Untitled Flashcards Set

Nat Turner’s Rebellion – A slave uprising in Virginia led by Nat Turner, resulting in the deaths of around 60 white people and a harsh crackdown on enslaved people and free African Americans.

American Colonization Society – An organization that promoted the migration of free African Americans to Africa, leading to the establishment of Liberia.

Liberia – A West African nation established by freed African Americans with the support of the American Colonization Society.

The Liberator – An abolitionist newspaper published by William Lloyd Garrison that advocated for the immediate end of slavery.

American Anti-Slavery Society – A leading abolitionist organization founded by William Lloyd Garrison and others to push for the immediate abolition of slavery in the U.S.

Gag Resolution – A congressional rule that automatically tabled (prevented discussion on) anti-slavery petitions, effectively silencing the debate on slavery in Congress.

William Lloyd Garrison – A prominent abolitionist, journalist, and social reformer who published The Liberator and co-founded the American Anti-Slavery Society.

David Walker – An African American abolitionist who wrote Appeal to the Colored Citizens of the World, urging enslaved people to fight for their freedom.

Frederick Douglass – A formerly enslaved person who became a leading abolitionist, writer, and orator, known for his autobiography and advocacy for civil rights.

Tariff of 1842 – A protectionist tariff that raised duties on imports to protect Northern manufacturers, reversing previous reductions under the Compromise Tariff of 1833.

Manifest Destiny – The belief that the U.S. was destined to expand westward across North America, used to justify territorial expansion.

Walker Tariff – A revenue tariff signed by President James K. Polk that lowered tariff rates and favored Southern and Western agricultural interests.

Spot Resolution – Proposed by Abraham Lincoln, it demanded to know the exact location where blood was shed on American soil, challenging President Polk’s justification for the Mexican-American War.

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo – The treaty that ended the Mexican-American War, granting the U.S. significant territory (including California, Arizona, and New Mexico) in exchange for $15 million.

Wilmot Proviso – A proposed amendment that sought to ban slavery in any territory acquired from Mexico; it failed to pass but intensified sectional tensions.

James K. Polk – The 11th U.S. president, known for his expansionist policies, including the annexation of Texas, Oregon, and the Mexican Cession.

Popular Sovereignty – The idea that territories should vote on whether to allow slavery, rather than having Congress decide.

Free Soil Party – A political party that opposed the expansion of slavery into western territories, arguing that free men on free soil was morally and economically superior.

Underground Railroad – A secret network of safe houses and routes that helped enslaved people escape to free states and Canada.

Seventh of March Speech – A speech by Senator Daniel Webster urging compromise between North and South on slavery issues, supporting the Compromise of 1850.

Compromise of 1850 – A series of laws aimed at easing tensions between free and slave states, including admitting California as a free state and strengthening the Fugitive Slave Law.

Fugitive Slave Law – Part of the Compromise of 1850, this law required the return of escaped enslaved people to their owners and imposed penalties on those who helped them.

Ostend Manifesto – A secret proposal by U.S. diplomats suggesting the U.S. should buy or seize Cuba from Spain; it was rejected and caused controversy.

Kansas-Nebraska Act – A law allowing popular sovereignty to determine slavery in Kansas and Nebraska, effectively repealing the Missouri Compromise and leading to violent conflict in "Bleeding Kansas."

Harriet Tubman – A former enslaved woman who became a conductor on the Underground Railroad, helping hundreds escape slavery.

Millard Fillmore – The 13th U.S. president, who took office after Zachary Taylor’s death and supported the Compromise of 1850.