Background Flashcards
When was the Civil War?
1861-1865
When was the constitution established?
1787
What was one of the key points of the constitution?
Checks and balances between the three branches of government.
What are the three branches of government?
Legislative- makes laws
Executive- carries out laws
Judicial- evaluates laws
What makes up the legislative?
Congress which is made up of the Senate (100 Senators, 2 from each state) and the House of Representatives (435 and the number is representative of the population in each state)
What makes up the Executive?
The president, who is elected, and the vice president and cabinet who are chosen by the president and approved by the Senate.
What makes up the Judicial?
The Supreme Court and other Federal Courts.
What are federalism and confederalism?
Federalism supports the federal government and wants to limit the power of the state governments. Confederalism is the opposite.
What were the main causes of the Civil War?
-Slavery
-Economy
-State rights vs federal rights
-The election of Lincoln
What did the Southern states do to trigger the Civil War?
Following the election of Lincoln, 11 of the Southern states seceded and formed a new nation, the Confederate State of America.
When did Lincoln introduce the Ten Percent Plan?
April 1864
What was the Ten Percent Plan?
The rebel states would be admitted if ten percent of their electorate agreed to an oath of future allegiance to the US, they supported all existing acts of Congress regarding slavery, and they allowed African Americans to vote.
What were reactions to the Ten Percent Plan?
Radical Republicans were dissatisfied and two Senators, Davis and Wade, introduced the Wade-Davis Bill in June 1865. This required 50% of the electorate to take a much tougher oath of allegiance of past and future loyalty to the Union.
How did Lincoln respond to the Wade Davis Bill?
He vetoed it.
When was the 13th Amendment introduced?
Introduced by Lincoln in November 1864, approved by Congress in January 1865, and ratified in December 1865.