pre civil war

Dred Scott Decision (1857)

Supreme Court ruling that declared Dred Scott, an enslaved man, was not a U.S. citizen and thus had no right to sue in federal court, nullifying all previous compromises regarding slavery and permitting slavery in all U.S. territories.

Missouri Compromise (1820)

Legislation that admitted Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state, maintaining the balance of power in Congress between slave and free states and establishing a boundary for slavery's expansion.

Compromise of 1850

A series of laws passed to ease tensions over slavery by admitting California as a free state, allowing popular sovereignty in New Mexico and Utah, and enacting a stricter Fugitive Slave Act.

Fugitive Slave Act (1850)

Part of the Compromise of 1850 that required citizens to assist in the capture of runaway slaves and imposed penalties on those who aided their escape.

Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854)

Legislation that created the territories of Kansas and Nebraska, allowing settlers to decide on the legality of slavery through popular sovereignty, leading to violent conflict known as 'Bleeding Kansas.'

John Brown's Raid (1859)

An armed raid led by abolitionist John Brown on the federal armory at Harpers Ferry, aimed at inciting a slave uprising, which increased tensions between the North and South.

Bleeding Kansas

Refers to the violent conflicts in Kansas between pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions from 1854 to 1859, arising from the Kansas-Nebraska Act.

Southern Position on Slavery

The Southern states' belief in the acceptance and continuation of slavery, viewing it as essential to their agrarian economy and way of life.

Free Soil Movement

A political movement in the mid-1800s that opposed the expansion of slavery into the western territories, advocating for free land for settlers and the restriction of slavery's extension.

Popular Sovereignty

The principle that the settlers of a territory had the right to decide whether to allow slavery, which was a central issue in the Kansas-Nebraska Act.

Henry Clay

A prominent American statesman and politician known as the 'Great Compromiser' for his efforts in creating the Missouri Compromise and the Compromise of 1850, aimed at reducing sectional tensions.

Stephen Douglas

A U.S. politician from Illinois who promoted the Kansas-Nebraska Act and introduced the idea of popular sovereignty to decide on slavery's legality in new territories.

John Brown

An abolitionist who believed in the use of violence to overthrow the institution of slavery, known for his raid on Harpers Ferry in 1859.

Franklin Pierce

The 14th President of the United States, whose administration was marked by the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act, further inflaming sectional divisions.

Dred Scott

An enslaved African American who sued for his freedom in a landmark case; the Supreme Court ruled against him, stating that he was not a citizen and had no legal standing.

Texas Annexation (1845)

The process by which the Republic of Texas was admitted into the United States, leading to increased tensions with Mexico and contributing to the outbreak of the Mexican-American War.

Boundary Disputes

Conflicts over the border between the U.S. and Mexico, primarily over Texas and the territories acquired during the Mexican-American War.

Manifest Destiny

The 19th-century doctrine that it was the divine right and destiny of the U.S. to expand its territory across North America.

U.S. Expansionist Policies

Policies supporting the acquisition of new territories and the spread of American ideals, often justified by Manifest Destiny.

The Thornton Affair (1846)

An armed conflict between U.S. and Mexican troops in the disputed territory along the Rio Grande, which President Polk used to justify the declaration of war against Mexico.

Political and Cultural Tensions

Strains arising from differing beliefs and interests between the North and South, exacerbated by issues such as slavery, territorial expansion, and states' rights.