APUSH Period 5

Term

Definition

Mexican-American War (1846–1848)

"A conflict between the U.S. and Mexico

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

"The 1848 treaty ending the Mexican-American War. It ceded California

Wilmot Proviso (1846)

"Proposed legislation to ban slavery in territories gained from Mexico. Though it failed

Compromise of 1850

"A package of laws addressing slavery and territorial expansion: California admitted as a free state

Fugitive Slave Act

"Part of the Compromise of 1850

Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852)

"A novel by Harriet Beecher Stowe exposing the brutality of slavery. It rallied anti-slavery support in the North and angered the South."

Underground Railroad

"A secret network of safe houses aiding escaped slaves to freedom in the North or Canada. Harriet Tubman was a notable conductor."

Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854)

"Allowed popular sovereignty to decide slavery in Kansas and Nebraska territories

Bleeding Kansas

"A violent conflict (1856) between pro- and anti-slavery settlers in Kansas

Dred Scott Decision (1857)

"A Supreme Court ruling declaring African Americans were not U.S. citizens and Congress had no power to ban slavery in territories. It nullified the Missouri Compromise."

Fort Sumter (1861)

"The first battle of the Civil War

Battle of Antietam (1862)

"A key Union victory and the bloodiest single-day battle in U.S. history. It gave Lincoln the confidence to issue the Emancipation Proclamation."

Emancipation Proclamation (1863)

"Declared freedom for slaves in Confederate-held territories

Gettysburg Address (1863)

"A speech by Abraham Lincoln redefining the Civil War as a struggle for national unity and democracy. Delivered after the pivotal Battle of Gettysburg."

Sherman's March to the Sea (1864)

"A destructive Union military campaign through Georgia led by General William T. Sherman

Appomattox Court House (1865)

"The site of General Robert E. Lee's surrender to Union General Ulysses S. Grant

Reconstruction

"The post-Civil War effort (1865–1877) to reintegrate Southern states into the Union and rebuild the South while addressing the rights of freed slaves."

10% Plan

"Lincoln's lenient Reconstruction policy

Wade-Davis Bill

"A stricter Reconstruction proposal requiring 50% of voters to take an oath of loyalty. Lincoln vetoed it

Radical Republicans

"A faction in Congress advocating for harsh Reconstruction policies

13th Amendment

"Abolished slavery in the United States

14th Amendment

"Guaranteed citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the U.S.

15th Amendment

"Prohibited voting discrimination based on race

Black Codes

"Laws enacted in the South during Reconstruction to restrict African Americans' rights and maintain racial subordination."

Freedmen's Bureau

"A federal agency established in 1865 to aid freed slaves by providing food

Ku Klux Klan

"A white supremacist group formed during Reconstruction

Force Acts

"Laws passed in the 1870s to combat the Ku Klux Klan and protect African Americans' voting rights during Reconstruction."

Andrew Johnson's Impeachment (1868)

"Impeached for violating the Tenure of Office Act by attempting to remove Secretary of War Stanton. He was acquitted by one vote."

Election of 1860

"Won by Abraham Lincoln

Confederate States of America

"A coalition of seceded Southern states led by President Jefferson Davis. Its constitution upheld slavery and states' rights."

Homestead Act (1862)

"A federal law granting 160 acres of public land to settlers willing to farm it for five years. Encouraged westward migration."

Morrill Tariff Act

"Legislation increasing tariff rates to fund the Civil War and support Northern industries. Passed in 1861."

Greenbacks

"Paper currency issued during the Civil War that was not backed by gold or silver. Helped finance the Union war effort."

New York Draft Riots (1863)

"A violent protest against the Union draft

Lincoln's Assassination (1865)

"Abraham Lincoln was killed by John Wilkes Booth at Ford's Theatre shortly after the Civil War's conclusion."

Seward's Folly

"The purchase of Alaska from Russia in 1867