IB U.S History Chapter 13

Mexican-American War

(1846-1848) conflict after US annexation of Texas; Mexico still considered Texas it's own; victor:US; granted all land from Texas to California (minus the Gadsden purchase) in the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

What caused the Mexican war?

1)Mexico and US dispute what the southern border of Texas is. 2)Slidell's rejection: Mexico rejects our attempt to purchase the land. 3)US station troops south of the Nueces river. 4)Mexico fires at our troops and war breaks out.

Kansas-Nebraska Act

A controversial 1854 law that divided Indian territory into Kansas and Nebraska, repealed the Missouri compromise, and left the new territories to decide the issue of slavery on the basis of popular sovereignty. The measure led to bloody fighting in Kansas.

Squatter Sovereignty

A plan promoted by democratic presidential candidate senator Lewis Cass under which Congress would allow settlers in each territory to determine its status as free or slave.

Free-Soil Party

A political movement that opposed the expansion of slavery. In 1848 the free-soilers organized the Free-Soil Party in 1848, which depicted slavery as a threat to republicanism and to the Jeffersonian ideal of a freeholder society, arguments that won broad support among aspiring white farmers.

Gadsden Purchase

A small slice of land (now part of Arizona and New Mexico) purchased by President Franklin Pierce in 1853 for the purposes of building a transcontinental rail line from New Orleans to Los Angeles.

Manifest Destiny

A term coined by John L. O'Sullivan in 1845 to express the idea that Euro-Americans were fated by God to settle the North American continent from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean. It implied that the spread of American republican institutions and protestant churches across the continent was part of God's plan for the world.

Wilmot Proviso

An 1846 proposal by representative David Wilmot of Pennsylvania to ban slavery in the territory acquired from the Mexican-American war. The proviso enjoyed widespread support in the north, but Southerners saw it as an attack on their interests.

Ostend Manifesto

An 1854 manifesto that urged President Franklin Pierce to seize the slaveowning province of Cuba from Spain. Northern Democrats denounced this aggressive initiative, and the plan was scuttled.

Abraham Lincoln

Born in Kentucky to impoverished parents and mainly self-educated; a Springfield lawyer. Republicans chose him to run against Senator Douglas (a Democrat) in the senatorial elections of 1858. Although he lost victory to senatorship that year, Lincoln came to be one of the most prominent northern politicians and emerged as a Republican nominee for president. Although he won the presidential elections of 1860 he was a minority and sectional president (he was not allowed on the ballot in 10 southern states).

How was the American acquisition California similar to, and different from, the American-led creation of the Texas republic (discussed in chapter 12)?

Both were desired by the Americans for expansion.

Why was sectional compromise impossible in 1860, when such compromises had previously worked in 1820 and 1850?

By the election of 1860, the South believe that the north, with Lincoln as president would end slavery and ruined their way of life. So once again they threatened to secede. However, this time, the north did not give in to the South, and elected Lincoln as president. Although Lincoln had never threatened to end slavery, the South felt that their time had come, and seceded from the union. The north and south had become so divided and ignorant on the issue of slavery that no compromise could be achieved. Neither side was willing to give up any ground they had already gained.

Fugitive Slave Act

Came from the compromise of 1850; paid federal commissioners were appointed and given authority to issue warrants, gather,possess and force citizens to help catch runaway slaves; the slaves could not testify in their own behalf, "man stealing law". Shocked moderates into being anti-slavery.

Stephen Douglas

Created the Kansas-Nebraska act, ran for president against Lincoln, wanted to expand westward and give Chicago the upper hand of having the railroad. He destroyed the compromise of 1850 and the Missouri compromise of 1820, indirectly created the Republican Party, with his Kansas-Nebraska act. Which further sectionalized the north and south territories.

"Fifty-four forty or fight!"

Democratic candidate governor James K.Polk's slogan in the election of 1844 calling for American sovereignty over the entire Oregon country, stretching from California to Russian-occupied Alaska.

What were the benefits and costs of the Mexican war both immediately and in the longer run of American history?

Expanded the country is immediate benefit. It increased power. US had way more resources and room to move out too. Human cost of the Mexican war was great. Apart of the human cost was the governing issue in the relations with the Mexican people. We took a third of their country. We aren't on speaking terms with Mexico to the 20th century. There is an issue of slavery. So much of the land we get when the Mexican war is spiraled into the role we play in the Civil War.

Why did the fugitive slave act fail?

