Unit 5: Manifest Destiny, Civil War, and Reconstruction Flashcards
Manifest Destiny
the belief in the US’ God-given mission to expand west (coast to coast) to bring American ideals to the land/natives
coined by John O’Sullivan in a newspaper to justify racist conquest
most expansionists were Midwestern and Southern white men
Overland Trails/Oregon Trail
trail from Missouri to Oregon that pioneers traveled on
people went in hopes of good farming environment BUT faced challenges (extreme weather, disease, wagon breaks)
those swept by “Oregon Fever” (spread east) traveled via wagon trains, which natives rarely attacked
Texas Revolution
Mexico, disturbed by opportunists in Texas, banned US immigration, which caused uproar. led to Tex Rev, which culminated in the Battle of Alamo.
Why’d Americans settle in Texas?
closest of all Western border lands
lots of good quality space for fertile, cheap ranches
led to clashes w/ natives and Mexican gov (refused US purchase), like the Texas Rev
“Remember the Alamo”
Alamo = abandoned Catholic mission where Texas volunteer rebel army was based
headed by adventurers who wanted Texas as ind. territory for opportunity, liberty
Battle of Alamo saw Mexicans suffer heavy losses in a costly victory. de Santa Anna is captured and forced to recognize Texas’ independence
Lone Star Republic
the victory at the Battle of Alamo led to the signing (D/I) of Texas as an independent country
James K. Polk: “Dark Horse”
US youngest president yet! got a surprise victory
admired Jackson and shared many of his ideals: sectionalism bad, tariffs bad, BUS bad, congress-funded int. improvs bad
Polk: Tariff Reduction
reduced import taxes to lower prices and increase domestic competition
Polk: Independent Treasury Act
reinstated the repealed independent treasury act
gave USFG control of gov funds (specie)
replaced BUS
Polk: Oregon
wanted to settle GB boundary dispute, so signed Buchanan-Pakenham treaty, which extended border west to pacific coast along 49th parallel
Polk: California/New Mexico
Polk willing to go to war to get California and New Mexico
goal was a treaty of peace via provoking a 1st shot
after Mexican-American war, annexed the rest of CA via military op.
Polk: Sectional Stances on Econ Policy
South: :) b/c tariffs bad, BUS bad, int. improvs bad
North >:( b/c tariffs key to domestic production
West >:( b/c congress funded int. improvs key to trade
Mexican-American War: “Civil Disobedience” (Thoreau)
Thoreau’s essay rejected the funding of war via taxes after being imprisoned for not paying war taxes
Mexican-American War: Lincoln’s Spot Resolution
Polk said Mexico struck first, spilling “American blood on American soil”, a sentiment most Americans shared
Lincoln’s spot resolution later questioned this
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
Feb 1848 treaty signed after fall of Mexico City
Mex gov reluctantly agreed to cede half of Mexico (CA, NM, NV, AZ), with Texas border being Rio Grande
Effects of Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
> land = > pp for transcontinental rail
ended Am. recession BUT cost 13k lives , seen as unjustified casualties
necessitated expansion of settlement + FG as a whole
led to»_space; sectional dispute over slavery within the territories
Webster-Ashburton Treaty
1842 treaty between the US and GB, settled boundary disputes in the Northwest (Oregon), fixed most borders between US and Canada.
Slidell’s rejection
Slidell, diplomat, sent by James Polk to Mexico to negotiate purchase of TX, CA – they rejected him. one of the causes of Mex-Am War
Gadsden Purchase
Acquired additional land from Mexico for $10 million to facilitate the construction of a southern transcontinental railroad.
Wilmot Proviso
speech/bill that was pro-texas annexation as a slave state BUT slavery XX extended into territories (rest of them free)
House of reps approved, Senate XX b/c Southerners got mad
framed debate over westward expansion of slavery
popular sovereignty
the idea of giving voters in each territory jurisdiction to set their own regulations on things like slavery
flaws showed in votes – Black people wouldn’t vote on their own freedom (only white males)
denies Congress power to meddle with slavery in the states
Free Soil Coalition/Party
1848 movement composed of anti-slavery northern dems/whigs/liberty party
main message was to halt westward slavery expansion
nominated van Buren as prez (didn’t win but split the vote)
California Gold Rush
1849 mad dash (migration) to California after gold was found - biggest mass migration in American history
men who settled [temporarily] called “49ers” b/c 1849
» gold =»_space; money to fund internal improvements (and eventually the war),»_space; growth of San Francisco, and heightened rate of native death
California Gold Rush – effect on statehoood
so many people moved to California in the gold rush that California had enough people to apply for statehood (free state)
Compromise of 1850
- CA = free state. 2. NM = pop sovereignty territory, not under Texas. TX gets $10 mil to pay pre-annexation war debt. 3. Utah = pop sovereignty territory. 4. Fugitive Slave Act. 5. slavery legal in DC BUT sale of slaves illegal.
