A-Level History (AQA) > 2J America: A Nation Divided, c1845–1877 > Flashcards

2J America: A Nation Divided, c1845–1877 Flashcards

Evaluate the causes, course and consequences of sectional conflict and the American Civil War. (137 cards)

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1
Q

What was the basic relationship between the federal government and the states in the mid-nineteenth-century United States?

A

Divided sovereignty

Power was shared, but arguments over where ultimate authority lay became increasingly bitter.

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2
Q

Which office headed the executive branch of the American Republic in c1845?

A

the president

The president was central to national leadership, but his powers were limited by the Constitution.

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3
Q

Which document defined the structure of the US government?

A

the Constitution

It set out federal institutions, but many key issues were left open to interpretation.

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4
Q

Fill in the blank:

The US _____ defined the powers of the federal government and the states.

A

Constitution

Disputes over its meaning were crucial in the build-up to Civil War.

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5
Q

What was the role of the Supreme Court in the American Republic?

A

To interpret the Constitution

Its rulings could shape the balance between federal and state authority.

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6
Q

True or False:

By c1845, all Americans agreed on the exact balance of power between Washington and the states.

A

False

Disagreement over states’ rights and federal authority remained a major source of tension.

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7
Q

What was one key economic characteristic of the Northern states in c1845?

A

Industrial growth

The North developed manufacturing, commerce and transport more rapidly than the South.

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8
Q

What was one key social characteristic of the Northern states in c1845?

A

Urbanisation

Northern society was becoming more urban, mobile and socially diverse.

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9
Q

What was one key political characteristic of the Northern states?

A

Broader support for federal activism

Many Northerners accepted tariffs, internal improvements and stronger national institutions.

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10
Q

What was one key economic characteristic of the Southern states in c1845?

A

Dependence on plantation agriculture

Cotton and slave labour underpinned much of the southern economy.

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11
Q

What was one key social characteristic of the Southern states?

A

Slave-based hierarchy

Southern society was strongly shaped by racial slavery and elite planter dominance.

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12
Q

What was one key political characteristic of the Southern states?

A

Emphasis on states’ rights

Southern leaders often defended local autonomy against perceived federal interference.

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13
Q

Fill in the blank:

The southern economy in c1845 depended heavily on plantation _____.

A

agriculture

Cotton was especially important to wealth and exports.

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14
Q

What earlier settlement tried to preserve sectional balance over slavery in the territories?

A

the Missouri Compromise

It admitted Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state while drawing a territorial line.

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15
Q

Why was the Missouri Compromise important in the long term?

A

It showed slavery needed constant compromise

It temporarily eased tension but did not resolve the underlying conflict.

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16
Q

What was the Nullification Crisis?

A

A dispute over state resistance to federal law

South Carolina claimed a state could nullify a federal tariff.

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17
Q

Why was the Nullification Crisis important to later sectional conflict?

A

It highlighted states’ rights arguments

Southern politicians later drew on similar ideas when defending secession.

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18
Q

True or False:

The Nullification Crisis strengthened confidence that sectional disputes could never threaten the Union.

A

False

It exposed how serious conflicts over federal power could become.

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19
Q

Why did some Southerners fear modernisation?

A

It seemed to threaten the slave system

Industrial and social change was often associated with northern values and anti-slavery sentiment.

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20
Q

How did the moving frontier affect sectional politics?

A

It raised the issue of slavery in new territories

Every westward expansion reopened the question of whether slavery would spread.

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21
Q

What idea justified American expansion westwards in the 1840s?

A

Manifest Destiny

Many Americans believed expansion across the continent was natural and justified.

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22
Q

Fill in the blank:

The belief that the United States was destined to expand westwards was called _____ Destiny.

A

Manifest

This idea intensified conflict over the future of new lands.

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23
Q

Why did westward expansion increase tension between North and South?

A

New territories had to choose slave or free status

Sectional balance in Congress depended on the status of western lands.

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24
Q

Which war added large new territories and intensified sectional controversy?

A

the Mexican War

Victory over Mexico reopened arguments over slavery’s expansion.

