agreed to sign in 1841

"Fiscal Bank"

Clay brought through Congress; established new Bank for US; Tyler didn't like central bank + vetoed bank as it reached his desk; many negative reactions from veto; other Whigs tried to nullify the veto, so they passed another bill "Fiscal Corporation", which Tyler also vetoed

Tariff of 1842

Clayites redrafted tariff bill + took out dollar distribution; pushed down rate to 32% on dutiable revenue (level from Tariff of 1832); Tyler didn't want it but saw the need for it, so he signed it; higher customs duties lowered as country wiggled its way out of depression

"Third War with England"

fought on paper; fought between Brit + Amer written commentaries abt other country; fostered by anti-Brit feeling in Amer from 2 wars + Brit "Travel Books" (condemned + mocked Amer as barbaric); Dickens was prominent from Brits

Caroline

Amer steamer; was carrying supplies from Canada across Niagara River, but was attacked on NY shore by Brits (set vessel on fire); Amer illustrator uses this as propaganda; unlawful invasion was against neutrality + resulted of Washington protests (ineffective); vessel sank + 1 Amer died

McLeod

Canadian who boasted of his part in Caroline raid; arrested + indicated for murder; British made clear if he was killed, there would be war; had enough alibi to get himself feed (from NY jury)

Creole

Brit officials in Bahamas offered asylums to 130 VA slaves who rebelled + captured Amer ship; Brit abolished slavery, raising fear in southerners that the Caribbean would become haven for slaves

"Aroostook War''

At. Lawrence River was bounded by ice for many months; so, Brits wanted to build a road from seaport of Halifax to Quebec; but route went through disputed area claimed by ME under treaty of 1783; series of clashes between Amer + Canadian lumberjacks in northern ME; resolved when boundary was agreed in 1842

Lord Ashburton

from the Aroostook War; sent by London Foreign Office to Amer to sort thing out w/Webster; nonprofessional diplomat + conciliatory financier; married wealthy Amer women; compromised ME boundary; split area of land + Brit kept Halifax Quebec route

Lone Star Republic, and international relations

Mexico refused to notice TX's independence + wanted to conquer it; Mex tried regaining territory but failed; threatened war if Amer interfere; TX (outnumber by Mex + whim to attacks) negotiated w/Euro nations to find foreign protector; 1839 + 140, TX made treaties w/Fra, Hollant, + Belgium; Fra + Brit wanted to use TX to check western advancement of Amer + for Brit to protected possession in NW; clashes between 2 could create opportunities for foreign powers to move into Amer (break it apart + militarize it)

James K. Polk

pro-expansion Democrat; won over Whigs under Clay; president in March 1845; wanted to settle Oregon boundary dispute w/Brit; wanted to get CAl wanted to get TX into union

Oregon Country

an enormous wilderness sprawling west of Rockies to Pacific + north of CA to southern top of AK; all parts were claimed by Spa, Rus, Brit, + US at diff times; Spa + Rus retreated; Brit + Amer were left; both had rightful claims + so lived side by side; 1818, US divided it at 49th parallel, but Brit didn't want to share Columbia River; more Amer came, + brit showed more wisdom of arriving at peaceful settlement; issue became part of 1844 election

Columbia River

Brit claim to OR was strong + to northern part of river barely any prior discovery

Hudson Bay Company

Eng corporation (formed in 1670); held monopoly over trade w/Natives of Pacific northwest for fur in region watered by streams into Hudson Bay in canada

Captain Robert Gray

stumbled upon Columbia River in 1792; named ship after it

Lewis and Clark

ranged overland through OR country to Pacific

Manifest Destiny

notion held by 1844 campaign; Amer was destined by "Almighty One" to rule continent w/democratic institutions from Atlantic to Pacific; victories of Mex stimulated it

Election of 1844

Henry Clay (Whig - upset over Van Buren) + James Polk (Democrat); Polk favored expansion, demanded TX + OR be added to US; Clay already spoke against annexation; Polk won by 1 state (NY - some votes went to Liberty Party candidate); Clay bite more than chew + wanted to annex TX + Great Compromise

"Fifty-four forty or fight"

political slogan of Democrats in 1844 election; claimed 54 degree 40' as the boundary of OR area; condemned Clay as "Corrupt Bargainer", a slave owner + bad characters; polk also owned slaves

