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In 1846 David Wilmot gave the idea of the "William Proviso." This would ban slavery in the new lands.
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With the end of the Mexican War, America gave up western land. This was a problem because the new land would be turned into states and slavery was a concern.
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Because of the agreement of 1850 the fugitive slave act was passed. If any Federal Officer did not arrest a slave on the run, they might have to pay a fine. This only increased the efforts against slavery.
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Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote Uncle Tom's Cabin in 1852. He wrote the book to show how bad slavery was and how he was against it. This book effected how the Northerners looked at slavery and President Lincoln thought it was one of the reasons why the Civil War broke out.
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The Kansas-Nebraska Act was passed in 1854. This allowed Kansas and Nebraska to decide for themselves if they would be free or slave.
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In 1856 Congressman Preston Brooks, who was pro-slavery attacked Charles Sumner because of his speech against pro-slavery happening in Kansas.
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Dred Scott lost his case about him being free of slavery in 1857. He had been living as a slave in a free state, but the court would not look at his petition because he did not own any property.
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The Lecompton Constitution was made to allow Kansas to be a slave state. The constitution was sent to Kansas for a vote but it was rejected. Kansas became a free state in 1858.
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John Brown and seventeen other men, attempted to raid the arsenal in Virginia. However, they were all surrounded by troops and then killed. John Brown had wanted there to be a slave uprising.
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In 1860 Lincoln was elected president. No one believed he had an opinion on slavery until he won the election and he made it so slavery would not be held in anymore states.