Making Of America (School Work) Flashcards
What was Kansas-Nebraska act (1854)?
- Overturned Missouri compromise (said Kansas and Nebraska could not be slave states)
- This act overturned this and allowed them to vote on slavery
What was bleeding Kansas? (1850s)
- Political violence broke out between people who were pro slavery and anti slavery
- Just under 200 people were killed
What happened when james buchanan became president?
Democrat became president in 1856
Openly supported slavery
Filled land in north with large plantations which upset small farmers
Supported Dred Scott decision
What was Abraham Lincolns presidential campaign like?
(1860)
- Portrayed himself as ‘honest abe’ - a man of the people, a champion for hardworking men and opponent to wealthy slaveholders
- Promised to give free land to western settlers and prevent expansion of slavery
- Promised new transcontinental railroad would run through northern states rather than southern states
What did southern states do when Lincoln won presidency?
Decided to secede from USA to start their own country and defend their rights as they felt his win was the end of slavery
What happens when southern states decided to secede?
(1860-1861)
- Newspapers stirred frenzy
- Nov 1860 south Carolina voted 169-0 to secede from union
- 1860-1 winter six states left to join south Carolina to form the confederacy
What was the confederate congress?
- Feb 1861
- confederacy elected new government in Montgomery Alabama
- was led by slaveholder Jefferson Davis
- argued any state had right to remove itself from the union if it did so democratically
What was the attack in fort sumpter?
- April 1861
- Lincoln - illegal for south to leave union
- all government buildings and army forts were still property of USA
- 12th April confederates opened fire on union soldiers in Fort Sumpter
- three days later Lincoln asked loyal US troops to stop rebellion and bring confederacy back to us
What was the cotton gin?
- machine that sped up the processing of cotton
- Slaves had to work harder to grow and pick it
- drove up number of slaves used
Who was first president of USA?
George Washington
Who were white settlers?
- families who came from europe
- could claim to be citizens of USA if were free, white and of ‘good character’
- voting rights linked to land ownership
- women, non citizens and slaves could not vote
Who were native Americans/plains Indians?
- tribes who were native to living in America
- often came into conflict with white settlers if they tried to take land for farming
- Indians were allowed to vote if they payed taxes to US
Who were African Americans?
- slaves who were owned by white settlers to complete manual labour
- no right to vote
- vast majority lived in Southern States
What were states?
- areas that were well developed, populated, and had a form of government
- could make own laws as long as didn’t go against constitution
- could send representatives to congress
How big of a population did you need to become a state?
60,000
What were territories?
- Areas of land without enough settlers or stability to become a state
- Each territory ruled by territorial governor appointed by governor
When was battle of fallen timbers?
1794
What was battle of fallen timbers?
- us defeated native Americans
- Leaders forced to sign treaty of Greenville
What was Treaty of Greenville?
Native americans gave up land in the territories which later became states
Consequences of Treaty of Greenville?
Forced native americans to move further west causing conflict amongst tribes
What were the thirteen original states?
Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, North Carolina, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Virginia
What did Britain do after losing wars of Independence?
- Handed over land to US
- This was Native American Land
- Settlers began moving there to farm which caused conflict with Natives
What was area north of Ohio river called?
Northwest Territory
What was area south of Ohio river called?
Southwest territory
How much land did Britain give to US after wars of Independence?
230 million acres
When were the American wars of independence?
1783
Why did French need to sell colony of Louisiana?
Needed money to fight British
How much did President Jefferson by colony of Louisiana for?
$15 million
Why did Colony of Louisiana allow for US expansion?
- US owned land further west so could explore and expand
What did George Washington do to Native Americans in the Northwest?
- fought against them and took their land
How much of his government budget did George Washington put into campaigns against Native Americans?
80%
Why did us grow quickly?
- Early presidents opened the Northwest and Southwest territories for settlement
- Slaveholders wanted to expand their plantation businesses
- Louisiana purchase
When did the US gain vermont?
1791
When did US gain kentucky?
1792
When did US gain Tennessee?
1796
When did US gain Ohio?
1803
When did US gain Indiana?
1816
When did US gain Mississippi?
1817
When did US gain Illinois?
1818
When did US gain Alabama?
1819
When did US gain Florida?
1819
Who were Merriweather Lewis and William Clark?
Explorers
What did Lewis and Clark do?
- explored new lands
- Set out in May 1804
- followed Missouri river into Rocky mountains through to pacific coast
- got on well with Native Americans
Who was Sacagawea?
A woman who acted as a guide for Lewis and Clark
What did expedition of Lewis and Clark lead to?
- further expansion in fur trade
- encouraged other trades to head west
- increase in trade with Native Americans
Conflict between White northerners and white southerners?
- Northern business owners thought slavery was unfair competition for their factories
- did not agree with slavery
- people in south thought northern business owners were greedy and morally corrupt
- saw north as a threat to their way of life
Conflict between abolitionists and white Americans?
- thought growth of slavery was immoral
Why did slavery spread so quickly in southwest?
Good climate and fertile land perfect for growing cotton
What were consequences of the growth of slavery in south?
Slave traders purchased enslaved people in old slave states and marched them to deep south
How much profit did slave traders make on each slave?
$1000 per slave
What did increase in price of slaves mean?
Kidnapping of free black people in north
What was the pushing system?
- Fastest cotton pickers at front to set pace for others
- If you failed to keep up, you would be punished