Pt.

2 the death of Tecumseh at the Battle of Thames ended the

movement altogether.
Alien and Sedition Acts, 1798:
Conquered Nations policy (1780s):
The Alien and Sedition Acts were a set of laws passed
during John Adams’ presidency that targeted resistance
The conquered nations' policy was a statement made by the
towards American Migrants and those opposing the
young U.S. government after the American Revolution that
Federalist government. The acts gave the president full
started the Native tribes that remained after the war were to
authority to deport or remove from US lands any immigrant
be treated as conquered peoples/defeated rival nations. This
deemed dangerous by any means. There was not much or
allowed the government to justify their collection of native
any standard criteria to be considered dangerous. The
land more easily. By treating the native people as rivals
sedition act fully criminalized resistance and criticism of
who had been drafted and surrendered control, they
the government under John Adams which was often largely
avoided the making of any treaties or agreements and could
targeted towards the Alien Acts. Arrests were made of all
simply collect land.
who openly criticized such as papers, journalists,
politicians, etc. These acts were eventually seen as a
Civilization Program (1790s-1800s):
violation of the basic human right of free speech.
The civilization program was an initiative created by the
Revolution of 1800:
US government after the Conquered nation policy that
created a method of assimilating the natives whose land
The peaceful handover of power after the election of 1800
had been conquered into European American culture. The
from the federalist party of John Adams to the
program forced the natives into learning European farming,
Democratic-republican party of Thomas Jefferson. This
religion, customs, etc, and aimed to fully assimilate them
event set a lasting precedent for the peaceful transition of
into the culture. The true goal of the initiative however was
power in U.S. politics. Federalist fears of political chaos
for the expanding US to claim native lands. The mindset
were unfounded, as Jefferson took office without retaliation
started that as natives assimilated with Americans, their
against his opponents. The Mammoth Cheese gifted to
developed similarities would make the unconquered tribes
Jefferson symbolized the pride of rural agrarian farmers in
more lenient and hand over their land more easily.
this political shift.
However, the program did not live up to its envisioned
potential and resulted in more of a forceful conversion
War of 1812:
which foreshadowed more forceful and harsh initiatives
such as the Indian Removal Act of 1830.
The War of 1812 was a war fought between the British,
British pro-native tribes, and the American forces. It was
Indian Removal Act (1830):
fought over British-American marine rights such as trade,
import tax, trade routes, and rights concerning the natives,
The Indian Removal Act of 1830 was a petition signed by
their land, and westward expansion. The British allied with
Andrew Jackson that authorized the forceful
the natives by realizing their power and proximity were
relocation/removal of native tubes such as the Cherokee,
useful, and therefore showed respect to their terms. Here
Choctaw, Chickasaw, and Creek tribes. These tribes were
the Tecumseh/Pan-Indian Movement was bright to light
relocated southeast to lands west of the Mississippi River.
which was a central theme of the war of 1812. The war
The most famous aspect of the horrible treatment of the
ended with a treaty between the US and Britain. After the
Indian Removal Act was the trail of tears in which 1,000s
war, the US had much less difficulty expanding west which
of Cherokee people died.
fueled the transportation revolution.
Transportation revolution:
Tecumseh/Pan-Indian Movement:
The transportation revolution which took place from
Tecumseh, a Shawnee leader, spearheaded the Pan-Indian
around 1810-1840 was the development of new roads,
Movement. The movement was a direct rejection of
railroads, and canals that connected distant westward and
American statements about assimilation and the seasoning
southern parts of the US. These new connections allowed
of native land. The group of native tribes participating
for the development of the interstate slave trade, where
sought to preserve native culture and resist all efforts to
slaves from older southern slave states were migrated to
give control to the Americans. The movement became the
newer west slave states where cotton farming was more
biggest challenge for the Americans when the native tribes
prevalent. The revolution was also how factories in the
allied with British forces during the War of 1812. However,
north such as Lowell mills were able to access such a large
supply of raw materials and markets. True womanhood commonly known as the cult of true
womanhood was an ideal practice by many upper and
Lowell mills: middle class white households. It laid out the four key
virtues that these women were expected to practice. They
Lowell mills were a product of the transportation revolution were Piety, Purity, Domesticity, and Submissiveness.
and the cult of true womanhood that restricted young Women in the households were expected to live in their
women toi working from home. These women lived in private domestic spheres separate from politics, public
company-owned homes and forged textiles from their business, and work. These ideals both mixed and clashed
companies. The women were known as Lowell girls and with the ideals of the reality of the life of real
were subject to poor working and living conditions. working-class women in the Lowell mills. Feminist
activists, like Sarah and Angelina Grimke, challenged this
Cotton: idea by demanding equal rights for women.

