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Missouri Compromise
A series of agreements that discussed the states of Maine and Missouri. After discussing for sometime the Maine was agreed to be a free state and Missouri was agreed to be a slave state. The compromise also split the Louisiana Territory at 36 degrees 36'. In the northern part of the Louisiana Purchase slavery was outlawed but in the south slavery was legal. -
Santa Fe Trail
One of the busiest routes to the west of America that stretched 780 miles. Traders usually took this route to get to America. It spanned from Missouri to Santa Fe. -
San Felipe De Austin
Stephen F. Austin was a prominent leader of the American Settlers that went to Texas. He carried on his father's(Moses Austin) goal which was to set up a colony that had been granted to him by Spain. With Spain's permission he went to the land between the Brazos and Colorado and built the colony called San Felipe De Austin. In this colony drunkards, gamblers, profane swearers, and idlers were not allowed. -
The Liberator
An anti-slavery paper that was written by William Lloyd Garrison. It was about giving immediate emancipation to the slaves -
Mexico abolishes Slavery
Even though the colony of San Felipe belonged to Stephen F. Austin it was still in Mexican territory. Mexico had abolished slavery in 1829 but the majority of the settlers in San Felipe were southerners who brought slaves with them. The Mexicans pleaded in vain that the Texans release their slaves. -
Abolition
A movement to abolish slavery, this soon became one of the most important reforms in America. -
Nat Turner's Rebellion
A rebellion led by a slave. He gathered 50 plus slaves and attacked a plantation in which the end result was the death of 60 white males. -
Stephen F. Austin goes to jail.
Stephen F. Austin went to Mexico city in 1833 and asked that the Mexican President Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna grant Texas greater self-government but Antonio refused. On the way back to Texas, Stephen was captured and imprisoned for inciting a rebellion. Santa Anna then suspended Texas's local power. -
Oregon Trail
It spanned from Missouri to Oregon and was forged by two Methodist Missionaries; Marcus and Narcissa. After their successful journey many other pioneers followed their examples and completed the trail by using a wagon. -
Texas Revolution
A rebellion where Texas gained its independence from Mexico -
Manifest Destiny
It was a phrase that expressed the belief that the Americans had to expand to the Pacific Ocean, into Mexico, and take the Native American land. Americans thought that this destiny was obvious and inevitable. -
Texas Enters the United States
Texas was hoping that the United States would annex them but the United States had two differing opinions. The south wanted to annex Texas and extend its slave borders while the north feared that annexing and extending slave borders would tip the scales with the Senate and cause a war with Mexico. In 1884 James K. Polk became the U.S. president and favored the annexation of the Texas. -
The North Star
An anti-slavery newspaper named and written by Frederick Douglass. It was named the North Star because it was the star that guided slaves to freedom. -
Mexican-American War
An armed conflict between America and Mexico. It lasted from 1846-1848. The war started after Mexico claimed the Nueces River and the U.S. claimed the Rio Grande. In 1846 the Mexican Calvary opened fire on a group of American soldiers. After the shooting of the U.S. troops on the American Fort along the Rio Grande. -
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
In this treaty Mexico realized that the Rio Grande was the border between Mexico and Texas. Mexico also ceded New Mexico territory and California to the United States. America also agreed to pay 15 million dollars to the Mexico for its cession -
Compromise of 1850
A compromise that officially outlawed slave trade and admitted California as a free state and another outcome of this compromise was that it established a territorial government for Utah. -
Fugitive Slave Act
An act that came as a part of the Compromise of 1850. It would capture all escaped slaves and return them to their original states and their masters. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin
A novel written by Harriet Beecher Stowe. It was not about slavery as a political contest but as a great moral struggle -
Underground Railroad
A series of escape tunnels that slaves took in order to escape from the south. It led the slaves to north where they usually stayed. A few of the free slaves went to Canada to completely free themselves of their owner. A famous conductor of the railroad was Harriet Tubman -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
An act that allowed Kansas and Nebraska to decide whether they wanted to be slave states or free states. This act repealed the Missouri Compromise made earlier. After the act passed anti-slavery supporters and slavery supporters rushed over to Kansas and tried to sway their decision. -
Dread Scott vs. Sandford
Dread Scott was an enslaved African American that sued for his freedom and that of his wife and daughter. This was a setback for abolition and pushed the United States closer to the Civil War. A court case where the court ruled that anyone African or of African American descent could not be allowed as a citizen of the United State it also stated that Congress could not ban slavery. -
Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas Debates
A debate between democratic Stephen Douglas and republican Abraham Lincoln. In the end Abraham Lincoln won the debates and the seat/office of president. -
John Brown's raid/ Harper Ferry
A raid made by John Brown on Harper Ferry. John Brown was a white abolitionist that took over the arsenal at Harper Ferry. -
Formation of the Confederacy
Formed in 1861. The south ceded from the union and formed its own country. It triggered the Civil War. -
Attack on Fort Sumter
An attack on Fort Sumter made by the Confederates. The retaliation and eventual surrender by the Northern U.S. army officially started the Civil War. -
Battle of the Bull Run
The first major battle of the Civil War. The U.S. army led by Brig. Gen. Irvin McDowell marched toward the south and attacked the Confederates. Eventually the Confederates retreated to Henry Hill. -
Battle of Antietam
A battle between the Union and the Confederates. It was one of the most bloodiest fights during the Civil War. In the end after a hard struggle the Union earned its victory in pushing back the Confederates. This victory led Abraham Lincoln to pass the Emancipation Proclamation -
Conscription
As Union and Confederates fought they continued to lose more and more men. In the end both armies were low on troops so they conscripted its citizens. This meant that they drafted citizens into their army. Conscription in the north led to riots but the African Americans chose to fight for the Union as a result African Americans took up 10% of the Union's Army -
Income Tax
As the Union's economy grew the government began to want to fund the U.S. army's goal by implementing and income tax. This tax took money from an individual's payment. -
Emancipation Proclamation
A speech made by Abraham Lincoln. This completely abolished slavery in the eleven states of the confederacy. -
Battle of Gettysburg
A Civil War battle between the Union and Confederates. It was considered the most important engagement in the Civil War. George G. Mead was the leader of the Union and Robert E. Lee was the leader of the Confederate Army. They managed to break past the Union's defense but this victory short because they were soon demolished and forced to retreat. -
Gettysburg Address
The Gettysburg Address was a speech delivered by Abraham Lincoln in Pennsylvania. It was on the bloodiest cite of the Civil War. This speech was one of the most important speeches ever delivered in America. It gave remarks to those who died in the battle. -
Battle of Vicksburg
A battle between the Union and Confederates. It was one of the Union's most famous campaigns during the Civil War. The Union was trying to take the city of Vicksburg. General Ulysses failed first but eventually succeeded in 1863 -
Sherman's march
Union General Sherman T. William led 60,000 soldier to Atlanta. The march was to intimidate Georgia's people into abandoning the Confederate cause. -
Surrender at Appomattox Court House.
The confederates surrendered at Appomattox Court House and rejoined the Union. It was also the last cite for the last battle in the Civil War. Robert E. Lee surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant. In this surrender Robert E. Lee also gave his troops up to Ulysses S. Grant. -
Thirteenth Amendment
In this amendment, Slavery and involuntary servitude was abolished from America except when the slavery or involuntary servitude is punishment from a crime -
Assassination of Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Brook as a result of his monetary policies. He was assassinated in Ford Theater. The theory is that he was assassinated because he still needed money to fund the Civil War. It is said that Lincoln lived for nine hours before succumbing to his head wound.
