AP US History Chapter 18 Vocabulary General Lewis Cass – veteran of War of 1812, Democratic party, but supported popular sovereignty Popular sovereignty – soverign people of territory should determine status of slavery Reasons for popularity – public liked it because accorded with democratic tradition of self-determination; politicians liked it because it seemed compromise btw abolitionists and south Zachary Taylor – Hero of Buena Vista, , Whig candidate, wins presidency in 1848 Whig Platform – dodged troublesome issues, extolled virtues of candidate Free Soil Party platform – for Wilmot Proviso, against lavery in territories, for federal aid, free government homesteads for settlers Gold fever – Sutter’s Mill – 1848 – discovery of gold caused influx of thousands to California, applied for statehood; slavery issue 1849 – California applied for statehoods – South responded with opposition because it would enter as a free state Sectional balance – admission of California would create imbalance toward free states Underground Railroad – chain of antislavery homes through which runaway slaves transported from slave states to Canada Harriet Tubman – most famous runaway slave, rescued more than 300 slaves; “Moses” Henry Clay – Great Pacificator r Great Compromiser – proposed a series of compromises, make concessions for both North and South Senator Stephen Douglas – Little Giant – 37, helped Clay Senator John C. Calhoun – Great Nullifier, championed the South in his last formal speech Daniel Webster – upholded Clays compromise measures; urged reasonable concessions to South including new fugitive slave law William H. Seward – against concessions, argued that legislature must obey “higher law’ than the Constitution Millard Fillmore – took over presidency after Taylor died in office; was vice president Compromise of 1850 – California entered as a free state, New Mexico/Utah open to opular sovereignty; Texas lost land and was paid $10 million, Washington D. C. ould stop slave trade, new fugitive slave law Fugitive Slave Law of 1850 – Bloodhound Bill – slaves could not testify in their own behalf, denied Jury trial, opposed because could set dangerous precedent; caused many Northerners to Join antislavery ranks North’s response to the law – many moderates driven into antislavery groups, Underground Railroad accelerated Election of 1852 – Franklin Pierce, dark-horse candidate, won; Whig candidate = Winfield Scott “Old Fuss and Feathers” Whig Party had split in 1852; antislavery Whigs accepted Scott but despised latform which endorsed Fugitive Slave Law Franklin Pierce – compliant, cabinet included aggressive southerners Jefferson Davis – secretary of war under Pierce, future president of Confederacy William Walker – tried to grab control of Nicaragua and legalize slavery; overthrown, killed Clayton-Bulwer Treaty of 1850 – stipulated that neither America nor Britain would fortify or secure exclusive control over waterway; impeded progress towards canal later on Commodore Matthew Perry and “Gunboat Diplomacy’ – Japan had become isolationist; Perry commanded fleet that rrived and forced Japan to open trade with US Black Warrior – Spanish officials seized an American steamer; diplomatic crisis, Pierce’s time to provoke war with] Spain and seize Cuba Ostend Manitesto – top-secret dispatch that urged administration offer to buy Cuba, or else war; news leaked out, withdrawn James Gadsden – Gadsden Purchase – bought a chunk of Mexico from Santa Anna who was back in power Kansas-Nebraska Act – by Stephen A. Douglas; opened Nebraska Territory to popular sovereignty; required repeal of Missouri Compromise; intolerable to many Northerners Proposed Union Pacific Railroad – two places – from California to Chicago
