US history

Slavery: The debate over slavery in new territories and states intensified, especially after the Missouri Compromise (1820), Compromise of 1850, and Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854).
Dred Scott Decision (1857): Supreme Court ruled that African Americans were not citizens and that Congress could not ban slavery in the territories.
John Brown’s Raid (1859): An attempt to start a slave rebellion at Harpers Ferry, which heightened tensions between the North and South.
Election of 1860: Abraham Lincoln’s election as President without Southern support led to the secession of Southern states, forming the Confederacy.

Initially, Lincoln’s primary goal was to preserve the Union, not to abolish slavery. However, over time, he also aimed to end slavery as a means of weakening the Confederacy and gaining support in the North.

Union Advantages:
- Larger population and more soldiers.
- Better industrial capacity and transportation (railroads).
- Established government and economy.
Union Disadvantages:
- Fought on unfamiliar southern territory.
- Had to conquer and hold the South.
Confederacy Advantages:
- Defensive war (fighting on home turf).
- Strong military leadership (Robert E. Lee).
Confederacy Disadvantages:
- Smaller population.
- Limited industrial and economic resources.
- Lack of international recognition or support.

Gettysburg (1863): A major turning point in the war, Union forces repelled Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s invasion of the North. It was the bloodiest battle with over 50,000 casualties.
Antietam (1862): Known as the bloodiest single-day battle in American history, it ended in a tactical draw, but it gave Lincoln the opportunity to issue the Emancipation Proclamation.
Fort Sumter (1861): The first battle of the Civil War, when Confederate forces attacked the Union garrison at Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina, prompting the start of the war.

Delivered by Lincoln in 1863, after the Battle of Gettysburg, it emphasized the principles of human equality, the importance of preserving the Union, and the fight for liberty and democracy.

13th Amendment (1865): Abolished slavery in the United States.
14th Amendment (1868): Granted citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the U.S. and guaranteed equal protection under the law.
15th Amendment (1870): Prohibited denying the right to vote based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

Despite the end of slavery, many African Americans faced discrimination, violence, and segregation, particularly in the South. The Black Codes and later Jim Crow laws limited their rights, though the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments granted some legal protections.

An agreement that ended the disputed 1876 presidential election. In exchange for recognizing Rutherford B. Hayes as president, Republicans agreed to withdraw federal troops from the South, effectively ending Reconstruction and allowing Southern states to reassert control.

Ulysses S. Grant: Union general who led the Northern forces to victory. Known for his aggressive tactics and eventual success at the Battle of Vicksburg and at Appomattox Court House where he accepted General Lee’s surrender.
Robert E. Lee: Confederate general, regarded as one of the best military leaders. Despite his tactical genius, his forces were ultimately overwhelmed by Union resources and manpower.

Laws passed in the South after the Civil War aimed at restricting the freedoms of African Americans, essentially maintaining a form of forced labor and limiting civil rights, such as the right to vote, own property, or serve on juries.

A federal agency created in 1865 to help former slaves (freedmen) transition into freedom. It provided food, housing, education, and legal assistance but faced resistance, especially in the South.

A system where landowners allowed tenants (often freed slaves) to farm their land in exchange for a portion of the crops. While it provided a way to earn a living, sharecropping often trapped African Americans in a cycle of debt and poverty, as they were forced to rely on landowners for supplies.