Civil War Vocabulary List #1

Name:______________________________

agriculture (n.) the practice of farming natural resources, such as plants and animals. abolish (v.) to end something, as to end the system of slavery in the United States. abase (v.)to lower, demean or degrade. brusque (adj.)short, abrupt, dismissive. compel (v.) to force. goad (v.)to urge, provoke into action. pacify (v.)to soothe, to ease. plethora (n.) a great number, to have many of something. secession (v.) states leaving or an abundance separating from a government. sovereignty (n.) independent right of a group, country or individual.

Example:
During the 1850s, the southern region of the United States was primarily mostly! agricultural" #any of their resour$es were har%ested &y sla%es, who were abased &y their masters" Sla%e masters would compel their sla%es to wor' long hours in terri&le $onditions" During this time, there were many people trying to abolish sla%ery, they &elie%ed it was e%il" (hey would goad others to )oin their $ause and stop this terri&le pra$ti$e" *owe%er, sla%e masters would often offer a plethora of reasons to )ustify sla%ery" (he Northerners and Southerners $ould not pacify their growing anger towards one another" Soon the South &egan to argue for the $ause of secession, suggesting that state sovereignty was more important than federal rights" + ,i%il -ar &egan and it was far from brusque, lasting four years"