exam 2 IDs Flashcards
Hereditary Chattel Slavery
System where enslavement was lifelong, hereditary, and based solely on race.
beginning of the 18th century
- individuals are legally considered property to be disposed of however the owner wishes.
-bought, sold, given, and born into slavery
-four million men, women, and children lived under a system of chattel slavery that dominated every aspect of their lives.
Eli Whitney
-Industrial Entrepreneur
-Made slavery popular again on accident with his inventions (helped to revitalize it)
-the miracle crop during this time in the 1780s was a very tedious job and often took one person a whole day to process only 1lb of cotton.
-Eli Whitney invented the Cotton Gin in 1790
-allowed 1 person to process 50 lbs of cotton in one day.
-Southerners quickly mass produced the Cotton Gin, and southern farmers focused purely on cotton growth, abandoning other crop growing.
The south became the “Cotton Kingdom” while also increasing slavery
Middle Passage
Middle Passage was the forced voyage of African Americans across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas
-Middle Passage itself lasted roughly 80 days on ships ranging from small schooners to massive, purpose built “slave ships”
-Ship crews packed hundreds of humans together on or below decks without space to sit up or move around.
-Branded and chained together, with nowhere to release body fluids such as feces, urine, and vomit other than where they were chained.
-Without ventilation or sufficient water, and many of them didn’t survive this passage because of starvation, sickness, and disease.
-often the ship’s captain would throw the slaves who were too sick and would probably die anyway overboard to decrease the owners rick and loss from the disease.
Filibusters
-A group of Americans referred to as “pirates” invaded several Latin American countries (Mexico, Nicaragua)
-They had a goal to establish “Little Slave Kingdoms”
-Individuals were often heavily armed and used surprise attacks to hijack local governments and take over countries.
-Targeted vulnerable borderlands and places with weak federal governments
WILLIAM WALKER: most notorious Filibuster who led several expeditions into central America
goals of expanding slavery, economic gain, adventure and fame.
Consequences of Filibustering:
-Failure expeditions: most expeditions failed, leading to deaths of Filibusters and destruction of their plans
Damage to US-Latin American relationships: Created lasting legacy of suspicion towards Americans in Latin America
-unsure if they were filibusters in disguise
Impact for Southern United States:
-gave south hope for the expansion on slavery
-ultimately led to frustration because the filibusters group ended shortly after the execution of William Walker
End of Filibuster activities:
-late 1800s
-Execution of William Walker by firing squad in Central America
-activity of Filibustering declined as US gov. began to take stronger stance and when the civil war was about to begin
Mexican-American War
1846-1848
War initiated by President James K. Polk (he was often considered one of the most successful American Presidents, despite only having one term)
Polk’s goals:
-Expand the US borders of the US from sea to shining sea
-Buy the northern half of Mexico
Polk’s accomplishments:
-successfully negotiated the border with Canada and Expanded Us territory
-unsuccessfully purchased land in northern Mexico, but later acquired it by the end of the war.
Wars causes and events:
-Mexico gov. refused to sell northern half of Mexico to US, due to lack of trust in US gov.
-US Navy’s attack on California in 1842, which was a mistaken invasion and stained the relationship between Mexico and US.
-Pol ordered troops to cross border into Mexico which led to bloodshed and declaration of War
War Outcome:
-US was successful in capturing Mexico City and forced gov. to detach from 55 % of their territory.
-Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo: signed in 1848 that ultimately ended the war.
-transfer of a significant amount of land from Mexico to US (arizona, california, colorado, nevada, utah, new mexico, wyoming)
-Mexico gave up all claims to Texas and recognized the RIO Grande as America’s Southers Boundary
Emancipation proclamation
- Southern States Left the Union in 1860 in fear that Lincolns Presidency would threaten their slave rights
- civil war began 1861
- in 1862 the Union won a strategic victory at the battle of Antietam
Battle of Antietam:
-one of the bloodiest single-day battles of the Civil war (23,000 casualities)
-Battle was used as an opportunity that led President lincoln to issue the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation
Emancipation Proclamation:
- Issued By Abraham Lincoln in 1863
-declared that all persons held as slaves in the states that were in rebellion against the United States were free.
-North thought emancipation would strengthen the war effort
-The southerners had 100 days to rejoin the Union or risk losing their slaves, which non withdrew
-Proclamation was an important step towards the abolition of slavery in the US which culminated in the ratification of the 13th Amendment.
General US Grant
-Successful General who rose to power due to his innovative and bold tactics
-Commander of the Union armies and made use of army and Navy to achieve his goals
-led Union to victory over confederacy in Civil War, later elected 18th president
-He was criticized because of indications that he was a drunk, while Lincoln promoted him despite that and said to his enemies if he’s a drunk, you need to be drinking what he’s drinking because he is the only one who is winning.
Grants Deputies:
-Philip Sheridan: Cavalry officer who became one of grants key deputies
-William Sharman: General who led march to the seas, burning infra structure, farms, but not killing people (women and children)
Sharecropping
System of agriculture in which landowners allow a tenant to use the land in exchange for a share of the crops produced
-former slaves work for their former owners due to lack of recourses and money
-payment is a share of the crop
Resembles slavery: with many sharecroppers unable to escape financial bondage
-used to keep former slaves in a state of debt and poverty
Characteristics of sharecropping:
-indebtedness: sharecroppers became indebted from day 1, with a portion of their share of the crop debuted to pay for rent and other expenses
-Limited mobility: unable to leave their job or move to different locations due to lack of money and resources.
-Depending on former owners: Sharecroppers rely on their former owners for housing, tools, and necessities.
Southern communities’ response to sharecropping:
-Anti-unemployment laws: laws that make unemployment among former slave’s illegal, punishable by arrest, and forced labor on plantations.
