Pre-Civil War Study Guide Flashcards
Compare and contrast the North and South in terms of their geographies and economies.
The North was very cold and rocky, with plenty of wood and rivers. It was not great for large scale farming, which made it very reliant on the Industrial Revolution. The South had a flat, swampy land, which made it perfect for farming. They started with Tobacco as a cash crop, but they later switched to cotton. They were very reliant on slaves and the Cotton Gin, which increased the efficiency of separating cotton from its seed.
Where did the Industrial Revolution begin? Where and why did it spread to the United States?
The Industrial Revolution began in Britain, and it began to spread to the US because the British navy blockaded the port, which forced Americans to depend on their own industries to supply goods.
How did industrialization and the factory system change the lives of people in the North?
Industrialization changed the lives of the people in the North because it helped them introduce a large scale of advanced technology, manufacturing, and other aspects which really sparked the economy. The factory system changed the lives of the people in the North because it could mass produce goods quicker and cheaper than before.
How did industrialization lead to urbanization? What did these early industrial cities look like?
Industrialization led to urbanization because the growing cities caused filthy career, with a lack of a sewage system and a lack of clean drinking water. It also caused city-wide fires because everything was made out of wood.
What was the abolitionist movement? Who were the key figures? What opposition did they face?
The abolitionist movement was when people argued against slavery and worked to eliminate it. The key figures were William Lloyd Garrison (published The Liberator) and Frederick Douglas (a slave who secretly learned to read and write). They faced opposition from the Southerners because they profited from the existence of slavery.
What was the women’s rights movement? Who were the key figures? Why was the Seneca Falls Convention so important?
The women’s rights movement was an organized effort to improve the political, legal, and economic status of women in American society. The key figures were Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Candy Stanton (they both co-founded the National Woman’s Suffrage association). The Seneca Falls Convention was so important because they created the Declaration of Sentiments (listed the injustices women faced, including lack of educational opportunities and good jobs). This declaration was made to demand full equity for women in every area of life.
Why was the South known as the Cotton Kingdom? How did the invention of the cotton gin impact plantations in the South?
It was known as the cotton kingdom because they centered around large farms and relied on cotton for the economy. The Cotton Gin impacted the plantations of the South because it allowed cotton to become more profitable, and farmers started growing more and more cotton.
What did a majority of farms in the South look like?
A majority of the farms were growing large amounts of cotton, and they had lots of slaves for the plantations and to operate the cotton gin.
How were enslaved people treated in the South? What were some ways that enslaved Africans resisted slavery?
The owners of slaves viewed slaves as valuable property, and they had no rights at all. They were also whipped frequently to ensure that the rest of the slaves would do what they were told. Enslaved Africans resisted slavery by working slowly, pretending not to understand what they were told to do, and they broke farm equipment and stole supplies.
What was the Underground Railroad? How did it operate? Who was one of its most successful “conductors”?
The Underground Railroad was a network of people who secretly helped slaves reach freedom. The most successful conductor was Harriet Tubman.
What was the impact of Nat Turner’s Rebellion?
Nat Turner’s rebellion led to laws banning education of blacks and restricting their rights to assemble in court.
What was the Missouri Compromise of 1820?
The Missouri Compromise of 1820 was a compromise that permitted Maine to be admitted to the Union as a free state and Missouri to be admitted as a slave state.
What was the Free-Soil Party?
The Free-Soil Party was made to keep slavery from expanding into the territory gained in the Mexican-American War.
What was the Compromise of 1850?
The Compromise of 1850 was (1) California admitted as free state, (2) territorial status and popular sovereignty of Utah and New Mexico, (3) resolution of Texas-New Mexico boundaries, (4) federal assumption of Texas debt, (5) slave trade abolished in DC, and (6) new fugitive slave law; advocated by Henry Clay and Stephen A. Douglas
What was the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850?
The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 was a law that made it a crime to help runaway slaves; allowed for the arrest of escaped slaves in areas where slavery was illegal and required their return to slaveholders.
