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Civil War Origins
the Nullification Crisis; states’ rights; sectionalism; slavery; political issue
Term | Definition |
---|---|
What was the Nullification Crisis? | A sectional crisis (1832–1833) between South Carolina and the federal government over tariffs. |
Who was president during the Nullification Crisis? | Andrew Jackson. |
Why did South Carolina oppose the federal tariffs? | They believed the tariffs hurt the Southern cotton market and benefitted the North unfairly. |
How did Jackson respond to South Carolina’s nullification efforts? | He threatened to use federal troops and even said he’d hang the leaders of the movement. |
What laws did Congress pass to resolve the Nullification Crisis? | The Force Bill and the Compromise Tariff. |
What was the outcome of the Nullification Crisis? | South Carolina backed down; tensions grew, contributing to eventual secession. |
What was the Northern view on states’ rights? | Favored a strong federal government with supreme power. |
What was the Southern view on states’ rights? | Supported self-governance and minimal federal interference. |
What is sectionalism? | Loyalty to one’s region over the nation, causing political, economic, and cultural division. |
How did politics differ between the North and South? | North: more democratic/liberal. South: more conservative/traditional. |
How did the economies of the North and South differ? | North: industrial. South: agricultural and slave-based. |
How did culture differ between the North and South? | North: progressive. South: traditional and religious. |
What was the Northern attitude toward slavery? | Mixed—some opposed it morally, others feared freed slaves would take jobs. |
What was the American Colonization Society’s goal? | End slavery by relocating freed slaves to Africa. |
What was the Underground Railroad? | A secret network helping slaves escape to free states or Canada. |
What was the “Slave Power Conspiracy”? | Belief that Southern elites secretly controlled the government to preserve slavery. |
Who was William Lloyd Garrison? | Radical abolitionist who called slavery evil and burned the Constitution. |
What was the Liberty Party’s approach to ending slavery? | Gradual abolition through political elections. |
What was the Free Soil Party’s platform? | Prevent slavery from spreading West to protect poor white laborers. |
Who were Theodore Weld and Angelina Grimké? | Abolitionist couple who spread anti-slavery ideas in the North. |
What was the impact of Uncle Tom’s Cabin? | Exposed the cruelty of slavery; popular in the North, banned in the South. |
How did Southerners defend slavery? | Claimed it was essential to their economy and a “positive good.” |
What was the 3/5 Compromise? | Counted slaves as 3/5 of a person for Southern political representation. |
What was the Missouri Compromise? | Admitted Maine as a free state, Missouri as a slave state; banned slavery north of 36º30'. |
What was the Gag Rule? | Prohibited discussion of slavery in the House of Representatives. |
What did the Fugitive Slave Act require? | All states had to return runaway slaves; aiding escapees was a crime. |
How did Northern states respond to the Fugitive Slave Act? | Passed Personal Liberty Laws; some abolitionist mobs freed jailed slaves. |
Who were the "Fire-eaters"? | Pro-secession Southerners angered by Northern resistance to slavery laws. |
What was the Northern economy based on? | Industry, trade, and manufacturing. |
What was the Southern economy based on? | Agriculture and slavery, especially cotton exports. |
How did the North’s infrastructure compare to the South’s? | North had far more railroads, factories, and urban development. |
How important was cotton to the South? | In 1840, it was more valuable than all other U.S. exports combined. |
What percentage of the South was agricultural by 1860? | 84%, compared to 40% in the North. |
By 1860, how valuable were slaves to the U.S. economy? | More than all the nation’s railroads, factories, and banks combined. |