Slavery, Sectionalism, and the Abolitionist Movement Vocabulary

A comprehensive vocabulary review set covering key historical terms, concepts, acts, and figures central to the history of slavery, sectionalism, and abolition in the United States.

Cotton gin

Machine invented to quickly separate cotton fibers from seeds, increasing cotton production and demand for slave labor.

Import

Goods or products brought into a country from abroad.

Export

Goods or products sent from one country to another for sale.

Census

Official population count and survey capturing demographic data.

Agricultural

Related to farming and cultivation of crops and livestock.

Domestic

Pertaining to activities or goods produced within a country.

Migration

Movement of people from one region or country to another.

Importation

The act of bringing goods or people into a country.

Slave codes

Laws restricting enslaved people's rights and controlling their behavior.

Sectionalism

Strong loyalty to one's region over national unity, often leading to conflict.

Culture

Shared customs, beliefs, arts, and social behaviors of a group or society.

Overt resistance

Open, visible acts of defiance against slavery (e.g., revolts).

Covert resistance

Secret or hidden acts of defiance, like work slowdowns or sabotage.

Turner's Rebellion

1831 slave revolt in Virginia led by Nat Turner that heightened fear of slave uprisings.

Abolition

Movement to end slavery completely.

Reform

Efforts to improve society through social or political change.

Quakers

Religious group known for early and persistent anti-slavery activism based on moral beliefs.

Frederick Douglass

Former slave who became a leading abolitionist, writer, and orator.

William Lloyd Garrison

Founder of The Liberator newspaper, advocating immediate abolition.

Angelina and Sarah Grimke

Sisters who were outspoken abolitionists and women's rights advocates.

Charles Sumner

U.S. senator and abolitionist known for his fiery anti-slavery speeches.

Henry Highland Garnet

African American abolitionist who urged slaves to resist slavery actively.

Sojourner Truth

Former slave and activist for abolition and women's rights.

Fugitive

Person who escapes from slavery or captivity.

Harriet Tubman

Escaped slave who led hundreds to freedom via the Underground Railroad.

Harriet Beecher Stowe

Author of Uncle Tom's Cabin, exposing slavery's cruelty.

Fugitive Slave Act

Law requiring escaped slaves to be returned to their owners, even from free states.

Underground Railroad

Secret network of safe houses and routes aiding slave escapes.

Ellen Craft and Henry Craft

Couple who escaped slavery by disguising Ellen as a white male planter and Henry as her servant.