Unit 6 Test Flashcards
What country claimed the territory in the 1500’s?
Spain
Why did the Spanish eventually decide to settle Texas?
Protect the territory from French settlement
What did the Spanish build throughout Texas?
Missions
What was the goal of the Spanish in building these?
Hoping to educate and “civilize” the NAs in Texas
Why did the Mission System fail?
The NAs disliked the Spanish and refused to inhabit the towns, even attacking them
In 1800, how many settlements did Spain have in Texas?
3
Who was Texas originally settled by?
Native Americans
Who made the deal with Spain to colonize Texas?
Moses Austin
What happened to Moses? Who had to take over?
He died shortly after the deal and his son Stephen followed his footsteps
How long did it take him to build a successful colony?
4 years-300 families
What happened in Mexico in 1821?
They gained their independence from Spain
What did Mexico want to do with Texas?
They wanted to increase settlement
Who are empresarios?
People who recruited settlers and set up colonies
What was the population of Texas in 1830? How many colonies are there?
30,000 12 colonies
What are the Tejanos?
Native Texans who are of Mexican heritage
What are he five Mexican laws the settlers of Texas had to follow?
A. Swear allegiance to Mexico B. Give up U. S. Citizenship C. Adopt Roman Catholicism as their religion D. Stay on their land for 7 years E. No slavery
What did many settlers not follow the Mexican laws?
they wanted to live by american rules
What does Mexico do to force settlers to obey their laws?
Bans american immigration to Texas
Why did Mexico feel the US wanted to acquire Texas?
It had originally been a part of the Louisiana Purchase and the US wanted to extend their land
Why did Texas want to become independent from Mexico?
The settlers were unhappy with Mexican laws
Who was the Mexican President? How did he respond?
Santa Anna, sends in troops
What is the name of the meeting the Texans have to draw up the new government?
Consultation
Who do they choose as their leader? Who is he?
Sam Houston, a rejected senator from Tennessee
What was the Alamo originally? What was it turned into?
A mission turned into a fortress
How many troops does Santa Anna bring to the Alamo? How many Texans are there?
6,000 troops 250 Texans
Who is in charge of he Alamo? Who is there to assist him?
William Travis with Davy Crockett
How long was the battle at the Alamo? What resulted?
12 days, everyone fighting dies
Why was the battle at the Alamo important?
While the defenders of the Alamo were holding off the Mexican army San Houston was able to assemble a much larger army at San Jacunto
What is the goliad? What happened there?
A prison for people who had rebelled against the Mexicans, he killed all 340 prisoners
What does Sam Houston have planned for the Mexican army at Sam Jacinto?
Over 800 of 1200 Mexicans killed in 20 minutes, 9 of 900 Texans were killed
What happened to Santa Anna?
They find him and force him to sign the Treaty of Velasco
What are the terms of the Treaty of Velasco?
- withdraw troops
- recognize the independence of the republic of Texas
Who coined the phrase “manifest destiny”?
John O’ Sullivan
What does manifest destiny mean?
The belief that the US would inevitably expand westward to the Pacific Ocean and into Mexican Territory
What are the three major reasons Americans moved west?
- many Americans had personal economic problems
- abundance of land in the west was enticing to people who wanted a fresh start in life
- Land owning was an important step towards prosperity
Who was most likely to move west?
Farmers, merchants, miners
What was the originally purpose of the Oregon Trail?
Traveled by Christian missionaries looking to bring religion to the NAs
Where did the Oregon Trail start and end?
Starts in Independence Missouri and ended in Portland
Who had followed a similar route to the Oregon Trail?
Lewis and Clark
What ere some of the hazards of the Oregon Trail?
- trip took months
- many walked pushing heavy hand cords loaded with few possessions
- people died from fever, cholera, severe diarrhea
- caravans attacked by NAs
- many suffered got loneliness and despair
What happened to the Donner Party?
45 survived, cannibalism was last resort, took a wrong turn which they thought was a short cut
Why did the Mormons migrate west?
Every place they tried to settle they get kicked out of because of polygamy
What happened to their leader?
He’s killed by and Anti-Mormon group (Joseph smith)
Who takes over as leader?
Brigham young
Where does he lead them to?
Great salt lake
What caused the Aroostook war?
Woods: war between lumberjacks
What resulted from the Webster- Ashburton Treaty?
Clarified border
Why were president Jackson and Van Buren hesitant to add Texas as a state to the United States?
Because it would upset Northern Voters who didn’t want another slave state added
Which two countries had a claim on the Oregon Territory?
US and Britian
What was the major question concerning the Oregon Territory?
Which country does the territory belong to
What issue caused debate over the expansion of the US? Why?
The slavery issue because there’s an anti-slavery sentiment and Northerners want Oregon as a non slave state
Why did John Tyler run for reelection as a Democrat in 1848?
He had been discovered by his own party the Whigs because he wanted to add both Texas and Oregon
Why did the Democrats choose James Polk as their candidate instead of Tyler?
Tyler hadn’t had a very good run as president
Who is Polks opponent in 1848? What party is he from? Who wins?
Henry Clay, Whigs, Polk wins
Why was James polk popular in both the north and south?
Because he wanted both Oregon and Texas
Why did polk not not want war with Britain over Oregon?
He doesn’t want to possibly open up a war in two different fronts
How was the Oregon Territory divided between the US and Britian?
The same 49th parallel line used to divide Maine and Canada is used to divide Oregon
What territory was disputed between the US and Mexico?
Texas
Why does the US realize war is the only option against Mexico?
Negotiating didn’t work, they told California to declare independence
What general was able to lead troops deep into Mexico?
