Passing the Georgia High School
Graduation Test and the State End
of Course Test
Review Material for GHSGT
and SEOCT
Prepared by Michelle Drayton
and Marjorie Seckinger
United States
History
PART ONE
ECHS – 2007-2008
U.S History to
1865
Getting Started
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This presentation is not intended to be a
substitute for classroom instruction.
It is to be used as a review of the key terms,
names, and concepts outlined in the standards
for Social Studies – United States History
Focus on the sequence of events
Social Studies
There are five major domains on the GHSGT
 Domain 1: American Government/Civics
 Domain 2: United States History to 1865
 Domain 3: United States History Since 1865
 Domain 4: World Geography
 Domain 5: World History
Social Studies Skills
The test also includes the use of maps, charts,
graphs, and document analysis
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
Map and Globe
Information Processing Skills
Domain 2: U.S History to 1865

Test questions in this content domain will
measure your knowledge of the colonization of
North America, the creation of the United
States government, the Constitution,
expansion, and the crisis of the Civil War.
SSUSH1: The student will describe European
settlement in North America during the 17th
century

Desire for profit led to the settlement of the first
successful English colony
-Jamestown 1607
-Settled by stockholders of the Virginia
Company
-Stockholder hoped to make profit from
settlement of Jamestown
Jamestown
Tobacco became the cash crop – saved the colony
from failure
 The settlement led to conflict with the Native Americans
who differed in their views of land
-land was owned communally – no one individual could
own the land
-crops were gathered by the tribe and shared in
common

Native American vs. Colonists



Colonists fenced the land and introduced
heavy cultivation of the land
Powhatan – Native Americans who lived in the
area of Jamestown
Came into conflict with settlers over the land
Colonization


House of Burgesses - first legislative assembly
Made laws for the colonists of Virginia and
planned its growth and development
Colonization

Bacon’s Rebellion
-Nathaniel Bacon and other western Virginia
settlers were angry with the Governor for failing
to protect them from Native American attacks.
They formed an army, defeated the Indians
and marched on Jamestown and burned the
city. The Governor fled and the rebellion
ended when Bacon died of an illness.
Development of Slavery

Early attempts to supply labor for the colonies
was done in the form of Indentured Servants
-indentured servants – worked for a set period
of time
-failed to supply enough labor to meet the
needs
- 1619 first African slaves introduced into the
colonies
French settlement of Quebec


France established trading posts with Native
Americans in Canada
Fur trade became an important economic
activity between the French and the Indians
Settlement of New England
Plymouth- settled by the Pilgrims 1620
- Pilgrims were “separatists” who believed that
the Church of England (Anglican Church) could
not be “purified” and left England to escape
persecution
- Puritans believed that the church had too
many Catholic rituals and needed to be
changed but were not willing to separate from
the church.

New England

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Puritans received the right to settle and govern
a colony in the Massachusetts Bay area in
1630.
Mayflower Compact – first colonial agreement
that formed a government by the consent of
the governed
Held town meeting at which all male resident
could speak
Beginning of Colonial Government
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Town meetings were important to the
development of democracy in America
Not so democratic - only male members of the
Puritan Church could vote of hold office
Puritans banished people who disagreed with
them and the Church
Dissent
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Roger Williams – Rhode Island established on
the basis of religious toleration.
He believed that the government should not
punish anyone for their religious beliefs
Rhode Island: non-church members could
vote, towns could reject laws of the colony’s
legislature
Freedom of Religion
Puritans
Halfway Covenant – applied to members of the
Puritan colonies who were the children of
church members, but who had not received
“grace” themselves. It allowed them to
participate in some church affairs
(This was in response to the declining number
of people in the Puritan Church)

Puritan
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Salem Witch Trials - (Massachusetts)
Began with young girls accusing people of
witchcraft – led to 19 hangings and many
others imprisoned
Native Americans
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Native Americans help the settlers of Plymouth
to survive the harsh conditions
As the numbers of settlers increased the
relationships between the Indians and the
settlers changed
Puritans began to force the Indians off of tribal
lands
Tensions Increase
King Philip’s War 1675
- A series of battles in New Hampshire between colonists
and the Wampanoags, led by King Philip (Metacom)
- started when government tried to assert jurisdiction
over local Indians
- The colonists won with the help of the Mohawks.
- Led to opening of new lands to settlement as Indians
fled the area.

