Draft Cheet Sheet PDF

1. Hartford Convention - Report of the Hartford Convention - 1815 Clues: Federalist opposition to the War of 1812; discusses constitutional amendments limiting federal power; regional dissatisfaction Summary/Context: Delegates from New England Federalist states met to voice grievances against the Wa...

1. Hartford Convention - Report of the Hartford Convention - 1815 Clues: Federalist opposition to the War of 1812; discusses constitutional amendments limiting federal power; regional dissatisfaction Summary/Context: Delegates from New England Federalist states met to voice grievances against the War of 1812 and propose amendments to protect their interests. Significance: Highlighted growing sectional tensions; contributed to the decline of the Federalist Party. 2. William Lloyd Garrison - Editorial from The Liberator - 1831 Clues: Calls for immediate emancipation of enslaved people; strong moral and religious arguments against slavery. Summary/Context: Garrison’s editorial in his abolitionist newspaper urged a radical end to slavery, rejecting gradualism. Significance: Influential in galvanizing the abolitionist movement and emphasizing moral urgency in ending slavery. 3. John C. Calhoun - “Fort Hill Address” - 1831 Clues: Defends nullification; argues for states’ rights against federal overreach. Summary/Context: Calhoun presented his theory that states could nullify federal laws deemed unconstitutional, rooted in his belief in state sovereignty. Significance: Foreshadowed tensions leading to the Civil War; cornerstone of pro-states’ rights ideology. 4. Andrew Jackson - “Veto Message” - 1832 Clues: Denounces the Second Bank of the United States; populist critique of elitism. Summary/Context: Jackson rejected a bill to recharter the Bank, arguing it concentrated too much power in the hands of a privileged few. Significance: Marked a defining moment in Jacksonian democracy; strengthened executive power and weakened the federal banking system. 5. William Leggett - “Despotism of the Majority” - 1837 Clues: Critiques unchecked majority rule; defends individual liberties. Summary/Context: Leggett, a Jacksonian Democrat, warned of the dangers of majority tyranny and stressed the need for protecting minority rights. Significance: Reflects the tension between democratic ideals and the potential abuses of majority power. 6. Davy Crockett - “Speech on Electioneering” - 1848 Clues: Criticizes political corruption and manipulation during elections; humorous and candid tone. Summary/Context: Crockett’s speech discusses the flaws and dishonesty in election campaigns, highlighting the lack of genuine representation. Significance: Exemplifies skepticism of political elites and reflects growing disenchantment with political processes in the antebellum period. 7. Seneca Falls Convention - “Declaration of Sentiments” - 1848 Clues: Modeled after the Declaration of Independence; demands equality for women; grievances against gender inequality. Summary/Context: Drafted at the Seneca Falls Convention, this document was a foundational statement for the women’s rights movement, advocating for legal, social, and economic equality. Significance: Laid the groundwork for the women’s suffrage movement and highlighted systemic gender discrimination. 8. John C. Calhoun and Daniel Webster - “Senate Speeches on the Compromise of 1850” Clues: Debate over states’ rights and federal authority; differing views on slavery and union preservation. Summary/Context: Calhoun argued for the protection of slavery and states’ rights, while Webster emphasized preserving the Union through compromise. Significance: Reflects the deepening sectional divisions that would lead to the Civil War. 9. Harriet Beecher Stowe - “What is Slavery?” - 1853 Clues: Describes the moral and human cost of slavery; emotional appeal against the institution. Summary/Context: from Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin, portraying the horrors and injustices of slavery to a wide audience. Significance: Influenced public opinion in the North, galvanizing abolitionist sentiment and increasing sectional tensions. 10. Congress - Kansas-Nebraska Act - 1854 Clues: Establishes popular sovereignty; repeals the Missouri Compromise; debates over slavery’s expansion. Summary/Context: Allowed settlers in Kansas and Nebraska territories to decide on slavery through popular sovereignty, effectively repealing the Missouri Compromise’s restrictions. Significance: Led to “Bleeding Kansas,” violent clashes over slavery, and intensified sectional conflict. 11. Supreme Court - Scott v. Sanford (Dred Scott Decision) - 1857 Clues: Denies citizenship to African Americans; declares the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional. Summary/Context: The Court ruled that enslaved people were property and could not sue for freedom, and Congress lacked the authority to prohibit slavery in the territories. Significance: Inflamed national tensions over slavery; strengthened abolitionist resolve and increased Northern opposition to Southern policies. 12. Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas - Lincoln-Douglas Debate at Galesburg - 1858 Clues: Focus on slavery and popular sovereignty; famous Lincoln quote about the “house divided.” Summary/Context: Lincoln challenged Douglas on the morality of slavery and the inconsistencies of popular sovereignty, emphasizing the nation’s divide over slavery. Significance: Elevated Lincoln’s national profile and clarified the stakes in the national debate over slavery. 13. Abraham Lincoln - “First Inaugural Address” - 1861 Clues: Pleads for national unity; rejects the legality of secession; emphasizes constitutional principles. Summary/Context: Lincoln’s inaugural address as he assumed the presidency during a time of secessionist crisis, aimed at preserving the Union. Significance: Outlined his legal and moral opposition to secession while urging reconciliation with the South. 14. Abraham Lincoln - “Gettysburg Address” - 1863 Clues: References equality, a “new birth of freedom,” and government “of the people, by the people, for the people.” Summary/Context: Delivered at the dedication of the Gettysburg battlefield cemetery, Lincoln reflected on the sacrifices made for the Union and its democratic principles. Significance: Became a defining statement of American ideals and the purpose of the Civil War. 15. Congress - 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments - 1865, 1868, 1870 Clues: Abolition of slavery; equal protection under the law; voting rights regardless of race. Summary/Context: A series of constitutional amendments ending slavery, granting citizenship and equal protection to former enslaved people, and protecting voting rights. Significance: Major milestones in Reconstruction, aimed at addressing the rights of African Americans. 16. Elizabeth Cady Stanton - The Revolution - 1869 Clues: Advocates for women’s suffrage; critiques traditional gender roles. Summary/Context: A publication led by Stanton promoting women’s rights and equal treatment under the law. Significance: Strengthened the women’s suffrage movement and highlighted broader societal inequalities. 17. Frederick Douglass - Life and Times of Frederick Douglass - 1880 Clues: Details Douglass’s life as an enslaved person, his escape, and abolitionist work; autobiographical. Summary/Context: Douglass’s autobiography recounts his journey from slavery to freedom and his advocacy for equality and justice. Significance: Serves as a powerful testament to the abolitionist cause and a call to action for racial equality. 11.1: A Second American Revolution (1812) Key Figures & Events: ○ James Madison: Led the U.S. through the War of 1812, focusing on defending sovereignty. ○ War Hawks: Henry Clay and John C. Calhoun pushed for war to assert American rights. ○ William Henry Harrison: Defeated Tecumseh’s confederation at Tippecanoe, weakening Native resistance. ○ Impressment: British forced conscription of American sailors, a major cause for conflict. War of 1812: ○ Ft. McHenry: Inspired Francis Scott Key to write "The Star-Spangled Banner." ○ Hartford Convention: New England Federalists opposed the war, weakening their influence. ○ Treaty of Ghent (1815): Ended the war without resolving many issues like trade and maritime rights. Post-War Outcomes: ○ Battle of New Orleans: Became a symbol of national pride, enhancing Andrew Jackson’s reputation. ○ Significance: Fostered American nationalism, secured independence globally, and ended Native resistance in the Old Northwest. 11.2: Era of Anxious Feelings (1815–1824) Economic & Political Context: ○ Second Bank of the U.S. (1816): Aimed to stabilize the economy but contributed to the Panic of 1819. ○ Panic of 1819: Economic downturn, with measures like the Land Act of 1820 offering some relief. Missouri Compromise (1820): ○ Admitted Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state, maintaining balance in Congress. Monroe Doctrine (1823): ○ Declared the Americas off-limits to new European colonization, emphasizing U.S. dominance in the Western Hemisphere. 12.1: John Quincy Adams and the Corrupt Bargain of 1824 Key Figures: ○ Henry Clay: Pushed the “American System” for internal improvements. ○ John Quincy Adams: Advocated federal power, education, and diplomacy. ○ Andrew Jackson: Promoted the common man and opposed excessive federal control. ○ Outcome: Clay supported Adams, who became president; Clay became Secretary of State, leading to claims of a "Corrupt Bargain." Adams’s Presidency (1825–1829): ○ Promoted tariffs, infrastructure, education, but faced opposition over nationalist policies, including the Tariff of Abominations (1828). ○ Aftermath: Democratic Party formed around Jackson, while the Whigs united under Adams and Clay. 12.2: Economic Revolutions of the Early Republic Market Revolution: ○ Shift from self-sufficient production to market-oriented transactions, integrating communities through trade and labor. Industrial Centers: ○ Boston Associates established factories focusing on efficiency and outwork. Transportation Revolution: ○ National Road, Erie Canal, steamships, and railroads connected distant regions. Financial Institutions: ○ Buttonwood Agreement (1792): Laid the foundation for the NY Stock Exchange. 