Zachary Taylor
What is the bane of the peace treaty the Mexicans are forced to sign?
The treaty of Guadalupe- Hidalgo
What territory is gained by the US as a result of the treaty?
The Mexican cession
What discovery was made in California in 1848?
Gold
What resulted after the discovery?
Gold rush
What was the overall effect on California?
Huge migration of people from the East
Chinese immigration
Population swell
What was the issue that was raised when new land was acquired in the west?
Whether or not there should be slaves in the new territory
Aw hat did the southerners want added to the laws of the United States?
Add laws to assist catching run-away slaves
Why did President Polk think that the west was not suitable for slavery?
Because of the climate
What did the Wilmot Priviso state
Proposal to ban slavery in any territory gained from Mexico
How did the south react to the Wilmot Proviso?
They were unhappy
What happened to the Wilmot Proviso in congress?
Does not do well because it’s not voted on
What was the idea proposed by Lewis cass for deciding whether a territory should have slavery?
Popular sovereignty
How did this idea work?
Allow the voters of the territory to decide if they want slavery or not
Why was this idea not the answer to the problem?
Because it avoided the problem
California applied for statehood as what kind of state
Free state
Why did this upset the Southerners?
Because this would mean more free states than slave states
How did the Compromise of 1850 attempt to solve this problem?
California is free, all other territory gained from Mexico could use popular sovereignty
What was the other component of the Compromise of 1850?
Fugitive Slave Act
If an African American was accused of being a runaway slave, what happened first?
They would be brought be for a judge after being arrested
How was it determined if the person was a runaway slave?
Sworn statement from a white person
What could the accused runaway not do?
They could not have a trial
Why was the system corrupt?
The judge would get $5 if he decided to be in favor of the accused and $10 if he decided to say they were a runaway slave
How did Northerners react to this new law?
Created more hatred for slavery
Who speaks out against this law?
Frederick Douglas
what are the results of his speeches?
The white northerners began to ignore the law
What is “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”
A book about a slave who is beaten severely by his master who is a drunk crazy man
who wrote it?
Harriet Beecher Stowe
what was the effeft off the book on the country?
Increased hatred of slavery by Northerners, outrages southerners
What did Abraham Lincoln say to the author?
So you’re the little woman who wrote the book that made this great war
Why was a transcontinental railroad necessary in the country?
Needed to connect the West Coast to the rest of the country
What was the issue that kept a route from being built through the South?
The route would go through northern Mexico
What is done to solve this?
James Gadsden was sent by the US government ti buy land from Mexico
What is acquired? How much did it cost?
The strip of land that is today the southern part of Arizona and New Mexico; $10 million
How did the North respond to this purchase?
they want to have their Northern route started
What had to be done to satisfy the North?
They had to organize the Nebraska territory and Kansas territory
Why did the South not want Nebraska to become an organized territory?
Because it was above Missouri so it wouldn’t be a slave state
How does Senator Douglas propose to resolve the issue?
he says that settlers could decide if they wanted slavery by popular sovereignty
How would it be determined if each territory was open to slavery?
Popular Sovereignty
What results in Kansas? What name is give to this situation?
Becomes a scene of a territorial civil war between pro-slavery and anti-slavery settlers; Bleeding Kansas
Who is the leader of the anti-slavery group in Kansas?
John Brown
What is the significance of the events in Kansas?
They are a snapshot of whats going to be occurring during the civil war
Who was Dred Scott?
Slave who lives in Missouri and was taken by his master into free states
Why did he sue in federal court?
Because he was convinced that since he was taken to free states he had to be set free
What did the Supreme Court decide in the Dred Scott decision?
A. African Americans cannot be considered citizens of the US
B. Had no right to sue in federal court
How did the ruling in this case divide Democrats and Republicans?
The split was intensified because Democrats liked the decision and Republicans were against it
What position were Stephen Douglas and Abraham Lincoln running for in 1858?
Senate
How did they spread their message?
Debates
What was Douglas’s position on the slavery issue?
supported his idea of popular sovereignty
What was Lincolns position on slavery?
opposing extension of slavery to territory
Who won the election between Douglas and Lincoln?
Douglas
What were some positive results for Lincoln?
- gained national reputation
- Republicans showed south growing anti-slavery support
- discredited Douglas
What happened on October 16, 1859?
John Brown wanted to invade arsenal and take it over with his 5 sons and give weapons to slaves
What is located at Harpers Ferry?
Arsenal and army
What was Browns ultimate plan?
He wanted to match into the south either the weapons he has and free the slaves
What happens to brown?
He’s executed for him crimes
Who was the Republican nominee for President in 1860?
Abraham Lincoln
Who were he Democratic nominees? Why were there two?
Stephen Douglas and John Breckinridge, to satisfy all of the south
Who is the third party candidate?
John Bell of the Constitutional Union Party
Who wins this election? Why?
Lincoln because the democrats ran 2 candidates therefore splitting vote
What was the last-ditch effort by the South to protect slavery called?
Crittenden Compromise: slavery constitutionally guaranteed, reinstated Missouri compromise
What happened to this proposal?
Lincoln opposed- he convinces congressional Republicans to vote against it
What then took place? Why was it unsuccessful?
Virginia called for a peace conference, 21 states showed up and nobody came from secessionist states
What happened in December 17, 1860
South Carolina legislature dissolved union with US
What soon followed?
Other states: MA FL AL GA LA TX VA AR NV TN
What did this group becoming known as? Who were its leaders?
Confederate states of America, Jefferson Davis Alexander Stephens