Liberty Party

political party that started during 2-party system in '40s; main platform was to bring end to slavery by politics + laws; part of Amer Anti-slavery party, but split bc thought there was more practical way to end slavery than Garrison's moral crusade; got 16,000 votes from NY that Clay would of gotten; anti-TX + helped ensure Polk's victory

"Four-point program"

Polk developed this plan + achieved it within 4 yrs; goals included lowerested tariff, restoration of independent treasury (dropped by Whigs in 1841 + achieved in 1846), acquisition of CA, + settlement of OR dispute

Robert J. Walker

Polk's secretary of treasury; devised tariff for revenue bills that reduced rates to 25%

Walker Tariff

created by Walker; tariff for revenue bill that reduced rates of Tariff of 1842 from 32% to 25%; proved to be successful revenue producer as it was followed by boom times + heavy imports; got strong support from southerners but complaints by Clayites + Amer manufacturers

49th parallel border

Polk proposed this as compromise line for OR; Brit ministered spurned idea; 1846, Brit came around + proposed same compromise + polk let Senate decide; offer was accepted + approved of treaty; accepted mainly bc already worried w/war with Mex

California

state that Polk wanted to get in 4-point program; would later buy it from Mex for $15 million

Nueces River

Mex thought this river was border between TX + Mex

Rio Grande River

Amer thought this was border between TX + Mex

John Slidell

Polk sent new envoy to Mex City to offer a max of $25 million for CA + eastern areas; Mex rejected proposal before it was presented; sent bc there were rumors that Brit was going to get CA

General Zachary Taylor

polk appointed this general to lead army from Nueces River + Rio grande against mec; at first, there no sign of Mex troops, Polk proposed to Congress to declare war because of unpaid claims + Slidell's rejection; Mex troops crossed Rio Grande + attacked gnerals's troops (16 Amer died); congress declared war

Abraham Lincoln

Whig congressman from IL; pushed for spot resolutions; "Honest Abe" - given to him as it would only take a case if it didn't violate his conscience; rustic Springfield lawyer; raised up in lower-class family but married above to Todd family; emerged as foremost politician after KS-NE Act; debted w/Douglas but lost Senate race in 1858; wanted no extension of slavery, protective tariffs for northerners, pacific railroad for northwest, free homestead land for farmers; wins election of 1860; 'minority president' bs wasn't on balot of 10 states; southerners threatened secession if Lincoln won

"Spot resolutions"

Lincoln supported proposition to find exact spot where Amer troops were fired as he suspected that they crosses into Mexico territory (true); done bc Polk lied to public about what rly happened

Mexican-American War

1846-1848; between mex + Amer; Amer got ½ of mex territory; US wanted to teach Mex a lesson + Mex wanted to humiliate bullies of north; Mex though Amer picked a fight on their soil while Amer though mex was the aggressor

Santa Anna

dethroned Mex dictator; promised US to sell out his country if they helped in back to Mex; once he was back, he helped Mex to defend against US

General Stephen W. Kearny

led 1700 troops in 1846 over Santa Fe Trail; before he reached CA, Santa Fe was captured (by Fremont)

Santa Fe Trail

trail from Fort Leavenworth to Santa Fe; general Kearny took this trail

Captain John C. Fremont

explorer w/many dozens well-armed men who helped overthrow Mex rule in 1846; he collaborated w/Amer naval officers + local Amer to take CA + proclaimed 'CA bear Flag Republic'; republican candidate for election of 1856; subject to mudslinging; criticized for illegitimate birth + being Catholic; picked at first bc he wasn't there during KS-NE Act

California Bear Flag Republic

short-lived CA republic; established by local Amer settlers who revolted against Mex; once news of war reached Amer; abandoned republic to join US; established by Fremont

Buena Vista

important battle in mex war where Taylor's weakened force of 5000 men were attacked by 20,000 march-weary troops under Satna Anna; Taylor's troops drove back to Mex + was given name "Hero of buena vista"; helped elevate his national prominence + contributed to him becoming president in 1848

General Winfield Scott

commanded the main expedition which pushed inland from coastal city of Veracruz in 1847; general who succeeded in battling way to Mex city despite disadvantages like not enough # of troops, expiring enlistments, mountainous terrain, disease, political backbiting

