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This book was written by Harriet Beecher Stow and it was one of the most best-selling anti-slavery novels at the time. The story shared ideas about the injustices of slavery. This created tension between the southerners and northerners as southerners believed that it misrepresented slavery. This brought slavery to life for northerners and caused more Northerners to consider ending the institution of slavery.
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This party was emerged to combat the Kansas-Nebraska Act which expanded slavery into American territories. The republican party rapidly gained supporters in the north after the Election of 1856.
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This destroyed the Whig Party, divided the Democratic Party, and created the Republican Party. Douglas proposed that the area west of Iowa and Missouri be opened to white settlement. Southern members of Congress demanded that Douglas adds a clause specifically repealing the Missouri Compromise. Instead of removing it, the status of slavery should be decided by a vote of the region's settlers.
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Dred Scott traveled with Dr. Emmerson, his owner, to a free territory where slavery was prohibited. Emmerson soon died and Scott sued Emmersons widow and asked the court to declare him a free man. The lower court declared him a free man but this decision was soon reversed by the Missouri Compromise. Scott then appealed this decision to the Supreme Court. He lost to the court because he didn't have the right to sue and was not a citizen of the United States and is considered Property.
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The Kansas-Nebraska Act gave popular sovereignty to the state of Kansas and this heighten the tension and created violence in Kansas known as Bloody Kansas. This formed two legislatures, one pro-slavery and the other against. There were repeated outbreaks of violent guerrilla warfare. Around 55 people were killed between 1855 and 1859.
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Charles Sumner was beaten by Representative Preston Brooks with a walking cane on the floor of the US Senate Chamber. Sumner had given a speech on the Senate floor and attacked the South for crimes against Kansa and singled out Brooks for extra abuse. This led to brooks beating him with a cane. This severely injured Sumner.
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This presidential election took place in the midst of Kansas's Civil War. President Pierce hoped for renomination but democrats wanted a less controversial candidate. This election was one of the most bitter in American history and is the first in which voting divided sectional lines. The democrats called the republican party of disunion and describe Fremont as a catholic, and someone who would destroy the union. A Republican representive called for slave insurrection. Buchanan won 174.
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Lincoln talked about the Dred Scott decision since it had open doors for slavery to be legal in the north. Lincoln said "A house divided against itself cannot stand" It was divided between pro and anti-slavery ideals. Lincoln believed that the government cannot endure a permanent half slave and half free and he wanted to remove the division in the house.
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Lincoln and Douglas ran against each other for the Senate seat in Illinois. Lincoln was a republican and Douglas was a democrat. Douglas argued that slavery was a dying institution. Lincoln poses the question is there any way a free people could stop the spread of slavery. Douglas responded that slavery cannot exists unless it's supported by-laws. Douglas said that whatever the Supreme Court decision was not as important as the actions of the citizens, this became known as the Freeport Doctrine.
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This was a pro-slavery document that would allow slavery in Kansas. This contained clauses protecting slavery and the bill of rights to exclude black people. This also heightened tensions that lead up to the civil war. There were multiple fraudulent voters.
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John Brown was a Kansas abolitionist and wanted to free slaves. His plan was to capture the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia, and arm slaves from the surrounding areas to start a slave revolt. This raid was unsuccessful because he raided with 21 men. He was caught as put on trial in a Virginia Court. This convinced many white southerners that a majority of Northerners wished to free slaves and incite a race war.
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Because of his unsuccessful raid at Harpers Ferry, he was put on trial in a Virginia court. He was found guilty of treason, conspiracy, and murder. He was issued the death sentence and it was set for December 2, 1859. His last message was "I... am now quite certain that the crimes of this guilty land will never be purged away but with blood."
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11 slave states seceded from the Union following the election of Lincoln as president. They seceded because they had already been planning it in the event of a Republican victory. They saw the election as a threat to the institution of slavery, which their economy depended on. The states that seceded were South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, Virginia, Arkansas, North Carolina, and Tennessee.
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This election demonstrated the division within the United States. Lincoln won the election and had more electoral votes and more popular votes than any candidate. This election of Lincoln caused the secession of slave states.
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In his address, Lincoln promised not to interfere with the institution of slavery and pledges to suspend the activities of the federal government temporarily in areas of hostility.