celebrated as a defusion of big conflict BUT a precarious, short-lived deal in reality
Fugitive Slave Act
> > power of slavecatchers by allowing them to capture slaves that had already escaped to the North OR free Blacks that weren’t slaves. mandated citizens cooperate.
abolitionists >:(, fought back to protect – ignited big dissent, exploded backlash to slavery
Uncle Tom’s Cabin
abolitionist book by Harriet Beecher Stowe in 1852 inspired by FSA backlash
super reliant on stock characters (angelic Black people, devilish whites) BUT highlighted harms of slavery against everyone, owner or slave
led to Southern violent/threatening backlash towards Stowe
Kansas Nebraska Act
1854 act that took Kansas and Nebraska as popular sovereignty territories, effectively repealing Missouri Compromise and giving opportunity for swaths of fertile land to Southern slaveholders
led to collapse of anti-slvaery Whig party and rise of Republican party
Republican Party/Platform
conscience (anti-slavery) whigs + anti-slavery dems
anti Missouri Compromise repeal, anti KNA, anti FSA
pro congress interference in slavery, mostly northern base
platform dedicated to XX westward (dem) territorial expansion of slavery
“Bleeding Kansas”
a violent territorial civil war where Kansas was the object of fights for political control (as each side tried to make them choose what to do about slavery)
started when pro-slavery group established illegal legislature and anti-slavery movement retaliated
Lecompton Constitution
pro-slavery doc made in Bleeding Kansas
prez buchanan endorsed which triggered huge backlash from eventually triumphant anti-slavery legislature
Brooks-Sumner Incident
US Senate event where abolitionist Sumner was attacked by pro-slavery Brooks after Sumner insulted his cousin’s intelligence + morality in a speech
drove northerners to the Republican party and created martyr for anti-slavery movement (“Bleeding Sumner”)
Dred Scott Decision
SCOTUS ruling in 1857 that slaves were not US citizens, so Scott and others could not use federal courts to sue for their freedom
also said Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional, which challenged popular sovereignty (if Congress can’t decide, how can citizens?)
pro slavery :), Republicans :(
Lincoln Douglas Debates
series of 1858 debates between Republican Lincoln and Democrat Douglas concerning slavery in western territories
served to sway who got the Senate seat. Douglas won, but the nationalized race through media publicity led to Lincoln gaining a solid platform
House Divided Speech
Lincoln expresses growing sentiment that the Union cannot prevail half slave, half free → “house divided can’t stand”
Freeport Doctrine
Lincoln asks Douglas abt popular sovereignty → he replied w/ Freeport Doctrine: says federal laws have no standing if local legislators/police don’t enforce them. It lost Douglas support of many Southern slave owners.
John Brown
passionate Christian abolitionist driven to violence + crusading through Pottawatomie Massacre and Raid on Harpers Ferry
Pottawatomie Massacre
May 1856 gathering led by John Brown. dragged 5 men from their beds in pro-slavery Potta, Kansas
Raid on Harpers Ferry
John Brown raided Virginia town and kidnapped big slave owners, telling slaves to rise up in rebellion
failed - captured by counterforce and sentenced to hanging for murder
Civil War: North Strengths/Weaknesses
Had 23 states (including key border slave states like MO and Kentucky) and 22 million people among them. Had superior industrial (arms) and transportation (warships, wagons, railroad). BUT harder to attack than defend, and less emotion + mil experience
Civil War: South Strengths/Weaknesses
Mobilized 80% of their eligible white men in the war. Fought on their territory, so more emotion (+ mil experience). BUT less states/population on their side (forced conscription), no navy («_space;$$ from cotton export b/c Union attacks)
Anaconda Plan
Union’s primary 3-part war strategy to trap/crush Southern resistance:
1) army of potomac (main) defends DC + attacks Richmond (confederate capital)
2) at same time navy blocks confed access to foreign goods + weapons
3) supporting Union armies divide confederate armies, pushing SOuth along MS, TN, Cumberland rivers
Conscription during the Civil War
North: 20-45 year olds, had to conscript when losing - ppl also got out of it through $$
South: 17-50 year olds, conscripted from the beginning b/c «_space;male pop, rich ppl got out of it through $$ (“rich man’s war and a poor man’s fight”)
Emancipation Proclamation
Sept 22 1862 warning to the South that if they didn’t stop fighting, slaves would be free in confed territory in 100 days. seen as mil necessity not benevolent good – didn’t free slaves in Union states
Dems >:(, thought it was unconstitutional and disastrous
Repubs lost 2 dozen seats in Congress BUT gained moral standing in Europe
Reasons for Emancipation
confederate victories and contrabands necessitated bold response.