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25
What was the **Wilmot Proviso**?
A proposal to ban slavery in new territories ## Footnote It was never passed, but it sharpened sectional divisions.
26
# True or False: The **Wilmot Proviso** settled the dispute over slavery in the Mexican Cession.
False ## Footnote It failed, but its controversy deepened mistrust between North and South.
27
Which politician is closely associated with attempts at sectional compromise in 1850?
Henry Clay ## Footnote Clay played a major role in proposing measures designed to preserve the Union.
28
Which future president was linked to the politics of the **Compromise of 1850**?
Zachary Taylor ## Footnote Taylor’s position on the territories helped shape debate before his death in office.
29
Which senator became a key architect of **compromise politics** in the 1850s?
Stephen Douglas ## Footnote Douglas backed popular sovereignty and played a major role in later territorial controversy.
30
What was the **Compromise of 1850**?
A package of measures on slavery and territories ## Footnote It attempted to calm sectional tensions after the Mexican War.
31
# Fill in the blank: The _\_\_\_\_ of 1850 tried to preserve the Union by balancing northern and southern interests.
Compromise ## Footnote It delayed conflict but did not remove the deeper causes of division.
32
Why were **Texas and California** important in the crisis of 1850?
They affected sectional balance ## Footnote Their status raised questions about slavery, representation and power in Congress.
33
What made the **Fugitive Slave Law** especially controversial in the North?
It forced cooperation with slavery ## Footnote Northerners resented being required to help return escaped slaves.
34
# True or False: The **Fugitive Slave Law** reduced northern hostility to slavery.
False ## Footnote It angered many Northerners and pushed some moderates towards anti-slavery politics.
35
What was one result of the **Fugitive Slave Law** in the North?
Stronger abolitionist sentiment ## Footnote It brought the realities of slavery more directly into northern public life.
36
Which northern politician became associated with **anti-slavery politics** in this period?
William Seward ## Footnote Seward emerged as a prominent opponent of the Slave Power.
37
Which radical abolitionist is most associated with **violent anti-slavery action**?
John Brown ## Footnote Brown believed slavery would not end without force.
38
How did popular literature and the **press** help abolitionism in the North?
They spread anti-slavery ideas ## Footnote Print culture helped mobilise opinion against slavery and southern influence.
39
# Fill in the blank: In the North, abolitionism was strengthened by literature, the press and political _\_\_\_\_.
activism ## Footnote Public campaigns helped turn moral opposition into political pressure.
40
How did European immigrants affect the **northern states**?
They increased northern economic and social weight ## Footnote Immigration strengthened northern labour supply, cities and political influence.
41
Why did some Southerners react fiercely against **abolitionism**?
They saw it as a threat to slavery and social order ## Footnote Southern leaders believed abolition endangered both property and security.
42
Which southern political leader became a leading defender of **southern rights**?
Jefferson Davis ## Footnote Davis was a prominent spokesman for southern interests before becoming Confederate president.
43
# True or False: Southern opinion generally welcomed **abolitionist arguments** as a basis for compromise.
False ## Footnote Most southern leaders denounced abolitionism and defended slavery more aggressively over time.
44
What was **‘Bleeding Kansas’**?
Violent conflict over slavery in Kansas ## Footnote Rival pro-slavery and anti-slavery settlers turned Kansas into a battleground.
45
Why was **Bleeding Kansas** so important?
It destroyed faith in compromise ## Footnote Violence showed that popular sovereignty could produce civil conflict, not peace.
46
# Fill in the blank: ‘Bleeding _\_\_\_\_’ became a symbol of sectional violence in the 1850s.
Kansas ## Footnote The territory became a warning of what the national crisis might become.
47
Which law triggered the crisis that led to **Bleeding Kansas**?
the Kansas-Nebraska Act ## Footnote It reopened the slavery question by allowing popular sovereignty in those territories.
48
What was the political effect of the **Kansas-Nebraska Act** in the North?
It stimulated Republican growth ## Footnote Many Northerners united against the extension of slavery.
49
What new party emerged strongly from the **Kansas-Nebraska** controversy?
the Republican Party ## Footnote It was built around opposition to the spread of slavery into the territories.
50
Why did the **Republican Party** spread quickly across the North?
It united anti-slavery opinion ## Footnote It brought together former Whigs, Free Soilers and anti-Nebraska Democrats.
51
# True or False: The **Republican Party** was built on strong support across both North and South.
False ## Footnote It was overwhelmingly northern in support, which alarmed the South.
52
Which three politicians became major **Republican figures** in the 1850s?
