What was the central decision in Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857)?
It ruled that African Americans were not citizens and that Congress could not ban slavery in the territories.
How did the concept of "Manifest Destiny" relate to the slavery debate?
It raised the question of whether new territories acquired in the west would allow slavery.
Why did the Southern states oppose the election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860?
They believed his anti-slavery stance threatened their way of life and the institution of slavery.
What role did the Election of 1860 play in Southern secession?
Lincoln’s victory, without carrying a single Southern state, convinced many Southerners they had lost political power.
Which state was the first to secede from the Union, and when?
South Carolina, in December 1860.
What effect did Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin have on the slavery debate?
It increased anti-slavery sentiment in the North and angered the South.
What was "popular sovereignty"?
The idea that the people in a territory should vote on whether to allow slavery.
What were the Crittenden Compromise proposals?
They attempted to prevent secession by protecting slavery where it already existed and extending the Missouri Compromise line.
What were the major causes of the Mexican-American War?
The annexation of Texas, disputes over the Texas-Mexico border, and U.S. desire for territorial expansion under Manifest Destiny.
What was the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, and what were its terms?
It ended the Mexican-American War in 1848, ceding the Mexican Cession (including California and much of the Southwest) to the U.S. in exchange for $15 million.
What was the Kansas-Nebraska Act, and why was it significant?
It allowed popular sovereignty in Kansas and Nebraska, repealing the Missouri Compromise and leading to "Bleeding Kansas."
What was the Wilmot Proviso, and why was it controversial?
It proposed banning slavery in territories won from Mexico, intensifying North-South tensions over the expansion of slavery.
What was the outcome of "Bleeding Kansas"?
Violent conflict erupted between pro-slavery and anti-slavery settlers, showcasing the deep divisions over slavery.
What did the Missouri Compromise (1820) establish regarding slavery?
It prohibited slavery north of the 36°30′ line except for Missouri. Maine and Missouri join as free and slave.
What was the significance of the Compromise of 1850?
It attempted to address sectional tensions by admitting California as a free state, strengthening the Fugitive Slave Act, and allowing popular sovereignty.
What was the significance of the South’s reaction to John Brown’s raid?
It heightened Southern fears of a Northern conspiracy to incite slave revolts and further divided the nation.
What was the significance of John Brown’s raid on Harpers Ferry?
It was an attempt to incite a slave rebellion, increasing sectional tensions and fear in the South.
What was the Southern justification for secession?
They argued it was their constitutional right as sovereign states to leave the Union.
How did the Mexican-American War impact the debate over slavery?
It reignited tensions by raising the question of whether slavery would expand into the new territories.
What was the main platform of the Republican Party when it was formed in the 1850s?
Opposing the expansion of slavery into western territories.
What did the Lincoln-Douglas debates primarily focus on?
The issue of slavery in the territories, especially popular sovereignty.
What did the Fugitive Slave Act require?
It required citizens to assist in the capture of runaway slaves and denied accused runaways a trial by jury.
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