Massachusetts Charter
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In an effort of exert more control over the
colonist, the King revoked the charter that gave
Massachusetts the power to govern
themselves.
It became a royal colony and subject to the
laws of the Navigation Acts.
Mid-Atlantic Colonies
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New York
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
New York
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Settled by the Dutch for fur trade – in
competition with the French
Capital was New Amsterdam
Became New York when the English captured
it
Name change to New York (after Duke of York)
Became center of trade and commerce
Pennsylvania
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Settled by the Quakers – left England to
escape religious persecution
William Penn received land grant from King
Charles II
Experiment in religious toleration
Philadelphia became center of trade
SSUSH2 The student will trace the ways
that the economy and society of British
North America developed.
Mercantilism- economic policy in which a nation
gains wealth by exporting more than it imports.
-Britain exercised control over the colonies by
passing laws regarding trade
-Colonies became a source of raw materials to
be manufactured into finished products by
workers in England
Navigation Acts

Designed to protect British shipping from
foreign competition
- Colonist could import goods if they were
transported on British ships
- Certain goods could only be purchased from
or sold to Britain
- Served to restrict colonial trade with other
countries
Trans-Atlantic Trade
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Trade between Europe, Africa, the West Indies,
and the American colonies
Routes along the Atlantic Coast (not always
triangular)
Involved items such as rum, molasses, slaves,
and manufactured goods
Middle Passage – part of Triangular Trade
route that moved slaves across the Atlantic
from Africa to the West Indies. Resulted in
many deaths aboard the ships.
The Enlightenment
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An intellectual movement in which reason and
scientific experimentation was emphasized.
Benjamin Franklin was a leading
Enlightenment thinker - focused on
government, ethics, and science
Believed in individualism (relying on self)
He believed that a man’s worth was measured
by his contribution to society
Believed that the world was run by natural laws
The Great Awakening
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The Great Awakening was a religious
movement that swept through the colonies in
the 1730’s.
First event to unify the colonies
Revival of faith - encouraged people to get
emotional about their religious beliefs
Resulted in the growth of new denominations,
the spread of religious toleration and the
movement away from the old Puritan Church
SSUSH3 The Student will explain the
primary causes of the American Revolution
Differences between French and British colonization
The British
The French
•settled mainly along the
coast, where they started
farms, towns, and
governments. More
settlement of whole
families. Little interaction
with natives other than
fighting.
•Colonized the interior and
controlled the fur trade. Most
immigrants were single men.
Few towns and only loose
governmental authority. Lived
closely with the Indians and
engaged in fur trade.
French and Indian War
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Britain and France fought for control of the
Ohio Valley and Canada.
Some Indians became allies with the French
(Algonquin) because they feared British
expansion into their area.
The colonies fought under British commanders
French and Indian War

The British won and gained control of French
territory – including Canada.

Treaty of Paris 1763 – official end

War left Britain with a huge war debt – they
expected the colonists to help pay the debt
because the war was fought to protect them
from the French.
Causes of the American Revolution
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Proclamation of 1763 issued by the British at
the end of the French and Indian War
Proclamation prohibited settlement of land
west of the Appalachian Mts.
Forced colonists already settled there to move
back east.
Causes of the American Revolution

Purpose: to make peace with the Indians and
to reduce the cost of having military to protect
the colonists
Colonial reaction to Proclamation of 1763
 ANGRY – believed that they would be able to
settle in the fur rich Ohio Valley
 Some disobeyed and moved into the area
Causes of the American Revolution
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Stamp Act – passed by Parliament to raise
revenue (money)
Required that all official documents (wills,
deeds, and contracts) be written on special
stamped British paper.
Very unpopular – led to protests
Causes of the American Revolution
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Stamp Act Congress – formed to protest the
Stamp Act
Riots, burned stamped paper,
Boycott of British goods
Forced Parliament to repeal the Stamp Act
Causes of the American Revolution
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Samuel Adams – formed the Sons of Liberty
to protests the actions of the British in dealing
with the colonists.
Boston Tea Party – Sons of Liberty opposed
the passage of taxes without the consent of the
colonists. They dumped tea in the harbor as a
protest to “taxation without representation.”
Causes of the American Revolution
British response to the Boston Tea Party was
the Intolerable Acts. (Coercive Acts)
- Closed the port of Boston until the tea was
paid for
- Allowed soldiers to be “quartered” (housed) in
colonial homes and buildings
- Closed colonial courts and disbanded the local
government

