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The outbreak of Civil War, 1854–1861 key terms
Study The outbreak of Civil War, 1854–1861 with curriculum-aligned Key Terms resources, practice links, and exam-focused support.
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key terms
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The outbreak of Civil War, 1854–1861
Key terms
Sectionalism
The division of the United States into distinct regions with different economic, social, and political interests, particularly regarding slavery.
Republican Party
A political party formed in the 1850s, primarily to oppose the expansion of slavery into the territories.
Bleeding Kansas
A series of violent confrontations in Kansas between pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions from 1854 to 1859.
Free Soil Party
A political party active in the 1840s and 1850s that opposed the expansion of slavery into the western territories.
Popular Sovereignty
The principle that the settlers of a territory should determine whether slavery would be allowed there.
Abolitionism
A movement to end slavery and promote equal rights for African Americans.
Secession
The act of withdrawing formally from a federation or body, especially a political state; in this context, the Southern states' withdrawal from the Union.
Confederacy
The group of Southern states that seceded from the United States in 1861, forming their own government during the Civil War.
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