Mexico City

capital of Mex, which scott succeeded in battling his way up despite disadvantages

Nicholas P. Trist

chief clerk in state department; sent to negotiate peace treaty w/defeated Mex in 1847; before he could open negotiations, he was summoned to return, but ignored order + stayed to negotiate treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

signed by trist; confirmed Amer ownership of TX, territory west from OR to ocean, + CA for $15 million; assumed claimed of its citizens against mex in amount of $3.25 million

"Conscience Whigs"

anti-slavery whigs in Congress who subbed the mex whigs; denounced the Mex War + controlled house in 1847; threatened to vote down supplies for armies in field; if actually happened; scott would have been forced to retreat + things would of gone downhill; heavily influenced by the abolitionist crusade + condemned slavery; Free Soiler party had many parts of this; harbored many northerners whose hate was directed at prospect of sharing western territories than slavery itself

Robert E. Lee

confederate general in civil war who gained field experience during Mex War; commanded US Marines that captured wounded Brown + followers of his bank at Harpers Ferry; future general of Confederate Army

Ulysses S. Grant

union general in CW who gained field experience during Mex War

Wilmot Proviso

an amendment proposed by David Wilmot; outlawed slavery in any of the territory taken from Mex; passed through House 2, but not through senate; never became fed law; eventually approved by legislatures of all but 1 free state; symbolized burning issues of slavery; encouraged by Free Soiler party

"Lid-sitting" on slavery

analogy used to explain many politicians handled the issue of slavery when issue was brought to the forefront by northern abolitionists + southern 'fire-eaters' (just ignored + let it be); both parties knew that their bond was key for national unity; if replaced by 2 sectional groups, country would be in peril

Election of 1848

Polk didn't run for 2nd term (chronic diarrhea + overwork); open race election + Dem had to seek new candidate - Lewis Cass; Whigs nominated Zachary Taylor (previous war hero); Free-Soil party ran Martin Van Buren; Taylor won, but died during 1st term, so Fillmore (VP) became president

General Lewis Cass

veteran of War of 1812; chosen at Dem National Convention at Baltimore; Senator + diplomat; Dem platform was silent on burning slavery issue, but he wasn't silent; enemies dubbed him General "Gass" + rhymed w/jackass; everyone knew abt his views abt slavery; father of popular sovereignty

Popular sovereignty

doctrine that said that sovereign ppl of territory (under Constitution principles) should be determine the status of slavery; Cass was known as the father of this; persuasive appeal as public liked it (cuz it was similar to democratic traditions of self-determination) + politicians also liked it (cuz was a good compromise on ban (free-soilers)/protection (southern) of slavery); KS was the worst possible outcome; northern abolitionists + southerners populated KS, fighting if slavery should exist

Zachary Taylor

nominated by the Whigs in Philly; "hero of Buena Vista"; never held civil office or took part in voting for president; Clay should of been nominated, but had too many enemies; Whig party dodged all troubling issues + just extolled in his virtue; didn't commit himself on issue of slavery, but was a wealthy sugar plantation owner in LA + had slaves

Free Soil Party

formed by antislavery men in north; attracted industrialists upset at Polk's reduction of protective tariffs; wanted Wilmot Proviso; advocated for fed aid for internal improvements; urged for free govt homestead for settlers

Martin Van Buren

Free-Soil candidate for election of 1848; Free soilers hated slavery more for limiting chances for free white workers to rise from salary dependence to esteemed status of self-employment than enslaving blacks

Republican Party

formerly Free Soil party; founded by anti-slavery activists in 1854 (mixed group of Whigs + free soil democrats who opposed KS/NE act); first sectional party; tried to keep slavery out of western area; thought that land in west was opportunity for Amer to fulfill Amer Dream; met in Philly; nominated Fremont as their candidate in 1856; platform came out vigorously against extension of slavery

California Gold Rush

discovery of gold in CA; lots of ppl migrated to the west to mineral-rich mountains; brought 10k men; mining camps popped up wherever gold/silver was found; crime was rly high in lawless land; many CA citizens wanted to erect a good state govt

California Constitution of 1849

written by group of CAians that prohibited slavery; written to speed up process of statehood (CA bypasses territorial stage, preventing southern congressmen seeking to block Free Soil); southern politicians were angered

