APUSH Ch. 18 Terms
California Gold Rush
1848 gold was discovered by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill, in Coloma, California. News of the discovery soon spread, resulting in some 300,000 men, women, and children coming to California from the rest of the United States and abroad. These early gold-seekers, called "forty-niners," traveled to California by sailing boat and in covered wagons across the continent, often facing substantial hardships on the trip. San Francisco grew from a small settlement to a boomtown, and roads, churches, schools and other towns were built throughout California. A system of laws and a government were created, leading to the admission of California as a state in 1850. Why Important? Since tens of thousands of people rushed to California in search of gold, California developed a state government and became a state.
Gadsen Purchase
1853 - After the Treaty of Guadelupe Hidalgowas signed, the U.S. realized that it had accidentally left portions of the southwestern stagecoach routes to California as part of Mexico. James Gadsen, the U.S. Minister to Mexico, was instructed by President Pierce to draw up a treaty that would provide for the purchase (10 million) of the territory through which the stage lines ran, along which the U.S. hoped to also eventually build a southern continental railroad. This territory makes up the southern parts of Arizona and New Mexico. Why Important? Completed Manifest Destiny
Ostend Manifesto
A Declaration (1854) issued from Ostend, Belgium by the U.S. ministers to Enlgand, France, and Spain, stating that Spain must sell Cuba to the U.S. for $20 million or the U.S. would be justified in taking Cuba by force. Why Important? It caused outrage among Northerners who felt it was a Southern attempt to extend slavery as states in Cuba would be southern states.
Birth of Republican Party
A coalition of the Free Soil Party, the Know-Nothing Party and renegade Whigs merged in 1854 to form the Republican Party, a liberal, anti-slavery party. The party's Presidential candidate, John C. Fremont, captured one-third of the popular vote in the 1856 election. They were motivated to form by the Kansas-Nebraska Act Why Important? Became the 2nd major political party and was sectional. This was the beginning of the sectional divide, North and South. Put the Union in peril.
Fugitive Slave Law of 1850
Also called the "Bloodhound Bill", this new law was created to crack down on escaping slaves and those helping them escape. It was one of the concessions to the south in the Compromise of 1850. It gave slave owners more rights to pursue runaway slaves. Under this law, fleeing slaves could not testify on their own behalf, and they were denied a jury trial. The federal commissioner who handled a runaway slave case received $5 is the runaway were freed, and $10 if they were not. It also gave harsher punishments to those who aided runaway slaves. Why Important? This new law was strongly resented by northern abolitionists. This act brought up antagonism in the north that paved the way to the Civil War.
Candidates in the 1848 Election
Democrats -- General Lewis Cass (believed in popular sovereignty) The Whigs -- Zachary Taylor The Free Soil Party -- Martin Van Buren ( a former president who condemned slavery) Why Important? Neither the Democrats or the Whigs wanted to discuss slavery, so the Free Soil Party formed and ran Van Buren. The Free Soil Party pulled enough votes away from the Democrats that the Whigs won.
Transcontinental Railroad
Completed in 1869 at Promontory, Utah, it linked the eastern railroad system with California's railroad system, revolutionizing transportation in the west Why Important? Created a coast-to-coast railroad across the U.S. which opened trade and travel.
1848 Election
Democrats nominate Lewiss Cass. Whigs nominate Zachary Taylor (Ol' Rough n' Ready). Free-soil party nominate former president Van Buren, opposed the extension of slavery into territories. Big issue: Squatter sovereignty; said that states should be able to decide whether or not they have slavery based on vote (mainly speaking of new states in west). Only dispute is that it makes Missouri Compromise useless. First election that everyone had to vote on same day. Zachary Taylor wins. Why Important? The Free-Soil party pulled enough votes away from the Democrats and Cass that Taylor won.
