-
Vesey Revolt started
United states freed slave and insurrectionist in South Carlina who was involved in planning an uprising of slaves was hanged. Many slaves attempted to runaway or to rebel but reprisals against the rebels were swift and bloody and never successful. Southerners imagined themselves surrounded by potentially rebellious blacks inflamed by abolitionist propaganda and these fears created a theory of biological racial superiority. -
Second Great Awakening
A series of religious revivals starting in 1801, based on methodism and Baptism. Stressed a religious philosophy of salvation through good deeds and tolerance for all protestant sects. Attracted womens, blacks, and natives. It had an effect on moral movements such as prison reform, the temperance movement, and moral reasoning against slavery. -
Fugitive Slave Act of 1793
A federal law that required slaves to be returned to their owners. Southerners believed that slavery had been made legal by inclusion of the constitution. -
Cotton gin invented
A machine for cleaning the seeds from cotton fibers, invented by Eli Whitney in 1793. It increased the cultivation of cotton which increased the need for slvaes and created a huge demand for cotton wihch resulted in the tying of the southern economy to cotton and the slave system. -
Gabriel's Insurrection
An enlsaved blacksmith who planned a largest slave rebellion in the Richmond area in the summer of 1800. Slaves wanted to run away but reprisals against the rebels were too swift and bloody and never successful. -
American Colonization Society Created
A group of people worried of the impact of slavery and race on society. They argued slavery had to end, and black slaves should be sent back to Africa. Was a failure because few planters freed their slaves, some blacks didn't even want to leave America. It focused on transporting blacks back to Africa during the early 1800s and 1820s. It created Liberia. It was because of widesspread loathing of blacks. -
Treaty of 1818
A negotiated treaty between the Monroe Administration and England. This treaty came after the War of 1812 to settle disputes between Britian and U. S. It permitted Americans toshare Nowfoundland fisheries with the Canadians, and the fixed the vague northern limites of Louisiana from the Lake of the Woods to the Rocky Mountains, It also provided for a 10-year joint occupation of untamed ORegon Territory. Suprisingly, neither Britian or America had to surrender rights or claims for this to occur. -
Missouri Compromise
It was over the issue of slavery in Missouri, It was decided Missouri entered as a slave state and Maine as a free state and all states North of the 36th parallel were free states and all south were slave states. -
Liberia created
A west African nation founded in 1822 by the American Colnization Sciety to serve as a homeland for free blacks to settle. ITs capital Monrovia was named for President James Monroe. -
Vesey Revolt ended
A lot of black slaves were put to death and arrested. -
Nat Turner Rebellion
A rebellion started by a Virginia slave who believed he recieved divine messages telling him the time was right for a rebellion, gathered 80 followers woh killed 60 whites, he was eventually cpature and executed. Greatly increased tensions between wihtes ans blacks across the South. -
nullification Crisis of 1832
A sectional crisis created by the South Carolina's 1832 Ordinance of Nullification. It delcared that the federal tariff of 1828 and 1832 was unconstitutional, and therefore did not pay to the boundaries of South Carolina. It worsened the souther whites fears and resulted in lynchings, whippings, and jailings of anyone who tried to discuss the end of slavery. -
American Anti-Slavery Created
Abolitionist society founded by William Lloyd Garrison, who advocated the emmediate abolition of slavery. By 1838, the organization had more than 250,000 memebers across 1,350 chapters. -
Texas Independence
After a few skirmishes with Mexican soldiers in 1835, Texas leaders met and organized a temporary gov, Texas troops initiallty seized San Antonio, but lost it after the massacre of the outpost garrisoning the Alamo. In repsonse, Texas issued a DOI. Santa Ana tried to swiftly put down the rebellion, but Texan soldiers suprised him & his troops on April 21, 1836. THey crushed his forces and captured him in the Battle of San Jacinto, and forced him to sign a treaty granting Texan Independence. -
Gag Resolution
Strict rule passed by pro-southern Congressman in 1836 to prohibit all discussion of slavery in the House of Representatives. Southerners drove through the Gag Resolution and right to petition was threatene. Freedom of press was also threatened when federal officials went along with Southern deamnds that abolitionist propaganda that was flooding the South be destroyed instead of distributed. -
Panic of 1837
When Jackson was president, many state banks recieved government money that had been withdrawn from the Bank of the U.S. These banks ussied paper money and financed wild specualtion, especially in federal lands. Jackson issued the Speica Circular to force the payment for federal lands with gold and silver. Many state banks collapsed as a result. A panic ensued. Bank of the U.S. failed, cotton prices fell, business wne t bankrupt, and there was widespread unemployment and distress. -
Aroostook War Started
A nonviolent confrontation in 1838-1839 between the U.S. and British over the international boundary between Canada and Maine. Notable figures include General Winfield Scott and Daniel Webster. -
Aroostook War Ended
Almost escalated into a costly conflict between state milities and the professional British army. -
Webster-Ashbourton Treaty
Between the U.S. and British, settled boundary disputes in the North West, fixed most borders between U.S. and Canada. U.S. got more area of the disputed Maine territory while Britian got the area it needed for the halifax-Quebec road. -
