Vocabulary List

Years 1800-1899

Having more than someone else or having a better opportunity.

Young or childlike

A painting of a person

The practice of one human being being seen as the property of another person.

Before and during the Civil War, America was split into two sections: the North (Union) and the South (Confederacy).

An irrepressible conflict is a problem that can’t be ignored or stopped anymore. Seward was referring to the problem of slavery that would lead to war.

A political campaign is a way to help someone get put in a place of power in the government. If you are campaigning for someone, you might tell people about their beliefs and why those beliefs are helpful.

An abolitionist is a person who believes that slavery should end immediately.

This was a secret network of people around the country who helped people escaping slavery get to freedom. A person involved might let escaping slaves stay at their house for a few nights as they travelled north. They might also give directions to another spot with friendly abolitionists, too.

A passenger is another name for a person escaping slavery that is travelling along the Underground Railroad.

Harriet Tubman is a famous woman who helped slaves escape to freedom on the Underground Railroad. She led many people to the north and also played many roles in the Civil War. To learn more about Harriet, click here.

This is an ongoing movement that has gone through many stages over the years. The overall goal is to gain more rights for women, such as the right to vote, the right to own property, or the right to equal pay.

Equality is the idea that things are equal. For example, if a man has the right to vote, a woman should, too. That is equality.

The Constitution is America’s founding document of laws and rules. It shows how our government is structured.

These are people who make other people become enslaved.

Radical means extreme, and a radical politician might believe in extreme change within the government.

An election is a democratic process of choosing a leader. In America, we hold elections to vote for the president, senators, representatives, and many other positions.

To govern means to lead with governmental authority.

This is a position in the Executive branch of government that handles foreign affairs and policies. This means they work on building relationships with other countries.

Union means combining two things. The Union was the name of the northern section of America during the Civil War, and the Union Army was the northern army.

Confederate means a group of people or states that are united for some reason. The Confederacy refers to the southern section of America during the Civil War. The Confederate states broke away from the Union, and the Confederate army fought for the south.

This was a common disease in the 1800s, also called “consumption”. It caused an infection in the lungs that would “consume” people until they died.

This is another common disease from the 1800s. It causes an infection in the digestive system and makes red spots on a person’s chest.

In Seward’s lifetime, the America was not as big as it is now. Most people lived in the east part of the country, but they were trying to move west to have more land. Seward believed in moving westward and accomplished this by purchasing Alaska for the United States. Although expansion was great for some people, it also displaced the people already living in those areas. Many people in the 1800s believed in Manifest Destiny, which meant that settlers were destined to move west.

A suffragette is a female who is fighting for the right to vote.

This is the killing of an important person, often for political reasons.

A very contagious and deadly disease that causes a rash.

A measurement of how good or bad a person is.

To like something or find value in it.

Forward thinking, gradually changing, pushing for new ideas.

A form of practical art similar to knitting. You can crochet a hat, sock, scarf, etc.

Ideas that a person cares about.

One person’s point of view.

A person who works in politics.

An unchanged, original account of events that contains ideas from a person who witnessed said events.

The idea that all people should have equal opportunity regardless of their skin color.

Change within the prison and justice system. This usually has the goal of improving conditions for prisoners or victims of injustice.

Change of government rules regarding people who come to live in a country from a different country.

A look at how many people from different demographics (age, ethnicity, gender, geographic location, party, etc.) vote in elections. Sometimes governments try to stop certain groups of people from voting in order to change the result of an election. This is illegal in America and undemocratic.

Split into opposite sides, like black and white or good and bad.

A mass action to change something.

Mother’s side of the family

Having a connection or similarity

An event that celebrates an important moment in someone’s life (marriage, sweet sixteen, graduation, etc.)

A reception is a formal ceremony to celebrate something. In Washington, many important families would have Reception days, where they hosted other elite families from around the city in their home.

A critique is a thoughtful and detailed opinion about something.

A martyr is someone who is killed for what they believe in, and their sacrifice often strengthens that cause.

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