Cotton was the driving force behind the southern economy. Sarah and Angelina Grimke:
The invention of the cotton gin made the production of
cotton easier and increased by 10-fold. This new demand Sarah and Angelina Grimke were sisters from a wealthy,
for more cotton fueled the need for more expansion into slaveholding family in South Carolina. The two sisters
western territories which was aided by the transportation became famous openly outspoken abolitionists whose
revolution. This called for a need for more slaves in the personal experiences involved in a slave state and family,
western states kike Mississippi and Alabama which gave them a strong backing and authority in the abolitionist
allowed the interstate slave trade to rank up. This community. They traveled across the North preaching to
large-scale trading of slaves closer to northern territories mixed-gender audiences about the true slavery of slavery in
and just expansion, in general, is what caused such high the South. Their representation of mixed-gender audiences
tensions between the North and South at this time. was most influential given that women at the time were not
expected to attend such protests under the cult of true
Interstate Slave Trade: womanhood. They argued that women had a moral
obligation to oppose the injustice that was slavery in the
The interstate slave trade was the forced migration of South. The Grimke sisters connected the fight against
slaves from the upper southern states such as Virginia to the slavery with the emerging women’s rights movement.
newly claimed states in the deep south like Alabama and
Mississippi. The newer deep southern states had created a Seneca Falls Convention (1848):
need for labor given their increased amount of cotton
farming. This increased need for labor called for the The Seneca Falls Convention was the first major women's
transportation of slaves across state lines. This, fueled by rights convention in U.S. history, held in Seneca Falls, New
the transportation revolution, led to many slave families York, in 1848. Organized by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and
being separated leaving a long line of trauma and despair Lucretia Mott, the convention produced the Declaration of
behind. The selling of slaves from old states to new ones Sentiments, which called for women's equality and
was now a vital part of the South's economy. demanded the right to vote. Modeled after the Declaration
of Independence, the document argued that "all men and
Mammoth cheese: women are created equal." The convention sparked the
beginning of the organized women’s suffrage movement,
In 1802 Farmers of the Democratic-Republican Party challenging the Cult of True Womanhood that confined
presented President Thomas Jefferson with a 1,200 lb women to the home. The women's rights movement
wheel of cheese that symbolized a democratic republican continued to grow, eventually leading to the ratification of
country based on the agricultural ideals of farmers. The the 19th Amendment in 1920.
cheese was a celebration of Jefferson’s victory and
symbolized the rural vs urban pride of the Republic of Texas (1836):
Democratic-Republican Party. The event highlighted the
divide in American politics of urban vs The Republic of Texas was an independent nation
rural/democratic-republican vs federalist. established after Texas declared independence from Mexico
in 1836. The Texas Revolution, led by figures like Sam
Houston, culminated in the Battle of San Jacinto, where
True Womanhood: Mexican forces after Santa Anna were defeated. For nearly
a decade, Texas existed as an independent republic before case of Anthony Burns. The Compromise of 1850 marked
being annexed by the U.S. in 1845, an event that another temporary solution to the growing sectional divide.
heightened sectional tensions over slavery. Because Texas
allowed slavery, its annexation was controversial and Anthony Burns (1854):
contributed to the lead-up to the Mexican-American War
(1846-1848). The Republic of Texas played a key role in Anthony Burns was an escaped enslaved man who was
U.S. expansion, and its annexation was one of the sparks captured in Boston under the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850.
for the larger debate over slavery in new territories. His arrest sparked massive abolitionist protests, as a large
crowd attempted to block his return to slavery. The federal
Wilmot Proviso (1846): government sent hundreds of troops to escort Burns to a
ship bound for Virginia, highlighting the brutal
The Wilmot Proviso was a proposal to halt the spread of enforcement of the Fugitive Slave Act. His case
slavery from any state of provenance annexed from Mexico symbolized the growing moral outrage in the North against
after the Mexican-American war. It was introduced by a the act, with abolitionists like Frederick Douglass using it
congressman in Pennsylvania. Its goal was to stop the as a rallying point. The Burns case heightened Northern
spread of slavery in the West. However, while it was passed resistance to slavery and exposed the federal government’s
in the House of Representatives, it was blocked by the role in upholding the institution of slavery.
southern-dominated Senate. The proviso and the arguments
to keep or remove it revealed massive divisions between John Brown/Harpers Ferry (1859):
the North and the South on top of what had already been
causing rising tensions. That foreshadowed the John Brown was a radical abolitionist who raided the
unsustainable tensions that would eventually lead to the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry in 1859. He attempted to
American Civil War. While it failed to become law, it raid the arsenal with the intention of arming enslaved
intensified the debate over the expansion of slavery into people and retreating back to the north. The raid evidently
new territories. failed and Brown was captured and executed for treason.