-Unpaid apprentice ships: children under the age of 18 are required to serve as unpaid apprentices on farms, enslaving them in an unpaid labor scheme.
Presidential And Radical Reconstruction
Presidential Reconstruction: A more conservative approach that focused on rebuilding the south and restoring the Union
-Program implemented by the confederate government (1865 and 1877) to repair the damage to the south caused by the Civil War and restore the Union.
-Concept of forgive and forget route that would be painless/easy for Southerners
Radical Reconstruction: A more progressive approach that aimed to ensure the rights and freedoms of formerly enslaved individuals.
-Congress’s attempt to put more restrictions on the South
-approach that would be tough, and painful for Southerners because they would lose slavery.
-Reform efforts that will lead to the 14th and 15th amendments
13th, 14th, and 15th amendments
These are considered the Reconstruction amendments or the Civil Rights amendments.
-These are 3 additions to the United States constitution that abolish slavery, granted equal rights to formerly enslaved people, and allowed the right to vote for people of all races.
-Congress ratified the Reconstruction Amendments following the US civil war and the assassination of Abraham Lincoln.
Amendments Overview:
13th amendment: While the emancipation Proclamation ended slavery in the Confederacy, the 13th amendment abolished slavery and involuntary servitude in the entirety of the US.
14th amendment: Amendment ensures the Bill of Rights to all citizens of the United States of America, regardless of race.
-After congress passed the Civil Rights act in 1866, they realized they needed a firmer legal precedent to enforce the due process of law, equal protection of laws, and so on within states.
-allowed the federal gov. to challenge state gov.
-condensed the immunities and rights of citizens on the basis of race.
-declared that everyone born on United States soil (including black men and former slaves) are citizen and have the same rights.
15th amendment: Allowed black men to vote as well as making it illegal to refuse them the right to vote on account of race or previous condition of servitude.
W.E.B Dubois
Prominent civil rights activist, sociologist, and co-founder of the National Association for the advancement of colored people.
-his early Civil Rights advocacy and leadership laid a foundation for the later Civil Rights Movement in the US
-His writings and intellectual contributions continue to influence Civil Rights activists throughout the 20th century
-his work helped pave the way for landmark achievements in Civil Rights, including the Civil rights act of 1964 and the voting rights of 1965
- he advocated for racial equality and Social Justice through his writing and Leadership.
Homestead Act (1862)
Homestead act was a significant piece of legislation in the United States that aimed to encourage westward expansion and settlement.
Purpose: the act provided 160 acres of public land to settlers for a small fee, promoting agriculture and development in the west
Eligibility: to qualify, individuals had to be at least 21 years old or the head of a household, and must be US citizen or intend to become a citizen
Requirements: settlers were requiring living on the land for 5 years, build a dwelling, and produce crops. After fulfilling these conditions, they could claim ownership of the land.
Impact: The homestead act led to the distribution of millions of acres of land, facilitating the growth of farming communities and the expansion of the US.
Challenges: while it provided opportunities, the act also faced critics. Many homesteaders struggled with harsh conditions, and the land often came from Native American territories, leading to displacement and conflict.
-Homestead act played a crucial role in shaping American frontier and the development of the agricultural economy in the 19th century.
U.S. Exploring Expedition
Also known as the Wilkes Expedition, took place from 1838 to 1842
-Purpose: the expedition aimed to explore the Pacific Ocean and its islands (present day Hawaii, Samoa, and Marquesas islands), chart unknown territory, and gather scientific data. Motivated by a desire to assert American presence to the Pacific.
Leadership: The expedition was led by Lieutenant Charles Wilkes of the US Navy
-the crew surveyed various Coastlines, mapped significant areas, and collected a wealth of information.
Scientific Contributions: the expedition made important contributions to fields of geology, biology, and anthropology. Documented several species and indigenous cultures. (plants animals and minerals) found over 20,000 specimens of plants and animals, that many were brand new to science.
Legacy: The findings were published in a multi–Volume Report, which provided valuable info about the Pacific region and laid groundwork for future American exploration and expansion.
Often seen as a pivotal moment in the history of American exploration, helping to establish the US scientific and geopolitical interests in the pacific.
Racial Anglo-Saxonism
an ideology that represents the superiority of Anglo-Saxon people, often characterized by beliefs in their inherent cultural, intellectual, and moral qualities. This perspective emerged in the late 19th century and linked racial identity and dominate other races and cultures.
Historical context: Racial Anglo-Saxonism played a crucial role in shaping social and political attitudes in the United States and other Western countries during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It is influenced immigration policies, colonial expansion, and racial segregation laws.
Justification of Discrimination: The ideology was often used to justify discriminatory practices, including Jim Crow laws in the US and imperialist policies abroad, by framing non-Anglo-Saxon groups as inferior.
Cultural Impact: Anglo-Saxonism shaped cultural narratives around nationalism and identity, promoting an exclusionary view of what it meant to be American or civilized.
Movement was tie to various social and political agendas, including immigration restrictions, colonialism, and the Justification of racial segregation.
Chinese Exclusion Act (1882)
This declared chinese immigrants inelligible for US citezenship.
-prohibited all immigration of chinese laborers for 10 years.
-First significant law to prohibit a specific ethnic group from immigration to the United States.
-response to economic fears, racial prejudice, and labor competition, particularly in the western United states.
Act was extended again for another 10 years by the 1892 Geary act.
Geary act: also required people of chinese orgin carry identification cartificates or face deportation.
-act was made permanent in 1902 and it wasnt until 1943 that the law was repelled.
-which allowed only a limited number of chinese imigrants to enter the US.
-This act reflects a broader history of immigration restrictions based on race and ethnicity in American History.
