APUSH Review: Period 5 In 10 Minutes! (1844 - 1877)

Summary

This video explores the U.S. expansion from 1844 to 1877, covering key events like Manifest Destiny, the Mexican-American War, and the rise of abolitionism. It examines how territorial expansion fueled debates over slavery, the nativist movement, and the impact of immigration. The script dives into political compromises, the Civil War, and Reconstruction, highlighting the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments. The challenges African Americans faced during this era, such as segregation, violence, and voter suppression, are also discussed. Key figures like Lincoln, John Brown, and Booker T. Washington are featured, with a focus on the lasting effects of this period on U.S. history.

Takeaways

• 😀 Manifest Destiny was a central political debate in the 1840s and 1850s, focusing on territorial expansion and its impact on slavery.
• 😀 The Mexican-American War and the resulting Mexican Cession increased the size of the U.S. by one-third, sparking intense debates over whether the new territories would allow slavery.
• 😀 The U.S. expanded its influence into Asia, particularly Japan, through figures like Matthew Perry and cultural missions like the spread of Christianity.
• 😀 Immigrants in the mid-19th century, especially Germans and Irish, settled in the U.S. in different ways, with Germans moving west and Irish staying in cities, facing nativism and anti-Catholic sentiments.
• 😀 Federal legislation like the Homestead Act promoted westward expansion by offering land to settlers, leading to environmental changes and conflicts with Native Americans.
• 😀 The abolitionist movement gained traction in the North, with leaders like William Lloyd Garrison advocating for the end of slavery, while the South defended it through arguments like those from John C. Calhoun.
• 😀 The Compromise of 1850 and other legislative attempts, such as the Kansas-Nebraska Act, failed to resolve slavery issues and led to violence like 'Bleeding Kansas' and the Dred Scott decision.
• 😀 The Republican Party emerged as a sectional party in response to issues surrounding slavery and immigration, eventually leading to Abraham Lincoln’s election in 1860.
• 😀 The Civil War's Union victory was aided by better resources, military leadership, and strategic plans, as well as key battles like Gettysburg and the Emancipation Proclamation.
• 😀 Reconstruction led to the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments, granting freedom, citizenship, and voting rights to African Americans, though Southern efforts like sharecropping and Jim Crow laws limited their impact.

Q & A

What was Manifest Destiny, and how did it influence U.S. expansion in the 1840s and 1850s?

Manifest Destiny was the belief that the U.S. was destined by God to expand westward across the continent. It influenced political debates in the 1840s and 1850s, particularly around whether new territories would allow slavery or not. The expansion was driven by racial and cultural superiority, as depicted in paintings like 'Columbia Expanding Out West.'

What was the Wilmot Proviso, and what impact did it have on the debate over slavery?

The Wilmot Proviso was a proposal to ban slavery in the territories acquired from Mexico after the Mexican-American War. While it was not passed into law, it sparked significant debate over the future of slavery in the new territories and contributed to the growing tension between the North and South.

How did the U.S. initiate relations with Asia during the period of expansion?

During this time, the U.S. initiated relations with Asia primarily for economic reasons. A notable example is Commodore Matthew Perry, who sailed to Japan and opened the country to American trade. Cultural exchanges, including missionary work, also became part of this U.S. expansion.

What role did German and Irish immigrants play in the U.S. during the 1840s and 1850s?

German and Irish immigrants were the main groups of 'old immigrants' during this period. The Irish mostly settled in cities, while Germans tended to move west and become farmers. They faced significant nativism, especially the Irish, who were discriminated against due to their Catholic faith.

What was the Homestead Act, and how did it contribute to westward expansion?

The Homestead Act was a law that provided 160 acres of free land to settlers who would farm it for five years. It was a key piece of legislation that encouraged westward migration and settlement, contributing to the U.S. territorial expansion.

How did the North and South differ economically and socially during this period?

The North had an economy based on free labor and manufacturing, with rapid industrial growth. In contrast, the South depended on agriculture and slavery, with slower population growth due to fewer immigrants moving to the region. These differences fueled political tensions, particularly over the issue of slavery.

What were some of the major compromises related to slavery, and why did they fail?

The major compromises included the Compromise of 1850, which introduced popular sovereignty in the Mexican Cession and a strict Fugitive Slave Law, and the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which allowed for popular sovereignty in those territories. These compromises failed to resolve the issue of slavery and led to violent conflicts like 'Bleeding Kansas.'

How did the 1860 election and Lincoln's platform contribute to the secession of the South?

In the 1860 election, Abraham Lincoln was elected on a platform that opposed the expansion of slavery into new territories. His victory led to the secession of South Carolina and eventually to the Civil War, as the Southern states saw Lincoln's anti-slavery stance as a direct threat to their way of life.

What was the Emancipation Proclamation, and how did it change the purpose of the Civil War?

The Emancipation Proclamation, issued by President Lincoln in 1863, declared the freedom of slaves in Confederate-held territories. It shifted the purpose of the Civil War from solely preserving the Union to also ending slavery, which helped to prevent European countries from intervening and allowed African Americans to join the Union Army.

What was the impact of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments on African Americans after the Civil War?

The 13th Amendment abolished slavery, the 14th Amendment granted citizenship and equal protection under the law, and the 15th Amendment provided voting rights for African American men. However, these rights were often undermined by segregation, violence, and discriminatory laws in the South, which limited the impact of these amendments for many years.