-
Texas Declares Independence from Mexico
Tensions arose from cultural and political conflicts, including the imposition of Mexican laws limiting American immigration, banning slavery, and requiring Catholic conversion. After Santa Anna centralized power in Mexico, Texan settlers, led by figures like Sam Houston, sought autonomy. The declaration was issued during the Texas Revolution, culminating in the Battle of San Jacinto, which secured Texan independence and established the Republic of Texas. -
Election of 1844 (Polk)
Candidates:
James Polk (Democrat)
Henry Clay (Whig) Party Platforms
Whigs:
- Focus on Internal Improvements:
-Bridges
- Harbors
- Canals
- Vision: Civilized lands with bustling towns and factories (e.g. New England) Democrats:
Expansionists:
- Borders pushed outward
- Emphasis on private ownership of newly added land (e.g. isolated plantations in the South)
- Minimal government involvement in newly added land -
Texas Seeks Annexation (But Opposed by Northerners)
Additionally, annexation risked conflict with Mexico, which still claimed Texas as its territory. The issue became a divisive national debate, delaying annexation until 1845, when it was achieved under President James K. Polk as part of his expansionist agenda. -
Annexation of Texas
The process by which the United States incorporated the Republic of Texas as the 28th state. After declaring independence from Mexico in 1836, Texas sought annexation, but concerns over slavery, sectional balance, and potential war with Mexico delayed action. W/ President John Tyler, Congress passed a joint resolution for annexation, finalized during President James K. Polk's term. Heightened tensions with Mexico, directly contributing to the Mexican-American War (1846–1848). -
Period: to
Mexican-American War
- Northerners: feared new states in West would be slave states, thus tipping balance in favor of proslavery forces
- Opponents: believed war was provoked by slaveholders, resulting in slave owners having control over government
- Referenced as "Slave Power" by suspicious Northerners
- Gag rule in 1836 raised suspicions of Slave Power
-
Polk Presidency
- Restore government funds in Treasury (vs. pet banks under Jackson)
- Reduce tariffs
-
Proposed Annexation by President Tyler
Last days in office. Alarmed Northern Congressmen (5 states below Missouri Compromise line). Demanded annexation of entire Oregon country. "54°40' or Fight" demands. Concedes on demands for expansion to Canada. -
Oregon Treaty w/ Great Britain
- Acquired peaceful ownership of Oregon, Washington, and parts of Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana
- Established current northern border of the region
-
Period: to
Mexican-American War
Stemmed from U.S. expansionism under Manifest Destiny, Texas’ 1845 annexation, and a border dispute over the Rio Grande. President Polk’s failed attempt to purchase California and Mexico’s attack on U.S. troops near the Rio Grande led to war. The U.S. won, gaining vast territories in the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848), including California and the Southwest, but the expansion reignited sectional tensions over slavery and contributed to rising U.S.-Mexico animosity. -
Seneca Falls Convention
First Women's Rights Convention -
Compromise of 1850
- California as a Free State: California was admitted to the Union as a free state, without slavery.
- Popular Sovereignty: The people of newly acquired territories (New Mexico and Utah) would decide whether to allow slavery through territorial governments.
- Fugitive Slave Act: A stricter law was enacted to enforce the return of escaped slaves to their owners, causing outrage in the North.
