Impact of the Gold Rush and Civil War Issues

The expansion of U.S. territory in the 1840s, especially westward, which led to significant political debate regarding the issue of slavery.

The Mexican population of Texas who lived before American settlement.

A Connecticut farmer who played a pivotal role in the early colonization of Texas by Americans.

A grant of land given to Stephen Austin by the Mexican government, allowing him to sell smaller plots to American settlers.

The Mexican president who became a dictator in 1834 and faced Texan rebellion in 1835.

A crucial battle in the Texas Revolution where Mexican forces defeated Texan defenders, but ultimately inspired Texans to continue their fight.

The agreement signed by Santa Anna that recognized Texas independence, after he was captured by Texan forces.

The expansion of the United States that stretched from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean, fueled by various factors including westward migration and the desire for new resources.

The influx of thousands of Americans into California between 1848 and 1856, driven by the discovery of gold. It dramatically increased the population and led to social and economic changes.

The Treaty of Kanagawa, signed in 1854 between the United States and Japan, marked the first step towards establishing diplomatic and trade relations between the two nations. This treaty was a result of Commodore Matthew Perry's naval expedition demands.

The Wilmot Proviso proposed to prohibit slavery in any territory acquired from Mexico in the Mexican-American War. This proposal sparked controversy between Northern and Southern states, highlighting the growing tension over slavery's expansion.

The expansion of slavery into new territories became a central issue in the 1840s and 1850s, dividing the nation and fueling tensions between the North and South. This issue led to political conflicts, compromises, and ultimately, the Civil War.

The Gold Rush led to violence and discrimination against minority groups, including Mexicans, Chinese, and Native Americans. These groups were often forced out of mining areas, highlighting the exploitation and racial tensions present during this period.

A law passed in 1850, granted federal authorities power in fugitive slave cases; fueled conflicts between the North and South. It allowed commissioners to decide a slave's fate without a jury trial, prevented authorities from interfering with capture, and demanded citizen assistance in capturing runaways.

It was a response to the conflict over slavery fueled by the Fugitive Slave Act. It provided safe havens for escaped slaves, helping them reach freedom in the North or Canada. It involved secret networks and heroic actions by abolitionists, like Harriet Tubman.

A belief that the decision on slavery in a territory should be made by the people living there, not Congress. This concept sought to address the debate by letting local residents decide, but it led to further divisions over the issue.

He was a prominent figure who championed popular sovereignty. He thought it was a good way to solve the slavery debate, by letting people vote. This led to significant political controversy, as it influenced the Kansas-Nebraska Act, leading to violence and more division.

It was a compromise aimed at maintaining peace between the North and South following the Mexican-American War. This agreement, passed in 1850, included admitting California as a free state, strengthening the Fugitive Slave Act, and enacting a stronger slave trade ban in D.C. It temporarily eased tensions.

He strongly opposed the Compromise of 1850, believing that the North should not yield to the South's demands. He argued that the Union would weaken if it conceded to slavery expansion. His stance deepened the North-South divide.

He was a leading figure who believed in moral law being above the Constitution. He opposed the Compromise of 1850, asserting that the Constitution should not be used to defend slavery. This stance reflected the growing abolitionist movement in the North.

He was President during the early stages of debate leading up to the Compromise of 1850. He favored admitting California as a free state and insisted Congress address the issue without delay. However, he died suddenly before the compromise was passed.

The Republican Party's platform was based on stopping the expansion of slavery, not ending it where it already existed.

Proslavery forces from Missouri illegally voted in Kansas, leading to a violent conflict between pro- and antislavery settlers.

The Dred Scott decision denied enslaved people citizenship and the right to sue in federal court, further igniting tensions over slavery and pushing the nation toward civil war.

In the 1856 election, the Republican Party opposed slavery's expansion, while the Democrats supported popular sovereignty, highlighting the growing sectional divide.

The Republican Party emerged as a prominent force in the 1850s, focused on opposing the expansion of slavery.

The belief that slavery would stifle opportunities for free laborers and hinder economic growth, leading to a society with unequal social classes.

James Buchanan, a staunch supporter of the Union, failed to reconcile the growing sectional tensions, escalating the nation towards civil war.

The events of Bleeding Kansas and the Dred Scott decision pushed the nation closer to civil war, demonstrating the deep divisions over slavery.

Lincoln believed that all men, regardless of race, are entitled to "inalienable rights", including freedom from slavery. However, he opposed granting voting or jury rights to Black people in Illinois, believing that colonization was the best solution for racial issues.

Douglas believed that true freedom resided in local governments and individuals, allowing them to make their own choices. He argued that popular sovereignty, the idea of allowing residents to decide on slavery, was not incompatible with the Dred Scott decision, as territories could simply choose not to extend legal protection to slavery.

In the 1858 election, Stephen Douglas, who believed in popular sovereignty, narrowly defeated Abraham Lincoln, who championed abolitionism. The election highlighted the deep divisions in Illinois between those who supported slavery and those who opposed it.

Abolitionist John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry, Virginia, in 1859, aimed to seize the federal arsenal. Although it failed, Brown became a martyr for his cause after his capture and execution.

Before his raid on Harpers Ferry, John Brown was active in opposing pro-slavery forces in Kansas, including the Pottawatomie Creek massacre, where he and his supporters murdered five pro-slavery settlers.

After his activities in Kansas, John Brown traveled through the North and Canada raising funds and followers for his war against slavery. This led him to organize the Harpers Ferry raid in 1859.

After seizing Harpers Ferry, John Brown was surrounded by Union troops led by General Robert E. Lee, captured, and placed on trial for treason against Virginia. He was ultimately found guilty and executed.

John Brown's actions, although unsuccessful, served as a catalyst for further conflict, highlighting the extreme positions on slavery and pushing the nation closer to the brink of civil war.

A political party formed in 1860 in response to the growing sectional tensions over slavery. It aimed to preserve the Union and the Constitution as they were, including the protection of slavery.

The event that led to the South's secession from the Union. Lincoln's election as president on a platform opposing the expansion of slavery into new territories was seen by Southerners as a threat to their way of life. Fearful of Republican policies, seven Southern states withdrew from the Union.

They believed that the free states interfered with their right to return escaped slaves as per the Fugitive Slave Act.

A document issued by South Carolina that laid out the reasons for their secession from the Union. Notably, the document highlighted the issue of slavery as the primary cause, focusing on the interference of free states with the return of escaped slaves.

A political party formed in 1860. It was a collection of former Whigs and Southern Democrats who hoped to maintain the Union, but supported slavery. They nominated John Bell of Tennessee for president.

The process of states withdrawing from the Union, primarily driven by disagreements regarding slavery. The seven states in the Deep South seceded following Lincoln's election in 1860, leading to the start of the Civil War.

The first state to secede from the Union in 1860. The state had the highest slave population in the country and a history of radical political stances regarding slavery. Their secession set off a chain reaction across the South, leading to the formation of the Confederate States of America.

A period of extreme political conflict in America that culminated in the outbreak of the Civil War. It was marked by rising tensions over slavery and the failure of numerous compromises to bridge the growing divide between the North and South, resulting in the secession of Southern states from the Union and the establishment of the Confederate States of America.