However, his death was viewed in two separate lights. The
North saw him as a martyr whereas the South viewed him
Missouri Compromise (1820): as a terrorist. This deepened the already massive crack that
was the tensions between the North and South over slavery.
The Missouri Compromise of 1820 was an agreement Brown's raid foreshadowed the coming Civil War, as it
between the North and South to allow Missouri to join the convinced many Southerners that the North sought to
Union as a slave state and Maine as a free state. This destroy slavery by any means necessary.
agreement allowed Congress to remain in balance and also
banned slavery above the 36’30 line across the southern Election of 1860:
border of Missouri. This calmed tensions between the
unbalanced slave states and northern states. However, this The election of 1860 allowed Abraham Lincoln to
was only one of several attempts to allow the two sides to dominate votes without winning over a single southern
co-exist without high tensions. slave state. His win was seen as such a threat to the slave
states since the North also planned to halt the westward
Compromise of 1850: expansion, and the South began to succeed from the Union
entry. Starting with South Carolina, each slave state began
The Compromise of 1850 was a group of five different to separate itself from the union with the understanding that
laws, all passed on the topic of slavery that aimed to ease they could not defend their right to slavery within the
tensions between the North and South’s unending union. This election was the final straw that led to the
disagreements. It called for California to be bought in as a beginning of the American Civil War. The split between
free state while popular sovereignty would be set in place Northern and Southern candidates in the election revealed
in Utah and New Mexico. It also passed a harsher fugitive just how divided the country had become.
slave act which simply gave citizens who caught runaway
slaves more power and lenience. The compromise also Anaconda Plan:
banned the interstate slave trade in DC to ease secession
and stop further territorial tensions, though not slavery The Anaconda Plan was the Union’s strategy to defeat the
altogether. The harsher Fugitive Slave Act enraged Confederacy during the Civil War. The plan, devised by
Northern abolitionists and fueled resistance, as seen in the General Winfield Scott, aimed to blockade Southern ports
and control the Mississippi River, effectively "strangling"
the South’s economy. By cutting off supplies and trade were being used to support the Confederate war effort.
routes, the Union hoped to force a Confederate surrender. Enslaved people who fled to Union lines were declared
The plan was slow, but it eventually succeeded, as Union "contraband of war" and were not returned to their
forces captured New Orleans and key points along the enslavers. The Second Confiscation Act (1862) went
Mississippi. The Anaconda Plan played a vital role in the further, declaring that all enslaved people held by
Union's ultimate victory. Confederate officials or supporters were to be freed,
regardless of how they were being used. These acts marked
a significant shift in federal policy, as they laid the
Battle of Manassas/Bull Run (July 1861): groundwork for the broader emancipation of enslaved
people. Together with the Emancipation Proclamation
The Battle of Manassas, also known as the First Battle of (1863), these acts helped undermine the institution of
Bull Run, was the first major battle of the Civil War. Taking slavery and allowed many formerly enslaved people to join
place in July 1861, it was a stunning Confederate victory the Union cause as soldiers and laborers.
that shattered the North’s expectation of a quick war. The
sight of Union forces retreating back to Washington, D.C.,
shocked Northerners and boosted Southern morale. The Militia Act (1862):
battle highlighted the inexperience of both armies and the
need for better training and leadership. Its aftermath led to The Militia Act of 1862 authorized the recruitment of
the realization that the war would be long and brutal, African American men into the Union Army as soldiers and
prompting the North to reconsider its strategy, eventually laborers. Previously, Black men had been barred from
leading to the development of the Anaconda Plan. enlisting, but as the war dragged on and Union manpower
needs grew, the policy shifted. This act allowed Black men
Battle of Antietam/Sharpsburg (Sept. 1862): to actively fight for their own liberation, with many joining
the newly formed United States Colored Troops (USCT).