-
Fugitive Slave Law
The Fugitive Slave Law of 1850, part of the Compromise of 1850, required the return of escaped enslaved individuals to their owners, even if found in free states. It denied accused fugitives a jury trial and increased penalties for aiding escapees. The law enraged abolitionists, intensified sectional tensions, and fueled resistance through the Underground Railroad and personal liberty laws in Northern states. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin Published
Uncle Tom's Cabin, written by Harriet Beecher Stowe and published in 1852, was a powerful anti-slavery novel that highlighted the moral and human costs of slavery. It gained widespread popularity, stirring abolitionist sentiment in the North while infuriating the South, which condemned it as propaganda. The book intensified sectional tensions, contributing to the growing divide that led to the Civil War. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
The Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854) allowed settlers in Kansas and Nebraska to decide the slavery issue through popular sovereignty, effectively repealing the Missouri Compromise. It caused violent clashes between pro-slavery and anti-slavery settlers, known as Bleeding Kansas. The Act heightened sectional tensions, led to the collapse of the Whig Party, and contributed to the rise of the Republican Party, which opposed slavery's expansion, further dividing the nation. -
Bleeding Kansas
Bleeding Kansas (1854–1859) was a violent conflict over whether Kansas would enter the Union as a free or slave state, following the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854, which allowed popular sovereignty to decide the issue. Pro-slavery and anti-slavery settlers clashed, leading to raids, murders, and battles like the Sack of Lawrence and Pottawatomie Massacre. The violence exposed deep national divisions and foreshadowed the Civil War. -
Election of 1856 (Buchanan)
Polarized nation from Kansas events. James Buchanan won, Democratic, South. Republicans carried the North. -
Dred Scott Decision
The Dred Scott Decision (1857) was a landmark Supreme Court case where Dred Scott, an enslaved African American, sued for his freedom after living in free territories. The Court ruled 7-2 that African Americans, free or enslaved, were not U.S. citizens and thus had no right to sue. It also declared the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional, stating Congress could not prohibit slavery in the territories. The decision further polarized the nation, intensifying tensions between the North and South. -
Illinois Senate Race
Between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas. "House Divided" speech, Douglas had vague stance on popular sovereignty. -
John Brown's Raid on Harper's Ferry
Sparked Northern abolitionist support. -
Lincoln's Election
Lincoln and Douglas for North, Breckinridge for South. -
Democratic Convention Split
Northern Democrats supported Douglas, Southerners supported Breckinridge. -
Secession of 11 Southern States
Citing states’ rights and slavery as primary reasons. The Union, led by President Abraham Lincoln, fought to preserve the nation and end slavery. -
(1st) First Confiscation Act
Authorized Union forces to confiscate any Confederate property, including slaves, deemed to be used to support the rebellion. -
Period: to
Civil War
The Civil War (1861–1865) was a conflict between the Union (North) and the Confederacy (South) primarily over slavery, states' rights, and sectionalism. Tensions had been rising due to disputes over the expansion of slavery into new territories, economic differences, and cultural divisions. The war began after Southern states seceded following Abraham Lincoln's election and the attack on Fort Sumter. -
(2nd) Second Confiscation Act
Freed slaves of Confederate officials, military, and civilians who did not surrender within 60 days of the act’s passage. -
Homestead Act
The Homestead Act of 1862 provided 160 acres of public land to settlers for a small fee, provided they improved the land by building a dwelling and cultivating crops. The Act aimed to encourage westward expansion, promote agriculture, and provide land to settlers, particularly after the Civil War. It led to the settlement of vast areas in the West, though many faced challenges, including difficult terrain, lack of resources, and conflicts with Native Americans. -
Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg (July 1–3, 1863) was a pivotal clash during the Civil War, fought in Pennsylvania between the Union Army, led by General George G. Meade, and the Confederate Army, commanded by General Robert E. Lee. It marked the turning point of the war, as the Union victory halted Lee’s invasion of the North. Heavy casualties and is best remembered for Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, which redefined the war's purpose, emphasizing unity and the fight for freedom. -
Enrollment Act
Established a military draft, which led to riots and resistance in Northern cities, particularly in New York City. -
Emancipation Proclamation
Until now Lincoln said the war was to save the Union, not slavery. The EP stated that the gov. would liberate all slaves "in rebellion." -
Draft Riots
Irish immigrants resentful of being drafted. Feared competition with former slaves for low-paying jobs. -
Sherman's March from Atlanta to Sea
Union Army burned everything in its wake. Foreshadowed wide-scale warfare of 20th century. -
Election of 1864 (Lincoln)
North/South wanted war to end. George McClellan lost due to opposing majority of Democrats.
