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Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions written
Legislatures in Virginia and Kentucky declared that the Alien and Sedition Acts (four bills that were passed by the federalists following the French Revolution Reign of Terror) were unconstitutional. These resolutions stated that the states had the right to declare actions by the Congress unconstitutional.
http://www.constitution.org/lrev/kentvirg_watkins.htm -
Hartford Convention meets during War of 1812 (begins)
New England was strongly opposed to the War of 1812 so the Hartford Convention began meeting on December 15th, 1814 and ended meeting on January 4th, 1815. The purpose of the convention was to discuss the withdrawal of the Americans from the War of 1812.
http://www.ctheritage.org/encyclopedia/ct1763_1818/hartconv.htm -
Missouri Compromise
The Missouri Compromise temporarily resolved the first arguments over slvary in the United States of America. Congress made Missouri an official state, allowing slavery, but the rest of the Louisiana Purchase had to stay free of slaves. In response to Missouri being admitted as a state, Maine was admitted as a state to balance the North and the South. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part3/3h511.html -
Tariff of Abominations passed
The US Congress passed a protective tax for the North Industry. The North's industries were doing poorly and so they taxed imported goods. The South suffered becuase they had to pay the taxes on goods that weren't produced in their region. http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h268.html
There were no reliable sources that ended in .org or .edu. I got my information from the textbook and this .com website. -
South Carolina tries to Nullify
During the Nullification Crisis in 1832, South Carolina refused the Tariff of Abominations and claimed it was unconstitutional. They wrote the Ordinance of Nullifacation. http://www.ushistory.org/us/24c.asp -
Abolition of Slavery Act (1833)
In 1833, the British Parliament banned slavery throughout the United Kingdom. All the slaves in Great Britain gained their freedom and the British government compensated the slave owners. It didn't begin until August 1st, 1834. THe CApe of Good Hope began on December 1st. Mauritius's ban of slavery began on February 1st. http://www.victorianweb.org/history/antislavery.html -
Texas declared Independence from Mexico
At the Convention of 1836, Texas' independence was adopted. George C. Childress, Edward Conrad, James Gaines, Bailey Hardeman, and Collin McKinney prepared the document quickly. On March 2nd 1836, Texas became independent from Mexico. http://www.tshaonline.org/day-by-day/30565 -
James Polk
James Polk was elected the 11th president of the United States. He led the nation to victory in the war with Mexico over the annexation of Texas. He is also said to be the last strong leader before the Civil War. http://millercenter.org/president/polk -
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Mexican War
The Mexican War with America was based on the hopeful annexation of Texas. These two nations battled in California, Mexico, New Mexico, and Texas. With Polk as America's president, the nation was successful in defeating Mexico. http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/index_flash.html -
Wilmot Proviso
The Wilmot Pr oviso was an attempt to ban slavery in the territories acquired during the Mexican American War. It passed in the House of Representatives but failed in the Senate twice and never came into existence. http://www.ushistory.org/us/30a.asp -
California Enters the Union
As the result of the Compromise of 1850, California entered the Union as a free state. In 1849, California fought for statehood and fought against slavery in Congress. Their first capital was San Jose. California was the 31st state to enter the Union. http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=23856 -
Fugitive Slave Law enacted
As part of the Compromise of 1850, the Fugitive Slave Law was formed. This law made all runaway slaves return to their original masters. Abolitionists hated this new law so much that they nicknamed it the "Blood Hound Law." http://www.nationalcenter.org/FugitiveSlaveAct.html -
Publication of Uncle Tom's Cabin
Harriet Beecher Stowe's anti-slavery novel was published in 1852. Some say it was the "groundwork for the Civil War." She told the story of a suffereing slave and how Christian love can overcome slavery. This book was the second bestselling book after the Bible. http://www.harrietbeecherstowecenter.org/utc/ -
Formation of Republican Party