Election of 1844
Texas became a leading issue and the pro-expansion Democrat James Polk defeated the Whig anti-expansion Henry Clay and lame duck President Tyler saw the Democratic victory as a mandate to acquire/annex Texas. -
Texas Annexation
Happened after election of 1844. -
Mexican-American War started
War between U.S. and Mexico in which the United States acquired one half of the MExican territory. Opening shot of mexican wasr were opening shots of civil war. -
Oregon Treaty
Negotiation of the border between Oregon and Canada; Americans wanted it at 54 40; eventually was put at 49th parallel. Spain, Russia, Great Brit, and U.S. wanted it but Russia Spain backed out. -
Wilmot Proviso
Controversial bill that would have banned slavery in the territories acquired after the war with Mexico. Never became law but it came to symbolize the burning issue of slavery in the territories. -
Free Soil Party created
Was dedicated to opposing slavery in newly acquired territories such as Oregon and ceded Mexican Territory. Called for federal aid for internal improvements and urged free government homesteads for settlers. Appealed to a wide variety of people. -
Popular Sovereignty first proposed
Notion that people of a territory should determine if they want to be a slave state or free state. Was popular with both the public and politicians. A negative thing is it could allow slavery to spread. -
Gold discovery in California
-
Mexican-American War ended
1848 was a year filled with unrest on America. -
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
Treaty that ended the Mexican War, granting the U.S. control of Texas, New Mexico, and California in exchange for $15 million. -
Election of 1848
Zachary Taylor, MArtin Van Buren, and Lweis Cass. Zachary Taylor became president, died in office, making his vice pres. Millard Fillmore President. Created the free soil party. -
Fugitive Slave Act of 1850
Runaway slaves could not testify on their own behalf, federal commissioner who handled the case got $5 if slave is free and $10 if not, people had to help slave catchers even if they didn't want to. Increased rise of abolitionism and caused more animosity between North and South. -
Compromise Of 1850
-
Uncle Tom's Cabin published
Powerful novel that mad Americans and people across the worls aware of harsh and inhumane conditions of slavery and put the U.S. on the road to civil war. -
Election of 1852
Marked the end of the Whig party and effective national parties and resulted in the rise of regional, sectional parties. -
Gadsden Purchase
Purchase of land from mexico that inclued the southern parts of present day Arizona and New Mexico; set the current borders of the conitguous U.S. and was motivated by the desure for a southern route of the trsncontinental railroad. -
Republican Party created
Made in order to keep slavery out of the territories. -
Bleeding Kansas began
A sequence of violent events involving abolitionists and por-slavery elements that took place in Kansas-Nebraska Territory.Thte dispute further strained the relations of the North and South, making civil war imminent. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
Repealed the Missouri Compromise and established a doctrine of congressional nonintervention in the territories. Popular sovereignty would determine whether Kansas and Nebraska would become slave or free states. -
Ostend Manifesto
A secret reccommendation that the U.S. offer Spain $20 million for Cuba with the hope that it could become a slave state. Whe it leaked to the press and public. the idea had tp be abandoned. -
Know-Nothing Party created
A strongly anti-foreign party in the 1856 election. THey nominated Millard Fillmore. Drew support from many whigs. -
Brooks-Sumner Caning
-
Pottawatomie Creek Massacre
-
Election of 1856
Democrat James Buchanan won the general election by denouncing the abolitionists, promising not to allow any interference with the Comprmise of 1850, and supporting the principle of noninterference by Congress with slavery in the territories. -
Dred Scott v. Sanford Supreme Court decision
Supreme Court decision that stated that slaves were not citizens; That living in a free state or territory, even for many years, didn't free slaves; declared the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional. Delighted southerners and outraged Northerners. -
Panic of 1857
A notable sudden collapse in the economy caused by over speculation in railroads and lands, demands of Crimean war overstimulated the growing of grain, California gold inflated the currency, false banking practices,and a break in the flow of european capital to American investments as a result of the Crimean War. Since it didn't effect the South as bad as the North, they gained a sense of superiority.
Effects- businesses failed, unemployment rose, call for higher tariffs,increase of farmers/oth -
Lincoln Douglas Debates
Douglas won election but Lincoln gained much popularity and support and won a place for himself in the political picture. The debate proved to be one of the preliminary battlefields of the Civil War. -
Harper's Ferry Raid
John Brown seized the U.S. arsenal at Harpers Ferry. He planned to end slavery by massacring slave owners and freeing their slaves. He was captured and executed and became a martyr and hero to many abolitionists. -
Election of 1860
Lincoln won election. South no longer felt like it had a oice in politics and a number of states seceded from the Union. -
Crittenden Compromise
last-ditch attempt to prevent civil war. Offered constitutional amendment recognizing slavery in the territories south of the 36 30 line, non-interference by Congress with existing slavery, and compensation woners of fugitive slaves. Lincoln and representatives refused to consider it. -
Secessin of South Carolina
South CArolina seceded -
Lawrence, Kansas Attack