Election of 1844
James k. Polk was a big believer in manifest destiny. He got the Oregon territory and started the Mexican-American River.
Texan independence
15th amendment
John Brown
Led a small raid on a federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry. His goal was to arm the southern slave population and incite a slave rebellion
Black codes
Restricted the civil rights of african americans in the south. Made it harder to vote, own property, even banned them from testifying against white people
Battle of Vicksburg
Granted the Union control of the entire Mississippi River. Cut the confederacy in half
Plan to completely cut off the south by blockading southern ports and eventually the Mississippi river
Stopped the president from removing a member of their cabinet without congressional approval (Johnson had tried to remove his secretary of war, who was a radical Republican)
Kansas-Nebraska act
divided Nebraska territory into 2 sections, Kansas and Nebraska. Put slavery to a vote in each new state. Effectively overturned the Missouri compromise!
Manifest destiny
Americans believed they had a God-given right to have a nation from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean.
Election of 1860
White supremacy
Radical Republicans
Gold rush
Gold was discovered in California, population skyrocketed
Dred Scott case
A slave in Missouri was taken to live in free Wisconsin, for two years, and he sued for his freedom. The Supreme Court ruled that slaves aren't citizens, and they are property so nobody can be deprived of their property without due process.
Bleeding Kansas
Fighting broke out between the pro and anti-slavery factions
Pres. Johnson violated the tenure of office act, and impeachment failed by one vote
All African Americans were citizens of the United States
Reconstruction acts
Divided the south into 5 zones under military occupation. Increased requirements for rejoining (also ratify 14th amendment and have universal suffrage)
Wilmot Proviso
Argued that slavery was a constitutional right, wanted line established in the Missouri Compromise to extend all the way westward to the Pacific.
Free Soil Party
Formed by abolitionists who wanted to ban slavery everywhere
Compromise of 1877
The contested election was decided by a Republican-leaning committee the obv chose the Republican candidate. Democrats threatened to filibuster
Republican party formed
A coalition of free soilers and whigs and northern democrats who's goal was to stop the spread of slavery.
Compromise of 1850
Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo
Fugitive slave act
Many northerners opposed the expansion of slavery, and abolitionists despised the law. There were often riots when Southerners would try to bring back a runaway slave.
Disputes over the Texas border sparked the conflict. American troops made it all the way to Mexico city.
