Untitled Flashcards Set

People:

1. William Henry Harrison: 9th President of the United States. Died shortly after taking office in 1841, leading to Vice President John Tyler assuming the presidency.

2. John Tyler: 10th President of the U.S. who succeeded Harrison. Known for his pro-South views and annexing Texas, which increased tensions with Mexico.

3. James K. Polk: 11th President of the U.S. (1845-1849), a staunch advocate for westward expansion. Known for the slogan "54-40 or Fight," which referred to territorial disputes with Britain over Oregon, and for his role in the Mexican-American War.

4. Gen. Zachary Taylor: U.S. Army general who became a hero during the Mexican-American War and later the 12th President of the U.S. He was elected as a Whig but died in office before taking any strong stances on slavery.

5. Stephen Kearny: U.S. Army officer during the Mexican-American War, known for leading forces into California and securing American control over the territory.

6. Winfield Scott: U.S. Army general who led forces during the Mexican-American War, playing a key role in the capture of Mexico City. He was later a presidential candidate in 1852.

7. John C. Calhoun: Prominent South Carolina politician and leader of the pro-slavery faction. A strong advocate for states' rights and slavery expansion, known for his "fire-eater" views.

8. Daniel Webster: Leading Massachusetts politician and senator who played a key role in the debate over slavery and advocated for the Union during the 1850s.

9. Henry Clay: Senator from Kentucky known for his efforts in crafting compromises on slavery, including the Missouri Compromise and the Compromise of 1850.

10. Millard Fillmore: 13th President of the U.S., who assumed office after Zachary Taylor’s death. He signed the Compromise of 1850 into law.

11. Abraham Lincoln: 16th President of the U.S., led the nation through the Civil War, issued the Emancipation Proclamation, and delivered the Gettysburg Address. His election triggered the secession of Southern states.

12. John C. Fremont: First Republican candidate for president in 1856. Known as “The Pathfinder” for his explorations in the West and his strong anti-slavery stance.

13. Frederick Douglass: Former enslaved African American who became a leading abolitionist, writer, and orator advocating for the emancipation of slaves and equal rights.

14. Sojourner Truth: Former enslaved woman who became an abolitionist and women's rights activist. Known for her powerful speeches promoting equality and justice.

15. Preston Brooks: South Carolina congressman who attacked Senator Charles Sumner on the Senate floor in 1856 for his anti-slavery remarks, highlighting the escalating violence over slavery.

16. John Brown: Radical abolitionist who led a raid on Harper's Ferry in 1859 to incite a slave uprising. His execution turned him into a martyr for the abolitionist cause.

17. James Buchanan: 15th President of the U.S., whose inability to effectively address the secession crisis and his indecisiveness contributed to the outbreak of the Civil War.

18. Jefferson Davis: President of the Confederate States of America during the Civil War. He was a former U.S. senator and secretary of war from Mississippi.

19. Robert E. Lee: General of the Confederate Army during the Civil War, known for his leadership and military strategy, although ultimately defeated by Union forces.

Events and Terms:

1. Texas Independence (1836): The rebellion of Texans against Mexico, leading to Texas declaring independence and eventually joining the United States in 1845, a key event leading to the Mexican-American War.

2. Mexican-American War (1846-1848): Conflict between the U.S. and Mexico over territorial disputes, including Texas and California. The U.S. won, gaining large territories through the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.

3. "54-40 or Fight": Slogan used by expansionists advocating for U.S. control of the Oregon Territory up to the 54°40′ line, which was eventually negotiated to the 49th parallel with Britain.

4. Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848): The peace treaty that ended the Mexican-American War, in which Mexico ceded vast territories (California, Arizona, New Mexico, etc.) to the U.S. in exchange for $15 million.

5. Gadsden Purchase (1853): The acquisition of southern Arizona and New Mexico from Mexico for $10 million, which facilitated the construction of a southern transcontinental railroad.

6. California Gold Rush (1849): Discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill, which triggered a massive migration of people to California, known as the "49ers," significantly impacting the state's population and economy.

7. Missouri Compromise (1820): Legislation that admitted Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state, while establishing a boundary (36°30′) to divide future free and slave states in the West.

8. Wilmot Proviso (1846): A proposal to ban slavery in any territory acquired from Mexico. It failed but increased tensions over the extension of slavery into new territories.

9. Compromise of 1850: A series of laws intended to resolve the slavery issue, including the admission of California as a free state, the creation of Utah and New Mexico territories with popular sovereignty, the Fugitive Slave Act, and the abolition of the slave trade in Washington, D.C.

10. Fugitive Slave Act (1850): A provision of the Compromise of 1850 that required the return of runaway slaves to their owners, which angered many Northerners and led to increased abolitionist resistance.

11. Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854): A law that allowed territories of Kansas and Nebraska to decide on the legality of slavery through popular sovereignty, effectively repealing the Missouri Compromise.

12. Bleeding Kansas (1854-1859): Violent conflicts in Kansas between pro-slavery and anti-slavery forces over whether Kansas should enter the Union as a free or slave state, resulting in widespread bloodshed.

13. The Caning of Charles Sumner (1856): Incident in which Congressman Preston Brooks of South Carolina beat Senator Charles Sumner with a cane on the Senate floor after Sumner’s anti-slavery speech.

14. Dred Scott Decision (1857): Supreme Court ruling that declared enslaved African American Dred Scott was not a citizen and had no right to sue, and that Congress had no authority to ban slavery in the territories, further intensifying tensions over slavery.

15. Lincoln-Douglas Debates (1858): A series of debates between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas during Illinois Senate race. They debated the future of slavery in the U.S., with Lincoln opposing its expansion.

16. John Brown's Raid (1859): An attempt by abolitionist John Brown to initiate a slave revolt by raiding the federal armory at Harper’s Ferry, Virginia. It failed, but Brown became a martyr for abolitionists.

17. Election of 1860: Abraham Lincoln, the Republican candidate, won the presidency without carrying a single Southern state. His election was a key catalyst for the secession of Southern states and the onset of the Civil War.

18. Fort Sumter (1861): The site where the first shots of the Civil War were fired, after Confederate forces attacked the U.S. military garrison. It marked the official start of the Civil War.

19. Crittenden Compromise (1860): A failed proposal to resolve the secession crisis by re-establishing the Missouri Compromise line and offering constitutional amendments to protect slavery in Southern states.

20. Confederate States of America: The government formed by the Southern states that seceded from the Union. Jefferson Davis was appointed president, and the Confederacy fought to maintain slavery and state sovereignty.

21. Suspension of Habeas Corpus: Abraham Lincoln suspended the writ of habeas corpus during the Civil War, allowing the arrest of suspected Confederate sympathizers without trial, to prevent rebellion in border states.

These terms and individuals played critical roles in the political, military, and social landscape of the United States during the lead-up to the Civil War.