Final Flashcards
North vs. South Pre-Civil War
Key difference: slavery
North: urban, industrialized, twice the population of south, 70% of tracks
South: tried to catch up but mostly used waterways
Uncle Tom’s Cabin
By Harriet Beecher Stowe
Novel set in pre civil war south with powerful statement about slavery.
-slave Eliza Harrjs escaped KY plantation with baby through Underground Railroad
-kind slave Uncle Tom is sold down the river and beaten to death
-his master Simon Legree is an unmarried anti-Christian alcoholic and bully.
Inspired North to fight slavery, insulted South
Manifest Destiny
John L O’Sullivan
Nation’s fate to spread and possess whole continent.
Greed was greatest motivator.
Annexation of Texas
Texas won independence from Mexico in 1836 and voted to be annexed=join US. South and Dems in favor because another slave state. North and Whigs opposed because feared more powerful South. Many feared war with Mexico.
Cause of Mexican War
Border Dispute
Bear Flag Revolt
William B Ide and settlers attacked Sonoma and proclaimed it the Republic of California.
Battle of Buena Vista
General Zachary Taylor defeated Santa Anna in Mexico at this battle. Anna claimed victory and fled to Mexico City. General Winfield Scott finally defeated Anna and captured the city.
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
- Mexico gave up Texas and Rio Grande is border.
- Mexico gave up New Mexico and California.
- US paid Mexico $15 mil.
- US paid $3 mil to claims made by Americans against Mexico.
Wilmot Provisio
Mexican War brought slavery to forefront of politics: yes or no in new territories?
David Wilmot attached an amendment to bill about negotiating with Amex. Proposed the banning of slavery in NM and CA. Didn’t pass, North continued to attach to bills.
Compromise of 1850
By Henry Clay after CA asks to join Union.
- CA would be admitted as a free state.
- NM and UT would decide slavery on their own.
- Abolish selling slaves in DC.
- TX would give up claims to NM for $10 mil
Kansas-Nebraska Act
By Stephen Douglas
Supported popular sovereignty, letting people in territory decide slavery instead of Congress. South liked, North didn’t care because states would likely vote free. Passed but backfired because inspired Republican Party.
Forming of the Republican Party
Northerners were outraged by Douglas, a sellout to the south. Launched new party dedicated to stopping slavery. Demanded repeal of K-N and Fugitive Slave Acts.
John Brown
Led several New Englanders to proslavery settlement near Pottawatomie Creek and killed 5 men in front of their families. Sparked a summer of murderous raids, territory called Bleeding Kansas.
Caning of Charles Sumner
Senator from MA gave fiery antislavery speech called “The Crime against Kansas” in which he insulted Senator Andrew Butler of SC. Butler’s nephew Preston Brooks, supported by Southerners, beat Sumner with a cane.
Dred Scott
Sued for freedom because his owner died and he had lived in free territory. Supreme Court ruled:
- Blacks are not citizens and have no standing in court.
- Because they are slaves not citizens, they are property.
- Because property is protected under the 5th amendment, Congress can’t ban slavery.
Lincoln-Douglas Debates
Douglas running for reelection to senate against Lincoln.
Series of 7 debates on the issue of slavery in territories.
Douglas: supported popular sovereignty and majority rule.
Lincoln: supported minority rights, felt slavery was wrong and would die eventually.
Douglas won.
Election of 1860
Repub Lincoln vs North Dem Douglas vs South Dem Breckenridge vs Constitutional Unionist Bell.
Lincoln won, SC left Union, followed by six other states.
Confederacy
Formed by Southern states, elected Jefferson Davis as president.
North concerned about loss of business and states just coming/going.
Lincoln thought it was unconstitutional to secede and wanted to end expansion of slavery.
Fort Sumter
Federal troops still occupied fort in Charleston Harbor. Lincoln told SC he was sending goods, and Davis ordered PGT Beauregard to demand surrender (open rebellion of US). After 34 hours of bombardment, federal troops finally surrender.
Battle of Bull Run
While McDowell marched Union to Manassas VA, Beauregard brought Confeds to camp at Bull Run stream and gathered reinforcements.
Union winning at it’s, but Stonewall Jackson stopped an advance and more Confed soldiers arrived by train Union retreated to DC.
Battle of Shiloh
Grant and 42,000 Union soldiers waited at Pittsburg Landing, TN for General Don Carlos Buell to bring more troops so they could attack railroad center Corinth, MS. Confed General Albert Sidney Johnston surprise attacked and pushed them back to TN River. Buell arrived during night and Union won.
