14 Key terms
Wilmot Proviso
→ Proposed in 1846 by David Wilmot to ban slavery in territory gained from the Mexican-American War. It increased sectional tensions.
Free Labor
→ Northern belief that economic progress should be based on free men working, not slavery. Seen as key to opportunity and mobility.
Popular Sovereignty
→ Idea by Lewis Cass allowing settlers in territories to vote on slavery. Meant to ease tensions but led to violence.
Compromise of 1850
→ Series of laws admitting CA as a free state, banning slave trade in D.C., enforcing the Fugitive Slave Act, and using popular sovereignty in new territories.
Fugitive Slave Act
→ Law requiring Northerners to help capture escaped slaves. Strongly opposed in the North for denying rights to the accused.
Uncle Tom’s Cabin
→ Anti-slavery novel by Harriet Beecher Stowe. Influenced Northern opinion against slavery by showing its moral injustices.
Kansas-Nebraska Act
→ 1854 law allowing popular sovereignty in new territories, repealing Missouri Compromise. Led to "Bleeding Kansas."
Republican Party
→ New party formed in the 1850s opposing expansion of slavery. Supported free labor, economic development, and unity.
Bleeding Kansas
→ Violent conflict between pro- and anti-slavery settlers after Kansas-Nebraska Act. Showed failure of popular sovereignty.
Dred Scott Decision
→ 1857 Supreme Court case ruling that slaves weren’t citizens and Congress couldn’t ban slavery in territories.
Lincoln-Douglas Debates
→ 1858 Illinois Senate debates over slavery. Lincoln opposed its expansion; Douglas supported popular sovereignty.
Confederate States of America
→ Seceded Southern states formed this in 1861. Defended slavery and claimed states’ rights. Jefferson Davis was president.
🔹 Political Party Flashcards
Q: Who supported the Democratic Party in the 1850s?
→ Southern planters and Northern urban workers.
Q: What was the Democratic Party’s position on slavery?
→ Divided: Southern Democrats supported slavery; Northern Democrats supported popular sovereignty.
Q: How did Democrats view expansion?
→ They promoted territorial growth and westward expansion.
Q: What were the Democratic views on immigration?
→ Generally welcoming to immigrants.
Q: Who supported the Whig Party in the 1850s?
→ Business elites, moderate reformers, and some Southern planters.
Q: What was the Whig Party’s stance on slavery?
→ Split; some members opposed slavery’s expansion, others were neutral.
Q: What was the Whig view on expansion?
→ Focused more on internal improvements than territorial expansion.
Q: What were Whig views on immigration?
→ Mixed; the party was divided on this issue.
Q: Who supported the Republican Party in the 1850s?
→ Former Whigs, Free-Soilers, and anti-slavery Northerners.
Q: What was the Republican position on slavery?
→ Opposed the expansion of slavery and supported free labor.
Q: How did Republicans view expansion?
→ Supported expansion as long as slavery didn’t expand with it.
Q: What were Republican views on immigration?
→ Generally supportive; focused more on anti-slavery than immigration.
Q: Who supported the Know-Nothing (American) Party?
→ Nativists, especially anti-Catholic and anti-immigrant Northerners.
Q: What was the Know-Nothing position on slavery?
→ Tried to avoid taking a strong stance; the party eventually fractured.
Q: How did the Know-Nothing Party view expansion?
→ Opposed expansion that would benefit slavery.
Q: What were Know-Nothing views on immigration?
→ Strongly anti-immigrant and anti-Catholic.
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You said:
Key Terms Flashcards
turn all the key terms into enganging flash cards that make you apply knowlegde
ChatGPT said:
Absolutely — here are engaging, applied-style flashcards for the key terms from Chapter 14: The House Divided (1846–1861). These go beyond simple definitions and ask you to apply your knowledge, make connections, or consider historical significance.
🧠 Wilmot Proviso
Q: If the Wilmot Proviso had passed, how might it have changed the balance of power between free and slave states? Why did its failure intensify sectionalism?
🧠 Free Labor
Q: How did the Northern belief in “free labor” challenge the Southern slave-based economy? In what ways did this idea support Republican arguments against slavery’s expansion?
🧠 Popular Sovereignty
Q: Why did popular sovereignty seem like a democratic solution to the slavery issue, and how did its application in Kansas undermine that expectation?
🧠 Compromise of 1850
Q: Imagine you’re a Northern abolitionist in 1850. Which part of the Compromise of 1850 would you find most unacceptable, and why?
🧠 Fugitive Slave Act
Q: Why did the Fugitive Slave Act outrage many Northerners, even those who weren’t abolitionists? How did this law change the role of average citizens?
🧠 Uncle Tom’s Cabin
Q: In what ways did Uncle Tom’s Cabin influence Northern attitudes about slavery more than speeches or legislation? Why did the South respond with such hostility?
