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Causes of the Civil War
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Missouri Compromise
As the United States continued to push west, Missouri wanted to join the Union as a slave state which would end the balance of slave and free states in Congress. As a compromise, Henry Clay suggested that Missouri enter the Union as a slave state while Maine can enter as a free state which would keep the balance. In addition, a new line would separate where slave states and free states could be formed. While this made both sides happy for a while, it didn't create a permanent solution. -
Nat Turner's Rebellion
Nat Turner, a slave from Southampton, VA, believed his violent visions were God's way of telling him to put an end to slavery. Turner led a group of followers across many plantations killing 57 white people in the process. The local malitia ended the rebellion and killed more than 100 blacks in doing so. This event prevented blacks from being allowed to meet for religious reasons and learning how to read and write. -
Fugitive Slave Act
The Fugitive Slave Act was a part of the Compromise of 1850. To keep the South happy, Northerners were required, by law, to return any runaway slaves found in the North to their rightful owners in the South. Northerners were furious about this new law and many refused to follow it. This added tension to the growing differences between the states. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
In keeping with the terms of the Missouri Compromise, Congress had to decide how to allow a large piece of territory to join the Union. They chose to split the land into two pieces in an effort to keep the Congress blanaced (to the north would be Nebraska and Kansas would be to the south). By allowing each new state to decide whether they would be free or slave, this act put an end to the Missouri Compromise. Tensions grew even stronger as the balance in Congress was threatened. -
Dred Scott Decision
Dred Scott was a slave who had been brought into free territory when his master moved. He went to court to win his freedom since he was now living in a place where slavery was not allowed. The Supreme Court decided, since Scott was not a citizen, that he did not have the right to sue and was therefore denied his freedom. The Court also stated prohibiting slavery in the northern terriroties was unconstitutional making northerners fearful slavery would spread. -
John Brown Rebellion
After leading a small revolt in Kansas, John Brown later led a group of loyal supporters to raid the federal arsenal in Harper's Ferry, VA. Although they successfully gained access to weapons, the group was quickly surrounded Brown was arrested and later put to death. This causesd Southerners to fear future rebellions and added tension between the two regions. -
Election of 1860
When Lincoln defeated Douglas in the 1860 election, many considered it to be the straw that broke the camel's back. Open with his anti-slavery stance, the South was convinced that they would not be represented and chose to secede from the Union.
