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Dates
Events leading up to the American Civil War -
Nullifiction Crisis
The nullification happened when South Carolina refused to collect a federal tax, against the will of the US government. This was important because this was one of the first time that a state had threatened to rebel due to governmental disputes. This fits into econmics because South Carolina beleived that the tax would hinder their economy, similarly to how the Confederate beleived that ending slavery would ruin their economy. -
Gag resolutions of 1836
The laws passed by pro-slavery politicians who mae it so that the federal government could not mess with slavery in the states. This was important because abolitionist could not make anti-slavery laws, angering them. This connects to Politics, because laws were passed to deal with slavery. -
Annexation of Texas
The Annexation of Texas was congress voting to admit The Republic of Texas as a state of the US. This was important in leading to the civil war because Texas allowed slavery and would be admitted as a slave state, this would upset the balance of slave states vs free states increasing the tensions between the North and South. This connects to Geography, because the size of the US expanded growing closer to the dream of manifest destiny. -
Wilmot Proviso
The proposed law that would ban slavery in the new territories aquired from Mexico that ultimently failed to pass. This proposal would be a large step in the anti-slavery movement, and increased the distrust of the north and south, since the goal of the north was now obiously to abolish slavery. This connects to peopling and migration because slave-owners and slaves would then migrate to the new territories, creating new agrarian societies. -
Compromise of 1850
The federal compromise to make slavery illegal above 32nd parallel and made many other compromises regarding slavery and boarders. This was important beacause the poorly planned compromise, led to problems in the future and the need of a new compromise. This connects to Politics and Power because it was a political decision impacting slavery and how to make an agreement between pro-slavery and antislavery sides. -
"Uncle Tom's Cabin"
"Uncle Tom's Cabin" is a book written by Harriet Breecher Stowe chronicalizing the plight of an escaped slave and the violence and pain of slavery. This is important to leading to the civil war because many people were inspired to take up arms against slavery and elect abolishionist congressmen. This connects to politics because due the book there was a greater abolishionist presence in congress. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
The Kansas-Nebraska act was a law that, among other things, gave the terretories the ability to decide if slavery should be allowed. This led to the civil war because the nature of the desicion led to the bleeding Kansas crisis which many were killed, this further increased tensions between the north and the south. This connects to politics and power because pro-slavery and the anti-slavery parties wanted power of the region and more influence in congress. -
Dred Scott v. Sandford
Was the Supreme court decision that African-Americans, regardless of whether or not they were free, were not citiens and could not sue in federal court. This was important because it angered abolitionists who became radical in their goals, and gave blacks no power to defend themselves in court. This connects to Politics and Power beause the blacks lacked power to defend themselves in court. -
John Brown's Raid on Harper's Ferry
John Brown was an extremist abolitionist who led a small army to attack Harper's Ferry, an American arsenal, in order to spark a slave rebellion. This was important becasue it strained the relationship between the north and the south, because the south viewed this as an attack on slavery. This connects to Beliefs because John Brown beleived there should be equality in American society. -
Election of Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was elected to be the next president of the United States, the first new Republican president. This as important because Lincoln was advocate of abolishing of slavery, and this feared and angered many southeners who threatened to secede. This connects to Politics and Power because the southerners wanted to have a pro-slavery advoate in power.