🧠 Kansas-Nebraska Act
Q: How did the Kansas-Nebraska Act repeal the Missouri Compromise, and why did that lead to violent conflict in Kansas rather than peaceful compromise?
🧠 Republican Party
Q: What specific events and political failures led to the rise of the Republican Party in the 1850s? Why was its stance on slavery expansion so powerful in the North?
🧠 “Bleeding Kansas”
Q: If popular sovereignty was supposed to reduce tension, why did it result in events like the Sack of Lawrence and the Pottawatomie Massacre in Kansas?
🧠 Dred Scott Decision
Q: How did the Dred Scott decision limit the power of Congress and further divide the nation? What did it say about citizenship and the future of slavery?
🧠 Lincoln-Douglas Debates
Q: In the Lincoln-Douglas debates, what were the core differences in how Lincoln and Douglas viewed slavery and democracy? Why did these debates attract national attention?
🧠 Confederate States of America
Q: What reasons did the seceding states give for forming the Confederate States of America, and how did they justify secession in the context of the Constitution?
Detailed Timeline (1846-1861)
1846
August: David Wilmot (D-PA) proposes the Wilmot Proviso, aiming to ban slavery in any territory acquired from the Mexican-American War. It fails to pass but intensifies sectional tensions.
1848
Election of 1848: Zachary Taylor (Whig) wins the presidency against Lewis Cass (Democrat, proponent of popular sovereignty) and Martin Van Buren (Free-Soil candidate). Taylor, despite having no clear political opinions, later okays a free-soil solution.
1849-1850
President Taylor suggests that California and New Mexico could bypass the territorial stage and directly apply for statehood.
Rising Tensions: Henry Clay proposes the Compromise of 1850 to address the issue of slavery in the newly acquired territories.
1850
Compromise of 1850: Orchestrated by Henry Clay and pushed through Congress by Stephen Douglas, this package of bills includes:
California is admitted as a free state.
Abolition of the slave trade (but not slavery itself) in Washington D.C.
Congress prohibited from interfering with the interstate slave trade.
New Mexico and Utah territories organized with the principle of popular sovereignty.
Texas accepts its boundary with New Mexico and receives $10 million.
Passage of a strong Fugitive Slave Act.
The Fugitive Slave Act, a component of the Compromise of 1850, mandates that Northerners assist in the capture and return of runaway slaves. Commissioners are paid more for returning individuals to slavery, sparking outrage in the North.
1852
Publication of Uncle Tom's Cabin: Harriet Beecher Stowe's influential anti-slavery novel is published, selling hundreds of thousands of copies annually and galvanizing Northern opposition to slavery while infuriating the South.
Election of 1852: Franklin Pierce (Democrat) wins the presidency against Gen. Winfield Scott (Whig). Pierce is seen as pro-Southern.
1853
Gadsden Purchase: The U.S. acquires approximately 30,000 square miles of land (present-day southern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico) from Mexico for $10 million, driven by the desire for a southern transcontinental railroad route.
1854
Kansas-Nebraska Act: Proposed by Stephen Douglas, this act creates the territories of Kansas and Nebraska and opens them to popular sovereignty, effectively repealing the Missouri Compromise of 1820. This act shatters the existing political party structure.
End of the Whig Party: The Whig Party, already divided over the issue of slavery in the territories gained from the Mexican-American War, collapses following the Kansas-Nebraska Act.
Rise of the Republican Party: Formed by anti-slavery Whigs, Free-Soilers, and some Democrats, the Republican Party opposes the expansion of slavery in the territories, advocating for free labor and national unity.
Emergence of the American/Know-Nothing Party: This nativist, anti-Catholic, and anti-immigrant party gains some traction but loses Northern support after endorsing the Kansas-Nebraska Act.
1855-1856
"Bleeding Kansas": Following the Kansas-Nebraska Act, both pro-slavery and anti-slavery settlers flood into Kansas, leading to violent clashes and the establishment of rival governments. Events include the "Sack of Lawrence" (attack on anti-slavery settlers) and the "Massacre at Pottawattomie Creek" (attack on pro-slavery settlers led by John Brown).
1856
Election of 1856: James Buchanan (Democrat), considered pro-Southern, wins the presidency. The election results indicate a decline in Democratic support in the North.
1857
Dred Scott Decision: The Supreme Court, under Chief Justice Roger B. Taney, rules that Dred Scott is not a citizen and therefore cannot sue in federal court. The Court also declares that Congress has no power to prohibit slavery in the territories, invalidating the Missouri Compromise and further inflaming sectional tensions.
Abraham Lincoln joins the Republican Party, asserting that Congress does have the power to contain the spread of slavery.
1858
Lincoln-Douglas Debates: During the Illinois Senate race, Republican Abraham Lincoln and Democrat Stephen Douglas engage in a series of prominent debates focusing on the issue of slavery and its expansion. While Douglas wins the election due to the Democratic control of the state legislature, Lincoln gains national recognition for his arguments against the expansion of slavery.