13.1: Jackson, Nullification, and the Bank War Andrew Jackson (D-TN): Represented a populist, frontier shift in politics, supporting limited federal power. Key Events: ○ Petticoat Affair (1829): Jackson defended Peggy Eaton, leading to a cabinet reshuffle. ○ Nullification Crisis (1828-1833): Sparked by the Tariff of Abominations; Jackson asserted federal power over South Carolina.  ○ Bank War: Jackson opposed the Second Bank, vetoed its recharter, and moved funds to state "pet banks," causing economic turmoil. Indian Removal Policy: Forced relocation of Native Americans, culminating in the Trail of Tears. 13.2: Hard Times and Hard Cider (1836–1841) Panic of 1837: ○ Causes: Specie Circular, lack of central bank, and state debts. ○ Impact: Widespread bank failures and economic depression. Whig Party Formation: ○ Formed to oppose Jackson’s policies, criticizing his actions on infrastructure and the Bank War. Election of 1840: ○ William Henry Harrison used populist appeal, defeating Martin Van Buren. 14.1: Native Americans in the Early Republic Key Events: ○ Battle of Fallen Timbers (1794): Led to the Treaty of Greenville, ceding Native lands to the U.S. ○ Indian Removal Act (1830): Led to forced relocations, with the Trail of Tears as a tragic outcome. Key Figures: ○ John Ross: Cherokee leader who resisted removal but ultimately faced betrayal. Significance: Native sovereignty weakened, opening millions of acres for white settlement. 14.2: Revival, Reform, and Utopian Rejection (1820–1840) Cultural Movements: ○ Transcendentalism and the Hudson River School celebrated individualism and nature. The Second Great Awakening: ○ Emphasized societal reform and personal salvation through revivalist movements. Reforms: ○ Prison and Asylum Reform (Dorothea Dix), Education (Horace Mann), Abolitionism (Garrison). ○ Women’s Rights: Seneca Falls Convention (1848) demanded equality and suffrage. 15.1: James K. Polk and the Creation of a Continental Republic (1844–1848) Expansionism: Driven by Manifest Destiny. Key Events: ○ Oregon Crisis: Resolved with Britain at the 49th parallel. ○ Texas Annexation (1845): Secured Texas as part of the U.S. ○ Mexican-American War: Ended with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, adding California and New Mexico to the U.S. 15.2: Fear in the Cities, Blood in the West (1848–1858) Nativism & Immigration: Rise in anti-immigrant sentiment led to the Know-Nothing Party. Key Political Developments: ○ Compromise of 1850: Admitted California as a free state, strengthened the Fugitive Slave Act. ○ Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854): Led to Bleeding Kansas, increasing sectional tensions. New Parties: Free Soil Party opposed slavery’s expansion; Republican Party emerged against pro-slavery policies. 16.1: A Nation Divides (1858–1861) Key Events Leading to Secession: ○ Lincoln-Douglas Debates: Lincoln argued against slavery's expansion, challenging Stephen Douglas's popular sovereignty stance. ○ John Brown’s Raid (1859): Attempted to incite a slave rebellion, heightening tensions. ○ Election of 1860: Lincoln’s victory led Southern states to secede. Formation of the Confederacy: Jefferson Davis was elected president; emphasized slavery and states’ rights. 16.2: The Civil War (1861–1865) Key Events: ○ Ft. Sumter: First shots of the Civil War. ○ Antietam: Allowed Lincoln to issue the Emancipation Proclamation. ○ Gettysburg: Major turning point in favor of the Union. ○ Sherman’s March: "Total war" tactic to break the South’s will. End of the War: Lee surrendered at Appomattox Court House. Significance: Solidified federal authority, ended slavery, but left lasting scars on the nation. 17.1 & 17.2: Reconstruction and the Tragedy of Redemption Reconstruction Plans: ○ Lincoln’s Plan: Lenient, only 10% loyalty oath required. ○ Johnson’s Plan: Granted amnesty, but no rights for freedmen. ○ Radical Reconstruction: Military rule in the South, 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments for civil rights. ○ Freedmen’s Bureau: Provided aid but faced significant opposition. Southern Resistance: ○ Black Codes restricted African American freedoms. ○ Ku Klux Klan used violence to undermine Reconstruction. “Redemption”: Southern Democrats regained control; and dismantled Reconstruction policies. Election of 1876: Hayes became president in exchange for ending Reconstruction. Legacies: Reconstruction expanded federal civil rights intervention, but its reversal entrenched segregation.