The Battle of Antietam (also called the Battle of Their contributions were significant in battles such as Fort
Sharpsburg), fought on September 17, 1862, was the Wagner and Petersburg, where Black soldiers fought with
bloodiest single-day battle in American history, with over distinction. The Militia Act, coupled with the Emancipation
22,000 casualties. It was a tactical stalemate, but since Proclamation (1863), demonstrated a shift in the Union's
Confederate forces under General Robert E. Lee retreated, war aims, making the abolition of slavery a military
the Union claimed victory. This "victory" gave President objective.
Abraham Lincoln the political momentum he needed to
issue the Emancipation Proclamation (1863), redefining the
purpose of the war as a fight to end slavery. The battle also
discouraged European powers like Britain and France from Emancipation Proclamation (1863):
supporting the Confederacy. While tactically inconclusive,
Antietam was strategically significant, as it shifted the The Emancipation Proclamation was issued by Abraham
war's moral and political direction. Lincoln after the Battle of Antietam. It declared that all
enslaved people were freed by order of the federal
government. While it did not free all of those enslaved
given not all were told of the matter and the union could
Sherman’s “March to the Sea”: not make sure of its effectiveness, it strengthened the
purpose of the Civil War that succession was not the only
General William Tecumseh Sherman’s campaign from purpose for the fighting. The proclamation secondarily
Atlanta to Savannah, Georgia, employed "total war" tactics, paved the way for freed slaves to join the Union on the
targeting both military and civilian resources. His strategy front lines to strengthen the fighting power of the Union. it
of "scorched earth" destroyed Southern railroads, farms, weakened Southern morale and made it harder for the
and infrastructure, effectively breaking the Confederacy’s Confederacy to gain European support
will to fight.
Black Codes:
First Confiscation Act (1861)/Second Confiscation Act
(1862): After the Civil War, Southern states passed Black Codes,
laws that restricted the rights and freedoms of newly freed
The First Confiscation Act (1861) allowed Union forces to African Americans. These laws aimed to force Black
seize Confederate property, including enslaved people who people into low-wage labor and keep them socially and
economically subordinate. Black Codes were an attempt to with Britain, while Democratic-Republicans, led by
maintain a system of racial control similar to slavery. In Jefferson, favored states' rights and support for France. The
response, Congress passed the Reconstruction Acts, which two major parties that emerged were the Federalist Party
placed Southern states under military rule and required and the Democratic-Republican Party. The Federalists, led
them to guarantee Black male suffrage. The Black Codes by Alexander Hamilton and John Adams, supported a
highlighted the ongoing struggle over Black freedom strong federal government, a loose interpretation of the
during Reconstruction. Constitution, and commercial and industrial development.
They advocated for close ties with Britain to promote trade
and stability. The Democratic-Republicans, led by Thomas
Reconstruction Acts: Jefferson and James Madison, emphasized states' rights,
strict constitutional interpretation, and an agrarian-based
The Reconstruction Acts (1867) were laws passed by economy.
Congress to rebuild the South and ensure the rights of
newly freed African Americans. They divided the South What did the Federalists in Congress do to strengthen the
into military districts and required states to draft new powers of the federal government during the John Adams
constitutions guaranteeing Black male suffrage. The Acts administration?
marked a shift from Presidential Reconstruction under
Andrew Johnson to Congressional Reconstruction, which During John Adams' administration, Federalists in
was more focused on protecting Black rights. The Ku Klux Congress passed laws to strengthen federal power and
Klan and other white supremacist groups emerged in suppress dissent. The Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798
response, using violence to undermine Reconstruction. increased federal authority by allowing the president to
deport foreigners and criminalizing criticism of the
Ku Klux Klan: government. These laws were justified as necessary for
national security during the Quasi-War with France but
The Ku Klux Klan (KKK) was a white supremacist group were seen as tools to silence Democratic-Republican
founded in 1865 that used violence to maintain white opposition. The Federalists also strengthened the military,
dominance in the South. The Klan terrorized Black voters establishing a standing army and navy to counter foreign
and leaders, as well as white allies. Congress responded threats.
with Force Acts to curb Klan violence, but white
supremacy remained entrenched. The KKK's terrorism What was Jefferson’s vision for the new nation? How was
contributed to the collapse of Reconstruction and the rise of his vision for government and leadership different from that
Jim Crow laws. of the Federalists?

