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Uncle Tom's Cabin
Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote Uncle Tom’s Cabin. She wanted to illustrate how slavery was inhumane. This book recounted the life of a slave, Stowe named Uncle Tom. This book became fairly popular and controversial causing tension between the North and South to rise. -
Republican Party
After the Kansas-Nebraska Act, Former Whig Party members got together to create a new party to prevent the spread of slavery into the western territories. The creation of the Republican Party rose more tensions between the North and South. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
The Kansas-Nebraska Act addressed the expansion of slavery by repealing the Missouri Compromise, creating two new territories, and allowing the use of popular sovereignty. This contributed to the Civil War because it caused Bloody Kansas and the new Republican Party. -
Bloody Kansas
Bloody Kansas was a result of the Kansas-Nebraska Act. Because of popular sovereignty, the people had the choice to decide if a state would be a free or a slave state. Ultimately, Kansas became a slave state. A violent brawl between the proslavery and antislavery people broke out. -
Brooks-Sumner Incident
This incident was when Preston Brooks took a cane and beat Senator Charles Sumner because Sumner delivered a speech that insulted Brooks's uncle. Brooks became a Southern hero ad Sumner became a martyr to the cause of freedom. -
Election of 1856
The election of 1856 was between Democratic nominee James Buchanan and Republican nominee John C. Fremont. Buchanan won 174 Electoral College votes to 114 for Fremont. Fremont did not receive a single vote south of the Mason-Dixon Line, but he have the eleven free states. -
LeCompton Constitution
The Lecompton Constitution was drafted by Kansas pro-slavery advocates. It protected slaveholders and had a "Bill of Rights" that excluded free African-Americans. -
Dred Scott
Dred Scott was an African American who attempted to sue John Sanford. Scott claimed he was a freeman in a free state. Ultimately, the Supreme Court ruled that all people of African descent were not citizens and therefore did not have a right to sue in federal court. It also ruled that all slaves are property. They also stated that Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional and Congress could not authorize the territorial legislatures to outlaw slavery. -
House Divided Speech
Abraham Lincoln gave his House Divided Speech when campaigning for the Senate of Illinois. He said that now was the time to act if the United States wanted to remain a free nation. Lincoln would lose the political race, but that would encourage him to run for presidency in 1860. -
Lincoln Douglas Debates
The Lincoln-Douglas debates were a total of 7 debates. These debates covered topics such as slavery and free African Americans. Douglas attacked Lincoln by stating that he was a "dangerous radical" and wanted to abolish slavery. Lincoln asked Douglas "how could a territory prevent slavery?" Douglas replied by a territory could prevent slavery by failing to pass favorable legislation. This caused Douglas to lose the Southern state votes and ultimately led to Lincoln winning president. -
Harper's Ferry
John Brown was the leader of the Harper's Ferry raid. Brown attempted to take the weapons from the armory and arm slaves to lead to a slave rebellion. John Brown would later be taken into custody and charged with treason. -
John Brown's death
John Brown was charged with treason, therefore hunged in Charles Town. He was seen as a martyr to abolitionists. -
Secession
South Carolina was the first state to secede from the Union because they thought under Lincoln's presidency, he would abolish slavery. Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas would all follow soon after. -
Election 1860
This election involved Lincoln, Breckenridge, Bell, and Douglas all running for presidency. Lincoln won without any votes from Southern states because southern states feared that Lincoln would abolish slavery. This led to their secession from the Union. -
Lincoln's 1st Inaugural Address
In Lincoln's inaugural address, he promises not to interfere with existing slavery in states. He did this in order to satisfy the Southern states. This did not accomplish anything and the Civil War happened.