-
Northwest Ordinance of 1785
This created a method of acheiving statehood in the Northwest territory. It prohibited slavery in the Northwest and the resulted free states made were Ilinois, Minnesota, Wisconson, Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana. This was significant because if they hadnt have had the ordinance there probably would have been more slave states than free. This meant that the slave states would have had more votes in the senate. -
3/5 Compromise of 1787
Southers states wanted more representation in congress so they wanted to count slaves as their population even though they aren't citizens. They compromised and made each slave count as 3/5 of a citizen. This means that they would have to also pay taxes on 3/5 of their slaves. This was significant because it was just another event leading to great sectionalism. -
Eli Whitney & the Cotton Gin of 1793
Eli Whitney invented a machine that quickly produced cotton. The machine mass produces cotton shirts and other cotton clothing. The sales of cotton went way up. The South now argues that they need even more slaves to keep up with the sales because they don't have a machine to go in the fields and pick the cotton. This arises the question: Are factories worse than being a slave? This was a significant invention because it started the industrialization of the North. -
Louisianna Purchase of 1803
Napoleon Bonaparte needs money to fund his war. He decides to sell the Louisianna Territory and the Port of New Olreans to the US. This was significant in western expansion because the US doubled in size and gave the country of farmers a whole lot more land to explore and use. -
The Missouri Compromise of 1820
Western expansion raises the question: What do we do about slavery in the West? Missouri wants to enter the US as a slave state. They US first wouldn't let them in because slave stated would out number the free states. So they compromise and let Missouri in as a slave state and put Maine in as a free state. The 36' 30' line is made. Above the line are free states, and below the line are slave states, excluding Missouri. -
Rise of American Industry of 1825-1860
This was an Era of many inventions and new beginnings. The Canal Era started the makings of thousands of canals all over the country. This was a huge help to travel and trade. The American Railroads helped in the same sort of ways. Factories were invented and many people were employed and producing many different sorts of items. Ths made the population rise by 30%. Other inventions that influenced the US were the steamboat, Cotton Gin,and the riding plow. -
Fugitive Slave Act of 1850
Slaves cannot become free by escaping to a free state or free territory. All run away slaves must be returned to the state or owner inwhich they escaped. Many of the free black men in the North were captured and sold to the South for money. This is why they had underground reailroads to help slaves escape more easily. This was significant because the government was starting to control slaves even more, giving them less and less ways to try and free themselves.