Causes of the American Revolution
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Committees of Correspondence – formed as
a way to spread information throughout the
colonies
Served as a way to encourage support for
colonial boycotts and protests
Causes of the American Revolution
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Thomas Paine wrote “Common Sense”
Encouraged colonists to seek independence
Spoke out against the unfair treatment of the
colonies by the British government
Important in turning public opinion in favor of
the revolution
Causes of the American Revolution
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As the colonies grew in size and complexity, the ties
with Britain began to weaken
Many believed that they could gain economically
through independence
Others believed that their rights were being violated by
the British
Some resented the control that King George III
attempted to exercise over the colonies
Most resented the fact the the colonies were not
represented in Parliament
About 1/3 of the population disagreed – the loyalistthey remained loyal to the King
SSUSH4
The student will identify the ideological, military, and
diplomatic aspects of the American Revolution

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The American Revolution begins in 1775 with a
skirmish at Lexington, Massachusetts
The First Continental Congress acted to form
an army and to make George Washington the
Commander.
The debate was over independence – even
though the war had begun – most were still
reluctant to make the final break with Britain
Declaring Independence
Written by Thomas Jefferson
 Uses the philosophy of John Locke – consent
of the governed
– believes that people give their consent to be
governed
- if their rights are abused, the people have the
right to withdraw their consent and form a new
government

Declaring Independence
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Thomas Jefferson also relied on the work of
French philosopher – Charles Montesquieu
Separation of powers – the powers of a
government should be divided among the
executive, legislative, and judicial branches so
that no one part can become too powerful.
Declaration of Independence
Two major parts
 Part One: gives Jefferson’s view of what a government
should be and that all men are entitled to life, liberty,
and property (pursuit of happiness)
 Part Two: gives a list of grievances against King
George III
 It offers justification for going to war against Britain
and declares that the “United States of America is and,
by right, ought to be independent.”
 Hoped to win support of people in the colonies and
leaders of foreign nations
Foreign Aid
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Benjamin Franklin was the most widely known
individual from the colonies. He was respected
for his Enlightenment thinking.
Sent to France to persuade them to recognize
the colonies as an independent nation
Hoped to gain aid from the French
The French were eventually convinced to help
Foreign Aid in the American
Revolution
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Marquis de Lafayette and Baron von Steuben
(Prussian) aided the colonists by training
troops in military discipline and fighting
France – signed a treaty with the Americans –
sent aid in the form of troops, money, loans,
and military supplies
The aid of the French Navy at the battle of
Yorktown was important in forcing the
surrender of the British army under Cornwallis
to end the war.
Leaders of the Revolution
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George Washington – gained some military
experience from the French and Indian War
Was not considered good at military strategy –
he relied on others to plan battles
Strength was in leadership, motivation, and
organization
Strict in discipline and expected the same from
his soldiers
George Washington
Faced many challenges as commander of the
Continental Army
- constantly low on supplies, money, and men
- army lack experience and military discipline
 Valley Forge – considered the low point of the
war – winter headquarters for Washington’s
Army
 Lost 2,000 men to cold and disease