Compromise of 1877” Thomas Jefferson envisioned a nation of small,

independent farmers with minimal government interference
The Compromise of 1877 resolved the disputed election of in daily life. He believed in limited federal power, strong
1876 by granting the presidency to Republican Rutherford state governments, and a strict interpretation of the
B. Hayes. In exchange, federal troops were withdrawn from Constitution. This vision contrasted with the Federalists'
the South, effectively ending Reconstruction. This allowed emphasis on a strong central government and a
Southern Democrats to regain power, leading to the rise of commercial, industrial economy. While Federalists
Jim Crow laws. promoted close ties with Britain, Jefferson prioritized
support for France, especially after the French Revolution.
He viewed political leadership as a temporary civic duty
rather than a professional career, unlike Federalist elites
When and why did partisan politics emerge in the new who saw leadership as a role for the wealthy and educated.
republic? Which two parties emerged and what values did
they represent? How did contact with the British during the eighteenth
century (1700s) affect Cherokee society?
Partisan politics emerged in the 1790s due to ideological
conflicts over government power, economic policy, and British contact in the 1700s transformed Cherokee society
foreign affairs. Disagreements over Alexander Hamilton's through trade, diplomacy, and cultural exchange. Trade
financial program, including the national bank and federal introduced European goods like firearms, metal tools, and
assumption of state debts, played a key role. Federalists, led cloth, reshaping Cherokee daily life and economic
by Hamilton, supported strong federal power and closer ties practices. Diplomatically, the British used the Cherokee as
allies in conflicts with rival European powers and markets, boosting trade and commerce. Factories and wage
American colonists. However, dependence on British goods labor replaced home-based production, leading to
made the Cherokee vulnerable to colonial manipulation and urbanization and the growth of an industrial working class.
debt. British influence also altered Cherokee social and The shift altered social roles, with women and children
gender roles, as men engaged more in hunting for trade entering the workforce in textile mills and urban factories.
while women took on additional agricultural This transformation created new economic opportunities
responsibilities. but also widened the gap between wealthy industrialists and
impoverished laborers.
How did the Cherokee respond to the “Civilization
Program”? What inventions and innovations helped spur the
Market Revolution?
The Cherokee engaged with the U.S. "Civilization
Program" by adopting aspects of European-American Key inventions and innovations that spurred the Market
agriculture, education, and governance. This program, Revolution included the cotton gin, steam engine,
promoted by U.S. policymakers, aimed to assimilate Native mechanical reaper, and telegraph. Eli Whitney’s cotton gin
Americans into American society. Some Cherokee adopted (1793) revolutionized cotton production, increasing
European-style farming, established schools, and created a efficiency and demand for enslaved labor in the South. The
written language with the help of Sequoyah. The Cherokee steam engine powered steamboats and locomotives, making
also established a constitutional government modeled after transportation faster and more reliable. Cyrus McCormick's
the U.S. system. While these efforts demonstrated mechanical reaper transformed agricultural production by
Cherokee adaptability, they were ultimately used by U.S. increasing the speed of grain harvesting. Samuel Morse's
officials to justify further land seizures. Despite their telegraph (1844) improved long-distance communication,
attempts to "civilize," the Cherokee were still subjected to linking markets and enabling faster coordination of trade.
forced removal during the Trail of Tears in the 1830s. These innovations fueled industrialization, expanded
market access, and connected the growing national
How and why did U.S. Indian policy change from the economy.
1780s through the 1830s? (explain the three versions of
U.S. policy) In what ways did the growth of the textile
industry create new opportunities and challenges
U.S. Indian policy evolved from diplomacy to assimilation for American women?
to forced removal between the 1780s and 1830s. In the
1780s, the government focused on treaty-making, The growth of the textile industry in the 19th century
recognizing Native sovereignty while negotiating land provided women with new job opportunities, particularly in
cessions. By the early 1800s, the policy shifted to factories like those in Lowell, Massachusetts. Many young,
assimilation, encouraging Native communities to adopt unmarried women left farms to work in textile mills,
farming, education, and European-style governance. The earning wages and experiencing a degree of independence.
Indian Removal Policy of the 1830s, championed by However, factory work came with harsh conditions, such as
Andrew Jackson, marked a third phase, promoting forced long hours, low pay, and strict supervision. Women faced
relocation of Native nations to western lands. This shift was health hazards from cotton dust and repetitive labor, while
driven by settler expansion, resource demands, and racial employers often controlled their social lives through
ideologies that depicted Native people as obstacles to boardinghouses and moral oversight. Despite these
progress. The result was the Indian Removal Act of 1830, challenges, women’s factory work laid the groundwork for
leading to the Trail of Tears and displacement of thousands early labor activism, as seen in strikes and calls for better
of Native Americans. wages and working conditions. This period marked the
beginning of women’s participation in wage labor outside
What was the “Market Revolution”? How did it the home.
change the American economy and society?