Lincoln, Seward and Chase ## Footnote These men helped define the party’s leadership and appeal.
53
What was the significance of the **election of 1856**?
It showed the Republicans were a major force ## Footnote The party failed to win, but proved sectional politics had been transformed.
54
What was the **Dred Scott decision**?
A Supreme Court ruling denying Congress could ban slavery in territories ## Footnote It was seen in the North as a major victory for slaveholding interests.
55
# Fill in the blank: The _\_\_\_\_ Scott decision deepened northern fears of Slave Power.
Dred ## Footnote The ruling suggested slavery might spread more widely than many Northerners feared.
56
# True or False: The **Dred Scott decision** reduced sectional tension by satisfying both North and South.
False ## Footnote It outraged many in the North and intensified mistrust of the Supreme Court.
57
Why were the **Lincoln-Douglas debates** important?
They publicised the sectional argument over slavery ## Footnote The debates helped make Lincoln nationally known and exposed the depth of division.
58
What did **Harper’s Ferry** reveal about sectional relations?
Fear and mistrust were hardening ## Footnote John Brown’s raid convinced many Southerners that violent abolitionism threatened them directly.
59
Why did **local conflicts** in the late 1850s matter?
They showed national division at ground level ## Footnote Sectional hostility was no longer just theoretical or confined to Congress.
60
What happened to the **Democratic Party** by 1860?
It split ## Footnote Division between northern and southern Democrats weakened the last major cross-sectional party.
61
# Fill in the blank: The split in the _\_\_\_\_ Party helped make Lincoln’s victory possible in 1860.
Democratic ## Footnote Sectional division had now broken the main national party structure.
62
Why was the **presidential election of 1860** so important?
It triggered the secession crisis ## Footnote Lincoln’s victory convinced many Southerners that they had lost power in the Union.
63
Which candidate’s election in 1860 alarmed the South most?
Abraham Lincoln ## Footnote Lincoln’s Republican victory came without meaningful southern support.
64
# True or False: Lincoln won the presidency in 1860 because he was equally popular across **all sections** of the United States.
False ## Footnote He won through northern support in a divided electoral contest.
65
What was the **Confederacy**?
A new southern government ## Footnote Seceding states formed the Confederate States of America to leave the Union.
66
Who became the leading political figure of the **Confederacy** at its creation?
Jefferson Davis ## Footnote Davis became president of the Confederate States.
67
What broad reason drove **southern secession**?
Fear for slavery and southern power ## Footnote Secessionists believed the Union no longer protected their interests.
68
# Fill in the blank: Southern secession followed the fear that slavery and southern influence were no longer safe in the _\_\_\_\_.
Union ## Footnote Many secessionists saw departure as the only way to defend their system.
69
What marked the outbreak of hostilities in 1861?
Armed conflict between Union and Confederacy ## Footnote Political breakdown had become civil war.
70
What broader pattern defines the years c1845 to 1861?
The collapse of sectional compromise ## Footnote Repeated attempts to preserve the Union failed as slavery divided the republic.
71
What was one major **military strength** of the Confederacy in 1861?
Defensive warfare ## Footnote The South could often fight to defend its own territory rather than conquer the North.
72
What was one major **military weakness** of the Confederacy?
Limited resources ## Footnote The South had fewer men, factories and transport links than the Union.
73
# Fill in the blank: A major weakness of the Confederate war effort was its shortage of _\_\_\_\_.
resources ## Footnote Inferior industry and manpower made a long war difficult to sustain.
74
What was one political strength of the **Confederate cause**?
Strong commitment to independence ## Footnote Many white Southerners were determined to defend secession and their new nation.
75
What was one political weakness of the **Confederacy**?
Tension over states’ rights ## Footnote A government founded on state sovereignty found central control difficult.
76
# True or False: The Confederacy found it easy to impose strong **central authority** because all southern leaders agreed on federal power.
False ## Footnote Commitment to states’ rights often limited effective wartime coordination.
77
Which **Confederate president** led the South during the Civil War?
Jefferson Davis ## Footnote Davis was experienced and committed, but his leadership style could create friction.
78
What was one strength of **Jefferson Davis** as a wartime leader?
Experience in public affairs ## Footnote He had political and military knowledge that helped the Confederate government.
79
What was one weakness of **Jefferson Davis** as a wartime leader?
Poor relations with critics ## Footnote Davis often quarrelled with colleagues and struggled to build broad political support.
80
Why did **geography** sometimes help the Confederacy?
