Terms

Gabriel Prosser, Denmark Vesey, Nat Turner

These men were former slaves who organized slave rebellions. All three of these men were unsuccessful in their attempted mutinies.

Harriet Tubman, The Underground Railroad

Tubman organized a secret getaway for fugitive slaves. She was a prominent abolitionist.

American Colonization Society

This society was rather ironic; in order to help the blacks in the U.S., the A.C.S. decided that all blacks should be sent back to Africa.

James G. Birney, The Liberty Party

This was the political party which believed in the anti-slavery movement. Birney was its presidential candidate.

personal liberty laws

These laws, passed by the Northern states, made it difficult for the Fugitive Slave Law to be enforced.

Southern Apologists; George Fitzhugh

The Apologists were pro-slavery. George Fitzhugh was one of the most prominent Apologists ever.

American Antislavery Society

This society was founded by William Lloyd Garrison and was a very powerful anti-slavery organization.

"Gag" rule

In Congress, the South passed a law stating that any abolitionist petitions would be tabled, not discussed. John Quincy Adams killed this rule long after his presidency.

Hinton Helper; The Impending Crisis of the South

Helper was a white Southerner who wrote The Impending Crisis to show that slavery was economically bad for the South.

Compromise of 1850

This compromise contained 6 parts.

• California would enter the Union as a free state.

• The disputed territory between Texas and New Mexico would go to New Mexico.

• The assumption of the Texas debt was in the hands of the federal government.

• A stricter fugitive slave law would be enforced.

• Popular sovereignty would be applied to the New Mexico and Utah territories.

• The slave trade would be abolished in Washington, D.C.

Free Soil Party

This party existed in hopes of stopping the spread of slavery.

John C. Fremont

He was the leader of the California Bear Flag Republic.

Conscience Whigs

These Whigs were against slavery.

Cotton Whigs

These were owners of northern cotton mills who supported slavery.

Kansas-Nebraska Act, 1854; Stephen Douglas

This act, proposed by Stephen Douglas, repealed the Missouri Compromise to please the South. Also, Kansas and Nebraska would have popular sovereignty.

"Bleeding Kansas"

These were feuds over popular sovereignty and the Kansas-Nebraska Act.

Brooks-Sumner Affair

This involves a young politician, an aging Sumner, and a weapon. This incident was also recognized as "Bleeding Sumner." Think about it.

Popular Sovereignty, Lewis Cass

This was the policy of allowing the popular vote to decide if slavery would or would not be instituted in an area. In theory, it sounds good, but only resulted in violence and discontent. It was proposed by Lewis Cass.

Ostend Manifesto

This was the plan to buy Cuba.

Lecompton Constitution

This shows that popular sovereignty truly doesn't work. Elections were held to decide on slavery, and all of the ballots were rigged by both sides. These elections were totally fraudulent.

Lincoln-Douglas Debates

These were debated for leadership of Illinois. They were focused on the issue of slavery. Douglas, it seems, won these debates.

Freeport Doctrine

This turned the South against Douglas; it was a legal way to get around the Dred Scott decision.

Fort Sumter

This was the beginning of the real tensions between the North and South. South Carolina had already seceded from the Union. Northern troops were still left in forts in South Carolina (Forth Sumter). Lincoln decided to send nothing but food and clothing to the soldiers to survive, but the South retaliated with violence. Lincoln then called for war.

Jefferson Davis; The Confederate States of America

Davis was the president of the states which seceded from the Union.

John J. Crittenden

He was the Kentucky Senator who desired to reinstate the Missouri Compromise.

James Buchanan

He was a very weak president who was elected in 1856. He had no stand on issues, and at this time, it made him a horrible president.

Calhoun's theories

Calhoun's theory of a "concurrent majority" stated that if 3/4 of the vote was for the nullification of a law, then the law was dead.

John Brown; Harpers' Ferry

John Brown was a radical abolitionist who organized a massive uprising at Harper's Ferry. He was found and hanged for his conspiracies. He was insane and lived in a small shack which he called his "fort."

Abraham Lincoln

He was a leading Free-Soiler at this time. Once he became president, the Southern states began seceding.

Dred Scott Decision

This decision declared that the Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional and that slaves were indeed property.

Harriet Beecher Stowe; Uncle Tom's Cabin

This was a risky novel written by a white northerner about slave life in the South. It outraged most southerners and was called off the market in several Southern states.