Alexander Hamilton Stephens (1812-1883) served as vice president of the Confederate States of America during the Civil War (1861-65). A career politician, he served in both houses of the Georgia legislature before winning a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1843.
Who was Alexander Stephens and what role did he play in Georgia secession?
After Georgia and other Southern states seceded and formed the Confederate States of America, Stephens was elected as the Confederate Vice President. Stephens’s Cornerstone Speech of March 1861 defended slavery.
What were Alexander Stephens views on slavery?
Q: What did Stephens think of slavery? Like all the other Southern leaders, he embraced the “positive good” argument, a defense of slavery dating back to the 1820s. The argument says slavery is not only legal and constitutional, but it’s also a good thing.
Who was Alexander Stephens quizlet?
Alexander Stephens was a Whig (later Democratic) member of the U.S. Congress off and on from 1843 until the end of his life. From 1861 to 1865, he served as the vice president of the 11 Confederate states that seceded from the Union over the question of slavery and other issues.
What did Alexander Stephens think about secession?
As talks of secession grew, Alexander Stephens advocated that the Southern states should remain loyal to the Union, and that a solution could come through Congress and not through secession.
What did Alexander Stephens do for reconstruction?
After taking office Stephens played an influential role in drafting the Confederacy’s new constitution. He then introduced the new government during a stump speech in Savannah on March 21, 1861.
How did Alexander Stephens justify secession?
Alexander Hamilton Stephens, vice president of the Confederate States of America, gave this speech on March 21, 1861 to justify secession. Stephens’ speech declared that disagreements over the enslavement of Africans was the “immediate cause” of secession.
Who was the first president to be anti slavery?
The Gag Rule was revoked in 1844. LINCOLN, Abraham, 1809-1865, 16th President of the United States (1861-1865), opponent of slavery. Issued Emancipation Proclamation January 1, 1863, freeing slaves in southern states. By the end of the Civil War, more than four million slaves were liberated from bondage.
What was Stevens attitude about the Civil War?
We know Thaddeus Stevens as an ardent abolitionist who championed the rights of blacks for decades—up to, during, and after the Civil War. With other Radical Republicans, he agitated for emancipation, black fighting units, and black suffrage.
What was Stevens attitude toward the South and Reconstruction?
The core of his belief was that the Confederacy had indeed created a separate nation, meaning that the Southern states were a conquered nation that could be reconstructed in any way the United States saw fit.
Who gave the Cross of Gold speech quizlet?
The Cross of Gold speech was delivered by William Jennings Bryan, a former United States Representative from Nebraska, at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on July 9, 1896. In the address, Bryan supported bimetallism or “free silver”, which he believed would bring the nation prosperity.
Which best describes the role of William Stephens as secretary of the Georgia colony?
Which BEST describes the role of William Stephens as secretary of the Georgia colony? He served as a link between Oglethorpe and the colonists.
What office did Alexander Stephens hold in the Confederacy?
vice president of the Confederate States of America
Stephens, in full Alexander Hamilton Stephens, (born February 11, 1812, Wilkes county, Georgia, U.S.—died March 4, 1883, Atlanta, Georgia), politician who served as vice president of the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War (1861–65).
What was William Stephens role in the Georgia colony?
William Stephens migrated from England to Savannah in 1737 to serve as secretary of Trustee Georgia. He became actively involved in the administrative and socioeconomic life of the colony, and served in the office of president from 1741 to 1751.
What office did Alexander Stephens hold in the Confederacy?
vice president of the Confederate States of America
Stephens, in full Alexander Hamilton Stephens, (born February 11, 1812, Wilkes county, Georgia, U.S.—died March 4, 1883, Atlanta, Georgia), politician who served as vice president of the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War (1861–65).
Who was responsible for the destruction of Atlanta?
On November 15, 1864, Union forces led by Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman burned nearly all of the captured city of Atlanta, Georgia.
Where was Alexander Stephens from?
About. Alexander Hamilton Stephens, Georgia’s thirty-fifth governor, was born near Crawfordville, Georgia, on February 11, 1812. He graduated from the University of Georgia in 1832, studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1834, and established a legal career in Crawfordville.
Why is Cornerstone Speech so important?
Stephens’s speech is remembered by many for its defense of slavery, its outlining of the perceived differences between the North and the South, and the racial rhetoric used to show the inferiority of African Americans.