at first Lincoln said war was just abt Union preservation, but decided emancipation was key to ending war
(helped that the slaves were forced to help confederate soldiers with no compensation)
decided to do it upon Union battle win (didn’t want to look desperate)
Antietam
Sep 17th 1862 battle in Maryland – single bloodiest day in Am history
Union forces combatted a Confederate invasion of the North
technically a draw BUT revived Northern morale, convinced Lincoln to end slavery as a practical war measure
nixed confed hopes of an alliance with GB/France
Draft Riots during the Civil War
emancipation proclamation enraged Northern workers, who thought Black people would take their jobs while they were in battle… led to lynching and rioting (NYC).
caused Black exodus (fleeing violence)
Role of African Americans during the Civil War
Black slaves took adv. of war-induced chaos - ran away, joined Union army, sabotaged (some were even spies!). slaveowners felt the difference (boohoo)
Militia Act permitted Black ppl to be soldiers in 1862 BUT Union didn’t start recruiting until formalization of Emancipation Proc (1863)
Black Soldiers seen as inferior even in anti-slavery North (segregated, paid less)
Role of women during the Civil War
civil war gave more women freedom – factory workers, fundraisers, army nurses (founded red cross), spies (Union)
in the South, women took over when white men were conscripted (farming, clerking, teaching)
Financing the Civil War: Union
Union financed through Morill Tariff + somewhat proportional taxation (still kinda inadequate), Legal Tender Act (used green ink to print 450 million $), and sale of $2 billion in gov bonds to private investors … success
Financing the Civil War: Confederacy
Confederacy financed through property tax (state enforcement bad), issuing $1 billion in paper money (this and product shortage = rapid inflation = riots), and sale of gov bonds … disaster – had no real treasury or $ system
Battle of Gettysburg
july 1863 most dramatic war – ended with confed retreat after humiliating “grand charge” BUT Union let them go .. turned tide against confederacy
Gettysburg Address
nov 1863 Lincoln speech at newly built memorial cemetery – expressed wish for “new birth of freedom” (cemented dedication of Union cause to ending slavery)
Sherman’s March
The Union army’s devastating march through Georgia from Atlanta to Savannah, led by General William T. Sherman, intended to demoralize civilians and destroy the resources the Confederate army needed to fight. Considered an example of “total war” - the deliberate attacking of civilians and infrastructure.
13th Amendment
when MO + TN abolished slavery, House of Reps passed nationwide ban
ratified by ¾ of states in dec 1865 (7 months after war end), so removed any lingering doubts about emancipation for all (eman proc only applied to confed states)
Copperhead Democrats
antiwar Democrats pressuring Lincoln to end the war quick and make peace with the South
Proclamation of Amnesty
1863 Lincoln decree that ex-confed states = Union governments when 10% of 1860 voters swore on Constitution. AND all ex-confeds would be pardoned of treason (with the exception of confederate military officers)
Radical Republicans
extremist Republicans that opposed the Proclamation of Amnesty, arguing Congress should supervise Reconstruction
wanted drastic transformation of the South (freed slaves = full citizens, replacing white dem planter elite w/ small farmers)
tried to pass wade davis bill but it was vetoed as too harsh by lincoln
Wade Davis Bill
1864 proposal by Radical Republicans that required majority, not 10% of voters, to be pro-Union before ex-confed states could be readmitted
vetoed by Lincoln → w/d manifesto accused him of abusing authority → he trudged on
The Freedmen’s Bureau
created in 1865 to help freemen (ex-slaves) get on their feet
provided them + families direct assistance (first FG program to do so)
gave food, clothing, med care. set up/supervised schools, job contracts.