Firstly many northerners opposed it in general, the risked fines and imprisonment and help fugitives. There were even rebels that killed two slave catchers. Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel "Uncle Tom's cabin" showed slavery through a sad and personal way, encouraging petitions and sold many copies. The Personal liberty laws were passed in the north. And in the Ablemen vs. Booth case made a point of saying that Fugitive Slave Act was unconstitutional because it violated states rights. Denied authority of judiciary to view decision.

Zachary Taylor

General that was a military leader in the Mexican American war and the 12th president of the United States. He was a Whig. Sent by President Polk to lead the American army against Mexico at Rio Grande, but defeated. Died in 1850.

Roger Taney

He was Chief Justice for the Dred Scott case. A decision was made on March 6, 1857. Roger Taney ruled against Dred Scott. Scott was suing for freedom because of his long residence in free territory. He was denied freedom because he was property at any state and his owner could take him into any territory and legally hold him as a slave. This court ruling was a major cause in starting the Civil War.

What was Lincolns position on slavery and people of African descent during the 1840s and 1850s?

His position, was that slavery should be abolished. He said blacks should have equal economic opportunity but not equal political rights.

What did conscience Whigs, David Wilmot, and free-soldiers have in common, and why did they all rise to prominence between 1846 in 1848?

They didn't like Polk's policies. They all rose to prominence between 1846 and 1848 because they had an impact voting wise.

Why did party politicians initially oppose the annexation of Texas, and how did this view change during the election of 1844?

They opposed it because they didn't support anything Tyler had to say since he thwarted Clay's nationalist economic program. This view changed during the election of 1844 by Clay being nominated by the Whigs and ultimately supporting annexation.

Why did northern Democratic presidents, such as Pierce and Buchanan adopt pro-slavery policies?

To keep the union from separating and to win more political support.

Winfield Scott

United States Army general. Unsuccessful presidential candidate for Whigs in 1852. "Old fuss and feathers" national hero after Mexican American war. Served as military governor of Mexico City. Lost to democrat Franklin Pierce.

How could a fanatical and violent man like John Brown come to be regarded as a hero by millions of Northerners?

John Brown attempted to free people who were held in cruel and violence bondage and he was inspiring them to rise up against those who are oppressed and enslaved of them. John Brown was confronting a violent enemy.

John Brown

John brown was a militant abolitionist that took radical extremes to make his views clear. In May of 1856, Brown led a group of his followers to Pottawatomie creek and launched a bloody attack against proslavery men killing five people. This began violent retaliation against Brown and his followers. This violent attack against slavery helped give Kansas it's nickname, "bleeding Kansas". This movement was stopped and they were hung at Harpers Ferry.

Battle of Buena Vista

Land battle of the Mexican American war fought on February 23, 1847. The numerically disadvantaged invading US Army, using heavy artillery, successfully repulsed the Mexican attack on their position.

Personal-Liberty Laws

Laws enacted in many northern states that guaranteed to all residents, including alleged fugitives, the right to a jury trial. Northern state legislators passed these laws to counteract the fugitive slave act, which they claimed violated state sovereignty.

Compromise of 1850

Laws passed in 1850 that were meant to resolve the dispute over the spread of slavery in the territories. Key elements included the admission of California as a free state and the Fugitive Slave Act

Lincoln-Douglas Debates

Lincoln challenged Stephen Douglas to a series of 7 debates. Though Douglas won the Senate seat, these debates gave Lincoln fame and helped him to later on win the presidency. These debates are foreshadowing of the Civil War.

Did the idea of manifest destiny actually cause events, such as the political support for territorial expansion, or simply justify actions taken for other reasons?

Manifest destiny caused events rather than justifying actions taken for other reasons. This is seen when squatters and farmers are seen taken over people they see as "inferior" (Native Americans and Mexicans).

How was the idea of manifest destiny used to justify expansionism?

Manifest destiny was used as a reason to move the Indians off the land and was especially used as a justification for the war with Mexico in the 1840s.

What were the main changes caused by the huge increase in California's population and its composition between 1849 and 1870?

Murder of Indians to push them off non-reservation lands, selling of Indians and etc.

Lewis Cass

Name father of "popular sovereignty". Ran for president in 1848 but general Zachary Taylor won. The north was against Cass because popular sovereignty made it possible for slavery to spread.

Harriet Beecher Stowe

Novelist. Wrote uncle Tom's cabin, a book about a slave who is treated badly, in 1852. The book persuaded more people, particularly Northerners, to become anti-slavery.