Why was the future of American slavery uncertain
he Market Revolution was a period of rapid economic in the 1790s? And why did slavery revive and
transformation in the early 19th century, driven by new expand in the early nineteenth century (1800s)?
technology, transportation, and labor systems. It shifted the
U.S. economy from local, subsistence-based production to In the 1790s, slavery's future seemed uncertain as Northern
a national, market-oriented economy. Innovations like states abolished it and international opposition to slavery
canals, railroads, and steamboats connected distant grew. The American Revolution's ideals of liberty and
equality also fueled anti-slavery sentiment. However, the newspapers and political cartoons made political issues
invention of Eli Whitney's cotton gin in 1793 revitalized understandable to the general public. The spoils system
the Southern economy by making cotton production far emerged, with elected officials rewarding loyal supporters
more profitable. The rising demand for cotton in Britain with government jobs. Political parties like the Democrats
and Northern textile mills led to a massive expansion of and Whigs emphasized emotional appeals and public
slavery in the Deep South. The growth of the cotton spectacle to win voter support. These changes created a
industry made slavery essential to Southern economic more inclusive but also more divisive political culture.
success, ensuring its survival and expansion.
How did women explain and justify their activism as
Who owned slaves in the antebellum south? Why reformers in the first half of the nineteenth century
were non-slaveholding white southerners invested (1800s)?
in the system of slavery?
Women justified their activism by invoking the concept of
In the antebellum South, only a small percentage of white “Republican Motherhood” and later, “moral authority” as
Southerners—mainly wealthy planters—owned large caretakers of society's virtue. They argued that their role as
numbers of enslaved people. Most white farmers owned mothers and moral guides gave them the right to participate
few or no slaves, yet many still supported the system of in public reform movements. Women became leaders in
slavery. Non-slaveholding whites benefited from slavery by causes like temperance, education reform, and abolition,
maintaining social status, as the system established racial believing they had a duty to improve society. They
hierarchies that gave poor whites a sense of superiority. highlighted their capacity to bring moral clarity to public
They also hoped to one day become slave owners issues, especially on matters affecting home and family.
themselves, viewing it as a pathway to wealth and social Female reformers like Elizabeth Cady Stanton challenged
mobility. Additionally, slavery fueled the regional the notion of women’s political exclusion.
economy, and even small farmers relied on the plantation
system for markets and economic [Link] what What roles did women play in the antislavery movement
extent did voting rights expand in the early decades of the that accelerated in the 1830s?
nineteenth century (1800s)?
Women played crucial roles in the abolitionist movement as
To what extent were voting rights restricted in the early speakers, writers, organizers, and fundraisers. Figures like
decades of the nineteenth century (1800s)? Sojourner Truth and Angelina Grimké gave powerful
public speeches advocating for the end of slavery. Women
Voting rights expanded significantly during the early 1800s also created local abolitionist societies, where they raised
as most states removed property qualifications for white funds, petitioned lawmakers, and distributed anti-slavery
male voters. This shift toward universal white male literature. By highlighting the moral and human costs of
suffrage reflected the rise of Jacksonian democracy, which slavery, women helped shift public opinion in the North.
emphasized the power of the "common man." New Western Female abolitionists faced criticism for stepping into public
states, seeking to attract settlers, adopted more democratic roles typically reserved for men, but their activism
voting laws that influenced older states to follow suit. As a strengthened the movement. Their experiences in abolition
result, participation in elections increased, and political laid the foundation for the women’s rights movement.
parties began to engage in more direct campaigning to
attract votes. The growth of a broader electorate How and why did the women’s rights movement emerge
contributed to Andrew Jackson's presidential victory in from the antislavery movement? What were the primary
1828, symbolizing the rise of popular democracy. However, concerns of the first women’s rights activists?
