Final Exam Study Guide Notes

Key Protocols of the Northwest Ordinance

  • Purpose: Established a framework for governing new territories and admitted states.
  • Key Provisions:
    • Set guidelines for the creation of new states from the Northwest Territory.
    • Prohibited slavery in the territory, promoting freedom and education.
    • Required that public education be funded and available to all.
    • Established processes for land surveying and sale.

Missouri Compromise

  • Background: Addressed the balance between free and slave states.
  • Key Factors:
    • Rising tensions over the admission of Missouri as a slave state.
    • The need to maintain political balance in the Senate.
  • Outcomes:
    • Missouri admitted as a slave state; Maine admitted as a free state.
    • Established the 36°30' line to demarcate future free and slave territories.

Compromise of 1850

  • Conclusions:
    • California admitted as a free state.
    • Slave trade abolished in Washington D.C., but slavery remained.
    • Introduction of a stricter Fugitive Slave Act, compelling citizens to assist in the capture of runaway slaves.

Dred Scott Case

  • Overview: Supreme Court ruling on the status of Dred Scott, a slave who sued for his freedom.
  • Decisions:
    • Declared that African Americans could not be U.S. citizens.
    • Ruled that the federal government had no authority to regulate slavery in the territories.
  • Implications: Deepened divisions contributing to the Civil War.

Presidential Election of 1860

  • Controversy: Candidates split among Democrats; Lincoln won without any Southern electoral votes.
  • Impact: Secession of Southern states following Lincoln's election; led to the Civil War.

Lincoln’s Inaugural Address of 1861

  • Key Themes:
    • Emphasis on national unity and reconciliation.
    • Assurance of no intention to interfere where slavery existed.
    • Call for the preservation of the Union.

Consequences of the American Civil War

  • Key Effects:
    • End of slavery in the United States.
    • Significant political and social changes in the South.
    • Gain in federal power over states.

Assassination of Abraham Lincoln

  • Details: Lincoln was shot by John Wilkes Booth at Ford's Theatre on April 14, 1865.
  • Consequences: Further upheaval in the Reconstruction era.

Radical Republicans

  • Objective: Aimed to punish the South and secure rights for freed slaves during Reconstruction.
  • Implemented civil rights acts and pushed for the 14th amendment.

Abraham Lincoln’s Plan for Reconstruction

  • Key Features: Proposed a lenient approach, aiming to reunite the nation quickly.
  • Differences from Andrew Johnson: Johnson was more lenient towards Southern states, providing amnesty more liberally.

Black Codes

  • Nature: Laws passed in Southern states to restrict the rights and freedoms of African Americans post-Civil War.
  • Aimed to control labor and maintain a system of racial subordination.

14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution

  • Key Provisions:
    • Granted citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the U.S.
    • Ensured equal protection under the law.
    • Addressed issues of representation and apportionment.

Key Themes of the Gilded Age

  • Economic Growth: Rapid industrialization and urbanization.
  • Social Issues: Disparities in wealth, corruption in politics, and labor unrest.

Presidential Election of 1876

  • Controversy: Disputed election results led to a crisis over electoral votes.
  • Compromise of 1877: Resolved the dispute; withdrawal of federal troops from the South, ending Reconstruction.

American Railroad as a “Multiplier Industry”

  • Impact: Contributed to economic expansion by facilitating trade, transportation, and the growth of industries.

Key Themes of the American Progressive Era

  • Reform Movements: Focused on reducing corruption, advocating for workers' rights, and social justice.
  • Key Figures: Influential leaders advocating for change, including women suffrage and labor activists.