Oregon Trail

Pioneer trail that began in Missouri and crossed the Great Plains into the Oregon territory; main route across the Great Plains and the Rocky Mountains; after the coming of the railroad, the trail fell into disuse and was finally abandoned in the 1870s.

John Slidell

Prior to the Mexican American war President Polk sent John Slidell to Mexico to negotiate an agreement between that the Rio Grande river would be the southern border of Texas. Instructed to offer 30 million for California. Mexico denied Slidell's mission and war was declared on May 13, 1846.

What were the main policy objectives of the Republican American parties?

Republican Party opposed slavery and argued to drive down the wages of free workers and degraded the dignity of manual labor. They praised a society based on "the middling classes who own the soil and work it with their own hands."

John C. Frémont

Republican. Was against extension of slavery in territories. An American military officer, explorer, the first candidate of the Republican Party for the office of president of United States, and the first presidential candidate of a major party to run on a platform in opposition to slavery.

Why did some Great Plains people flourish between 1750-1860 while others did not?

Some great plains people flourished while others did not because the select few have more resources such as gun and partially survived from the diseases.

"Bleeding Kansas"

Term for the bloody struggle between proslavery and anti-slavery factions in Kansas following its organization as a territory in the fall of 1854.

Dred Scott vs. Sanford

The 1857 Supreme Court decision that ruled the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional. The court ruled against slave Dred Scott who claimed travels with his master into free states made him and his family free. The decision also denied the federal government the right to exclude slavery in the territories and declared that African-Americans were not citizens.

How did each of the major crisis events of the 1850s contribute advent of the Civil War?

The Kansas Nebraska act and two territories opened to popular sovereignty most states agreed to this because popular sovereignty in each territory. Kansas Nebraska obliterated the Missouri compromise.

Why was the Texas annexation so controversial?

The Texas annexation was so controversial because adding Texas to the United States would inflame sectional tensions between the abolitionist north and the slaveholding south. The Whigs were generally opposed to expansion that included slavery, while the Democrats supported such growth.

What was the relationship between the collapse of the second party system and the Republican victory in the election of 1860?

The Whig party could not agree on the issue of slavery. This hurt them and caused them to endorse the constitutional union during the election of 1860 which was attempting to keep the union together. But by not taking a side on slavery this third-party had little to no chance at winning the election. The Republican Party was able to receive the most votes (all from the north) which caused them to win the election.

Freeport Doctrine

The argument presented by Senator Stephen A. Douglas that a territory's residents could exclude slavery by not adopting laws to protect it. This position pleased neither proslavery nor anti-slavery advocates.

How did the compromise of 1850 resolve the various disputes over slavery, and who benefited more from its terms?

It Resolved disputes like if California can be free or not, and it organized Mexican territory and it calmed the South down a little bit by giving them a fugitive slave act. In truth, the South had more benefits than the North.

Why did Douglas' "popular sovereignty" approach to the slavery question prove to be unworkable in Kansas and elsewhere?

It was an unworkable because Douglas was thinking that voting on the issue in the state would be honestly done. What happened, in fact, was that the people from Missouri and other bordering territories would move into the state and vote even if they didn't live there. They would vote for the side they were on and so the vote would never be the true vote from the citizens of the territory. Results were always disputed and this led to even more tension between the two sides and was just another factor leading to the Civil War.

Forty-niners

The more than 80,000 settlers who arrived in California in 1849 as part of that territory's gold rush.

James K. Polk

The president in 1845 who was called "Young Hickory". Promised 4 things: 1)to settle the Oregon question(Russia, England, Spain and US all claim Oregon but US have the most people already living there), 2) secure California, Texas and New Mexico, 3) create independent national treasury (basically a new Bank of America) 4) lower tariffs.

Since Lincoln had guaranteed to protect slavery in the states where it existed, why did the seven southern states secede as soon as he was elected?

The southern states didn't believe him. The Republican Party was the anti-slavery party, and Lincoln was elected on the strength of northern votes. Southern states felt that they were getting a government imposed on them from the north, a sort of tyranny of the majority. By this time in history the slavery issue, and other related economic issues, had become so toxic that each side were becoming unmovable in their demands and expectations. The time for compromises and agreements had past. Had a democrat been elected, it would simply have put off the inevitable. It was not Lincoln as such, it was the party he was part of and what it represented that made the Southern states believe the time had come for secession. But Lincoln became the symbol for all the South feared, and as such he was demonized in the south.