Texas territory 'detachment'

fed govt proposed to detach the area east of Rio Grande + north to the 42nd parallel from TX (area was NM); TXans threatened to seize what was theirs

Underground Railroad

south had problems w/runaway slaves, who were helped by northerners; Virtual freedom consisted of antislavery homes (stations), through which runaway slaves (passengers) were helped by abolitionists (conductors; white or black) from slave states to Canada

Harriet Tubman

most amazing conductor; illiterate runaway slave from MD; rescued more than 300 slaves (including her parents); earned title "Moses"

Fugitive-Slave Laws

by 1850, southerners demanded new + more stringent fugitive slave laws; slave law in 1850 was like bribing; fleeing slaves couldn't testify for themselves + denied a trial; fed commissioners got $10 if a runaway slave was caught

"Immortal Trio" of the Senate

Clay, Calhoun, + Webster; worked together for last time in 1850

John C. Calhoun

68 years old; "Great Nullifier"; dying of tuberculosis; championed south in last formal speech (read by younger colleagues cuz was too weak); approved purpose of Clay's proposed concessions, but rejected them as not enough safeguards for southern rights; wanted to leave slavery alone, send back fugitive slaves, give south its rights, + restore political balance; had scheme of electing 1 president from north + 1 from south, both wielding a veto; died before debate was over

Stephen A. Douglas

"little giant"; 37 years old; seconded Clay's desires; senator; championed true popular sovereignty; didn't accept the fraud; tossed strong support in south for presidency + fought for fair play + democratic principles; outcome was compromise that submitted entire Lecompton constitution to popular vote; free-soilers then came + tossed it under; KS remained a territory until 1861

Seventh of March speech

Webster's speech of 1850 (considered to be his finest); helped turn tide in north for compromise; strengthened Union sentiment + led for banking/commercial center in north; free soilers + abolitionists rebuked him as traitor

Young Guard

newer leaders who didn't grow up w/union; northern abolitionists didn't want to comprise; didn't have their say in debate; more interest in purifying nation than just fixing problems

William H. Seward

senator from NY; spokesman for many of younger northern radicals; strongly against slavery + came out against concession; didn't realize that compromise brought union together; argued that Christian legislators must obey God's moral law + man's law; appealed to law higher than constitution, which might have cost him presidential nomination + presidency in 1860; most conspicuous republican leader; would have arranged to win if he was confident that this was 'republican year' in 1856; Fremont was nominated instead

Millard Fillmore

VP for Taylor; became president as Taylor died during pinnacle of 1850 debate; NY lawyer-politician; officer of Senate + impressed by arguments of conciliation, so signed compromise after 7 months; 1856; lackluster presidential candidate for know-nothing party

Compromise of 1850

north got better deal; 1) CA tipped senate balance against south (CA = free state), 2) area of NM + UT were open to slavery on basis of popular sovereignty, 3) TX was paid $10 mil toward discharging its indebtedness; area dispute had torn from side of slave-holding TX + almost certain to be free

"Union savers"

ppl like Clay, Webster, + Douglas (ppl who supported compromise); white southern opposition to secession

Second Era of Good Feelings

time when north + south peace-loving ppl were determined that compromise quelled hate + issue of slavery would end

Fugitive Slave Law of 1850

"bloodhound bill"; stirred storm of opposition in north; practices threatened to create dangerous punishments for white Amer; fleeing slaves couldn't testify on their own + denied jury trials; northerners who helped slaves escape could get large fines + jail sentences (or be ordered to join slave catchers)

Massachusetts "nullification of slave law"

1854; MA moved toward nullification suggestive of SC in 1832; law that made it penal offense for any state official to enforce the new fugitive slave law

"Personal liberty laws"

1854; law that denied local jails to fed officials + hampered enforcement

Election of 1852

Franklin Pierce (democrat) + Winfield Scott (whig); pierce won by landslide marked effective end of Whig party + it's complete death

Franklin Pierce

14th president; democrat, served w/o distinction in Mex-Amer war; aka "fainting general"; 2nd 'dark-horse' candidate; unrenowned lawyer-politician from NH; platform revived democrat's commitment to area expansion (like Polk pursued)

Winfield Scott

"old Fuss + feathers"; most able Amer general of generation; conquest of Mexico City brought US W in Mex War; arrogant + personality drove away masses; Whig candidate

