Antebellum and Civil War - Knowledge Exam Review Sheet (IB History of the Americas)

Abolitionist Movement

A movement primarily in the North aimed at ending slavery through various means, including literature and moral suasion. It played a crucial role in creating panic among Southern states and was a catalyst for increased tensions that led to the Civil War.

Nullification Crisis of 1832

A confrontation between South Carolina and the federal government regarding state rights, specifically the right to nullify federal tariffs. It contributed to early tensions and foreshadowed secessionist sentiments leading to the Civil War.

Missouri Compromise

An agreement allowing Missouri to enter the Union as a slave state and Maine as a free state, maintaining the balance. It illustrated the growing sectional divide and the struggle to maintain stability amid conflicts over slavery.

Compromise of 1850

A series of legislative proposals aimed at preventing conflict between slave and free states, including popular sovereignty in new territories and stricter fugitive slave laws. It attempted to resolve North-South tensions but ultimately delayed the onset of the Civil War.

Fugitive Slave Act

Legislation requiring runaway slaves be returned to their owners, even from free states. This act generated significant resistance in the North, strengthening anti-slavery sentiment and contributing to the Civil War.

Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854)

Legislation that repealed the Missouri Compromise by allowing new territories to decide on slavery through popular sovereignty. This led to violent conflicts known as Bleeding Kansas, demonstrating the failure to peacefully resolve slavery and intensifying sectional divisions.

Dred Scott v. Sandford Decision (1857)

A landmark Supreme Court case ruling that African Americans could not be citizens and had no standing to sue, and that the federal government could not regulate slavery in territories. It invalidated the Missouri Compromise, inflamed abolitionist sentiment, and pushed the nation closer to civil war.

John Brown's Raid on Harpers Ferry (1859)

An attempt by abolitionist John Brown to initiate an armed slave revolt by taking over a U.S. arsenal. Though it failed, it terrified Southern slaveholders as proof of Northern aggression and polarized the nation further.

Election of 1860

A presidential election where Abraham Lincoln won without a single Southern electoral vote due to a divided Democratic party. His victory prompted several Southern states to secede, fearing abolition, directly leading to the formation of the Confederacy and the Civil War.

Secession and the Formation of the Confederacy

Following the Election of 1860, several Southern states formally withdrew from the U.S. and formed the Confederate States of America. This definitive break marked the immediate cause of the Civil War, as the federal government considered secession illegal.

Fort Sumter (April 1861)

A federal fort in Charleston, South Carolina, that Confederate forces bombarded after Lincoln intended to resupply it. The attack was the opening engagement of the American Civil War, leading Lincoln to call for volunteers and escalating the conflict.

Confederate States of America (CSA)

The government formed by 11 Southern states that seceded from the Union between 1860 and 1861. Its formation led directly to the Civil War, aiming to protect states' rights and preserve the institution of slavery.

Anaconda Plan

The Union's strategic plan during the Civil War, developed by General Winfield Scott. It aimed to blockade Southern ports and gain control of the Mississippi River to 'strangle' the Confederacy economically and split it geographically, a key element in the Union's eventual victory.

First Battle of Bull Run (Manassas) (July 1861)

The first major land battle of the Civil War, fought near Manassas, Virginia. A decisive Confederate victory, it shocked the Union and signaled that the war would be much longer and bloodier than anticipated.

Battle of Antietam (Sharpsburg) (September 1862)

Fought in Maryland, it was the bloodiest single-day battle in American history. A Union strategic victory, it repelled Robert E. Lee's first invasion of the North and gave President Lincoln the crucial confidence to issue the Emancipation Proclamation.

Emancipation Proclamation (January 1863)

An executive order issued by President Abraham Lincoln declaring slaves in Confederate-held territory free. It transformed the war's purpose to include abolition, encouraged African Americans to join the Union army, and deterred European intervention on behalf of the Confederacy.

Battle of Gettysburg (July 1863)

A major battle fought in Pennsylvania, considered the turning point of the Civil War. A decisive Union victory over Confederate General Robert E. Lee's forces, it ended the Confederacy's second and last major invasion of the North.

Siege of Vicksburg (May-July 1863)

A successful Union campaign led by Ulysses S. Grant to capture the Confederate stronghold of Vicksburg, Mississippi. Its fall gave the Union control of the entire Mississippi River, effectively splitting the Confederacy and cutting off vital supply lines.

Gettysburg Address (November 1863)

A profound speech delivered by President Abraham Lincoln at the dedication of the Soldiers' National Cemetery at Gettysburg. It redefined the war's purpose, emphasizing national unity, equality, and government 'of the people, by the people, for the people,' ensuring the nation 'shall have a new birth of freedom.'

Ulysses S. Grant

A prominent Union general who ultimately commanded all Union armies during the Civil War. Known for his relentless pursuit of Confederate forces and his strategy of attrition, his leadership was crucial to the Union's victory. He later became the 18th U.S. President.

Robert E. Lee

A Confederate general who commanded the Army of Northern Virginia, widely regarded as one of the most brilliant military strategists in American history. Despite his tactical prowess, he eventually surrendered his forces at Appomattox Court House, effectively ending the Civil War.

Sherman's March to the Sea (November-December 1864)

A destructive military campaign led by Union General William Tecumseh Sherman, marching from Atlanta to Savannah, Georgia. Employing 'total war' tactics, it aimed to break the South's morale and destroy its economic capacity to wage war, significantly contributing to the Confederate collapse.

Abraham Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address (March 1865)

President Lincoln's speech delivered at his second inauguration. With the war nearing its end, he focused on reconciliation and healing the nation, urging a path forward with 'malice toward none, with charity for all,' contemplating the moral causes and cost of the war.

Appomattox Court House (April 1865)

The location in Virginia where Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union General Ulysses S. Grant, effectively ending the major fighting of the Civil War. The surrender terms were generous, fostering a spirit of national reunification.

Assassination of Abraham Lincoln (April 1865)

President Abraham Lincoln was shot and killed by John Wilkes Booth at Ford's Theatre just five days after Lee's surrender at Appomattox. His death plunged the nation into mourning and complicated the early stages of Reconstruction, depriving the country of his leadership in healing divisions.

Stephen Douglas

A prominent politician and senator from Illinois, Stephen Douglas is best known for his debates with Abraham Lincoln during the 1858 Senate race, promoting the idea of popular sovereignty in determining the status of slavery in the territories.

1860 election parties and representatives

The presidential election in which Abraham Lincoln was the Republican candidate, running against Stephen Douglas of the Northern Democrats, John Breckinridge of the Southern Democrats, and John Bell of the Constitutional Union Party. This election was pivotal in leading to the secession of Southern states.

North vs South disadvantages

The North faced challenges such as longer supply lines and unfamiliar terrain, while the South struggled with a lack of industrial resources and limited manpower for an extended war.

Fort Sumter

The first military engagement of the Civil War, located in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina, where Confederate forces fired on Union troops in April 1861.

Role of African Americans in civil war

African Americans served as soldiers in the Union army, contributed to war efforts as laborers, and played significant roles in abolitionist movements, influencing public opinion and policy.

Role of women in civil war

Women took on various roles including nurses, spies, and supporters of the war effort, and some even disguised themselves as men to fight. Their contributions were vital to both the Union and Confederate sides and helped to push for social change post-war.

The border states

were slave states that remained in the Union during the Civil War, including Missouri, Kentucky, Maryland, and Delaware. They played a crucial role in the conflict, balancing loyalty between the North and South.

1864 election

was a pivotal presidential election held during the Civil War in which Abraham Lincoln was re-elected over Democrat George McClellan, solidifying support for the war effort and emancipation.