The South was hard to conquer fully ## Footnote Its size made occupation difficult, especially when combined with determined resistance.
81
Why did geography also weaken the **Confederacy**?
It had a long coastline ## Footnote A vast coastline was difficult to defend against Union naval power.
82
What was one major economic weakness of the **Confederacy**?
Weak industry ## Footnote The South depended heavily on agriculture and lacked the North’s manufacturing base.
83
# Fill in the blank: The Confederate economy depended heavily on cotton and lacked strong _\_\_\_\_.
industry ## Footnote This made weapons, supplies and transport harder to provide.
84
Why were **foreign relations** important to the Confederacy?
It needed outside recognition ## Footnote Southern leaders hoped European powers might support or recognise independence.
85
Why did the Confederacy fail to gain decisive **foreign support**?
Europe did not intervene ## Footnote Britain and France had reasons to avoid direct recognition or war with the Union.
86
What was one major military strength of the **Union cause**?
Superior manpower ## Footnote The North had a larger population to recruit soldiers and sustain losses.
87
What was one major economic strength of the **Union cause**?
Industrial power ## Footnote Northern factories, finance and railways gave the Union major advantages.
88
# True or False: The Union entered the war with fewer **economic resources** than the Confederacy.
False ## Footnote The North had clear superiority in industry, finance and transport.
89
Which president led the **Union** during the Civil War?
Abraham Lincoln ## Footnote Lincoln’s political leadership was crucial in holding the Union together.
90
What was one strength of **Lincoln’s** wartime leadership?
Determination to preserve the Union ## Footnote Lincoln kept the war focused on national survival and later on emancipation.
91
What was one weakness facing the **Union leadership** early in the war?
Inexperienced generals ## Footnote The North struggled at first to find commanders capable of decisive victory.
92
# Fill in the blank: The Union’s long-term strength rested heavily on its manpower, industry and _\_\_\_\_.
railways ## Footnote Transport and supply networks helped the North fight a large-scale war.
93
Why did geography favour the **Union** in the long run?
It could blockade and divide the South ## Footnote Control of rivers and coastline weakened Confederate resistance.
94
How did foreign relations generally benefit the **Union** more than the Confederacy?
Recognition stayed with Washington ## Footnote European governments did not formally recognise Confederate independence.
95
What broad pattern defined the course of the **Civil War**?
Initial Confederate resilience but eventual Union victory ## Footnote Southern resistance was strong, but northern advantages grew more decisive over time.
96
What type of events shaped the course of the **Civil War** most directly?
Military campaigns ## Footnote Campaigns in the East and West determined momentum, morale and resources.
97
Why was the Confederacy finally defeated?
It was worn down by Union superiority ## Footnote Northern manpower, industry and strategy gradually overwhelmed the South.
98
# True or False: The Confederacy lost mainly because its soldiers lacked **commitment** to the cause.
False ## Footnote Confederate resistance was often fierce, but material weakness became overwhelming.
99
What was one important reason for final Confederate defeat besides **resources**?
Failure to secure foreign help ## Footnote Without recognition or intervention, the South faced the full weight of Union power alone.
100
What was one important **Union advantage** in the later war?
More effective leadership ## Footnote Over time the North improved military coordination and strategic pressure.
101
What was the cost of war for the South by 1865?
Devastation ## Footnote The South suffered destruction, economic collapse and enormous human loss.
102
# Fill in the blank: By 1865, much of the South faced economic collapse and physical _\_\_\_\_.
devastation ## Footnote War damage made post-war recovery extremely difficult.
103
What was the cost of war for the North by 1865?
Heavy loss but less destruction ## Footnote The North suffered many deaths, though its economy and infrastructure remained stronger.
104
What did the end of the war raise immediately for the **United States**?
The problem of reconciliation ## Footnote Victory did not settle how the Union should be rebuilt or freedpeople protected.
105
What did the **Emancipation Proclamation** do to post-war planning?
It made slavery’s end central ## Footnote Reconstruction now had to address the future of millions of freedpeople.
106
What was **Abraham Lincoln’s** broad aim for Reconstruction?
Restore the Union quickly ## Footnote Lincoln preferred a relatively moderate approach to readmission and reunion.
107
# True or False: Lincoln planned Reconstruction mainly as a programme of severe **punishment** for the South.
False ## Footnote He leaned more towards restoration than revenge, though slavery had to end.
108
What was the **Thirteenth Amendment**?
The abolition of slavery ## Footnote It permanently ended slavery throughout the United States.
109