voting rights did not extend to women, Native Americans,
or African Americans in most states. The women’s rights movement emerged from the
antislavery movement as women reformers realized the
In what ways did popular political culture begin to change parallels between the oppression of enslaved people and
in the era of “Jacksonian” democracy? their own lack of rights. Activists like Lucretia Mott and
Elizabeth Cady Stanton, after facing exclusion from
The era of Jacksonian democracy marked a shift toward male-dominated abolitionist events, began advocating for
mass participation in politics and the rise of the "common women’s equality. The 1848 Seneca Falls Convention
man." Politicians began appealing to ordinary voters marked the formal start of the women’s rights movement,
through rallies, parades, and slogans, making campaigns where the Declaration of Sentiments demanded equal rights
more accessible and entertaining. The use of partisan in education, work, and suffrage. Early concerns included
voting rights, property rights, and access to education. especially abolitionists, opposed slavery’s expansion, while
Many of these activists drew from their experiences in Southern leaders saw the new land as essential for
abolitionist work, seeing women's freedom as equally expanding their plantation economy. The conflict over
essential. This dual movement for abolition and women's slavery’s expansion led to fierce debates, with proposals
rights continued through the 19th century. like the Wilmot Proviso seeking to ban slavery in the newly
acquired territory. Southern leaders viewed such efforts as
What was the impact on Native American nations when threats to their economic interests and political power. This
American settlement began to expand west of the growing divide laid the groundwork for the Compromise of
Mississippi? 1850 and increased tensions that ultimately led to the Civil
War.
The expansion of American settlement west of the
Mississippi caused significant disruption for Native What series of events in the nineteenth century (1800s)
American nations. The U.S. government pursued a policy fostered political divisions between the North and South
of forced removal, displacing tribes from their ancestral and eventually led to the formation of the Confederate
lands through treaties, military action, and coercion. The States of America?
Indian Removal Act of 1830 authorized the forced
relocation of Native groups like the Cherokee, leading to Several key events heightened sectional divisions and led to
the infamous Trail of Tears. Many Native nations faced the formation of the Confederate States of America. The
violent resistance, economic hardship, and cultural Missouri Compromise of 1820 temporarily balanced the
disintegration after being relocated to unfamiliar western interests of free and slave states, but later crises reignited
territories. The destruction of traditional economies and tensions. The Mexican-American War brought new
loss of land further weakened Native sovereignty. This territories, leading to debates over the expansion of slavery.
westward expansion was justified by the ideology of The Compromise of 1850 and the Fugitive Slave Act
Manifest Destiny, which framed Native displacement as a angered Northerners, while the Kansas-Nebraska Act
necessary step in U.S. progress. (1854) allowed for "popular sovereignty," sparking violent
conflict in "Bleeding Kansas." The Dred Scott decision
What was the concept of “Manifest Destiny”? How did it (1857) declared that African Americans had no citizenship
shape American attitudes, actions, and politics in the rights, outraging Northern abolitionists. Finally, Abraham
mid-nineteenth century (1800s)? Lincoln's election in 1860 led Southern states to secede,
believing their way of life and slavery were under threat.
Manifest Destiny was the belief that the U.S. was destined
to expand its territory across North America, from the What developments in the 1850s helped shift popular
Atlantic to the Pacific. This idea, rooted in nationalism, opinion in the North against slavery?
white supremacy, and Christian providence, justified the
displacement of Native Americans and the annexation of Several events in the 1850s shifted Northern public opinion
new territories. It shaped U.S. politics by fueling the drive against slavery. Harriet Beecher Stowe’s novel "Uncle
for western expansion, leading to the annexation of Texas, Tom’s Cabin" (1852) exposed the brutality of slavery,
the Oregon Trail migrations, and the Mexican-American evoking widespread moral outrage in the North. The
War. Politicians like James K. Polk promoted expansionist Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 forced Northerners to assist in
policies, and westward settlement became a symbol of capturing escaped slaves, angering many who had been
American progress and opportunity. Manifest Destiny also previously indifferent. The Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854)
heightened sectional conflict over whether new western allowed popular sovereignty in Kansas, resulting in
territories would allow slavery, contributing to tensions "Bleeding Kansas", where violent clashes between pro- and
between North and South. anti-slavery settlers highlighted slavery’s dangers. The
Dred Scott decision (1857) outraged Northerners by
How and why did the Mexican War result in growing declaring that African Americans could never be citizens.
political conflict between northern and southern political These events created a stronger, more organized abolitionist
leaders? movement and increased Northern resistance to the
expansion of slavery.
