Unit 5 – Civil War & Reconstruction (1848-1877)

• Manifest Destiny was the belief, held by many Americans in the mid-19th century, that it was the God-given mission of the United States to expand its territory and spread its political and cultural values across the entire continent.
• Manifest Destiny was used to justify the acquisition of new territory, such as the Mexican-American War (1846-1848) and the annexation of Texas, as well as the forced relocation of Native American tribes during the Indian Removal era
• The Market Revolution increased the connectedness of the North and West through communication and transportation innovations like the telegraph and railroad. 
• The Market Revolution, also known as the Economic Revolution, refers to the significant economic changes that occurred in the United States between the late 1700s and the mid-1800s. This period saw the transition from a primarily agrarian and local economy to a more industrialized and national one.
• The Market Revolution was driven by a number of factors, including the growth of transportation networks (such as canals, roads and railroads), the development of new technologies (such as the cotton gin and the steam engine), and the rise of a capitalist market economy.
• The Market Revolution led to the growth of cities and the rise of a new urban working class, as well as increased economic opportunities for entrepreneurs and business owners. However, it also brought about significant social and economic changes, such as the displacement of small farmers, the rise of wage labor, and increased competition among businesses, which caused the widening gap between rich and poor.
• The Temperance movement believed that alcohol was the cause of many social problems, such as poverty, crime, and domestic abuse, and that reducing its consumption would lead to a more moral and orderly society.
• They formed groups such as the Women's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU), which aimed to educate the public about the dangers of alcohol and lobby for laws and policies that would restrict its sale and consumption.
• The movement's efforts led to the passage of state-level Prohibition laws, which banned the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcohol in some states, and the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which prohibited the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcohol nationwide from 1920 to 1933.
• While it was successful in achieving its goal of Prohibition, it ultimately failed to solve the problems it sought to address and led to unintended consequences, such as the rise of organized crime, the black market, and a decrease in government revenue.
• The Seneca Falls Convention of 1848, which was organized by Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. At the convention, a Declaration of Sentiments was adopted, which outlined the rights that women were denied and called for their equal treatment under the law.
• Some abolitionists, such as Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman, were former slaves who used their personal experiences to educate others about the horrors of slavery.
• Some abolitionists like John Brown used speeches, writings, and protests to raise awareness and mobilize support for the abolitionist cause.
• The mid-19th century in the United States was marked by intensifying debates over slavery and other economic, cultural, and political issues, as the country continued to expand and regional divisions deepened. 
• The concept of Manifest Destiny was used to justify the expansion efforts of the United States, particularly in the west, through means such as the Louisiana Purchase, the Mexican-American War, and the forced relocation of Native American tribes.
• Some of the locations which attracted new settlers during the time of Manifest Destiny:

  • Texas for cotton cultivation and cattle ranching 🐂
  • California for gold after 1849
• The Mexican-American War lasted from 1846 to 1848. It was sparked by a dispute over the United States' annexation of Texas and a long-standing dispute over the border between Texas and Mexico.
• Causes of the Mexican-American War

  • Dispute over the border between Texas and Mexico. The U.S. claimed that the border was the Rio Grande, while Mexico insisted that it was the Nueces River.
  • Annexation of Texas by the United States in 1845. Mexico had never recognized the independence of Texas and considered it to be a part of its territory.
  • Economic and strategic interests. The U.S sought access to ports in Mexico and the California territory, with its vast resources and growing population.
• The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo


  • Ended the Mexican-American War.
  • It led to the United States acquiring over half of Mexico's territory
• Effects of the Mexican-American War


  • The U.S. acquired new territory and resources, and the war led to economic growth and expansion in the West. On the other hand, Mexico experienced a loss of territory, resources, and population and significant debt.
  • The acquisition of new territory and the question of whether or not to allow slavery in those territories became a major point of contention between the Northern and Southern states, which ultimately contributed to the Civil War
  • led to the displacement and forced relocation of many indigenous people
• The Wilmot Proviso was an unsuccessful addition to a bill to fund the US army during the war. It argued for a complete ban on slavery in captured territories, which, of course, only made tensions worse. It passed the House but failed in the Senate.
• The Wilmott Provisio showcased the necessity for Southerners to keep the balance of states in the Senate as their population totals fell behind those of the North.
• The Wilmot Proviso was the first time congressional action was taken with the intent of limiting the expansion of slavery.
•  Compromise of 1850


  aimed to address the concerns of both North and South and maintain a delicate balance between the two regions

  • The South got a new Fugitive Slave Act, which put the federal government in charge of recovering runaway slaves up North.
  • The North got California admitted as a free state
• The admission of California as a free state helped maintain the balance between free states and slave states in the Senate.
• The admission of more free states and the implementation of the Fugitive Slave Act heightened tensions and set the stage for the eventual outbreak of the American Civil War.
• Failure of Compromise of 1850

  • Fugitive Slave Act caused outrage in the North. The act imposed severe penalties on those who aided or abetted escaped slaves. Many Northerners saw this act as an infringement on their individual rights and liberties and a violation of the principles of justice and fairness.
• Immigrants often settled in ethnic neighborhoods to preserve their culture and because of racism.
• Sectional tensions over slavery (specific issues)

  • The expansion of slavery into new territories: Both the North and the South wanted to expand westward, but there was disagreement over whether or not slavery should be allowed in the new territories. 
  • The abolition of slavery: Many Northerners were actively working to end slavery, while many Southerners saw this as a threat to their way of life and economy.
  • The Dred Scott Decision
• Dred Scott Decisions:

  • held that African Americans, whether free or enslaved, were not citizens and had no rights under the Constitution. This decision further inflamed tensions between the North and the South and was a significant factor leading up to the Civil War.
• The Kansas-Nebraska Act was a law passed by the U.S. Congress that allowed people in the territories of Kansas and Nebraska to decide for themselves whether or not to allow slavery within their borders.
• "Uncle Tom's Cabin" is an anti-slavery novel by American author Harriet Beecher Stowe. The book is notable for its portrayal of the harsh realities of slavery and the deep humanity and dignity of the enslaved characters.
• Southern states also passed laws that prohibited the distribution of abolitionist literature and made it illegal to teach slaves to read or write, in an effort to suppress the abolitionist movement.
• Cotton Whigs (political party)


  Southern-based; pro-slavery
• After the Whigs split, some of the Conscience Whigs teamed up with other anti-slavery parties such as the Liberty Party and the Free Soil Party, along with some Know-Nothings, to form the greater Republican Party. 
• Bleeding Kansas

  • Sparked by the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act in 1854 which led to a rush of settlers from both the North and South to the territory, each seeking to influence the outcome of the vote on slavery.
  • This rush of forces ultimately resulted in a series of violent clashes between the two groups, with each side committing atrocities against the other.
• Caning of Senator Sumner


  • Southern representative in Congress caned an anti-slavery representative after he had given a speech condemning slavery. The speech included insulting references to another southern representative. He was badly injured
• John Brown, in 1859, led a raid on the federal armory at Harpers Ferry. The raid was an attempt by Brown and a group of followers, both Black and White, to start a slave rebellion by seizing weapons and inciting enslaved people to rise up against their masters.
• Brown, who appeared in a manner of an Old Testament Prophet, thought of himself as God’s chosen instrument “to purge this land with blood” and eradicate the sin of slaveholding.
• As the Election of 1860 approached, it became clear that the country was more deeply divided than ever over the issue of slavery in the territories.