Antebellum America

  • Period: to

    Pre-civil War

  • The Missouri Compromise

    The Missouri Compromise
    To keep the Senate equal, Missouri became a slave state and Maine became a free state. 36-60 was the new line to decide free and slave states.
  • Compromise of 1850

    Compromise of 1850
    Thought by Henry Clay carried by Stephen Douglas, California became a free state, ended the Mexican Session, ended slave trading Washington D.C, and set the border between Texas and Mexico
  • Fugitive Slave act

    Fugitive Slave act
    A new law that required all citizens to help catch runaway slaves. Judges were payed to more to send slaves or black people in general to the south.
  • Uncle Tom's Cabin Published

    Uncle Tom's Cabin Published
    Harriet Beacher Published an anti-slavery novel about a slave who was kind and everyone liked but then was bought and whipped to death.
  • Kansas-Nebraska Act

    Kansas-Nebraska Act
    Stephen Douglas set up a new bill for the northwestern part of the Louisiana Purchase. It divided the territory in two and gave them the right to vote on slavery.
  • Dred Scott Case

    Dred Scott Case
    This controversial case taken to the supreme court was about an enslaved man Dred Scott who was taken to a free state but then taken back to his home in a slave state. He filed that he should be free but the supreme court disagreed.
  • John Brown's Raid on Harpers Ferry

    John Brown's Raid on Harpers Ferry
    Abolitionist John Brown led his followers including Slaves to Harpers Ferry Virginia. His idea was to give weapons to slaves to help them escape which was unsuccessful.
  • Election of 1860

    Election of 1860
    Democrats from the south and north disagreed greatly so they split. Running for the northern democrats Abraham Lincoln won the election a surprise as he hadn't been 10 states ballots.
  • South Carolina Secedes

    South Carolina Secedes
    The first state to secede and form the Confederate states of America. 7 southern states followed.