1859
John Brown's Raid on Harpers Ferry: Abolitionist John Brown leads a raid on the federal armory at Harpers Ferry, Virginia, hoping to incite a slave rebellion. The raid fails, and Brown is captured by U.S. forces under the command of Lt. Col. Robert E. Lee.
John Brown is convicted of treason, murder, and inciting rebellion by the state of Virginia and is executed. His actions and subsequent execution further divide the nation, with some in the North viewing him as a martyr and the South seeing him as a terrorist.
1860
Democratic National Convention: The Democratic Party splits over the issue of popular sovereignty and the question of a federal slave code for the territories. Northern Democrats nominate Stephen Douglas, while Southern Democrats nominate John Breckinridge.
Constitutional Union Party: Formed by moderate former Whigs and Know-Nothings, this party nominates John Bell, pledging to uphold the Constitution and the Union.
Republican National Convention: The Republican Party nominates Abraham Lincoln, supporting free homesteads, protective tariffs, a transcontinental railroad, and immigrant political rights.
Election of 1860: Abraham Lincoln wins the presidency with only 39% of the popular vote but a majority of the Electoral College. Southern states view Lincoln's election as a threat to their way of life.
South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas hold secession conventions.
1861
Formation of the Confederate States of America (CSA): In February, the seceding Southern states form the CSA in Montgomery, Alabama. Alexander Stephens delivers his "Cornerstone Speech" outlining the Confederacy's foundation on the principle of racial inequality and the institution of slavery.
Lincoln's Inauguration: In his inaugural address, President Lincoln states that he has no right or desire to interfere with slavery where it already exists.
Cast of Characters
David Wilmot: A Democratic Congressman from Pennsylvania who proposed the Wilmot Proviso in 1846, aiming to ban slavery in territories acquired from Mexico. His proposal intensified the debate over slavery's expansion.
Lewis Cass: A Democratic Senator from Michigan who championed the idea of popular sovereignty, suggesting that the decision on whether to allow slavery in a new territory should be made by its settlers. He was a presidential candidate in 1848.
Zachary Taylor: A Whig candidate and war hero who won the presidency in 1848. Despite having no clear political stance before the election, he later supported a free-soil solution for California.
Martin Van Buren: Former President and the Free-Soil Party's presidential candidate in 1848. The Free-Soil Party opposed the expansion of slavery into new territories.
Henry Clay: A prominent Whig Senator from Kentucky known as the "Great Compromiser." He conceived of the Compromise of 1850 to address the growing sectional tensions over slavery.
Stephen Douglas: A Democratic Senator from Illinois who played a crucial role in passing the Compromise of 1850 by breaking it into individual bills. He later championed the Kansas-Nebraska Act and debated Abraham Lincoln on the issue of slavery. He was the Northern Democratic presidential candidate in 1860.
Harriet Beecher Stowe: The author of the influential anti-slavery novel Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852). Her book significantly fueled abolitionist sentiment in the North and was widely condemned in the South.
Franklin Pierce: A Democratic President (1853-1857) considered to be pro-Southern in his policies. His administration pursued the acquisition of Cuba as a potential slave state and oversaw the Gadsden Purchase.
Winfield Scott: A Whig general and presidential candidate in 1852, who lost to Franklin Pierce.
James Buchanan: A Democratic President (1857-1861) who preceded Lincoln. He was also considered pro-Southern and his presidency was marked by increasing sectional division and the Dred Scott decision.
Roger B. Taney: Chief Justice of the Supreme Court who delivered the majority opinion in the Dred Scott decision (1857), a ruling that significantly heightened tensions between the North and South.
Abraham Lincoln: Initially a lawyer and later a Republican politician from Illinois. He gained national prominence through his debates with Stephen Douglas in 1858, arguing against the expansion of slavery. He was elected President in 1860, which triggered the secession of Southern states.
John Brown: A radical abolitionist who led violent actions against pro-slavery settlers in Kansas ("Bleeding Kansas") and later orchestrated a raid on the federal armory at Harpers Ferry in 1859 in a failed attempt to incite a slave rebellion. His actions deeply polarized the nation.
Robert E. Lee: A Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army who led the forces that captured John Brown at Harpers Ferry. He would later become a prominent general in the Confederate Army.
John Breckinridge: The Southern Democratic presidential candidate in 1860, who supported a federal slave code for the territories.
John Bell: The presidential candidate of the Constitutional Union Party in 1860, which sought to avoid the issue of slavery and preserve the Union.
Alexander Stephens: Vice President of the Confederate States of America. He delivered the "Cornerstone Speech," articulating the Confederacy's ideology based on the belief in the inequality of the races and the institution of slavery.
Jefferson Davis: Not explicitly mentioned in these excerpts but became the President of the Confederate States of America.