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The Missouri Compromise
In the years after the Louisiana Purchase, Congress decided that there needed to be a line that divided slave states from free states. The controversy all started when Missouri wanted to become a state, but as a slave state. The people of the north didn't want that because the balance of free to slave would be off. This sparked debate for a while until Congress reached the Missouri Compromise. -
Nat Turner Rebellion
In 1831 a slave whose name was Nat Turner led a rebellion against slavery. Turner was unlike any slave seen before because he was educated. He could read and write, something almost unheard of in this time. He led a large slave rebellion in Virginia, which led to changes. These changes were not in the slaves favor because they enforced tougher slave codes and more restrictions on what a slave could and could not do. -
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Politics
The meat and Potatoes of the era -
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The gag rule
The gag rule was imposed in congress to avoid the topic of slavery. For the past meetings nothing was getting done because of the issue of slavery. Congress imposed the gag rule, which kept people from talking about slavery. This allowed congress to tend to other political matters. -
The Wilmot Proviso
The Wilmot Proviso was a bill proposed by David Wilmot at the end of the Mexican-American war. This bill if passed would have outlawed slavery in any new territory acquired as a result of the war. The bill never did pass, but the attempt was still there. -
Compromise of 1850
The compromise of 1850 was a package deal that contained five separate bills. All individually passed in congress.The five parts included admitting California as a free state, reworking Fugitive Slave Act, popular sovereignty in Utah and New Mexico, abolition of slave trade in DC, and the federal assumption of Texas debts. This compromise was written by Henry Clay, and softened tensions for a brief period of time. The compromise was disliked by most, but pleased the majority. -
Fugitive Slave Act
The Fugitive Slave Act was part of the compromise of 1850. This act stated that the runaway slaves captured in the North would have to be returned to the slave owners in the south. This led to a lot of controversy among the people of the North. There were the people who turned up the assistance of runaway slaves on the underground railroad. The others captured slaves and free blacks sending them to the south. This led to many people being upset over free people becoming slaves. -
End of Whigs
During the mid-1850's the political party known as the whigs became separated over the issue of slavery. During the issue of slavery in Kansas, tensions rose in the territory as well as in Congress. As a result a new party emerged, the Republicans. This new party had very liberal ideas, and a harsh opinion on slavery. -
Senator Attack
Senator Charles Sumner was a politician from the Northern territory, who opposed slavery. He prepared a speech to give to the entire senate. In this speech he bashes slavery and tells about all the evils. Representative Preston Brooks took exception to this, thinking he was coming at him. Brooks was from the south and a supporter of slavery. Brooks took his cane and beat Sumner almost to death. This inspired the south, but harmed Brooks reputation. -
Abraham Lincoln's Election
The north was pushing for the end of slavery, but wanted it to come slowly. Presidential candidate Abraham Lincoln was the perfect fit with his laid back approach to politics and the issue on slavery. This upset the south because this meant that there was another president was not for slavery. -
The Norths Push for the End
After the north had won the presidency they started the gentle push for the end of slavery. This was upsetting to the south because they had worked hard to preserve the institution. The north had a gentle approach in order to not upset the southerners, and preserve the union.
