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Texas Annexation
Texas Annexation Texas becomes a state of the United States of America. Bought for $5 million and retains lands, and leads to a war with Mexico. -
Wilmot Proviso
(PowerPoint Notes) The Wilmot Proviso, proposed by David Wilmot, suggested the outlawing of slavery from the new territories that were part of the Mexican Cession. This would give more power to the North and those who were opposed to slavery. This upset the South very much, and it was defeated in the Senate. -
Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidago
Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo This treaty ended the war with Mexico.This agreement granted the United States with the land for the current states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. It also recognized the Rio Grande as American's southern boundary. -
Compromise of 1850
(PowerPoint Notes) The Compromise of 1850 was written by Stephen Douglas who adapted it from a compromise suggested by Henry Clay. Douglas' compromise had 5 key parts: California entered the Union as a free state, slavery in Utah and New Mexico territories would be decided by popular sovereignity, the Texas boder was settled and its debts paid, slave trade in Washington DC was outlawed, and there was a stricter fugitive slave law. This helped the nation avoid war and helped Northern growth. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin
(PowerPoint Notes) Uncle Tom's Cabin was written by Harriet Beecher Stowe and brought attention to the reality of slavery. As a result of the publication of this book, tensions between the North and the South escalated. -
Gadsden Purchase
(PowerPoint Notes) The Gadsden purchase was land bought from Mexico for ten million dollars. The purpose for buying this land was to build a railroad. As a result of the purchase, the lower 48 states were completed. Also, the railroad was successfully built. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
Kansas-Nebraska Act The act disregarded using the boundary created in the Missouri Compromise to decide whether or not a state would be a slave state or a free state. Instead, "popular sovereignty," the people, would be used to decide. -
Republican Party Founded
Founding of Republican Party Whigs met in Ripon, Wisconsin to establish a new party that was opposed to slavery, because the Whig Party had fallen apart after the Kansas-Nebraska Act. It was at one such meeting that the Republican Party was founded. The South opposed the party and threated to secede if a member of that party became President. When Lincoln became President, seven Southern states seceded. -
Brooks-Sumner Incident
(PowerPoint Notes) Senator Charles Sumner gave a speech protesting against slavery, and insulted a the South Carolina Senator who was related to Preston Brooks, a South Carolina Representative. Brooks then beat Sumner with a cane on the floor of the United States Senate. This displayed how divided the United States was over the issue of slavery. -
Harper's Ferry Raid
(PowerPoint Notes) John Brown, an abolitionist, lead a raid on a federal arsenal in Harper's Ferry, Virginia. The purpose of this was to start a slave rebellion, but no such rebellion occurred. The significance of this event was the formation of the belief in the South that many in the North were abolitionists willing to fight to free slaves, because they did not see Brown as a traitor in some parts. -
Election of 1860
Election of 1860 Candidates were Stephen Douglas, John Breckinridge, Abraham Lincoln, and John Bell. Lincoln won, causing the seccession of seven states. -
Firing on Fort Sumter
Fort Sumter Fort Sumter was the site of the first shots of the Civil War. United States forces occupied the fort after South Carolina's secession, causing a standoff with the state's forces. After the announcement from President Lincoln to resupply the fort, the fort was bombarded by Confederate troops who captured it and used it over the course of four years. This event contributed to the start of the Civil War. -
First Battle of Bull Run
First Battle of Bull Run (Manassas) The First Battle of Bull Run near Manassas Junction, Virginia was the first major land battle of the Civil War. Union troops marched to where the Confederate troops were, and the battle had begun. The Confederates were able to come away with a victory. This gave the South confidence in the future battles, but left many in the North shocked and they realized that the war would not be easy. -
Monitor v. Merrimack
Battle of Hampton Roads The battle between the ironclad warships of Monitor and Merrimack was the first in history. The Confederates tried to break through the Union blockade of the ports. There was no clear victor in the battle, but it did create a new era in naval warfare. -
Battle of Antietam
Battle of Antietam The Battle of Antietam is known as the bloodiest single-day battle in American history. There were approximately 22,000 casualities. Though there was no clear victory, Union General McClellan was able to stop the Confederates from advancing into the North, giving President Lincoln the political cover to issue his Emancipation Proclamation. -
Battle of Gettysburg
Battle of Gettysburg This battle is considered the most important one of the Civil War. The battle lasted a total of three days and began when Confederate General Lee's forces attacked the Union Army. They were able to cause many casualities, but suffered for more themselves and had to withdraw his army to Virginia. This battle was significant, because it showed that the Union was winning the war. -
Sherman's March
Sherman's March to the Sea Union General William T. Sherman led approximately 60,000 troops from Atlanta to Savannah, Georgia in what is called "Sherman's March to the Sea." The purpose of this was to strike fear in Confederate supporters so that they would stop fighting. This tactic was successful in the fact that it hurt Southern morale and made the end of the war come quicker. -
Apoomattox Court House
Appomattox Court House Site of the surrender of Confederate General Robert E. Lee. This surrender ended the Civil War. Preceding the surrender was the downfall of a weak Confederate army after the Union's Appomattox campaign. Their state prompted General Lee to send a letter to General Grant announcing his willingness to surrender.
