Visions of America chapter 12

John Brown

Abolitionist who was hanged after leading an unsuccessful raid at Harper's Ferry, Virginia (1800-1858)

Jefferson Davis

An American statesman and politician who served as President of the Confederate States of America for its entire history from 1861 to 1865

Ft. Sumter

April 12th, 1861- Confederate soldiers firing on this fort initiated the Civil War.

Harriet Tubman

Former slave who helped slaves escape on the Underground Railroad to Canada Made 19 trips

Stephen Douglas

Senator from Illinois who ran for president against Abraham Lincoln. Wrote the Kansas-Nebreaska Act and the Freeport Doctrine

Wage Slaves

northern factory workers who were discarded when too old to work (unlike the slaves who were still kept fed and clothed in their old age)

Fire-eaters

refers to a group of extremist pro-slavery politicians from the South who urged the separation of southern states into a new nation, which became known as the Confederate States of America. People would vote for New Mexico while California was free. Also, settled the tex/mex border

John Crittenden

senator from Kentucky who tried to save the Union by proposing a last minute compromise

Secession

the formal withdrawal of a state from the Union

Confederate States of America

A republic formed in February of 1861 and composed of the eleven Southern states that seceded from the United States

Lacompton Constitution

Constitution be pro-slavery people who didn't like the Topeka Constitution

Election of 1856: Republican Party, Know-Nothing Party

Democrat - James Buchanan (won by a narrow margin). Republican - John Fremont. Know- Nothing Party and Whig - Millard Fillmore. First election for the Republican Party. Know- Nothings opposed immigration and Catholic influence. They answered questions from outsiders about the party by saying "I know nothing".

Californios

Descendents of Spanish and Mexican conquerors; Spanish speaking inhabitants of California they were culture of Mexico carried to California. Lost titles to their land through legal obstacles that the new American gov't imposed

Election of 1860

Lincoln, the Republican candidate, won because the Democratic party was split over slavery. As a result, the South no longer felt like it has a voice in politics and a number of states seceded from the Union.

Border Ruffians

Missourians who traveled in armed groups to vote in Kansas's election during the mid-1850's

Millard Fillmore

Vice President, now president sympathized with south Together Douglas and him broke the compromise of 1850 and broke it down having them pass one at a time

Uncle Tom's Cabin

a novel published by harriet beecher stowe in 1852 which portrayed slavery as brutal and immoral 3000 sold a year

Gold Rush

a period from 1848 to 1856 when thousands of people came to California in order to search for gold. Boom towns

The panic of 1857 resulted in

clamor for a higher tariff and free homestead

Nativism

the policy of protecting the interests of native-born or established inhabitants against those of immigrants.

Southern Veto

the southern senior senators had a large block of power (blacks couldn't vote) and FDR couldn't challenge them, so farmers and domestic workers (mostly non whites) were excluded from social security Southerners liked equal representation in senate Seemed threatening