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Early Abolitionism
Many abolitionist wanted to abolish slavery. Sojourner Truth freed black woman who fought for black emancipation and women's rights.
Frederick Douglass was a black abolitionist who lectured for abolitionism; looked to politics to end slavery -
The importance of cotton
By 1840, cotton was the prior export of America. Americans depended on the export of cotton for the economy. -
Manifest destiny
Americans felt that God had destined them to spread their democratic institutions over the entire continent and over South America as well. -
Mexican-american war
Polk wanted to buy California (The Bear Flag Republic) from Mexico but relations with Mexico were poor due to the annexation of Texas. After Americans invaded Mexico, war was declared and The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ceded Texas and the area that included California to America for $15 million. This area was about half of Mexico. -
Gold in California
Gold was discovered in California and many people rushed to California, causing violence and disease that overwhelmed the small Californian government -
Kansas-Nebraska act
The Kansas-Nebraska Act was allowed people in the territories of Kansas and Nebraska to decide for themselves whether or not to allow slavery within their borders. The Act served to repeal the Missouri Compromise of 1820 which prohibited slavery north of latitude 36°30´.