Luisiana Purchase
U.S purchased Louisiana territory for $15,000, which doubled the size of our country.
Manifest destiny
A notion held by a nineteenth-century Americans that the United States was destined to rule the continent, from the Atlantic the Pacific.
santa anna
Mexican general and dictator whose large army failed to defeat the Texans
president polk
11th President of the United States (his expansionism led to the Mexican War and the annexation of California and much of the southwest (1795-1849)
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 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.
lewis and clark
Sent on an expedition by Jefferson to gather information on the United States' new land and map a route to the Pacific. They kept very careful maps and records of this new land acquired from the Louisiana Purchase.
pony express
Established in 1860 to carry mail quickly from Missouri to Sacramento. Tiny people would ride ponies to stations ten miles apart and it would only take 10 days. The enterprise lost money and collapsed after 18 months, but it boosted technology later leading to machinery.
mormons
church founded by Joseph Smith in 1830 with headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah, religious group that emphasized moderation, saving, hard work, and risk-taking; moved from IL to UT
mining frontier
The discovery of gold in CA in 1848 caused the first flood of newcomers to the West. A series of gold strikes and silver strikes in what became the states of Colorado, Nevada, Idaho, Montana, Arizona, and South Dakota kept a steady flow of hopeful young prospectors pushing into the Western mountains.
cattle frontier
the migration of many people west to take up cattle ranching, which was a quick way to make cash. All you needed was a couple cows which you allowed to graze until fat and then shipped off to the east coast where meat was in high demand. This was a temporary frontier because soon the supply of cattle overwhelmed the demand.
land speculation
buy land then sell if for a huge profit, in the West- hang on to land, wait for price to rise, sells for money surplus but if price goes down, screwed, can't even pay back loan
homestead act
Passed in 1862, it gave 160 acres of public land to any settler who would farm the land for five years. The settler would only have to pay a registration fee of $25.
morrill act
passed by Congress in 1862, this law distributed millions of acres of western lands to state governments in order to fund state agricultural colleges.
north-west ordinance
it set up a government for the north west territory to guarante basic rights to settlers, no slavery, established that a state can be a stated if there is enough population and the area applies for statehood. establishes that the locals will run the school.
tecumseh confederacy
this was the only way for native americans to protect their homelands against intruding white settlers, All tribes of Mississippi valley. Sought to end Western expansion.
president andrew jackson
was known to support states' rights, but he still believed the federal government had the right to set tariffs. Indian removal act
indian removal act
Passed in 1830, authorized Andrew Jackson to negotiate land-exchange treaties with tribes living east of the Mississippi. The treaties enacted under this act's provisions paved the way for the reluctant—and often forcible—emigration of tens of thousands of American Indians to the West.
trail of tears
The Cherokee Indians were forced to leave their lands. They traveled from North Carolina and Georgia through Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, and Arkansas-more than 800 miles (1,287 km)-to the Indian Territory. More than 4, 00 Cherokees died of cold, disease, and lack of food during the 116-day journey.
treaty of fort laramie
hoping to ensure peace, the federal government negotiated this treaty in 1851. eight native american groups agreed to specific geographical boundaries, while the u.s. promised that these territories would belong to the native americans forever
destruction of buffalo
By 1889, as few as 1,100 buffalo remained in the entire country. Reasons; Fur robes, buffalo-hide leather for belts to drive machines, and Buffalo hunting.
transcontinential railroad
Completed soon after the war ended intensified the westerward movement of settlers into the states between the Mississippi River and the Pacific Ocean.
turner thesis
1893 theory of frederick jackson turner that claimed to forntier had payed a key role in the forming the american character
abolitionists
believed that slavery should be prohibited everywhere in US; conflict over slavery increases; Harriet Beecher Stowe and Uncle Tom's Cabin
cotton gin
Invented by Eli Whitney in 1793. It removed seeds from cotton fibers. Now cotton could be processed quickly and cheaply. Results: more cotton is grown and more slaves are needed for more acres of cotton fields
missouri compromise
The issue was that Missouri wanted to join the Union as a slave state, therefore unbalancing the Union so there would be more slave states then free states. The compromise set it up so that Maine joined as a free state and Missouri joined as a slave state. Congress also made a line across the southern border of Missouri saying except for the state of Missouri, all states north of that line must be free states or states without slavery.
tallmadge amendment
no further introduction of slaves into Missouri, all children born to slaves to become free at 25
emancipation
the freeing of slaves
wilmont proviso
Law passed in 1846 that banned slavery in any territories won by the United States from Mexico.
calhoun doctrine
created to prevent congress from being able to place restrictions on slavery. They could take their property to any territory and slaves were considered property
popular sovereign
This idea was used in the Kansas-Nebraska Act in 1854; led to the "Border War". Popular sovereignty or the sovereignty of the people is the principle that the legitimacy of the state is created and sustained by the will or consent of its people, who are the source of all political power. People decide.
compromise of 1850
agreement over slavery by which California joined the Union as a free state and a strict fugitive slave law was passed
stephen douglass
a Democratic Senator from Illinois who debated Abraham Lincoln during his run for Senator in the Lincoln-Douglass Debates. He was an avid supporter of the Compromise of 1850, supported popular sovereignty.