# Fill in the blank: The _\_\_\_\_ Amendment abolished slavery in the United States.
Thirteenth ## Footnote It was one of the most important legal results of the Civil War.
110
Which **Radical Republican** is strongly associated with pushing harsher Reconstruction measures?
Thaddeus Stevens ## Footnote Stevens argued for stronger federal action against the former Confederate states.
111
What was the **Fourteenth Amendment** designed to protect?
Citizenship and civil rights ## Footnote It aimed to secure legal equality and protection for former slaves.
112
Why was the struggle to pass the **Fourteenth Amendment** important?
It showed conflict over Reconstruction ## Footnote Congress and the president clashed over the future of the South.
113
What were the **Reconstruction Acts**?
Laws imposing congressional Reconstruction ## Footnote They placed the South under new conditions and military oversight.
114
# Fill in the blank: The Reconstruction Acts increased the role of Congress and the _\_\_\_\_ in the South.
army ## Footnote Federal enforcement became central to Radical Reconstruction.
115
Who became president after **Lincoln’s assassination**?
Andrew Johnson ## Footnote Johnson’s presidency quickly became a source of bitter political conflict.
116
What was one important feature of **Andrew Johnson’s** personality?
Stubbornness ## Footnote His inflexible style worsened relations with Congress.
117
What was one broad aim of **Andrew Johnson** in Reconstruction?
Rapid restoration of the South ## Footnote He wanted reunion, but with limited protection for African-American rights.
118
Why did **Johnson** come into conflict with Congress?
He opposed Radical Reconstruction ## Footnote Congress wanted stronger guarantees for freedpeople and tighter terms for the South.
119
# True or False: Andrew Johnson maintained a close and cooperative partnership with the **Republicans in Congress**.
False ## Footnote He broke with many Republicans and became increasingly isolated.
120
Why was **Andrew Johnson** impeached?
Conflict over presidential power ## Footnote Congress sought to remove him amid a fierce struggle over Reconstruction policy.
121
# Fill in the blank: Johnson’s presidency nearly ended through _\_\_\_\_.
impeachment ## Footnote The episode revealed how bitter Reconstruction politics had become.
122
Which election brought **Ulysses Grant** to the presidency?
the election of 1868 ## Footnote Grant’s victory signalled continued Republican support for Reconstruction.
123
What was **Andrew Johnson’s Christmas amnesty**?
A broad pardon for former Confederates ## Footnote It reflected a lenient approach towards many southern whites.
124
What was one broad aim of **Ulysses Grant’s presidency**?
Support Reconstruction ## Footnote Grant backed federal measures to protect the post-war settlement and African-American rights.
125
How did **Radical Reconstruction** affect the South after 1867?
It increased federal intervention ## Footnote Southern governments were reshaped under congressional authority.
126
# True or False: Radical Reconstruction removed the **army** from southern politics as quickly as possible.
False ## Footnote The army remained important in enforcing new political arrangements.
127
Who were **southern Unionists** during Reconstruction?
Southerners loyal to the Union ## Footnote They were an important part of the new political order in the post-war South.
128
Why was the **Fifteenth Amendment** important?
It aimed to protect black male voting rights ## Footnote It tried to secure political participation for African-American men.
129
# Fill in the blank: The _\_\_\_\_ Amendment sought to protect voting rights regardless of race.
Fifteenth ## Footnote It was a major goal of Radical Reconstruction.
130
Who were the **Redeemers**?
Southern Democrats opposing Reconstruction ## Footnote They aimed to restore white Democratic control in the South.
131
What was the **Ku Klux Klan**?
A white supremacist terror group ## Footnote It used violence and intimidation to crush black political participation and Republican power.
132
# True or False: The **Ku Klux Klan** supported Radical Reconstruction and black suffrage in the South.
False ## Footnote The Klan was one of the most violent enemies of Reconstruction.
133
Why was **voter registration** a major issue in the South during Reconstruction?
Political power depended on it ## Footnote Control of registration shaped who could vote and therefore who could govern.
134
Why did Radical Reconstruction begin to weaken in the 1870s?
Northern support declined ## Footnote Fatigue, political conflict and southern resistance undermined sustained enforcement.
135
What happened to **African-Americans’ position** by 1877?
It remained insecure ## Footnote Legal gains existed, but white resistance and the end of Reconstruction weakened protection.
136
# Fill in the blank: By 1877, many African-Americans in the South faced growing insecurity despite earlier legal _\_\_\_\_.
advances ## Footnote Political rights had been won, but enforcement was fading fast.
137
What broader pattern defines Reconstruction from 1865 to 1877?
Promise followed by retreat ## Footnote Major constitutional change occurred, but protection for black rights was not securely maintained.
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