The Republican Party was formed in March of 1854 as an opposition to the Kansas-Nebraska Act. Ironically, this party didn't really exist in the South. Most Northerners were Republicans during the 1800s. After Abraham Lincoln's election, the Republican Party dominated over the Democratic party. http://www.ushistory.org/gop/origins.htm -
Kansas Nebraska Act
This Act made the boundaries of Kansas and Nebraska in 1854. It repealed the Missouri Compromise of 1820 which allowed for Popular Sovereignty. Stephen Douglas of Illinois designed the Act and the idea of Popular Sovereignty. Douglas thought that popular sovereignty (allowing the people to decide) would be good for democracy. http://library.thinkquest.org/J0112391/kansas-nebraska_act.htm -
Border Ruffians attack Lawrence
The Border Ruffians were pro-slavery people who came into Kansas from Missouri. Abolitionists gave them this name. David Rice Atchison was a Senator from Missouri who was a well known Border Ruffian. The presses and printing offices in Lawrence were attacked by an army of 800 Border Ruffians in what is known as the Sacking of Lawrence. http://www.ushistory.org/us/31c.asp -
Charles Sumner attacked
A congressman from South Carolina named Preston Brooks violently attacked Charles Sumner, a Mass Senator, in the US Senate. Three days earlier than the attack, Charles had spoken and the Southern pro-slavery people were offended. Brooks beat him with a cain and Sumner reamined injured for three years. http://massmoments.org/moment.cfm?mid=151 -
Pottawatomie Creek
On this night, John Brown and his folllowers murdered five men in Pottawatomie Creek in Kansas. This was a reaction to the Border Ruffians attack. This massacre was one of the worst leading up to the Civil War. http://xroads.virginia.edu/~hyper/hns/kansas/jbrown.html -
Dred Scott Decision
Dred Scott was a slave who sued for his freedom because he was living in a free state. THe United States Surpreme Court decided that he could not sue because he was black and therefore not a citizen. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4h2933.html -
Dred Scott decision announced
Dred Scott was a slave who was moved to free states along with his master. He sued for his freedom. The United Supreme Court did not vote in his favor. Taney decided that because Dred Scott was black, he was not a citizen and couldn't sue. -
Lecompton Constitution passed
The Lecompton Constitution was a proposed plan to have Kansas enter the Union as a slave state. It also was going to allow voters to vote if they wanted more slaves allowed in the territory. The people who were against slavery boycotted the proposal. Finally, they voted to not include (making an end to the importation of slaves) in the constitution. Kansas was made a free state. http://www.territorialkansasonline.org/~imlskto/cgi-bin/index.php?SCREEN=show_document&document_id=103081&SCREE -
Lincoln-Douglas Debates
Leading up to the election for the Senate of Illinois, there were seven debates between Douglas and Lincoln. They rebuked each others' ideas. Douglas supported popular sovereignty while Lincoln supported the abolition of slavery. In the end, Douglas won the election. http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/database/article_display.cfm?HHID=336 -
Raid at Harper's Ferry
John Brown, an abolitionist, started an attack on Harper's Ferry (a United States Arsenal). This was a slave revolt. Colonel Robert E. Lee defeated him. One of Robert E. Lee's men was killed and one was wounded. Ten of Brown's men were killed, seven were captured, and four escaped. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p2940.html -
Democats Split
During the election of 1860, the Northern Democrats supported Douglas, while the Southerners did not. This caused heated debates at the Democratic National Convention and so the party split. http://2012.democratic-convention.org/History.php -
Formation of Constitutional Union Party
This party was created by former "whigs" who didn't want the country to split over the slavery conflict. THey believed that if they could somewhat ignore the conflict, the North and South would cease to fight. John Bell belonged to this party. http://www.course-notes.org/parties/Constitutional_Union_Party -
Presidential Election of 1860
There were four candidates for the presidancy of 1860: John Bell, John Breckinridge, Stephen Douglas, and Abraham Lincoln. Bell was from Tennessee and his party was Constitutional Union. John Breckinridge was a Southern Democrat from Kentucky. Stephen Douglass believed in Popular Sovereignty. He was a democrat from Illinois. Abraham Lincoln was a Republican from Illinois and he wo the election. http://www.tulane.edu/~latner/Background/BackgroundElection.html