George Washington
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
Although he was not considered a brilliant
strategist – his plan to cross the Delaware
River and attack the Hessian fort at Trenton
boosted the morale of the army and gave them
much needed supplies
The Crossing of the Delaware was
accomplished on freezing cold Christmas night.
The War comes to an End
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General Cornwallis – British commander - had little
respect for the Continental Army (Americans)
His decision to take the war to the South had been a
good decision as he went quickly through Georgia and
into Charleston, SC where he had major victories
As he moved through the Carolinas - he suffered
some defeats and decided to retreat to Virginia where
he could be reinforced and re-supplied.
His retreat led him to Yorktown, VA
The War Comes to an End
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Yorktown, VA 1781
Cornwallis is trapped on the coast by the
George Washington’s army, soldiers under the
command of Marquis de Lafayette and the
French Navy in the Atlantic.
After three weeks of bombardment –
Cornwallis is forced to surrender
Treaty of Paris 1783
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Ended the Revolutionary War
Recognized the independence of the colonies
Granted land to the Mississippi river and
established the Northern and Southern
boundaries
Impact of the war
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First anti-slavery group
Many northern states abolished slavery
Women made small gains in legal rights but
were valued most as the mothers of future
patriots.
Native Americans continued to be pushed off of
their land
SSUSH5 The student will explain specific events
and key ideas that brought about the adoption and
implementation of the United States Constitution.
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Among the first challenges of the new nation
was to create a plan of government.
This 1st plan was written in the middle of
fighting the war and reflects the fear of creating
a strong central government
Led to a period known as the “Critical Period”
The Articles of Confederation
Powers included:
 Declare war
 Foreign policy
 Issuing money
The Articles of Confederation
Weaknesses included:
1.
Gave federal (central) government too little power –
could not unite the independent states
2.
No power to tax – could not raise money to conduct
business or pay foreign debts
3.
No executive branch – no one to carry out the laws of
the legislative branch
4.
No judicial branch – no one to settle disputes
between states or to interpret the meaning of laws
Daniel Shays’s Rebellion
1786-1787  Poor, indebted landowners in western Massachusetts
attempted to stop the foreclosures on their farms by
shutting down the court houses. Led riots against the
state government.
 Federal government too weak to help Boston remove
the rebels
 This rebellion showed how weak the government was
under the Articles of Confederation
 People called for changes to the Articles
The Federalists and the AntiFederalists
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1.
2.
3.
Philadelphia – 1787 – delegates gathered to discuss
ways to amend the Articles
Problems:
Amending required consent of all 13 states
Each state acted more like an independent nation
Issues such as slavery, representation, debts, and
strength of the federal government caused major
divisions among the states
The Constitution
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
James Madison and Alexander Hamilton were
among the most important supporters of a new,
stronger constitution and called for a
convention
They will make up the key members of the
Federalist Party who will argue for the
ratification of the new Constitution
The Constitution
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Is a series of compromises to settle the issues that
divided the states.
Representation in Congress – Small states wanted
equal representation. Larges states wanted
representation to be based on size of the population
The Great Compromise - Settled the issue of
representation
The Great Compromise
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It created a two house (bicameral) legislature
The Senate (favored by the small states) –
gave each state an equal number of
representatives in Congress (2)
The House of Representatives (favored the
large states) gave each states representative
based on their population
The Constitution

1.
2.
To reassure people that the new government
would not be too powerful - the framers…..
Limited government - they placed limits the
power of our government by stating those
powers in the Constitution
Divided powers between state and federal
governments (Federalism)
Separation of Powers

1.
2.
3.
To avoid the concentration of power in one
branch – the Constitution separated the
powers into three branches of government
Legislative – to make the laws
Executive – to carry out the laws
Judicial – to interpret the laws
Checks and Balances

To prevent any one branch from gaining too
much power – a system of checks and
balances allows a branch to check (stop) an
action of another branch if that action violates
the Constitution
Other issues
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Slavery - the issue of abolishing slavery was avoided
because of fear that Southern states would walk out
without making the changes necessary to strengthen
the government
Compromised over the issue of counting slaves for the
purpose of representation - known as the Three-Fifths
Compromise – it counts each slave as 3/5 of a person
Additionally, stated that slave trade could continue for
at least twenty years
Federalists vs. Anti-federalist
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Preferred stronger
central government
Dominated by business
interests – power to
regulate economy
Manufacturing - trade
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Weaker central
government
More power in the states
Believed in individual
rights
Supported by smaller rural communities
Farmers
Federalists vs. Anti-federalists
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Believed in a republican
(representative) form of
government
Better suited to control
mob rule
Did not believe a Bill of
Rights was necessary
because individual rights
would be protected by
each state
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Believed in more
democratic form of
government
Believed that a strong
central government
would work to limit
individual freedoms
Supported a Bill of
Rights to be added to
the Constitution
Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists
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Federalists believed that
the Constitution would
not allow the President
to become too powerful.
Can be impeached
Has to be re-elected
every four years
Checks and balances
will prevent excessive
control of government
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Anti-federalist feared
that a strong executive
would abuse power the
same as a monarch.
Believed that the method
of electing the president
was too far removed
from the people.
Hamilton and Madison
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Wrote the Federalist Papers in support of the
Constitution
A republican form of government was best for a
large nation
It would prevent the rise of factions which
would disregard the public good
Bill of Rights
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The Federalist compromised on the issue of a
Bill of Rights in order to secure the ratification
of the Constitution
Constitution ratified in 1789
Bill of Rights
1st ten amendments to the Constitution
Includes:
 freedom of speech, religion and press,
 trial procedures -fair, bail, double jeopardy, trial by jury
 keep and bear arms
 freedom from unreasonable searches,
 a provision that stated that all powers not granted to
the federal government were reserved by the states
and individuals.
 no quartering of troops

