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Wilmer Proviso
The Wilmer Proviso was an amendment to a bill created by David Wilmot. It states that the extension of slavery to any territory acquired from Mexico should be forbidden. It made a split amongst the Democrat party, because of opposing viewpoints by the North and the South. -
Compromise of 1850
Henry Clay creates a compromise that solved yet another problem of US. It said that the North gets California as a free state, slave trade is prohibited in Washington D.C., and Texas loses its boundary dispute with New Mexico. The South gets no slavery restrictions in Utah or New Mexico, Texas gets $10 million, slaveholding is permitted in Washington D.C., and the Fugitive State Law. This was a temporary solution, but more problems came and secession was getting closer. -
Fugitive Slave Act
This was a lair of federal laws that allowed the capture and return of runaway slaves within US Territory. Penalties were created for those who helped slaves escape, and there were harsher punishments for the slaves. This made slaves to flee all the way up to Canada, and some refused to leave. There were many lives that were lost, slave catchers, and now Northerners were shielding themselves from slaves. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin
A newspaper turned to a novel by Harriet Beecher Stowe that demanded for the US to deliver freedom and equality to slaves. It contained of a slave's life and striving to be free. This galvanized the abolition movement, and changed how Americans viewed slavery. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
This allowed people in Kansas and Nebraska to decided for themselves if they'd allow slavery or not in there boundary. It served to repeal the Missouri Comprimise of 1820, and infuriated Northerners while Southerners supported it. Kansas wasn't allowed to become a state, and the debate caused some battles amongst the people. -
"Bleeding Kansas"
This was caused by the Kansas-Nebraska act (political crisis). Some called it a border war. The ruffians had attacked a town, and John Brown decided to fight back. The violence was created with the issue of pro slavery, and it died down after a while. -
Dred Scott Case
Dred Scott was a slave who fought for freedom when his master died. The Blows (former owners) helped him sue Mrs. Emerson, but lost. He had lived in a free state before and claimed to have a Missouri citizenship, but Taney declared that no free slave or slave have the right to be a citizen. This led to debates during the Election of 1860, and the Democratic Party slowly falling apart. -
Lincoln-Douglas Debates
Lincoln wanted to take over Douglas's spot as a US Senator. They mentioned the slavery issues, the divided nation, and differences of their party systems. Lincoln was trying to keep Illinois Republicans from supporting Douglas by exposing their separated opinions, and wanted to win the support of abolitionists and former conservative Whigs. This helped him earn the nation's attention and made Douglas' power get stripped off from him. -
Harpers Ferry
John Brown raids the town Harpers Ferry to capture citizens and seize armory and arsenal for slaves. He was an abolitionist who tried to give slaves weapons to fight for themselves, and wanted the local slaves to support his idea. However, he was caught by Colonel Robert E Lee and was sentenced to death for murdering citizens and trying to help slaves. -
Election of 1860
Abraham Lincoln beats Southern Democrat John C. Breckinridge, Democrat Stephen A. Douglas, and Constitutional Union candidate John Bell. The electoral split amongst Democrats was mostly over slavery. Him being the president resulted 7 states to secede from United States. -
Fort Sumter
Colonel Anderson decides to move to another fort for the safety of his men, but was criticized for his provocative move by politicians and military commanders. General of the south, Beauregard, demanded for Anderson to surrender, but he denies the offer. The Confederate fires, and Anderson fight backs 2 hours later because of the lack of ammunition. The longer it lasted, the weaker the union got. So,Anderson surrenders with no fatality. The troops and him were greeted as heroes in the North.