Anti-slavery Whigs

of North; followed Scott as nominee, but hated his platform (endorsed fugitive slave law)

Southern Whigs

of S; doubted Scott's loyalty to compromise of 1850 + fugitive slave law; liked the platform, but hated him

John P. Hale

senator from NH; Free soil party nominee in 1852; stole northern whigs votes that would have gone to Scott; got 5% of popular vote

"Demise of Whig Party"

election of 1852 marked the beginning of the end of Whig party; death of Clay + Webster weakened the party a lot; end augured eclipse of national parties + rise of sectional political parties

National/sectional parties

national parties declined after 1850s; sectional parties rose cuz of declining national loyalty + rising sectionalism

Greytown

San Juan del Norte on Nicaraguan port seized by Brit; marked brit encroachment into area; drove US + New Granada govts to form treaty in 1848

New Granada

later known as Colombia; govt worked w/US to conclude Clayton-Bulwer Treaty in 1850; before treaty, they w/US would sign a treaty in 1848 to guarantee Amer right of transit across isthmus for perfect neutrality for route; led to construction of 1st continental railroad (48 miles from coast to coast through Panamanian jungle)

Clayton-Bulwer Treaty

1850; treaty between US + Brit agreeing that neither country was to try to obtain exclusive rights to control over any future isthmian waterway; repealed by US in 1881

William Walker

"gray-eyed man of destiny"; proslavery Amer from south; tried multiple times to get control of Nicaragua in 1850s; tried to take power there + become president in 1856; legalized slavery; overthrown by coalition of central Amer nations + shot

Spanish Cuba

sugar-rich; lying just off nation's southern doorstep + prospect for annexation; had large population + could be split into many states, giving south the balance they wanted in Senate; was offered $100 mil by Polk, but Spa refused; was filibustered

"Filibustering"

Spa filibustero, meaning 'freebooter' or 'pirate'; 2 of these expeditions went upon Cuba (each had many 100s of armed men); both feeble efforts were repulsed; last one ended in tragedy when leader + 50 followers were killed

Black Warrior

amer steamship that Cubans seized; Pierce took this opportunity to provoke war w/Spa to get Cuba; key Euro powers (Brit, Fra, + Rus) were in Crimean War + couldn't help Spa

Ostend Manifesto

met in Belgium + 3 envoys drew top secret dispatch; doc urged that Pierce administration offer $120 mil for Cuba; if Spa refused + its continued ownership endangered Amer interest, US would be justified for getting Cuba; plan leaked + made northern free-soilers angry; other offset would cause Pierce to drop hopes on getting Cuba

Opium War

1839-1842; conflict between Brit + China; fought to secure Brit traders' rights to peddle opium in China; at end of war, Brit got 5 treaty ports + control of Hong Kong

Caleb Cushing

MA lawyer-scholar; dispatched by Tyler to secure concession for US; brought 4 warships to Macao in southern China w/gifts including weathervane + pair of 6-shooters; Chinese diplomats signed treaty of Wanghia; interested in commerce + secured key rights/privileges from Chinese, including "Most favored nation status"; treaty caused Amer trade w/China to flourish + opened door for Amer missionaries to enter China

Treaty of Wanghia

first formal diplomatic agreement between US + China; signed in July 1884; Amer signed as a nation interested in trade + rewarded w/extraordinary amount of trading power; assured US the same trading concessions granted to other powers (greatly expanded Amer's trade); allowed Amer missionaries to come into China

Commodore Matthew C. Perry

1852, Fillmore dispatched him to Japan; prepared for mission + reached Edo (Tokyo) Bay in 1853 w/his 4 ships; persuaded Japan in 1854 to sign treaty to trade, starting relationship between Japan + West; popped Japan's isolation bubble

Treaty of Kanagawa

1854; agreement between US + Japan; opened 2 Japanese ports to US ships + allowed US to set up embassy in Japan; provided proper treatment for shipwrecked sailors, Amer coaling rights in Japan, + establishment on consular relations

James Gadsden

prominent SC railroad man; appointed minister to Mexico by Secretary of War Davis; negotiated treaty in 1853, which ceded Gadsden Purchase area to US for $10 mil

Gadsden Purchase

purchase of land from Mexico in 1853 that established current US/Mex border for $10 mil; transaction aroused much criticism among northerners + enabled the south to claim railroad w/even more insistence