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Uncle Tom's Cabin
Novel by Harriet Beecher Stowe, provoked by the Fugitive Slave Law. Very popular. Caused more divide because South said inaccurate portrayal of slavery, but North was sympathetic. -
Kansas Nebraska Act
Slavery to be determined by popular sovereignty. Created fear of imbalanced power between slave/free states. Invalidated Missouri Compromise. -
Republican Party
Created by opponents of Kansas-Nebraska Act after Whig party died. Opposed expansion of slavery and supported economic reform. John Fremont was president, Abraham Lincoln was member. -
Brooks Sumner Incident
Senator Charles Sumner, renowned abolitionist, was caned by South Carolina Representative Preston Brooks after speaking bad about his cousin, Senator Andrew Butler, and expressing his anti-slavery views -
Election 1856
Democrat James Buchanan beat Republican John Fremont and Whig/former President Millard Fillmore. Southern victory. -
Bloody Kansas
Armed conflict between Southern slave holders and antislavery families. Kansas ends up free. -
Dred Scott
Decided that African-Americans were not citizens (property) despite living in a free state and Congress couldn't restrict the expansion of slavery (invalidated former compromises on slavery like the Missouri Compromise and made new ones impossible to create). Created resentment in the North and Southern Democrats were pleased since slavery was legally justified in the territories. -
LeCompton Constitution
Created by proslavery advocates in Kansas. Allowed slavery in Kansas, Congress rejected. -
Lincoln Douglas Debates
Series of seven debates, with slavery (specifically the expansion of slavery into the territories) being the main topic. Douglas thought slavery was declining and needed to expand to thrive. Lincoln felt he was trying to make slavery worldwide. Douglas thought blacks were not equal to whites, no citizenship. Lincoln agreed but said they should have inalienable rights. Douglas won, but Lincoln achieved stature as national figure. -
House Divided Speech
Given by Lincoln, first paragraph of opening campaign speech. Said that a divided house can't stand and it must cease to divide. -
Harper's Ferry
John Brown led band of followers to attack federal arsenal at Haper's Ferry. Goal was to use weapons seized to lead a slave uprising. After two days, Brown and surviving men were taken prisoner by US Marines, commanded by Colonel Robert E. Lee. Brown thought he was on a mission for God. -
John Brown
Antislavery fanatic, arrested for treason after attacking federal arsenal to arm slaves. Executed. -
Election 1860
Republican Abraham Lincoln against Democrat Stephen Douglas, Southern Democrat John Breckinridge, and Constitutional Union Party John Bell. Main issue was slavery and states' rights. Lincoln won. -
Secession
SC was first state to secede. 10 more followed during winter of 1860 and spring of 1861. Created Confederate States of America -
Lincoln's 1st Inaugural Address
Extended an olive branch to the South, but made it clear that federal laws were to be enforced in the states that seceded.