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.
uncle toms cabin
1852, harriet beecher stowe, antislavery book, widely read- hated by southerners - made northerners more skeptical of slavery
bleeding kansas
A sequence of violent events involving abolitionists and pro-Slavery elements that took place in Kansas-Nebraska Territory. The dispute further strained the relations of the North and South, making civil war imminent.
republican party
Political party that believed in the non-expansion of slavery and comprised of Whigs, Northern Democrats, and Free-Soilers, in defiance to the Slave Powers
james buchanon
Won the Presidential election of 1856; he was a Democrat who believed each state should decided slavery or free for themselves; :He won ALL southern States! (except Maryland)
know nothing party
Political party of the 1850s that was anti-Catholic and anti-immigrant
free-soilers
Northern antislavery politicians, like Abraham Lincoln, who rejected radical abolitionism but sought to prohibit the expansion of slavery in the western territories
dred scott case
Supreme Court case which ruled that slaves are not citizens but are property, affirmed that property cannot be interfered with by Congress, slaves do not become free if they travel to free territories or states, fueled abolitionist movement, hailed as victory for the south
lincoln douglass debates
a series of senatorial campaign debates in 1858 focusing on the issue of slavery in the territories, it was held in Illinois between Republican Lincoln who made a national reputation for himself, and democrat Senator Douglass who held his seat
free port doctrine
The claim by Stephen Dougles that argued that people could still keep slavery out by refusing to pass the laws needed to regulate and inforce it
john brown
An abolitionist who attempted to lead a slave revolt by capturing Armories in southern territory and giving weapons to slaves, was hung in Harpers Ferry after capturing an Armory
harper's ferry
John Brown's scheme to invade the South with armed slaves, backed by sponsoring, northern abolitionists; seized the federal arsenal; Brown and remnants were caught by Robert E. Lee and the US Marines; Brown was hanged
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.
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
crittenden proposal
A desperate measure to prevent the Civil War, introduced by John Crittenden, Senator from Kentucky, in December 1860. The bill offered a Constitutional amendment recognizing slavery in the territories south of the 36º30' line, noninterference by Congress with existing slavery, and compensation to the owners of fugitive slaves. Republicans, on the advice of Lincoln, defeated it.
fort sumter
Federal fort in the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina; the confederate attack on the fort marked the start of the Civil War
upper south
Designation used in the Civil War encompassing the states of Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Arkansas
bull run
1st real battle, Confederate victory, Washingtonian spectators gather to watch battle, Gen. Jackson stands as Stonewall and turns tide of battle in favor of Confederates, realization that war is not going to be quick and easy for either side
thomas stonewall jackson
he was a confederate general who was known for his fearlessness in leading rapid marches bold flanking movements and furious assaults. he earned his nickname at the battle of first bull run for standing courageously against union fire. During the battle of chancellorsville his own men accidently mortally wounded him.
george mcclellan
He was a Union general that was in charge during the beginning of the war. He defeated Lee, at Antietam, securing a much needed Union victory.
robert e lee
Confederate general who had opposed secession but did not believe the Union should be held together by force
antietam
the first major battle in the American Civil War to take place on Northern soil. It was the bloodiest single-day battle in American history, with almost 23,000 casualties. After this "win" for the North, Lincoln announced the Emancipation Proclamation
gettysburg
The most violent battle of the American Civil War and is frequently cited as the war's turning point, fought from July 1 - July 3, 1863.
ulysses s grant
an American general and the eighteenth President of the United States (1869-1877). He achieved international fame as the leading Union general in the American Civil War.
ironclads
This battle between the Monitor and Virginia changed naval warfare and made wooden ships obsolete.
william tecumseh sherman
Union General who destroyed South during "march to the sea" from Atlanta to Savannah, example of total war
march through georgia
March that General Sherman led through Georgia to the sea capturing many cities and forcing the Confederates to retreat.
border states
States bordering the North: Delaware, Maryland, Kentucky and Missouri. They were slave states, but did not secede.
emancipation proclamation
Lincoln issued it and freed all the slaves in the Confederate states, but slaves in Border States loyal to the Union remained enslaved. It only applied to states in rebellion (Confederate states). It led to slaves rebelling and joining the Union army and increased sympathy from Europe.
rifled muskets
Because of the use of _, some historians argue that the Civil War can be considered a modern war., Barrel has spirals, making bullet spin, longer range, etc.-development in warfare tactics, more accurate
reconstruction
the period after the Civil War in the United States when the southern states were reorganized and reintegrated into the Union
carpetbaggers
A derogatory term applied to Northerners who migrated south during the Reconstruction to take advantage of opportunities to advance their own fortunes by buying up land from desperate Southerners and by manipulating new black voters to obtain lucrative government contracts.
scallywags
white Southerners who supported radical Reconstruction policies after the American Civil War
william seward
Secretary of State who was responsible for purchasing Alaskan Territory from Russia. By purchasing Alaska, he expanded the territory of the country at a reasonable price.