Major Unit Topics Flashcards
New Republican Party
By the end of 1856, the nation’s political landscape had shifted. The Whig Party had split over the issue of slavery, and the Democratic Party was weak. This left the new Republican Party to move closer to presidency.
Whig Party
The political party formed in 1834 to oppose the policies of Andrew Jackson who expanded voting rights to all white males and also his veto concerning the charter of the National Bank.
Election of 1856
Republican chose Jonhson Fremont vs. Democrats James Buchanan and the Republicans won. It was important because it have political strength to the Northerners.
President Lincoln
His main goal at first was to keep the states together. Later slavery was included but not by choice.
Fort Sumter
First shots of Civil War, Confederates fired upon Federal fort, fort surrenders, war begin.
Robert E. Lee
Confederate General who had opposed secession but didn’t believe Union should be held together by force. Won two major victories against the Union, but loss a 3 days battle in the North.
Stonewall Jackson
General in Confederate Army during Civil War whose troops at the first battle of Bull Run, stood like a stonewall and defeated the Union Army. He was accidentally shot by his own men and died.
Jefferson Davis
First and only president of the Confederacy. Appointed Robert E. Lee commander of Army of Northern Virginia.
Emancipation Proclamation
The goal was to free slaves in any of the Confederate states of America.
Suspension of Habes Corpus
The writs of is a person’s right not to be imprisoned unless charged with a crime and given a trial. Lincoln suspended those rights in an effort to stop anyone from supporting the Confederate.
Know-nothing Party
Nativists, anti immigrant and anti Catholic
Free Soil Party
Anti Extension of Slavery and pro-labor
Democratic Party
State’s rights, limited govt, divided on slavery.
Election of 1860
Abraham Lincoln thought slavery was immoral and used the Dred Scott case against Stephen Douglas. Lincoln gained national recognition and became first Republican president.
Southern Secession
Lincoln’s victory convinced the south that they had lost their political voice in the national govt.
Confederate states of America
Delegates from the secessionist states meet up in Montgomery and formed it. The confederates constitution “protected and recognized” slavery.
Ulysses S. Grant
Lincoln promoted him to commander of the entire Union Army in 1864. Captured Vicksburg giving the Union control of the Mississippi River. Fought Lee in a series of battles ending in Lee’s surrender.
William T. Sherman
Attacked and destroyed Atlanta which helped Lincoln secure the political support that allowed him to be re-elected in 1864.
Stephen Douglas
A democrat who believed in Popular Sovereignty but thought slavery was moral.
Battle of Gettysburg
The battle was a turning point of the war and left the Confederates severely weakened. It left the North and South with a total casualties reaching more than 50,000 men.
Gettysburg Address
Given by President Lincoln to dedicate a portion of the battlefield as a cemetery.
Bleeding Kansas
A mini civil war in Kansas in 1856 cause by the tensions between the North (antislavery) and the South (proslavery).
Popular Sovereignty
The idea that people living in a territory should have the right to decide the issue of slavery for themselves.
Kansas-Nebraska Act
Opened territories of Kansas and Nebraska to US settlement. Repealed Missouri Compromise of 1820. Opened way for slavery issue to be decided there by popular sovereignty.
Dred Scott
He was taken into a free state and then back into the slave state. Scott sued for freedom since he had live in a free state, that he should be free.
John Brown’s Raid
In 1859 he and his followers tried to support slave uprising by seizing an arsenal in Harpers Ferry and after a trial, was executed. He was view by many in the north as a martyr for the antislavery movement.
Lincoln’s second inaugural address
Lincoln sought to avoid harsh treatment of the defeated South. He balanced that rejection of the triumphalism with the recognition of the evil of slavery.
Failure of Popular Sovereignty
Because of the effects of the Kansas-Nebraska Act which nullified the Missouri Compromise. There was illegal voting.
John C. Fremont
Nominated by Republican Party in the 1856 election. Lincoln appointed him a major gen. In 1861 and gave him command of the Department of the West.
James Buchanan
Nominated by the Democratic Party in the 1856 presidential election. Fail to deal with secession.