President George Washington

1.
2.
3.
Establish precedents:
Cabinet of advisors
Two terms as president
Farewell address
- warned against the formation of political parties
- warned against getting involved in foreign affairs
4. Supported political balance in government by
appointing people who did not support his ideas
President George Washington
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Whiskey Rebellion – led by Pennsylvania
farmers – riots led to death of federal officers
Opposed a new tax on Whiskey
Washington led the army to put down the
rebellion
Showed that the new government, under the
Constitution, could act swiftly to deal with the
problem
President George Washington
Did not get involved in the French Revolution
and issued Proclamation of Neutrality
 Jay’s Treaty with Britain
- settled boundary dispute with British Canada
- gave British most favored trade status
 Angry of treaty with Britain - France began to
seize American shipping in the West Indies –

President John Adams
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Leader of the Federalist party
Appointed John Marshall as Chief Justice of
the Supreme Court
Helped pass a series of laws known as the
Alien and Sedition Acts – aimed at immigrants
and people who criticized the government
Led to party conflict
Adams and the “Midnight” Judges

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Adams appointed several Federalist Judges on his last
night in office.
4 of the appointments letters were not delivered before
midnight
Jefferson, as the new president, would not have them
delivered
Led to Supreme Court case Marbury v. Madison –
stated that the Supreme Court had the power of judicial
review (power of the court to “review” actions of the
executive branch – to determine if constitutional
Political Parties
Federalists
J. Adams – Alex. Hamilton
 Power in hands of
wealthy and educated
 Based on manufacturing
 Loose interpretation of
Constitution
Democratic-Republicans
Thomas Jefferson
 Power in the hands of the
people –
 Economy based on
agriculture
 Strict interpretation of the
Constitution
 Opposed Alien and Sedition
Acts
SSUSH6 The student will analyze the nature of
territorial and population growth and the impact of
this growth in the early decades of the new nation.

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Northwest Ordinance – set a plan for
establishing governments for the West
Also established plan for statehood –
guaranteed a republican form of government
Would have same rights as original 13 states
Settlement of the Territories
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U.S. became “land rich”
The ordinance divided the land into small and
affordable parcels
People were encouraged to buy their own land
Funds from some of the land helped pay for
education
People developed farms and communities
Settlement spread throughout the NW territories
Settlement of the Territories


These communities soon gained enough
population to apply for statehood
important piece of legislation passed under the
Articles, it established the precedent by which
the United States would expand westward
across North America by the admission of new
states, rather than by the expansion of existing
states.
Settlement of the Territories


The banning of slavery in the territory had the
effect of establishing the Ohio River as the
boundary between free and slave territory in
the region between the Appalachian Mountains
and the Mississippi River.
The government tried to maintain a balance
between slave states and free states.
The Louisiana Purchase
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
Problem: Spain returns Louisiana Territory to
France in a treaty
U.S. concerned about France on our border
U.S. needs the port at New Orleans for trade
France decides to sell entire territory for $15
million
The Louisiana Purchase

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

Jefferson concerned purchase is
unconstitutional
Believed it was a diplomatic answer to threat of
France on our border
Lewis and Clark – appointed to explore –
Collect scientific information about unknown
plants and animals from St. Louis to Pacific
War of 1812
Issues
 Impressment of U.S. citizens into British
navy
 Interference with U.S. shipping
War declared on Britain – few major battles
White House burned
Inspired Star Spangled Banned
Battle of New Orleans only major victory –
gave U.S. impression of winning the war and
development of national identity
Internal improvements
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Erie Canal – provided new shipping route from New
York to the Hudson River
Caused New York to become the center of trade and
commerce
National Road – was part of an internal improvement
plan to unite the sections of the nation with trade. It
stretched from Maryland to Illinois.
First internal improvements made by the federal
government – linked the North and West
Monroe Doctrine



