Unit 5 History Test

100 flash cards

What were the main economic differences between the North and the South prior to the Civil War?

The North was industrialized, using immigrant labor, while the South was agricultural and plantation-based, relying on enslaved labor.

What question arose from the Mexican Cession Territory regarding slavery?

Will it be free or slave?

What did the North want regarding slavery in the western territories?

The North wanted to prohibit slavery from expanding into the western/cession territories.

How did the South justify the expansion of slavery into new territories?

The South argued that slave ownership was constitutionally protected and was a states' rights issue.

Who was responsible for getting the Compromise of 1850 passed after Henry Clay's death?

Stephen Douglas was responsible for getting it passed.

What were the key components of the Compromise of 1850?

1. California admitted as a free state, 2. Slavery in Utah and New Mexico determined by popular sovereignty, 3. Fugitive Slave Act included, 4. Slave trade banned in Washington D.C.

What was the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 designed to do?

It was created to return runaway slaves to their owners and keep the South happy.

How did Northern people react to the Fugitive Slave Act?

It created more abolitionists, led to refusal to obey, and threats against slave catchers.

What did the novel Uncle Tom's Cabin aim to achieve?

It educated Northerners about the horrors of slavery and increased abolitionist sentiment.

What was the significance of the Kansas-Nebraska Act?

It introduced popular sovereignty, allowing people to decide on slavery in Kansas and Nebraska, and it repealed the Missouri Compromise.

What was Bleeding Kansas?

A violent conflict between abolitionists and pro-slavery forces in Kansas over the issue of slavery.

What happened in the 1855 Kansas Elections?

Pro-slavery factions used fraud and intimidation to win control of the territorial government.

What was the Sack of Lawrence?

A pro-slavery attack on the town of Lawrence aimed at arresting free-soil leaders.

Who was John Brown and what did he do in Kansas?

John Brown was a radical abolitionist who led violent actions against pro-slavery settlers in retaliation for attacks on free-soilers.

What was the Dred Scott Decision?

It ruled that Black people were not citizens, the Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional, and Congress could not restrict slavery in territories.

What impact did the Dred Scott Decision have on the abolition movement?

It was a huge setback, as all territories were now open to slavery.

What was the Raid on Harpers Ferry and who planned it?

John Brown planned to seize the federal arsenal and lead a slave revolt.

What was the result of the Raid on Harpers Ferry?

John Brown was captured, convicted of treason, and hanged.

What were Abraham Lincoln's views on slavery leading into the Civil War?

He was a free-soiler and believed slavery was evil but did not consider African Americans equal to white Americans.

What was the significance of Lincoln's 'House Divided' speech?

It highlighted the unsustainable division of the country between free and slave states.

Who were the main candidates in the 1860 presidential election?

Abraham Lincoln (Republican), Stephen Douglas (Northern Democrat), John C. Breckenridge (Southern Democrat), and John Bell (Constitution Union).

What was the Confederacy's reaction to Lincoln's election?

Southern states began secession, starting with South Carolina.

What was the cause of the Mexican-American War?

Tensions over Texas annexation, disputed territory boundaries, and money disputes.

What did the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo establish?

It established the Rio Grande as the southern border of Texas and ceded California and New Mexico to the U.S.

What was the Northern strategy for the Civil War?

To maintain border states, use the Anaconda Plan to surround and crush the Confederacy.

What was the Southern strategy during the Civil War?

A war of attrition, making the North come and get the Southern states.

Which battle marked the first major confrontation of the Civil War?

Fort Sumter.

What was the significance of the Battle of Antietam?

It was the bloodiest single day of battle and halted Lee's advance into the North.

What was Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation?

It declared that all enslaved people in Confederate states were to be set free.

What were major hardships faced by the South during the Civil War?

Food shortages, inflation, looting, desertion, and economic devastation.

What challenges did Northern soldiers face during the Civil War?

Inflation and draft riots, particularly in New York City.

What roles did women play in the Civil War?

They served as nurses, spies, caretakers, and some disguised themselves as men to fight.

What improvements were made in medicine as a result of the Civil War?

Attempts to improve field medicine and the establishment of the United States Sanitary Commission.

What was the impact of Sherman's March to the Sea?

It aimed to break the will of the Southern people and greatly impacted Confederate morale.

How did the Civil War fundamentally change the status of African Americans in the United States?

It led to their emancipation and increased participation in the Union Army.

What were the political consequences of the Dred Scott Decision?

Deepened divisions between North and South and discredited the idea of popular sovereignty.

What did Lincoln mean by 'A House divided against itself cannot stand'?

He believed the nation could not survive permanently divided between free and slave states.

What financial pressures did the Union face during the war?

Inflation and the introduction of income tax to fund the war efforts.

What was the significance of the Siege of Vicksburg?

It was a turning point that gave the Union control over the Mississippi River.

How did the results of the Civil War affect Southern infrastructure?

It was left in ruins, including roads, railroads, and bridges.

What began to happen after Lincoln's election in 1860?

Southern states began threatening to secede from the Union.

What was the primary reason for Southern secession?

The protection of slavery and perceived threats to their rights.

How did propaganda like Uncle Tom's Cabin influence public opinion?

It raised awareness about the realities of slavery and fueled abolitionist sentiments.

In what way did the Kansas-Nebraska Act challenge the Missouri Compromise?

It allowed for the possibility of slavery in territories that were previously free.

What was the significance of the Lincoln-Douglas debates?

They highlighted the divisive issue of slavery and gained Lincoln national attention.

What was one of the first actions taken by President Buchanan regarding secession?

He declared secession illegal but did nothing to stop it.

How did the election of 1860 reflect the fragmentation of national politics?

It showcased a divided Democratic Party and the rise of the Republican Party.

What was the purpose of the Union's Anaconda Plan?

To suffocate the Confederacy through a naval blockade and control of the Mississippi.

What did the Southern states establish after secession?

The Confederate States of America.

What was the Southern economy reliant on before the Civil War?

Agricultural production, particularly cotton.

How did the Civil War impact the roles of African Americans?

It allowed them to serve in the military and led to their eventual emancipation.

What were the grounds on which the Compromise of 1850 attempted to resolve issues of slavery?

By balancing free and slave states and implementing the Fugitive Slave Act.

What event ignited the first armed conflict of the Civil War?

The attack on Fort Sumter.