Strategies of the the North
Anaconda plan
Naval blockade and cut confederacy into two
Seize Richmond
Strategies of the South
Defense
War of attrition
One side inflicts continual losses on the enemy in order to wear down its strength
General George McClellan
Appointed by Li Colin but ran into problems with him because his main weakness was his caution.
General Ulysses S Grant
Promoted by Lincoln to lead most successful Union forces in west, wanted to control MS River
Robert E Lee
Confederate general after Battle of Seven Pines
Stonewall Jackson
General Thomas Jackson
Commanded some Virginians at Vull Run
Nicknamed for stopping Union advance.
Battle of Antietam
Lee decided to invade North (MD), but the Union found a court of Lee’s plans. McClellan and larger army drive Confeds to retreat, but McClellan didn’t take his opportunity to destroy the army.
Battle of Gettysburg
July 1-4
Day 1: set up Union on Cemetery Ridge led by Meade. Confederates set up on Seminary Ridge led by Lee and Longstreet.
Day 2: heavy fighting, draw. 350 Mainers protected Little Round Top.
Day 3: Pickett’s charge- Confeds charge thinking Union is out, but artillery resumed firing and killed half of Confeds
Emancipation Proclamation
Lincoln proclaimed all slaves in Confederacy as free.
Appomattox Court House
Lee tried to meet with Johnston and slip around Grant’s army in VA, but was continuously blocked. Lee arrived at small VA town and surrendered to Grant. Johnston surrendered to Sherman a few weeks later in NC
Ten Percent Plan
- Pardon if you take oath and accept 13
- Denied to southerners that killed African pows
- state conventions
- Elections
Reconstruction Act of 1867
- Military rule for 5 states by a northern General
- State elections/ constitution
- Voting laws all qualified males
- Banned voting by Confed supporters
Black codes
Laws that restricted Freedmen’s rights
13th amendment
Abolish slavery
14th amendment
Guaranteed Africans equal protection under law
Freedmen’s Bureau
Created by Congress to help black southerners adjust to freedom. First major federal relief agency. Dismantled in 1869
Ku Klux Klan
Led by grand wizard Nathan Bedford Forrest b
Pledged to depend social and political superiority of whites
Push Pull Westward Expansion
Push: land, new location for business, religious oppression
Shelter for outlaws
Pull: government gave away public land for cheap
Custer’s Last Stand
Battle of Little Bighorn
Custer and 200 men invaded territories to investigate despite warnings and were massacred.
Dawes Act
Divided reservation land into individual plots
Received 160 acres
Granted US citizenship
Why cattle ranching?
Ample supply
Price increased $5 to $40
Refrigerated rail cars, cheaper transport
Removal of natives and extinction of buffalo
William Jennings Bryan
Cross of Gold, Election of 1896
Populist:
Haymarket Riot
Knights of Labor demonstration for 8 hour work day. Police broke up fights between workers and scabs, caused casualties among workers. Protest rally at Chicago’s Haymarket Square joined by anarchists: bomb thrown at police, gunfire on both sides
Pullman strike
George Pullman invented luxury cars and built a town for his workers. Workers laid off and wages cut 25% but cost of living the same. Strike in conjunction with American Railway Union disrupted mail delivery, caused government order that union activity involving railway traffic was illegal
Gilded Age
Post Reconstruction
Term by Mark Twajn
Covered with a thin layer of gold
Pendleton Civil Service Act
Created Civil Service Commission which classified government jobs and tested applicants fitness
Federal employees not required to contribute to campaign funds and could not be fired for political reasons.
Interstate Commerce Act
Required rates to be set in proportion to the distances traveled and rates be made public, no special rates for powerful customers
Chinese Exclusion Act
Prohibited Chines workers from entering US, seen as inferior
Political machines
Unofficial city organization designed to keep a particular party in power and headed by a single powerful boss
Tenements
Low cost apartments designed to house as many families as can be squeezed in
Jacob Riis
Wrote How the Other Half of Lives about the horrors of tenement life, resulted in laws to improve NY tenements
Jane Addams
Bought run down Charkes Hull Mansion in Chicago and repaired it and opened doors to immigrants turning Hull House into a community center
Progressive Era
Eliminate problems caused by corruption and industrialization
Muckrakers
Journalist writing for reform and against corruption
The Jungle
Expose of the meat packing industry and capitalism by Upton Sinclair
Triangle Shirtwaist Fire
Many died because doors were locked to avoid theft and unauthorized breaks. Jumped out of windows or burned. Led to legislation about safety standards.
18th amendment
Prohibition of liquor
19th amendment
Women’s rights, equality of sexes
