PERIOD 5: 1844-1877
Chapter 18; “Renewing the Sectional Struggle”(Chapter 19, 11th Edition)
(1848-1854)
The over-arching theme of chapter 19 “Renewing the Sectional Struggle” is that the nation again fell into sectional dispute over slavery and states’ rights.
Learning Objectives – After reading this chapter you should be able to:
- …explain how the issue of slavery in the territories acquired from Mexico disrupted American politics from 1848 to 1850.
- …point out the major terms of the Compromise of 1850 and indicate how this agreement attempted to deal with the issue of slavery.
- …indicate how the Whig party disintegrated and disappeared because of its divisions over slavery.
- …describe how the Pierce administration engaged in various pro-southern overseas and expansionist ventures.
- …describe Douglas's Kansas-Nebraska Act and explain why it stirred the sectional controversy to new heights.
Identify the Historical Significance of the following –
- Lewis Cass
- Stephen A. Douglas
- Franklin Peirce
- Zachary Taylor
- John C. Calhoun
- Winfield Scott
- Martin Van Buren
- Daniel Webster
- Matthew C. Perry
- Harriet Tubman
- William H. Seward
- James Gadsden
- Henry Clay
- Millard Fillmore
Define & State the historical significance of the following –
- popular sovereignty
Describe & State the historical significance of the following –
- Free Soil Party
- Fugitive Slave Law
- “conscience” Whig
- “personal liberty laws”
- Underground Railroad
- Compromise of 1850
- “fire eaters”
- Clayton Bulwer Treaty
- Seventh of March Speech
- Ostend Manifesto
- “higher law”
- Kansas-Nebraska Act
To build your social science vocabulary, familiarize yourself with the following terms.
self-determination - in politics, the right of a people to assert its own national identity or form of government without outside influence
homestead - a family home or farm with buildings and land sufficient for survival
vigilante - concerning groups that claim to punish crime and maintain order without legal authority to do so
sanctuary - a place of refuge or protection; where people are safe from punishment by the law
fugitive - a person who flees from danger or prosecution
topography - the precise surface features and details of a place---for example, rivers, bridges, hills-in relation to one another
mundane - belonging to this world, as opposed to the spiritual world
statecraft - the art of government leadership
isthmian - concerning a narrow strip of land connecting two larger bodies of land
filibustering - referring to adventurers who conduct a private war against a foreign country
consulate - the office of a foreign - official, usually not the ambassador, appointed to look after his or her country's interests or citizens in a particular place
cloak-and-dagger - concerning the activities of spies or undercover agents, especiallyinvolving elaborate deceptions
leak - to accidentally or deliberately disclose information supposed to be kept secret
booster - one who promotes a person or enterprise, especially in a highly enthusiastic way
truce - a temporary suspension of warfare by agreement of the hostile parties