Civil War & Reconstruction Era Flashcards
7 cards from real SOL practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Civil War & Reconstruction Era flashcards as text
What was the Dred Scott v. Sandford Supreme Court decision of 1857, and why was it historically significant?
Answer: It declared that African Americans were not citizens and that Congress had no power to ban slavery in territories
The Dred Scott decision declared African Americans were not U.S. citizens, could not sue in federal court, and that Congress lacked authority to ban slavery from territories, greatly inflaming sectional tensions.
Why was John Brown's 1859 raid on the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia (now West Virginia), historically significant?
Answer: It deepened the sectional divide, as many Northerners saw Brown as a martyr while Southerners viewed him as a terrorist
Though the raid failed militarily, it widened the chasm between North and South — many Northerners celebrated Brown as a hero while Southerners saw the attack as proof of Northern aggression against their society.
What was 'Bleeding Kansas' and why was it a preview of the larger national conflict to come?
Answer: Violent armed conflict between pro-slavery and anti-slavery settlers in Kansas Territory over whether slavery would be permitted
'Bleeding Kansas' refers to violent armed clashes between pro-slavery and anti-slavery settlers in Kansas Territory (1854–1859) as both sides fought to determine whether Kansas would enter the Union as a slave or free state.
Which military innovation most significantly increased battlefield casualties during the Civil War compared to earlier American wars?
Answer: The rifle and Minié ball, which made infantry fire far more accurate and deadly at greater range
The rifle combined with the Minié ball bullet replaced the musket, making infantry weapons far more accurate and lethal at longer ranges, which dramatically increased casualties compared to tactics designed for short-range musket fire.
What was the military and psychological significance of the First Battle of Bull Run (First Manassas) in July 1861?
Answer: The Confederate victory shattered Northern expectations of a quick, easy war and revealed the conflict would be long and hard
The Confederate victory at First Bull Run (Manassas) shocked Northerners who had expected a swift Union triumph, making it clear the war would be a prolonged and costly struggle.
What did the Reconstruction Acts of 1867, passed by the Radical Republican Congress, require of the former Confederate states?
Answer: They divided the South into military districts and required states to ratify the 14th Amendment and grant Black male suffrage for readmission
The Reconstruction Acts divided the former Confederate states into five military districts under Union army control and required new state constitutions guaranteeing Black male suffrage and ratification of the 14th Amendment before readmission to Congress.
What did the Missouri Compromise of 1820 establish regarding slavery in the United States?
Answer: It admitted Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state, while prohibiting slavery north of 36°30' in the Louisiana Territory
The Missouri Compromise admitted Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state to preserve Senate balance, and prohibited slavery in the Louisiana Territory north of 36°30' latitude (Missouri's southern border).