Johnson’s Restoration Plan
made Unionists provisional governors in every southern state (could call “loyal” convention to do actions listed below)
made 13th amendment ratification required for rejoining Union
encouraged giving educated Black people voting rights to disarm Radical Republicans who wanted equal voting rights
Reactions to the Johnson Restoration Plan
Radical Republicans supported initially, BUT quickly readmitting the South into Union/Congress made them angry. led to them passing civil rights act
Black Codes
southern white restrictive legislation intended on subjugating Black people
they couldn’t vote, jury, military, public school, and in some cases, own guns/property
also included unemployment (vagrancy) punishment - had to pay fine or do convict labor (chain-gangs – neoslavery)
Black-led protests in 1865-66 let to counterriots by the white mob
Civil Rights Act
mid march 1866 radical republican bill stating all people born in the US (except Native Americans) were citizens equally benefited + ruled under law
prez johnson >:(, vetoed as “discriminatory” BUT congress overrode in april, which «_space;support for johnson
passage, along w/ black codes, led to spring+summer white mob riots
14th Amendment
spring+summer white mob riots motivated radical republican congress to pass in june 1866
ensured legality of civil rights act by guaranteeing citizenship and civil rights to all born in the US (XX natives)
gave congress responsibility to protect/enforce civil rights law
all ex-confed states were required to ratify it before reentering Union
15th Amendment
banned states from denying voting rights based on race/color/previous servitude
ex-confed states yet to be admitted had to ratify it
women’s suffrage was fought for but had to wait another 50 years…
“40 acres and a mule”
the rumor about freemen receiving 40 acres of land and a mule upon emancipation
spread across south and caused freemen to not become paid farmhands b/c they thought they were set already
sharecropping
practice in South whereby landowner provided land + tools to (mostly Black) farmhands in exchange for a share of crop
farmworkers purchased tools on credit and often failed to make much $ selling crops
“wage slavery”: deep in debt to landowners but could not leave w/o permission
Carpetbaggers and Scalawags
carpetbaggers: white radical republican northerners who packed up to go South (with large carpetbags) to gain political power
scalawags: white southern-born radical republicans – seen as traitorous for XX secession
some were corrupt but others had genuine desire to improve everyone’s conditions
Ku Klux Klan (KKK)
formed in 1866 TN, terrorized radical republicans (Black and white) while avoiding fed military confrontation
paranoia, resentment → massacres (burning schools, churches)
prez grant + congress responded with enforcement acts but were ironically not enforced
terror reversed balance of power in favor of dems in the lower south (republicans too afraid to campaign),, and eventually threatened reconstruction as a whole
Compromise of 1877
private bargain between Repubs + Dems during Election of 1876. Hayes = prez in exchange for him fully removing fed troops from South, collapsing all republican rule there.
enforcement of civil rights crumbled as southern state governments rewrote constitutions, ousted Black ppl + carpetbaggers/scalawags. cong/prez reconstruction was OVER.
Panic of 1873
when greenbacks issued to help pay for the civil war, inflation»_space;. advocated for “hard money” (specie) wanted them to be withdrawn.
prez grant agreed, BUT his decision = econ collapse b/c major debtors could no longer pay bills (banks began shutting dwn)
big depression led US treasury to start printing again BUT grant struck it down, prolonging the panic
“Redemption” / “Home Rule”
redeemers = white dems claiming to save the South from “radical republican + Black rule” ,, using race issue to boost white support + intimidate Black civic actors
ousted repub political control + state level reconstruction (returned to white sou elite squo)
Hayes/Tilden
HAYES was an Ohio Republican moderate (offensive to no one). former governor of Ohio and hard money advocate. TILDEN was a wealthy NY corporate lawyer.
no polarizing issues in Election of 1876, so they mostly did ad hominem against each other’s parties. somehow this resulted in most voter participation ever at the time – came dwn to 19 disputed electoral votes. cong elec comm = HAYES (Compromise of 1877)
Andrew Johnson
Lincoln’s assassination in 1865 = the end of lenient Reconstruction. Andrew Johnson, prejudiced (Blacks, white elite) pro-Union VP inspired by “common man” Jackson, came to power. platform = working + farming whites. passed johnson restoration plan (prez reconstruction) in may 1865.
