Questions and Answers
What is 'Uncle Tom's Cabin' known for?
What significant events characterized 'Bleeding Kansas'?
A sequence of violent events involving abolitionists and pro-slavery elements.
What was the purpose of the 'Lecompton Constitution'?
To support the existence of slavery in the proposed state and protect the rights of slaveholders.
The Pottawatomie Creek Massacre resulted in the killing of abolitionist settlers.
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What was the result of the Election of 1856?
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What did the Dred Scott vs Sandford case conclude?
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The 'Know Nothings' were a political party that supported immigration.
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What did the Freeport Doctrine state?
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Who was John C. Fremont?
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The _____ Compromise was an attempt to prevent the Civil War.
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What was the main focus of Hinton Helper's work?
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What did the Brooks-Sumner Affair symbolize?
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In the context of the Crash of 1858, what was a major cause?
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What was the impact of the Election of 1860?
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Study Notes
Uncle Tom's Cabin
- Authored by Harriet Beecher Stowe in 1852, this novel significantly influenced British perceptions of American slavery.
- It promoted abolition and heightened sectional tensions, contributing to the Civil War.
- Prevented British support for the South during the Civil War.
Bleeding Kansas
- Series of violent confrontations in the Kansas-Nebraska Territory between abolitionists and pro-slavery advocates.
- Further exacerbated North-South relations, setting the stage for civil conflict.
- Southern response: Northern efforts undermined the promise of slavery in Kansas.
Shawnee Mission
- Pro-slavery supporters established a puppet government to counter Northern abolitionist efforts in Kansas and Nebraska.
Beecher's Bibles
- Sharp's rifles, termed "Beecher's Bibles," were promoted by abolitionists as essential for combating slavery in Kansas.
- Increased violence and tensions as armed conflict became prevalent in the territory.
Lecompton Constitution
- Proposed a constitution for Kansas that protected slaveholders' rights.
- Was ultimately rejected by Kansas, paving the path to it becoming a free state.
- Faced boycotting from Free Soil supporters.
Pottawatomie Creek Massacre
- John Brown and abolitionists retaliated against pro-slavery attacks by killing five pro-slavery settlers in Kansas, illustrating escalating violence.
Brooks-Sumner Affair
- Congressman Preston Brooks attacked Senator Charles Sumner in Congress after Sumner’s anti-slavery remarks about Brooks' uncle, highlighting North-South tensions.
- The incident polarized public opinion further, with varying reactions from newspapers and officials.
Over Speculation
- Rise in stock market investment on margin led to increased debt among investors, contributing to economic instability.
Election of 1856
- Democrat James Buchanan won against Republican John C. Fremont, focusing on noninterference with slavery and denouncing abolitionists.
- Highlighted divisions over slavery in American politics.
Know Nothings
- A political party known as the American Party, they held anti-immigrant and anti-Catholic sentiments during the 1850s.
Dred Scott vs. Sandford (1857)
- Supreme Court ruled that Dred Scott, a former slave, had no citizenship rights and deemed the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional.
- Reflected the deepening divide between North and South, contributing to the Civil War.
Roger Taney
- The Supreme Court Justice who ruled against Dred Scott, asserting that slaves do not have the rights of citizens.
Crash of 1858
- Triggered by inflated economy from California gold and over speculation, leading to unemployment.
- Affected the North significantly, while the South remained stable due to cotton.
Freeport Question
- Lincoln questioned whether people could vote slavery down despite Supreme Court rulings suggesting otherwise, creating tension over popular sovereignty.
Freeport Doctrine
- Developed by Stephen Douglas, it stated that voters could exclude slavery by not enacting protective laws, making it unpopular in the South.
Lincoln-Douglas Debates
- 1858 Senate debates focused on slavery; Lincoln emerged as a prominent Republican figure despite Douglas winning the election.
Harper's Ferry
- John Brown’s failed raid to incite a slave uprising by seizing a federal arsenal led to his capture and execution, inflaming Southern fears of insurrection.
Election of 1860
- Marked by deep divisions, the election brought Abraham Lincoln to power without Southern support—fracturing the Democratic Party.
- Candidates included Northern Democrat Douglas, Southern Democrat Breckenridge, and Constitutional Union's Bell.
Confederacy (1861)
- Jefferson Davis was inaugurated as president of the Confederacy, which seceded from the Union, beginning with South Carolina.
Crittenden Compromise
- An unsuccessful proposal to avert civil war, it sought to constitutionally recognize slavery in territories south of 36º30' and assured noninterference by Congress.
Hinton Helper
- Southern critic of slavery who argued in "The Impending Crisis of the South" that slavery hindered economic growth for non-slaveholders and the region as a whole.
John C. Fremont
- An explorer and military officer, he was the first Republican presidential candidate, running against slavery's expansion.
Tariff of 1857
- Lowered import duties to address a surplus, responding to pressures from Southern agricultural interests.
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Description
Test your knowledge of key concepts from Chapter 19 of 'The American Pageant.' This chapter covers significant events and figures leading up to the Civil War, including 'Uncle Tom's Cabin' and 'Bleeding Kansas.' Use these flashcards to reinforce your understanding of this crucial period in American history.