Declared that Europe should not interfere in
the affairs of the Western Hemisphere (North
and South America).
Any interference from Europe would be seen
as a threat to the United States.
U.S. did not have the military or diplomatic
power to enforce the doctrine
Monroe Doctrine

1.
2.
3.
4.
Reasons it was issued
Most of Spain’s colonies had revolted and
declared independence
U.S. afraid that other European nations would
rush in to claim them as colonies and would
drag the U.S. into more wars
Gave U.S. sense of national pride
Only Great Britain supported the Doctrine
SSUSH7 Students will explain the
process of economic grown, its regional and national
impact in the first half of the 19th century, and the
different responses to it.

1.
2.
Eli Whitney –
Invented the cotton gin - made cotton
profitable - led to the increase in production of
cotton - led to the increase in the number of
slaves.
Developed interchangeable part for guns – It
revolutionized the manufacturing process and
led the development of mass production in
other products
Industrial Revolution
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


The industrial revolution did not reach the U. S.
until after the War of 1812
Began to manufacture goods with the aid of
factories and machines
New England emerged as a manufacturing
center because in had many rivers to supply
water power, plus a better system of roads and
canals.
First major industries was textiles
Manifest Destiny



Belief that is inevitable that the U.S. would
expand to the Pacific
U.S. (Adams-Onis Treaty) bought Florida from
Spain
Texas gains independence from Mexico and
asks to be annexed (added) to the United
States in 1845
Westward Expansion



Mexico considered the annexation of Texas an
“act of aggression”
War with Mexico broke out over a dispute of
the Texas – Mexico border.
U.S. won easily – and the treaty gave the U.S.
the Mexican Cession which included – New
Mexico, California for $18 million
Westward Expansion



Oregon Annexation – in treaty with Britain –
U.S. gains Oregon Territory
Gadsden Purchase – U.S. purchases part of
New Mexico, and Arizona to build a southern
transcontinental railroad.
By 1849 gold is discovered in California –
thousands rush westward
Reform Movements

Social reform movements – believed in the
goodness of the human person and promoted
changes in society to guarantee respect and
dignity for all individuals.
Second Great Awakening

1.
2.
3.
1800-1860 – Revivalist preachers inspired
Christians with religious enthusiasm.
Do good works
God’s love and grace could change people
Camp meetings – traveling preachers
Transcendentalism






Literary and philosophical movement
Believed in individualism and self-reliance
Believed in nature
Did not believe in conformity
Ralph Waldo Emerson – Poet – promoted these ideas
in his writing
Henry David Thoreau – chose to go to jail rather than
pay taxes to support the Mexican War –
Educational and Social Reform



Horace Mann – supported the education of
both men and women through public schools
Believed that education was important in a
democracy
Supported the building of state hospitals for the
insane
Educational and Social Reform



Dorothea Dix - promoted legislation to improve
mental institutions and prisons
Temperance Movement – members wanted to
moderate the use of alcohol. Some advocated
the total banning of alcohol
Abolitionist Movement – wanted to end slavery.
Successful in ending slave trade – brought
attention to the slavery issue but was not able
to end slavery until the Civil War.
Suffrage Movement



Women participated in many social movements
such as temperance and abolition.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton helped organize the
first women’s rights convention – known as the
Seneca Falls Conference
Called for the right to vote
Jacksonian Democracy



Andrew Jackson – support for the common
man led to term Jacksonian Democracy
Property qualifications for voting were dropped
– increased the number of people who were
allowed to vote – gained support from poorer
people
Spoils System – rewarded his supporters with
government jobs – sometimes people were not
qualified – made government inefficient.
Jacksonian Democracy



Presidency called the “Age of the Common
Man” - believed that government should be for
the common people
Free public schools, more voters, better
working conditions,
Development of American Nationalism –
feelings of pride in being an American - more
people took part in government
SSUSH8 The student will
explain the relationship between growing
north-south divisions and westward
expansion.