Northern Opinion:
- War Democrats: War needed to save the Union.
- Copperheads: Accused Lincoln of social revolution. -
13th Amendment
Abolished slavery, freeing millions of enslaved African Americans. -
Lincoln Assassinated
Andrew Johnson assumed presidency. -
Freedmen's Bureau
Provided social and political support to freed slaves, including education, employment, and legal assistance. First federal social welfare program. -
Union Victory
The Union Victory in the Civil War (1861–1865) was achieved after a long and costly conflict between the North (Union) and the South (Confederacy). Key events leading to the victory included the Battle of Gettysburg, General William Tecumseh Sherman's march through the South, and the eventual surrender of General Robert E. Lee at Appomattox Court House in April 1865. The victory resulted in the preservation of the United States, the abolition of slavery, and the beginning of Reconstruction. -
Black Codes
1865-1866. Black Codes were laws passed in Southern states after the Civil War, particularly in 1865 and 1866, to restrict the freedoms of African Americans. Aimed to maintain a labor force similar to slavery by limiting black people's rights to own property, work in certain occupations, and move freely. They also sought to control labor contracts and enforce harsh penalties for vagrancy. The Black Codes led to the passage of the 14th and 15th Amendments and were a precursor to Jim Crow laws. -
Period: to
Reconstruction
Integrating AAs, readmitting Southern states, rebuilding damage. 10% plan from Lincoln. Wade-Davis Bill: 50% of electorate to swear oath of allegiance. Successes
- Southern men could vote
- Elected gov. positions replaced appointed
- Public schools/institutions created
- Industrial and rail development started
- AAs in Southern govs. Failures
- High tax rates/public opp.
- Propaganda war against Reconstruction
- Corruption of Northerns and Southerners
- Political scandals during Grant's -
Civil Rights Act of 1866
Attempted to protect the rights of newly freed slaves, but was largely ineffective due to lack of enforcement and Southern resistance. -
Reconstruction Acts
Creating five military districts and imposing military rule on the South. The acts aimed to protect freedmen’s rights and ensure their participation in politics. -
14th Amendment
Granted citizenship to former slaves and prohibited states from denying equal protection of the laws to citizens. -
Period: to
Political Scandals During Grant's Administration
- Black Friday (1869)
- Credit Mobilier Scandal (1872)
- New York Custom House ring (1872)
- Star Route frauds (1872-1876)
- Sanborn incident (1874)
- Pratt Boyd scandal (1875)
- Whiskey Ring (1875)
- Delano affair (1875)
- Trading post scandal (1876)
- Alexander Cattell Co. scandal (1876)
- Safe burglary (1876) Diverted public's attention from postwar conditions in the South.
-
First AA Senators
Hiram Revels and Blanche K. Bruce become first Black senators in 1870 and 1875. -
15th Amendment
Prohibited states from denying the right to vote based on race, color, or previous condition of slavery. However, Southern states implemented Jim Crow laws and literacy tests to disenfranchise African Americans. -
Ku Klux Klan
Authorized the President to suspend habeas corpus and use the military to suppress Klan violence and terrorism. -
Election of 1876 (Hayes)
Samuel J. Tilden won popular vote. Hayes won electoral so won. Hayes pulled federal troops from Southern states making life for AAs worse. -
Compromise of 1877
Ended Reconstruction, allowing Rutherford B. Hayes to become president and withdrawing federal troops from the South. This marked the beginning of Jim Crow laws and a century of racial segregation and discrimination. -
Robert Smalls and Party of South Carolina
An important African American leader and politician after the Civil War. Born enslaved, Smalls famously escaped slavery by commandeering a Confederate ship, the Planter, and delivering it to Union forces. After the war, he became a state legislator and U.S. Congressman, advocating for civil rights and African American suffrage. He was a member of the Republican Party and played a key role in post-war Reconstruction efforts in South Carolina.