Hi everyone,
we’re starting a new unit that covers the period just before and including the US Civil War. We have lots of new terms to learn so that we can discuss this crucial time in American history:

Unit 8: Sectionalism and the Civil War

Terms for the 1st half of the unit:

Sectionalism-an exaggerated devotion to the interests of a region over those of a country as a whole.
States rights-the belief that individual states have the right to limit the power of the federal government and secede from the union, if necessary.
King Cotton-the belief by Southern states that they would survive secession and become an independently wealthy country because of the power of cotton.
Slave-a person who is owned as the property of someone else.
Abolitionist-someone who wishes to abolish or get rid of slavery.
Secession-withdrawal from the federal government of the United States.
Rebel-nickname given to people in the South who supported the Confederacy.
Yankee-nickname given to people in the North who supported the Union.
Dred Scott case-Dred Scott was a slave who was taken to free territory by his owner. He petitioned the Supreme Court to declare him free, but the Court ruled that he was not a citizen, but property, and was not protected by any rights.

We will also watch this video about Westward expansion and it contributed to sectionalism in the US, and the United States’ attempt to delicately balance the Union with free and slave states.

We will also be studying these people and their importance to American history:

Key people:
John Brown-an abolitionist who believed that slavery must be ended by any means. He and his sons organized slaves to revolt at Harper’s Ferry in Virginia in 1859, but the slaves backed out at the last minute, and Mr. Brown’s sons were killed, and John Brown was tried and executed by Virginia.
There were 100,000 weapons stored at the arsenal at Harper’s ferry by 1859.
Harriet Tubman-a slave who escaped in 1849, and used the Underground Railroad to help about 70 family and friends to escape slavery from Maryland to freedom in the North.
Abraham Lincoln-16th President of the US. Issued the Emancipation Proclamation that freed all the slaves in the South in 1863.
As soon as Lincoln was elected South Carolina seceded in December 1860 from the Union, and Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, Louisiana and Texas followed soon after in January 1861.
Jefferson Davis-President of the Confederacy from 1861-1865.
Robert E. Lee-Overall Commander of the Confederate Forces from 1861-1865.
Ulysses S. Grant-Overall Commander of the Union Forces from 1864-1865. Later 18th President.
Frederick Douglas-former slave who ended up being an advisor to President Lincoln on abolition issues. Gifted speaker and writer on anti-slavery issues.