Key Terms 15/16

Aroostook War: A border dispute between the U.S. and Britain over the Maine-Canada boundary (1838–1839), which was resolved diplomatically through the Webster-Ashburton Treaty in 1842.

Manifest Destiny: The 19th-century belief that the United States was destined to expand across the North American continent, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, justified by a sense of mission to spread democracy and civilization.

“Fifty-four forty or fight”: A slogan used by American expansionists in the 1840s, advocating for U.S. control over the entire Oregon Territory (at latitude 54° 40') or war with Britain, which eventually led to the Oregon Treaty of 1846.

Spot Resolutions: Introduced by Abraham Lincoln in 1847, these were requests for President James K. Polk to specify the exact spot where American blood had been shed in the Mexican-American War, challenging the justification for the conflict.

California Bear Flag Republic: A short-lived, independent republic established by American settlers in California in 1846, prior to its annexation by the U.S. after the Mexican-American War.

Battle of Buena Vista: A key battle in the Mexican-American War (1847) where U.S. forces, commanded by Zachary Taylor, defeated a much larger Mexican army, securing U.S. control over northern Mexico.

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

Conscience Whigs: A faction of the Whig Party in the 1840s and 1850s that opposed the expansion of slavery into new territories, particularly in relation to the Mexican-American War and the annexation of Texas.

Wilmot Proviso: A proposal in 1846 by Congressman David Wilmot to ban slavery in any territory acquired from Mexico in the Mexican-American War, though it was never passed.

John Tyler: The 10th president of the United States (1841–1845), who assumed office after William Henry Harrison’s death. Tyler was a strong advocate for the annexation of Texas, which contributed to the tensions leading to the Mexican-American War.

James K. Polk: The 11th president of the United States (1845–1849), who oversaw the annexation of Texas, the Oregon Territory settlement, and the Mexican-American War, fulfilling the goal of Manifest Destiny.

Stephen W. Kearny: A U.S. Army officer who played a key role in the conquest of California and New Mexico during the Mexican-American War.

John C. Frémont: A U.S. explorer and military officer who led American settlers in California during the Bear Flag Revolt and played a prominent role in the conquest of California in the Mexican-American War.

Winfield Scott: A U.S. Army general who led the successful American campaign in Mexico, including the capture of Mexico City, which helped end the Mexican-American War.

Nicholas P. Trist: U.S. diplomat who negotiated the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which ended the Mexican-American War and resulted in significant territorial gains for the U.S.

David Wilmot: A U.S. congressman from Pennsylvania, best known for proposing the Wilmot Proviso, which sought to ban slavery in any territories acquired from Mexico.

breakers: People who used brutal methods to "break" the will of enslaved individuals, making them more compliant.

-responsorial: A style of call-and-response singing, often seen in African American spirituals.

-Nat Turner’s Rebellion (1831): A violent slave uprising led by Nat Turner in Virginia, resulting in the deaths of 60 white people and severe retaliation against African Americans.

-Amistad: A famous 1839 case where enslaved Africans aboard a Spanish ship rebelled, and the U.S. Supreme Court granted them freedom.

-American Colonization Society: An organization that promoted the resettlement of free African Americans in Africa, founding Liberia.

-Liberia: A country in West Africa founded by the American Colonization Society as a settlement for freed African Americans.

-An Appeal to the Colored Citizens of the World (1829): A pamphlet by David Walker calling for resistance against slavery and urging Black people to demand freedom.

-The Liberator: An abolitionist newspaper founded by William Lloyd Garrison advocating for the immediate end of slavery.

-Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: An autobiography of Frederick Douglass, detailing his life as an enslaved person and his escape to freedom.

-Mason-Dixon Line: The boundary between Pennsylvania and Maryland, symbolizing the division between free Northern states and slaveholding Southern states.

-Gag Resolution: A series of Congressional resolutions in the 1830s that prevented the discussion of anti-slavery petitions.

-Slave narratives: Written accounts by formerly enslaved individuals describing their experiences under slavery.

-Nat Turner: Leader of the 1831 slave revolt in Virginia.

-Theodore Dwight Weld: Abolitionist and author of American Slavery As It Is, which exposed the brutality of slavery.

-William Lloyd Garrison: Founder of The Liberator and a leading abolitionist who called for immediate emancipation.

-David Walker: Abolitionist who wrote An Appeal to the Colored Citizens of the World, urging resistance to slavery.

-Sojourner Truth: Former enslaved person, abolitionist, and women’s rights activist known for her “Ain’t I a Woman?” speech.

-Frederick Douglass: Former enslaved person who became a prominent abolitionist, writer, and speaker, advocating for emancipation and equality.