Chapter 2 Flashcards
(22 cards)
When did the shift from indentured servitude to slavery begin?
Between 1660-1690.
What was the Virginia Slave Code?
A legal framework established in 1705 to control and regulate slavery in Virginia.
Why did slavery decline in the late 18th century?
Reasons included the federal constitutional ban on slave importation (1808), falling slave prices, religious revivals, and fears of mass rebellions.
What invention revitalized slavery in 1793?
Eli Whitney’s cotton gin, which drastically increased cotton production efficiency.
How did the rise of sugar cultivation in 1794 affect slavery?
Jean-Étienne Boré’s new boiling method spread sugar cultivation, increasing demand for labor-intensive slave work.
How many slaves were there in 1800 compared to 1860?
900,000 in 1800 and 4 million in 1860.
What political advantage did non-voting slaves give the South?
They counted as 3/4 of a voting citizen, increasing Southern political clout.
What challenges did freed African Americans face in the North?
Discrimination, inability to vote, testify, marry interracially, join unions, or live in certain areas.
What issue led to the Missouri Compromise?
Whether Missouri should be admitted as a slave or free state.
What was the result of the Missouri Compromise?
Missouri entered as a slave state, Maine as a free state, and slavery was excluded above the latitude 36°30’.
How did Thomas Jefferson react to the Missouri Compromise?
He feared it would deepen sectional divisions and was ‘a reprieve only, not a final sentence.’
What was the Indian Removal Act of 1830?
A law that displaced over 60,000 Native Americans west of the Mississippi River, leading to the Trail of Tears.
What was Nat Turner’s rebellion (1831)?
A slave uprising in Virginia where 55 whites were killed, resulting in harsh anti-literacy laws for slaves.
What was the Compromise of 1850?
A series of laws admitting California as a free state, abolishing the slave trade in D.C., and passing the Fugitive Slave Law.
What did the Fugitive Slave Law enforce?
It required only minimal proof to reclaim escaped slaves, outraging Northerners and fueling anti-slavery sentiment.
What arguments did pro-slavery advocates use?
They claimed slaves were treated better than Northern factory workers and contributed to Southern society while being exposed to Christianity.
What was the Underground Railroad?
A network of abolitionists helping 50,000-100,000 slaves escape to freedom, mainly in Canada.
Who was Harriet Tubman?
An escaped slave who led hundreds to freedom and famously declared, ‘I shall fight for my liberty.’
Who was Frederick Douglass?
A former slave, abolitionist, and author of Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave.
What happened during John Brown’s raid on Harpers Ferry (1859)?
Brown attempted to incite a slave revolt by seizing a federal arsenal but was captured and executed, becoming a polarizing figure.
What was the significance of the Dred Scott case (1857)?
The Supreme Court ruled that slaves were property and had no rights, enraging Northern abolitionists.
How did Lincoln’s election in 1860 contribute to the Civil War?
His anti-slavery platform led seven Southern states to secede before he took office.