Slavery became a significant issue in the U.S. as a
result of the abolitionist movement.
Harriet Beecher Stowe – Uncle Tom’s Cabin written to
show the horrors of slavery – widely read in northern
states.
William Lloyd Garrison – “The Liberator” newspaper
published to support abolition
Fredrick Douglas – former slave – spoke through out
the North on Abolition
The Grimke sisters – daughters of a wealthy plantation
owner – wrote and lectured on abolition
Nat Turner




1831 slave uprising – believed that he was a
divine instrument sent to free his people. Killed
almost 60 whites in Virginia.
Led to manhunt in which 100 blacks were killed
Resulted in strict slave codes to prevent new
uprisings
Fugitive slave laws enacted
Missouri Compromise





Dispute over admission of Missouri as a slave state.
Concern in Congress over the political balance of
power between the number of free states and the
number of slave states.
Compromise admitted Missouri as a slave state and
Maine as a free state.
Drew a line at the 36’30 mark – all states above the
line would be admitted as free states and below the
line as slave states.
Temporarily settled the issue
Nullification Crisis – States’ Rights



Southern states opposed protective tariffs
because they raised the cost of imported
goods that they purchased from Britain
Northern states wanted tariffs that protected
new industries
The South strongly opposed the Tariffs of 1828
and 1832 – believed that they had the right to
refuse to collect the tariff on imported goods
Nullification Crisis



John C. Calhoun of South Carolina called a
convention to forbid the collecting to tariffs –
under theory of States’ Rights
Nullification – to make null and void
Calhoun was Vice-President under Andrew
Jackson but so strongly opposed many of his
ideas that Calhoun resigned
Nullification Crisis



Congress passed a Force Bill that authorized
President Jackson to use the army to collect
duties on imported goods.
Trouble was avoided when both sides
compromised in 1833
Result – idea of States’ Rights became
important - increased tension between North
and South
The South
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Farming, economy based on cotton
Cotton production tied to plantation system and
slavery
Few immigrants from Europe
Manufactured little
Imported much
Opposed high tariffs because they raised price of
imported goods
Opposed strong central government – feared that it
would interfere with slavery
The North
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Industrial economy based on manufacturing
Factories needed labor but not slave labor
Immigrants worked in factories
Connected to the west
Wanted high tariffs to protect its own products
Needed central government to build roads
and railways to protect trading interests
Tensions increase





The war with Mexico had led to the acquisition on a
large block of land.
Many of the people in the new territories – such as
California opposed slavery.
Wilmot Proviso was introduced into Congress – it
proposed that slavery be barred from the new
territories gained from Mexico.
It did not pass – but did provoke the first debate on
slavery
Promoted the principle of free soil and ideas of the
Republican Party
Compromise of 1850





Called for the admission of California as a free
state
Organized Utah and New Mexico without
restrictions on slavery
Abolished slavery in the District of Columbia
Passed tougher Fugitive slave laws
Temporarily halted talk of secession by the
South
SSUSH9 – The student will identify key events,
issues, and individuals relating to the causes, course,
and consequences of the Civil War


The building of tensions throughout the early
1800’s will boil over into a civil war.
Issues include
Slavery and States’ Rights
Popular Sovereignty




The people living in the area would vote on
the slavery issue.
Was meant as a way to end the debate over
slavery in Congress.
Southern states were in favor –
Instead it led to increased tensions and
violence as both sides tried to force the issue
in the territories
Kansas-Nebraska Act




Allowed the territories of Kansas and Nebraska to
choose whether or not to permit slavery
Repealed agreement reached under the Missouri
Compromise
Kansas became known as “Bleeding Kansas” as
deadly clashes occurred between pro-slavery and antislavery groups
Illegal voting by pro-slavery groups led to two
governments and a state of war in Kansas.
Dred Scott Case



A Missouri slave sued for his freedom ,
claiming that his four stay in a free territory had
made him a free man.
The U.S. Supreme Court decided that he could
not sue in federal court because he was not a
citizen
Bought national attention to slavery issue.
John Brown’s Raid