Three Great Senate Giants
Henry Clay -- "The Great Compromiser" John C. Calhoun -- "The Great Nullifier" Daniel Webster Why Important? These three senators, all aging, appeared together for the final time in 1850 to argue for a compromise to avoid Civil War. Calhoun died before the debate was over. Their eloquent arguments were successful and a compromise was reached. P. 422
U.S., visit to Japan
Japan was very isolated, but in 1852 President Fillmore sen Commodore Perry with a fleet of warships to Japan to try to open trade. A year later, the Japanese signed the Treaty of Kanagawa which established relations between U.S. and Japan. Why Important? Brought Japan into the modern world but less than 100 years later, the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor.
Compromise of 1850
Series of legislation addressing slavery and the boundaries of territories acquired during the Mexican-American War. California was admitted as a free state, Texas received financial compensation for relinquishing claim to lands West of the Rio Grande river, the territory of New Mexico was organized with popular sovereignty, the slave trade was abolished in Washington, D.C., and the Fugitive Slave Law was passed It temporarily defused sectional tensions in the United States, postponing the secession crisis and the American Civil War. Also repealed the compromise of 1820. Why Important? Postponed the tensions which were leading to a Civl War.
Popular Sovereignty
The doctrine that a individual states should vote whether to be a slave state or Free Why Important? Some people thought the doctrine was good because it took the slavery argument out of the government and let states decide. However, opponents believed the idea of states deciding could further the institution of slavery.
Decline of Whig Party
They were disorganized and only won 2 presidential contests (1840, 1848). They had largely disappeared by the end of the 1850's. Slavery issue and the Fugitive Slave Law badly hurt the Whigs. Why Important? They had electoral strength and fought to uphold the Union. Without the Whig party, there was more splitting.
Kansas-Nebraska Act
This Act set up Kansas and Nebraska as states. Each state would use popular sovereignty to decide what to do about slavery. People who were proslavery and antislavery moved to Kansas, but some antislavery settlers were against the Act. This began guerrilla warfare. Why Important? This really heightened the tensions between the North and the South over slavery
Harriet Tubman
United States abolitionist born a slave on a plantation in Maryland and became a famous conductor on the Underground Railroad leading other slaves to freedom in the North (1820-1913) Why Important? She was called "Little Moses" because she rescued more than 300 salves including her aging parents.
1852 Election
Whigs= Winfield Scott, Dems= Franklin Pierce, Free Soil= John Hale. Pierce wins the election which led to the death of the Whig party. Northern Whigs went to Free Soil party, Southern Whigs went to Democratic Party Franklin Pierce was a very bold pro-slavery president. Why Important? More division over slavery issue.
Expansion of slavery into Central American and Cuba
Why Important?
Results of the 1848 Election
Zachary Taylor Won. Neither the Democrats or the Whigs wanted to discuss slavery, so the Free Soil Party formed and ran Van Buren. The Free Soil Party pulled enough votes away from the Democrats that the Whigs won. Why Important? Free-Soiler Van Buren, although winning no state, polled 291,263 ballots and apparently diverted enought Democratic strength from Cass in the crucial state of New York to throw the election to Taylor
Underground Railroad
a system that helped enslaved African Americans follow a network of secret escape routes out of the South to freedom in the North Why Important? Since the South viewed these a "runaway slaves," the railroad caused increased tensions between the North and South.
Stephen Douglas
an Illinois statesman who authored the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which repealed the Missouri Compromise and heightened the slavery debate Why Important? He authored the Kansas-Nebraska Act which repealed the Missouri Compromise and furthered the slavery debate.
Mason Dixon Line
boundary between Pennsylvania and Maryland that divided the Middle Colonies from the Southern Colonies Why Important? The line was perceived as a divider between the free states and the slave states.
Free Soil Party
formed from the remnants of the Liberty Party in 1848; adopting a slogan of "free soil, free speech, free labor, and free men," it opposed the spread of slavery into territories and supported homesteads, cheap postage, and internal improvements. It ran Martin Van Buren (1848) and John Hale (1852) for president and was absorbed into the Republican Party by 1856. Why Important? It was the anti-slavery party .
