Decline of the nation By bturner2 Period: Jan 1, 1856 to Jan 1, 1861 decline of the nation Mar 7, 1856 Buchanan elected president Jan 3, 1857 Scott vs sanford about a slave that made a suit against is master. Sep 13, 1857 kansas group wrote their own constitution Mar 13, 1858 Lincoln - douglas debates Oct 1, 1859 John Brown's raid on harper's ferry Brown got a group to kill pro-slavery men Dec 13, 1859 Rob E. Lee gets executed for treason for being part of Brown's plans Mar 4, 1860 Lincoln elected president Apr 13, 1860 Delegates delegates from democratic party met in South Carolina to nominate canidates. Dec 13, 1860 South carolina becomes first state to secede Jan 13, 1861 Confederacy was created