The Mexican-American War (1846-1848) intensified
sectional conflict over the expansion of slavery into newly How and why did American political parties reorganize
acquired territories. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo leading up to the election of 1860?
added vast new lands to the U.S., including present-day
California, Arizona, and New Mexico. Northern politicians,
Political parties reorganized before the 1860 election due to Enslaved people played an active role in their own
growing sectional tensions over slavery. The collapse of the liberation by escaping to Union lines, providing
Whig Party in the 1850s created a political vacuum, leading intelligence, and pressuring Union commanders to confront
to the rise of the Republican Party, which opposed slavery's slavery. As Union armies advanced into the South,
expansion. The Democratic Party split into Northern and thousands of enslaved people fled to Northern camps,
Southern factions, with Northern Democrats supporting creating a humanitarian crisis that forced Union leaders to
Stephen Douglas and Southern Democrats backing John C. reconsider their stance on slavery. Some enslaved people,
Breckinridge. The new Constitutional Union Party aimed to known as "contraband", were employed by the Union as
preserve the Union by avoiding the slavery issue. The laborers or soldiers. The presence of large numbers of
election of Abraham Lincoln as the Republican candidate, self-emancipated people highlighted slavery’s role in
with no support from Southern states, prompted Southern supporting the Confederate economy. Their actions,
secession. The fragmentation of the political system combined with the demands of abolitionists, convinced
reflected the deep sectional divide between North and Lincoln to issue the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863,
South. redefining the war as a fight for freedom.

What advantages and disadvantages did How and why did the process of “Reconstruction” evolve
the U.S. and the Confederacy each have through different phases? What were the outcomes of these
going into the Civil War? different phases?

The Union (U.S.) had significant advantages, including a Reconstruction (1865-1877) evolved from Presidential
larger population, industrial capacity, extensive railroads, Reconstruction to Congressional Reconstruction and finally
and financial resources. It also controlled the navy, Redemption. Under Presidential Reconstruction, Andrew
allowing for blockades of Southern ports. However, the Johnson aimed to quickly restore Southern states with
Union faced the disadvantage of needing to conquer the minimal changes to their governments. Congressional
South, not just defend its territory. The Confederacy had Republicans, however, passed the Reconstruction Acts of
the advantage of fighting on familiar territory with strong 1867, establishing military rule in the South and ensuring
military leaders like Robert E. Lee. The Confederacy relied Black voting rights. This phase saw the rise of Freedmen’s
on cotton exports to secure foreign support, though this Bureau schools and the ratification of the 14th and 15th
strategy failed. The South’s disadvantages included a Amendments. Redemption began in the 1870s as white
smaller population, limited industrial capacity, and a Southern Democrats regained power, often using violence
reliance on an economy based on enslaved labor. and intimidation. By 1877, federal troops were withdrawn,
ending Reconstruction and leaving African Americans
How did Lincoln’s understanding of the war and slavery vulnerable to Jim Crow laws and racial violence.
change over time? What kinds of measures did he see as
feasible for eventually ending slavery
What kind of backlash was there against Reconstruction in
At the start of the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln prioritized the former Confederate states? What impact did it have?
preserving the Union, not directly abolishing slavery.
However, as the war progressed, Lincoln recognized that The backlash against Reconstruction in former Confederate
ending slavery would weaken the Confederacy and states included violent resistance, political intimidation, and
strengthen the Union’s cause. His stance evolved to support the rise of white supremacist groups like the Ku Klux Klan
emancipation as a military necessity and a moral (KKK). White Southern Democrats used violence and voter
imperative. This shift culminated in the Emancipation suppression to regain control of state governments. The
Proclamation (1863), which declared freedom for enslaved withdrawal of federal troops in 1877 marked the end of
people in Confederate-held territories. Lincoln later Reconstruction, allowing Southern states to implement Jim
advocated for the 13th Amendment, which abolished Crow laws, which legalized racial segregation. Black
slavery nationwide. His changing views reflected his political power was dismantled, and African Americans
growing belief in the war as both a fight for Union and faced economic oppression through sharecropping and debt
human freedom. peonage. The backlash effectively reversed many of the
gains made during Reconstruction, especially in voting
In what ways did enslaved people contribute to the chain of rights and equal protection under the law.
events that eventually led to the Emancipation
Proclamation? What was the “Larger Reconstruction”? What goals did
freed people have for their new lives?
The “Larger Reconstruction” refers to the broader social,
political, and economic transformation that freed African
Americans sought after emancipation. Freed people aimed
to achieve economic independence by acquiring land, often
summarized by the demand for "40 acres and a mule."
They sought political rights, including voting, running for
office, and equal protection under the law. Education was
another key goal, as many freed people established and
supported schools and churches to promote literacy and
community development. African Americans also sought to
rebuild families that had been separated under slavery,
asserting control over their private lives. While these
efforts achieved some success, white resistance, the rise of
Jim Crow laws, and systemic racism limited their ability to
achieve lasting independence and equality.