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Fugitive Slave Act
Required non-slave states to assist in the returning of escaped slaves -
Cotton Gin invented
Inventor Eil Whitney -
Gabriel Prosser's Rebellion (Summer 1800)
50 armed slaves around Richmond
Failed to gain control of a main road to Richmond
Someone tipped off the white authorities
Prosser and 25 of his followers were executed -
German Coast Uprising
Several hundred, poorly armed, slaves march on New Orleans
U.S. Army troops and state militia stop the march
More than 60 slaves died
The heads of the leaders were posted on poles along the Mississippi River as a warning -
Erie Canal Completed
The first and most successful of the artificial waterways. It was designed to link the the western markets to the eastern manufacturing. It lead to the building of of over 3,000 miles of canals by 1840. -
American Temperance Society founded
The American Temperance Society was founded by evangelicals in 1826. Their goal was to bring change in attitudes toward alcohol and its role in social life. -
Sabbatarian Movement
It was an attempt by evangelicals in 1828 to end mail service on Sundays, as a part of attempts to shut down all non-church activities on those days. The attempts were unsuccessful, but developed techniques for lobbying and reforms that would be used by other groups. -
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Slavery declines in Upper South
Growing Urbanization
Economy is better balanced between agriculture, manufacturing and trade, less tied to the plantations and slavery at this time so slave population makes up only half of the total percent it used to -
Nat Turner's Rebellion
Turner believed that he saw signs from heaven calling for vengeance against white oppressors
Led a small band of followers
Killed his owner the first day
Killed 60 more white people the following 2 days -
New England Anti-Slavery Society was founded
Helped by William Lloyd Garrison
Believed that abolitionism should be committed to two goals, immediatism a moral commitment to end slavery immediately and racial equality. -
Black Hawk's War
The defeat of the combined Sauk, Fox, and Potawatomi tribes forced those tribes to cede land promised them in an earlier treaty -
Texas becomes independent state
Under the command of Sam Houston the Texan army, along with volunteers from the American south, defeated the Mexican army at San Jacinto and established the independence of Texas. Gen. Santa Anna was captured while trying to escape. He was forced to sign a treaty in May 1836 recognizing Texas as an independent republic. -
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The Battle of the Alamo
Santa Anna refused to allow the Americans and heir allies rise up against him. A large army is raised in order to cruse the American led rebellion. As a result, the Americans declare complete independence from Mexico on March 2, 1836. On March 6, 1836 the Mexican army completely annihilated the defenders of the Alamo, 13 day siege, 4,000 Mexican troops, 187 defenders. -
The Massachusetts School Board was Established
The Massachusetts legislature established the nation's first state board of education in 1837. The head of this board, Horace Mann, demanded that the state assume centralized control over schools in Massachusetts. -
World Anti-Slavery Convention (London)
Refused to allow female delegates from the U.S.
Transformed the discontent of women into a movement for women's equality. -
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German/Irish Immigration Boom
From 1840 to 1860, 4.2 million immigrants entered the U.S. The majority of these were from Ireland and Germany. Political and religious problems, and Irish potato famine. 1 million Irish people died of malnutrition and 1.5 million came to America. -
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Oregon Trail Most Active
Oregon Territory was jointly held by the U.S. and Britain (Canada) since 1818. First settlements wouldn't start until 1830's. Reports of the region's fertility caught farmers' attention, especially after the economic collapse from the Panic of 1837. Major traveling groups began leaving together for safety in 842, and would continue until around 1855. Around 90,000 settlers in total migrated, with around 5,000 dying on the way. -
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Edmund Ruffin reform
Edmund Ruffin- Virginia planter, Promoted the use of Marl (Calcium rich seashell deposits, neutralized the highly acidic and worn out soil)
Called for farmers to plow deeper furrows, rotate crops and to upgrade their breeding stock
Known as the "Father of Soil Science" from his 1843-1860 activism -
Presidency of James K. Polk
Shared the expansionist visions of his fellow Democrats Was willing to obtain California and New Mexico by any means, unlike previous Democrats, was also interested in adding Texas and attempted a simultaneous combination of legal land purchase, encouraging revolt, and secret military positioning -
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"Know Nothing" Party Active
Nativist organizations. -
Mormon Migration to Utah
Founded by Joseph Smith in upstate New York in 1830. Led by Brigham Young, the Mormons established a new community at the Great Salt Lake in 1846. An annual influx of around 2,000 converts enabled the Mormon communities to grow rapidly. -
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Mexican-American War
Although they fought bravely, the Mexicans lacked the necessary leadership, modern artillery, and the naval capacity to stop the U.S.
By the end of 1846, the U.S. military had achieved all of its objectives in the Mexican borderlands.
Polk ordered General Winfield Scott to conquer Mexico City. General Zachary Taylor coordinated with him for a pincer attack towards the capital. On his approach, the Mexican government sued for peace, and signed the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848. -
Seneca Falls Convention
The first convention ever devoted to women's suffrage, or voting rights. Held in Seneca Falls, NY in 1848. Issued the "Declaration of Sentiments", a call for full female equality. -
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
The U.S. gained Texas north of the Rio Grande, California, and New Mexico (Which included Arizona, Utah, and Nevada). The U.S. agreed to pay the Mexican government $15 million, assume over $3 million in claims made by American citizens against Mexico, and Grants U.S. citizenship to Mexican residents in its new territories. -
Gold Rush
Sutter's Mill, California, gold is discovered and triggered an enormous mass migration that would last until around 1855. 1849, the population of California surged from 100,000 to 400,000, Chinese, Mexicans, free blacks, and slaves collectively made up over half the population, and only whites could vote. California became a state in 1850, slavery was immediately abolished in the territory, triggering another crisis between the slave and free states. -
Fort Laramie Treaty
The U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs organized a large gathering of tribes in 1851. Tried to draw boundaries for the various tribes, offering them $50,000 a year for 50 years (later reduced to 10 years by Congress) to make up for their reduced movements and loss of hunting. The Sioux, as the most dominant tribe, demanded and received additional land in what is now Nebraska and South Dakota. -
Gadsden Purchase
Established the final borders of the lower 48 states.