Union in Peril, 1848-1861 Flashcards
The end of this war in 1848 reignited the debate about the spread of slavery into western territories.
Mexican-American War (1846-1848)
Conflicts between the North and South increased over what four issues?
- Slavery
- Constitutional disputes
- Economic differences
- Political blunders
This banned slavery in territories gained from the American Revolution, which began the debate over the expansion of slavery.
Northwest Ordinance (1787)
This eased tensions over the spread of slavery for 30 years, when Missouri was admitted as a slave state and Maine as a free state. This maintained the balance of power between 12 free and 12 slave states.
Missouri Compromise (1820)
After the Mexican-American war ended in 1848, this was an attempt to prohibit slavery in the new territories gained from Mexico.
Wilmot Proviso (1848)
This movement supported the Wilmot Proviso, but were not abolitionists who wanted to eliminate slavery. Accepted slavery where it already existed, but wanted to prevent it from spreading. The West should be for whites only.
Free-Soil Movement (Free-Soilers)
Which state applied for statehood in 1849 and prohibited slavery in their constitution, which enraged southerners since the Missouri Compromise line of 1820 split this state in two. John C. Calhoun discusses secession.
California
Who became the 13th president of the United States in 1850 because Zachary Taylor (Whig) died?
Pres. Millard Fillmore (1850-1853)
The Compromise of 1850 admitted California as a free state and allowed what in the new territories of New Mexico and Utah, which were aquired from the Mexican Cession.
Popular Sovereignty
What controversial law in the Compromise of 1850 did northerners dispise and southerners cheer.
Fugitive Slave Law
What did the Fugitive Slave Law state?
Northerners had to report and return runaway slaves back to the South. Fugitive slaves were also denied a jury trial.
These northern laws were passed to prevent helping southerners from pursuing and capturing runaway slaves. They were created in reaction to the Fugitive Slave Law.
Personal Liberty Laws
Which former slave led a secret organization to help slaves escape the South to the North or Canada. This was known as the Underground Railroad.
Harriet Tubman
In 1850, this treaty between the U.S. and Britain was a mutal agreement to the neutrality of a future canal in Central America (Panama).
Clayton-Bulwer Treaty
Who became the 14th president of the U.S. after Millard Fillmore?
Pres. Franklin Pierce (1853-1857)
In 1853, Commodore Matthew Perry persuaded this Asian country to sign a treaty allowing for open trade.
Japan
In 1853, the U.S. made this purchase of land from Mexico to build a southern transcontinental railroad.
Gadsden Purchase (1853)
In 1853, Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote this book which exposed the horrors of slavery and led to resistance to the Fugitive Slave Law and increased opposition to slavery. Protrayed slave owners as monstrously cruel.
Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1853)
Southern reaction to Harriet Beecher Stowe’s book, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, was that they argued that slavery was good for slaves and used what to defend slavery?
The Bible
In 1854, this was a proposal to purchase Cuba from Spain. The North called this manifesto a southern conspiracy to spread slavery. This never passed.
Ostend Manifesto (1854)
