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Period: Jan 1, 1550 to
Triangle Trade
The first leg of the triangle trade carried manufactured goods like cloth, guns, and ammunition. These goods were traded for enslaved Africans. The Middle Passage ran from Africa to the Americas. These slave ships carried Africans to the Americas. The Final Leg went from the Americas to Europe. Enslaved people were sold in the Americas and ships returned to Europe filled New World products including sugar, -
Slavery Begins in America
The first slaves were brought Jamestown, Virginia in 1619. This was the beginning of slavery in America. Slavery would be a continuing issue in America for a long time. It is one thing that caused the Civil War because of the ongoing disagreement about it. -
Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence states that "all men are created equal". This creates a major problem envolving slavery. Abolitionists would later ask how can they have slaves when all men are equal. Pro-slavery people would argue against this and say that slaves weren't American citizens so the constitution did not apply to them. -
Invention of the Cotton Gin
The cotton gin increased production of cotton and making it the most profitable crop. Profit wasn't all that increased so did the need for slaves. -
Missouri Compromise
The Missouri Compromise was a line that was developed at 36 30. The states below would be slave states and the ones above free. This would create greater tension involving slavery when new territories were obtained. -
Manifest Destiny
Again we see a divide between the two political parties. The democrats (southerners) supported expansion of the United States and thought the new land would mean new opportunities (more slave states). The Whigs (northerners) generally opposed it and favored focusing on developing existing US territory. -
Mexican-American War
Supporters of the war were from the Southern states. They believed the war was just because they wanted to add more slave states. Those opposing the war were Northern abolitionists who thought the war was unjust. This was another of the many factors the contributed to the main cause of the civil war: slavery. -
The Free Soil Party Formed
The free soil party included antislavery Whigs and democrats in the North. They opposed the spread of slavery into the territories. The party formed to try and help an abolitionist win presidency. This would create more tension between the abolitionists and pro-slavery supporters. This conflict would also contribute to the Civil War. -
The Dred Scott Decision
In 1850 a Missouri jury ruled in Scott’s favor. His owner’s widow and her brother appealed the decisions. High courts overturned the previous ruling, and Scott and his wife were returned to the owner. Scott then appealed to the supreme court where they rule out against him. Scott's argument was that when an enslaved person comes into a free state or territory they are free. Sanford's argument was that a person’s property can’t be taken away without due process. -
Fugitive Slave Act
This act prohibited slave trade in DC and allowed slavery in the newly added California and Texas. Along with that it made the hunting down of slaves legal. -
Kansas Nebraska Act
Stephen Douglas proposed a compromise called the Kansas Nebraska Act. It proposed two new territories called Kansas and Nebraska. Popular sovereignty would be used to decide the question of slavery. Along with the creation of this act tension would also be created. -
Period: to
Bleeding Kansas
In 1855 the disagreement grew increasingly violent. Proslavery and free soil forces fought for control. An antislavery group led by John Brown killed five proslavery settlers at Pottawatomie Creek. This would be another event that added to the tension involving slavery and would contribute to the Civil War. -
John Brown
He was active in an antislavery group in Massachusetts. He moved to Kansas to join the free soil party he took part in murder of proslavery settlers at Pottawatomie Creek, Kansas. He tried to start a slave rebellion at Harpers Ferry in Virginia but failed. This was another factor that contributed to the tension of slavery and to the Civil War. -
Abraham Lincoln's Election
Many of the Southerners hated Lincoln and he didn't even appear on ballets. He wanted to stop the spread of slavery. This upsetted the Southerners and they threatened to repeal from the Union. -
Civil War Begins
Confederates first started off the war by bombing the union at Fort Sumner, South Carolina. -
Bibliography
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/guides/Education/US-History/Slavery-in-America.pg_00.html slavery starts
http://www.history.com/topics/missouri-compromise Missouri compromise pic
http://www.coyote-tv.com/2014/07/04/declaration-of-independence/ declaration of independence picture
http://education.randmcnally.com/classroom/action/viewLargerMapImage.do?mapFileName=Kansas_Nebraska_Act.jpg&imageTitle=Kansas-Nebraska%20Act,%201854&skillLevel=Elem&oid=1073909755 kansas Nebraska acts picture
