Causes of American Civil War facts
This flashcard set covers key political and sectional developments in the U.S. around the 1848 election, including party candidates, election results, the California Gold Rush, and growing North-South divisions over slavery.
Who stood for the Free Soil Party in 1848?
Martin Van Buren
Key Terms
Who stood for the Free Soil Party in 1848?
Martin Van Buren
Who stood for the Whigs in the 1848 election?
Zachary Taylor
Taylor’s results in 1848 election
48% of vote
163 electoral college votes
Free Soil results 1848 elections
10% votes
No electoral votes
What fraction of slave state members signed Calhoun’s Address
One third
When was the California Gold rush?
1848-49
Related Flashcard Decks
Study Tips
- Press F to enter focus mode for distraction-free studying
- Review cards regularly to improve retention
- Try to recall the answer before flipping the card
- Share this deck with friends to study together
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
Who stood for the Free Soil Party in 1848? | Martin Van Buren |
Who stood for the Whigs in the 1848 election? | Zachary Taylor |
Taylor’s results in 1848 election | 48% of vote 163 electoral college votes |
Free Soil results 1848 elections | 10% votes No electoral votes |
What fraction of slave state members signed Calhoun’s Address | One third |
When was the California Gold rush? | 1848-49 |
What did Taylor encourage settlers in California and New Mexico to do in 1849 | Apply immediately for admission to the union without first going through the process of establishing territorial governments. |
When did California ratify a constitution to prohibit slavery and applied for immediate admission to the union? | 1849 |
When did fist fights break out on the floor of Congress? | December 1849 |
When did Henry Clay first offer the 1850 compromise? | January 1850 |
Did Taylor approve or appose Clay’s 1859 proposals? | Opposed |
When did slave state delegates meet in Nashville. How many states represented? | June 1850. Nine out of fifteen. |
When did president Taylor die? | July 1850 |
Who replaced Taylor as President? | Millard Fillmore |
When had the Compromise passed thanks to Senator Douglas? | September 1850 |
What were the 5 terms of the Compromise of 1850? | Statehood for CA |
Compromise of 1850 voting lines | Most Northern Congressmen voted against the pro-slavery measures while most Southern Congressmen had voted against the anti-slavery measures. |
Which state tilted the balance in favour of free states? | CA |
Terms of the new Fugitive Slave Act | Authorised federal marshals to raise posses to pursue fugitives on Northern Soil. Those who refused to join risked a $1000 fine. Targeted not just recent but also old runaways. |
When did a Boston mob break into a courthouse an kill a guard to rescue Anthony Burns | 1854 |
During the 1850s how many northern states passed personal liberty laws? | Nine |
When was Uncle Tom’s Cabin published? How many copies sold in first year and how many in next decade? |
|
Who returned to the Democrats in 1852 | Van Buren |
Who was nominated as Whig candidate for 1852 election? | General Winfield Scott |
Who was Democratic candidate in 1852? | Franklin Pierce |
Results of election for Pierce | 51 percent | 27 electoral votes - Whigs just four |
When was Pierce inaugurated? | March 1853 |
When did Pierce give Gadsden authority to negotiate Gadsden purchase? | 1853 - 46,000 square miles Mexican territory - gained Senate approval - Southern railway to the Pacific |
Ostend Manifesto | $130 million for Cuba | American foreign ministers issued Ostend Manifesto - Cuba as necessary to USA as any of its present members, leaked |
What line did Nebraska lay north of? | 36*30 - Missouri Compromise new states would enter the Union as free states |
When did Douglas introduce the Kansas-Nebraska Bill into congress? | January 1854 |
Who introduced an amendment to specifically repeal the ban on slavery in Nebraska? | Senator Atchinson of Missouri | Nebraska divided into Kansas and Nebraska, slavery might spread to Kansas |
What was Douglas' motive? | Trans Continental railway with terminal in Chicago - presidential ambition |
Who published The Appeal of the Independent Democrats in Congress to the People of the United States, and when? | Salmon Chase - Jan 1854 - Slave Power Conspiracy |
What did passage of the Kansas-Nebraska bill become a symbol of? | Southern honour |
When did the Kansas Nebraska bill become law? | May 1854 |
How did the Kansas Nebraska Act sectionalise Congress? | 90% of Southerners voted for it, 64 percent of Northerners voted against it. |
When were the Know Nothing's formed? | New York 1849 - nativist |
Why did Northerners support Know Nothings? | Anti-Catholic |
When was the Republican Party formed | 1854 |
The Republicans were strongest in the Mid-west, the Know Nothings were strongest in New England. | The Republicans were strongest in the Mid-west, the Know Nothings were strongest in New England. |
Northerners thought that if slavery expanded into Kansas it might expand anywhere. Southerners feared that a free Kansas would be another nail in the slavery coffin. | Northerners thought that if slavery expanded into Kansas it might expand anywhere. Southerners feared that a free Kansas would be another nail in the slavery coffin. |
How many Northerners did The MA Emigrant Aid Company sponsor to settle in Kansas? | Over 1500 in 1854-5 |
What Association did Senator Atchinson form that pledged to ensure that Kansas became a slave state? | The Platte County Defensive Association |
When did Kansas elect its first territorial legislature and where did they meet? | March 1855 Lecompton - proceeded to pass a series of tough pro-slavery laws |
Where did Free-soilers set up their own government? | Topeka |
What event started Bleeding Kansas, and when? | May 1856 a pro-slavery posse 'sacked' Lawrence, burning some building, blown out of proportion by Northern journalists. |
Who murder five pro-slavery settlers at Pottawatomie Creek? | John Brown |
Was Bleeding Kansas good or bad for Republicans? | Good because Bleeding Kansas became a rallying cry for Northerners opposed to slave power. |
When was the American Party forced to drop its Anti-Kansas-Nebraska position? | 1856 |
What led to a decline in nativism in the mid 1850s | Decline of immigration |
When Congress met in December 1855 Know Nothings were split North and South | When Congress met in December 1855 Know Nothings were split North and South |
When did the Republican Party hold its first national convention? | February 1856 |
| The idea of a Slave power conspiracy was an article of faith o most Republicans |
When did Bleeding Sumner take place and who beat him? | May 1856 Preston Brooks - silence free speech |