A militant abolitionist - had led raids in Kansas
against pro-slavery group – killed five
1859 – led abolitionist raid on the U.S. arsenal
at Harper’s Ferry.
He planned to end slavery by by massacring
slave owners and freeing their slaves
He was captured and executed.
The Civil War




The new Republican Party was successful in
electing Abraham Lincoln as president in 1860
The platform of the party included anti-slavery
Southern states believed that Lincoln would
work to abolish slavery and threatened to
secede if he was elected
South Carolina seceded from the Union in Dec.
1860 – Civil War begins April,1861
President Abraham Lincoln





Primary goal in the Civil War was to preserve
the Union
Did not believe that the South had the right to
secede from the Union
Believed that they were merely in rebellion
Stated that he only wished to restrict the
spread of slavery
Later moved to end slavery
President Abraham Lincoln





Use of emergency powers
Lincoln suspended the writ of habeas corpus – which
states that a person cannot be arrested without
probable cause and must be informed of the charges
against him
Thousand were arrested for disloyal acts
Began policy of drafting men into military service.
The Supreme was slow to declare Lincoln’s action as
unconstitutional
President Abraham Lincoln
In Lincoln’s second inaugural address –
 He believes that the war will come to an end soon and
that slavery will be ended
 That we should “bind up the nation’s wounds –
 Be one nation again without malice (harm) to anyone  Stated that it was time to seek a just and lasting peace
 Believed that the North should not seek revenge on the
South for the war
Military Leaders
Robert E. Lee – Commander of the Confederate at the
end of the Civil War
- put loyalty to his home state, Virginia, above
everything else. Fought for the Confederacy to protect
his home
- he was not in favor of slavery and disagreed with
secession
 Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson – Confederate General –
Lee’s second in Command  Best military leaders in the Civil War

Military Leader




Ulysses Grant – Northern General
Led Union forces through the last year of the war
William T. Sherman – “total warfare” believed in
destroying the South’s will and ability to fight by
burning factories, bridges, and homes. Destroyed
ports, railroad, food supplies, and anything that aided
the South
Led the March to the Sea – burned a 60 mile wide path
through Georgia and South Carolina
Jefferson Davis



President of the Confederacy
Confederate government was considered ill
prepared to fight the war
Frequent disagreement in the government
hampered the war effort
Battles




Fort Sumter – first shots of the war
South Carolina had seceded from the Union and had
demanded that the Union troops abandon Fort Sumter
Lincoln had refused – and informed SC that it was
sending relief supplies to the fort – did not wish to
provoke a war
SC decided to fire on the fort before relief supplies
could arrive
Battles


Antietam – bloodiest battle of the war
Union won but casualties were so high that
Lincoln relieved Gen. McClellan of his
command
Battles





Vicksburg – Union victory
On the Mississippi River –
General Grant began a siege of the city –
lasted two months
Confederates ran out of supplies and were
forced to surrender
This victory gave the Union control of the
Mississippi and cut the Confederacy in half
Battles




Gettysburg
A failed attempt by the Confederate army to
attack in the North
Bloody fighting on both sides
Considered a turning point in the war because
the Confederacy no longer had the ability to
launch an offensive into Union Territory.
Battles




Battle for Atlanta- Northern victory – led by
General Sherman
Atlanta was a vital railroad terminal for the
South.
Atlanta was burned to the ground
Destroyed ability of Confederacy to supply the
war effort
Emancipation Proclamation






Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation after the
Union victory at Antietam
Freed all slaves in the states that were in rebellion only
Encouraged slaves to run away – caused a declined in
cotton production
Manpower was used on plantations to stop runaway
slaves
Freed Slaves joined the Union Army
Gave a moral reason for the war – prevented foreign
aid to the South (ENGLAND)
Comparison to the North and South

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
North
Population 24 million
Money in trade,
manufacturing
90% of industry located in
North
Superior navy
Transportation - 75% of
railroads in North
Factories could supply arms
and ammunition

1.
2.
3.
4.
South
Population 9 million
Money in land, slavery,
cotton
Best military leaders
Lacked factories, good
transportation system
Web Links to practice tests for U.S.
History and Government

http://www.cowetaschools.org/nhs/testing/histo
ry/sstest.htm

WWW.linkstolearning.com
Username: effinghamhs
Password: 8692
End of Part One

Part Two covers: U.S. History since 1865