APUSH Period 5 Vocab

Abolitionism

The movement to abolish slavery in the U.S. Activists like William Lloyd Garrison and Frederick Douglass led campaigns to highlight slavery's moral and societal evils, driving sectional tensions.

William Lloyd Garrison

Editor of The Liberator, a radical abolitionist newspaper. Garrison advocated for immediate emancipation and equality, rejecting gradual or moderate approaches to ending slavery.

Frederick Douglass

A former slave turned influential abolitionist, Douglass wrote Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass and gave speeches exposing the brutality of slavery, advocating for freedom and civil rights.

Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1852)

Written by Harriet Beecher Stowe, this novel illustrated the horrors of slavery, swaying Northern public opinion and angering the South, who condemned it as propaganda.

Mexican Cession (1848)

Territory ceded to the U.S. after the Mexican-American War, including present-day California, Arizona, and New Mexico. Its acquisition reignited debates over slavery in new territories.

Wilmot Proviso (1846)

Proposed banning slavery in the Mexican Cession territories. Although it failed to pass, it exposed growing sectional divides between the North and South.

Free Soil Party (1848)

A short-lived political party that opposed slavery’s expansion into new territories, not necessarily for moral reasons but to protect opportunities for white laborers.

Compromise of 1850

A five-part deal to calm sectional tensions: California admitted as a free state, stricter Fugitive Slave Act, and popular sovereignty for Utah and New Mexico territories.

Stephen Douglas

Senator who championed popular sovereignty, believing that local voters should decide on slavery. His Kansas-Nebraska Act deepened sectional divides.

Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854)

Repealed the Missouri Compromise, allowing territories to decide slavery by vote. It led to violent clashes in "Bleeding Kansas."

Know-Nothing Party

A nativist political group opposing immigration and Catholic influence, reflecting fears of cultural and economic shifts during the 1850s.

Republican Party (1854)

Formed to combat the spread of slavery after the Kansas-Nebraska Act, it united former Whigs, Free Soilers, and anti-slavery Democrats.

Bleeding Kansas (1855-1856)

A violent conflict between pro-slavery and anti-slavery settlers in Kansas. It demonstrated the failure of popular sovereignty as a solution to sectional strife.

John Brown

A radical abolitionist who believed violence was necessary to end slavery. His actions, including the Pottawatomie Massacre and Harpers Ferry Raid, intensified tensions.

Sumner-Brooks Incident (1856)

Senator Charles Sumner was beaten with a cane by Congressman Preston Brooks after delivering an anti-slavery speech. This event symbolized the collapse of civil discourse over slavery.

Lecompton Constitution

A pro-slavery Kansas constitution, backed by President Buchanan but rejected by Congress. Its controversy further alienated North and South.

Dred Scott v. Sanford (1857)

The Supreme Court ruled that African Americans were not citizens and that Congress couldn't regulate slavery in the territories. This decision fueled Northern outrage and bolstered Republican support.

Roger Taney

Chief Justice in the Dred Scott case, remembered for his pro-slavery stance that negated years of compromises over territorial slavery.

Abraham Lincoln

16th president of the U.S., elected in 1860. Known for preserving the Union, issuing the Emancipation Proclamation, and leading the nation through the Civil War.

Lincoln-Douglas Debates (1858)

Seven debates focusing on slavery. Lincoln argued slavery's moral wrongness, while Douglas promoted popular sovereignty, including his controversial Freeport Doctrine.

Freeport Doctrine

Douglas's stance during the debates that territories could still exclude slavery by refusing to enact supportive laws, despite the Dred Scott ruling.

Harpers Ferry Raid (1859)

John Brown's attempt to seize a federal arsenal to arm slaves for a rebellion. It failed but escalated Southern fears of abolitionist aggression.

Election of 1860

Lincoln's victory split the nation, leading Southern states to secede, believing his presidency threatened their way of life.

Fort Sumter (1861)

First shots of the Civil War, fired when Confederate forces attacked a Union fort in South Carolina.

Habeas Corpus

Lincoln suspended this legal right during the Civil War to detain suspected Confederate sympathizers without trial, sparking debates over civil liberties.

Border States

Slave states like Kentucky, Missouri, and Maryland that remained loyal to the Union, crucial for their strategic locations.

Confederate States of America

Formed by seceding Southern states, led by Jefferson Davis, they fought to preserve slavery and states’ rights.

Jefferson Davis

President of the Confederacy, overseeing its military and political strategies during the Civil War.

Bull Run (1861)

First major Civil War battle. Confederate victory shattered Union hopes for a quick war.

Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson

Brilliant Confederate general, earned his nickname at Bull Run for standing firm in battle.

Anaconda Plan

Union strategy to strangle the South by blockading ports and controlling the Mississippi River.

George McClellan

Union general known for his cautious nature, criticized for failing to capitalize on victories.

Robert E. Lee

Commander of Confederate forces, renowned for his tactical brilliance despite limited resources.

Antietam (1862)

Bloodiest single-day battle in U.S. history. Union’s strategic win allowed Lincoln to issue the Emancipation Proclamation.

Ulysses S. Grant

Union general who led decisive campaigns like Vicksburg and later accepted Lee's surrender.

Emancipation Proclamation (1863)

Declared slaves in Confederate states free, redefining the war as a fight for abolition and preventing European support for the Confederacy.

Gettysburg (1863)

Turning point Union victory in Pennsylvania, ending Lee’s northern advance.

Vicksburg (1863)

Union captured this Mississippi stronghold, splitting the Confederacy in two.

Gettysburg Address (1863)

Lincoln’s brief yet profound speech reframed the war as a struggle for equality and democracy.

Sherman’s March to the Sea (1864)

Union campaign of "total war," devastating Southern resources to hasten the Confederacy’s collapse.

Appomattox Courthouse (1865)

Site of Lee’s surrender to Grant, marking the end of the Civil War.

John Wilkes Booth

Assassinated Lincoln in 1865, shocking the nation and affecting Reconstruction efforts.