American History: Sectionalism and Economic Changes

Sectionalism

• Different economies and interests (North, South, West) led to conflicts culminating in the Civil War.

Industrial Revolution

• Shift from farming to factories, fostering industrial growth and urbanization.

Eli Whitney

• Invented the cotton gin, revolutionizing Southern agriculture.
• Introduced interchangeable parts, impacting manufacturing.

"Cotton is King"

• Symbolized cotton's vital role in the Southern economy and the reliance on slave labor.

American Colonization Society

• Sought to relocate freed African Americans to Africa, establishing Liberia.

Settlement of the Northwest

• Post-Revolutionary War, westward migration led to land disputes, legal conflicts, and tensions with Native Americans.

Different Opinions on Land Distribution

• Disagreement on land policy: cheap small farms vs. large plots sold for governmental profit.

Protective Tariffs

• Taxes on imported goods aimed to support domestic industries, but angered the South due to its reliance on trade.

Missouri Compromise

• 1820 agreement maintaining balance between free and slave states in Congress. (Missouri-slave, Maine-free)

"Corrupt Bargain" of 1824

• John Quincy Adams won the 1824 election with Henry Clay's support .

Andrew Jackson

• Known for his strong leadership and commitment to the common man.
• Led to the Trail of Tears.

Trail of Tears

• Forced removal of Native American tribes from their ancestral lands to the West, resulting in significant loss of life.

The Tariff Crisis

• Conflict in the 1830s over high tariffs, harming the South and threatening secession.

Force Bill

• Allowed President Jackson to use military force to enforce federal tariffs during the Tariff Crisis.

John C. Calhoun

• Southern politician advocating for states' rights and nullification, opposing federal tariffs.

The Whig Party

• Political opposition to Andrew Jackson, advocating for enhanced Congressional power.

Martin Van Buren

• 8th U.S. President, faced significant economic hardship during his term, including the Panic of 1837.

William Henry Harrison

• 9th president of the United States known for the Battle of Tippecanoe.
• Died shortly after taking office.

Seneca Falls Convention

• 1848 meeting that launched the women's rights movement, advocating for equality and suffrage.

William Lloyd Garrison

• Abolitionist publisher of "The Liberator," advocating for the immediate abolishment of slavery.

Frederick Douglass

• Former enslaved person, powerful abolitionist speaker and writer. Published his autobiography and The North Star.

Underground Railroad

• Secret network of routes and safe houses aiding enslaved people's escape to freedom.

Harriet Tubman

• Leader of the Underground Railroad, guiding hundreds to freedom.

Slave Insurrections

• Revolts by enslaved people, such as Nat Turner's Rebellion, sparking fear and stricter slavery laws.

Second Great Awakening

• Religious revival in the early 1800s, inspiring reform movements.

Temperance Movement

• Campaign for limiting or banning alcohol consumption, aiming to reduce social problems arising from alcohol abuse.

Manifest Destiny

• Belief that the US was destined to expand across North America, driving westward settlement and conflict.

Brigham Young and the Mormons

• Mormon leader who led the migration to Utah following persecution, establishing Salt Lake City.

Mexican Independence

• Mexico gained independence from Spain in 1821 and inherited territories in North America.

Texan Independence

• Texas declared independence from Mexico in 1836 after conflicts over governance.

The Alamo

• Key battle in the Texas Revolution where Texans fought fiercely but were defeated.

Election of 1844

• Election emphasizing expansion, with James K. Polk winning on support for Texas annexation and Oregon settlement.

"54' 40' or Fight!"

• Slogan representing Americans' desire for the U.S. to claim all of Oregon Territory.

Oregon Boundary Dispute

• Conflict between the U.S. and Britain over Oregon Territory, resolved in 1846 via a compromise at the 49th parallel.

War with Mexico

• U.S. conflict with Mexico (1846–1848) over border disputes, leading to territorial expansion.

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

• 1848 treaty ending the Mexican-American War, annexing vast territories of the southwest to the United States.

Gadsden Purchase

• 1854 land acquisition from Mexico for railroad construction, covering segments of present-day Arizona and New Mexico.

Explore the key themes of sectionalism and the Industrial Revolution in American history. This quiz covers different regional economies, significant inventions like the cotton gin, and the impacts of tariffs and land distribution in the early United States. Test your knowledge of how these elements contributed to conflicts leading up to the Civil War.