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Missouri Compromise
Missouri Compromise- Encyclopedia Britannica
The Missouri Compromise balanced the slave and free states buy addmitting Maine as a free state and Missouri as a slave state; however, slaver was banned in the rest of the Louisiana Purchase north of latitude 36°30′. It was later reapealed in the Kansas-Nebraska Act and declared unconstitutional by the Dred Scott decision. -
"54-40 or Fight"
US History Calendar of 1844
In the Presidential election of 1844, James K. Polk coined the term in order to win the election by using the idea of manifest destiny that many Americans were passionate about at the time. Henry Clay was set to win the election by a landslide but was stopped by this slogan. -
Texas Annexation
Annexation of Texas- Texas State Historical Association
The annexation of Teaxas had been prolonged for years until James K. Polk was accepted into office. Polk was a strong supporter of western expansion and allowed Texas to be annexed as a state. However, this ledto the Mexican-Amercan War and ended the Republic of Texas. -
Wilmont Proviso
Wilmont Proviso- 1846
Honors US Civics Class Guided Notes
The Wilmont Proviso was presented by Democratic representative David Wilmont in order to appropiate $2 million to negotiate a treaty with Mexico. It wanted to outlaw slavery from the neew territories that were part of the Maxican Cession, however, it was defeated in the Senate due to Southern dominace -
Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo
Teaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo- About.com/American History
The treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo ened the Mexican-American War and was signed in the city of Guadalupe Hidalgo in Mexico. Mexico ceded 55% of its original territory to the United States and US paid Mexico $15 Billion for the land that was included within the document. There were additional factors to the document including civil rights, etc. -
Compromise of 1850
Honors US History Chapter 18 Class Notes- PowerPoint
The Compromise of !850 was a series of 5 bills that dealt with the issue of slaver, popular sovereignty, and the extension of the Missouri Compromise. The first bill annexed California as a State, while the 2nd bill allowed slavery in Utah and New Mexico territories via popular sovereignty. The texas border was settled and its debts paid in the the 3rd. Slave trade was outlawed in the capital in the 4th, and the 5th bill was a slave law. -
Gadsden Purchase
Gadsden Purchase- History Channel
The US minister of Mexico, James Gadsden, and the Presdient of Mexico, Santa Anna, signed the Gadsden Purchase in Mexico. The treaty settled the dispute of the Mexican border west of El Paso. The price was $15 million but was later reduced to only $10 million. The location was deemed a highly strategic location for the southern transcontinental railroad. -
Republican Party Founded
<a href='http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/republican-party-founded' >Republican Party- History Channel</a
After the completion of the Kansas-Nebraska Act and the disintigration of the Whig Party, anti-slavery whigs began meeting in the upper midwestern states in order to discuss the formation of a new party. They called it the Republican Patry and it quickly gained popularity and support in the North whil the South hated them and publicly threatend secession if they won the presidency -
Kansas Nebraska Act
Kansas-Nebraska Act- loc.gov
The Kansas Nebrask Act repealed the Missouri compromise in allowing slavery to be brought above to 36° 30´ latitude line. It allowed the residents of each state to decide whether or not slavery was to be allowed. Chaos apperared in Kansas over the slavery issue after the bill was passed -
Brooks-Sumner Incident
Honors US History Class Notes Chapter 18- PowerPoint
Charles Sumner gave a speech in the Senate that dealt with slavery. Sumner was anti-slavery and had apparently insulted the cousin of Preston Brooks. Brooks became insulted and attacked Sumner in the middle of the Senate floor with his cane, almost killing him. Brooks was ousted from the Senate, and then relected back into the House of Representatives by South Carolina with a full sluppy of canes. -
Harper's Ferry Raid
Honors US HIstory Class Notes- PowerPoint
John Brown, an abolishonist, lead a small group of men with the goal of capturing a Federal Arsenal in Harpers Ferry, Virginia. He wanted to lead a massive slave revolt, howevermany of the slaves refused to go dude tot he fear of being captured. John Brown decided to go along with only a few men. He successfully captured the aresenal but fought the US Government and failed. He was captured, put on trial, and execudted in December, 1859. -
Election of 1860
Honors US History Class Notes
The Presidential Election of 1860 consisted of 4 candidates, each in a separate party. Lincoln was a republican, John Bell was in the Constitutional Union, John Breckinridge was a Souther Democrat, and Stephen Douglas was a Northern Democart. This predicament tore the nation apart because Lincoln had won the presidency without a single southern state voting for him. It made them feel as though they were not part of the nation and only encourage civil war. -
Firing on Fort Sumter
Fort Sumter- History Channel
In Charlston Harbor in South Carolina, Fort Sumter was attacked y Confederate toops and was one of the major catalysts that started the American Civil War. Negotiation failed and the fort was bombarded with battry shells for 33 hours. Lincoln tried to send in food to the fort but not reinforcements, and so Alabama decided the the forts must be acquired by "either force or negotiation." -
First Battle of Bull Run
First Battle of Bull Run- History Channel
The First Battle of Bull Run is the first major land batle battle of the American Civil War. It happened at the Manassas Junction in Virginia and has an alternative name dubbed The Battle of Manassas. 35,000 Union troops marched from Washington D.C. to attack 20,000 Confederate toops at a small river known as Bull Run. The Confederacy won by breaking the right flank of the Union. -
Monitor v. Merrimack
Monitor v. Merrimack
The engadgement is known as the Battle of Hampton roads and was the Confederates effort to break the Union blockade in Norfolk and Richmond, Virgina. The Virgina, also known as the CSS Merimack, a ship built by the Confederates was heavily armored with powerful guns. The Monitor, built by the Union, was small vessel the barely rose above the water. The two ships fought however, the battle was inconclusive. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin
Uncle Tom's Cabin- History.com
Uncle Tom's Cabin is an anti-slavery novel writtern by Harriet Beecher Stowe. It sold over 300,000 copies within the first 3 months and got the attention of President Abraham Lincoln. Upon meeting Stowe, Lincoln reportedly said "So this is the little lady who made this big war." -
Battle of Gettysburg
Battle of Gettysburg- History Channel
The Battle of Gettysburg is considered one of the most significant battles in the American Civil War. It lasted from July 1 to July 3, 1863 with the victory of Union after General Robert E. Lee's attack known as "Pickett's Charge" failed after piecing through Union lines. He withdrwed towards Virigina with what was left of his beaten army. -
Sherman's March
Sherman's March- About.com
General William Sherman marched with his army from Atlanta to Savannah, Georgia, and wreaked havoc whereever he went. He striked into the heart of the confederacy and whe he was done he presented President Abraham Lincoln with Savannah as a 'Christmas Gift'. It was a clear victory for the Union with only 2,100 casualties out of 62,000 -
Appomattox Court House
Appomattox Court House- CivilWar.org
The remnants of John Brown Gordon's troops and Fitzhugh Lee's calvalry fought alongside General Robert E. Lee in determination to make one last stand against the Union. They gained ground but were stopped in their tacks by reinfocements in the form of infantry. Lee surrendered and it became one of thelast battles of the American Civil War.
