-
Period: to
American Industrial Revolution
This was a time in American were factories were being built, and slavery was being used heavily. This created new manufacturing processes and higher agricultural productivity.
The south was becoming more and more dependent on slavery and the north was becoming more dependent on factories -
Second Great Awakening
This was a Protestant religious revival where many people gathered. Many speeches were shared and it caused many reform movements.
Many things were discussed in this gathering, such as women's rights and abolition. But this created sectional differences because the south didn't like the idea of abolition -
Creation Of The Cotton Gin
This was a machine that separates seeds from the cotton which allowed faster manufacturing of cotton. The production of cotton by one person went from 10 lbs a day to 1000 lbs a day.
This influenced the north and the south because the number of slaves increased due to the cotton gin. There was more cotton being produced which meant there were more people being sold into slavery and this led to more jobs being created in the north -
Louisiana Purchase
This was the acquisition of Louisiana from France for 15 million dollars.
The north had many abolitionists and the south favored the idea of slavery. This increased sectional differences because each side wanted their ideas to be put into place in the west -
Missouri Compromise
The Missouri compromise allowed Missouri to join the union as a slave state and Maine as a free state. Slavery was not allowed in states south of missouri.
The government talked about sectional differences between the states because they didn't want one side to become too powerful. The states were then allowed to decide themselves if they wanted to be a free or slave state -
Nat Turner’s Rebellion
This was a slave rebellion led by Nat Turner where slaveholders were murdered by enslaved people.
Southerners said this showed how dangerous slaves were and how they are bad people. But the northerners argued that this showed how bad slavery was because Nat Turner’s only option was to revolt. This increased sectional differences because there were a lot of arguments about this between the north and the south -
Period: to
Nullification Crisis
South Carolina didn't want to pay the north’s taxes because it didn't help them. They then tried to secede from the union but Andrew Jackson threatened to send in the military.
The north viewed this as very reckless and stupid. But the south applauded the bravery of South Carolina and they condemned Andrew Jackson and his supporters -
Period: to
Mexican American War
When Texas broke free from Mexico, they asked the US to accept them as a state. They refused once but then they beat Mexico in a war and annexed them and many other states
The north didn't like the idea of Texas joining the union but the south really liked it. They liked it because they wanted the US to expand -
Period: to
California Gold Rush
One man found lots of gold one a farm in California and told many people about it. After everyone heard about it, California became overrun by everyone trying to get gold. It then quickly became a state and outlawed slavery.
The north liked this because California was a free state but the south didn’t because they wanted more slave states. -
Compromise Of 1850
This compromise was about the territories deciding whether or not to allow slavery. It also accepted Utah and California into the union.
This was another win for the north because it added another free state. The south hated this but was happy at the prospect at having Utah as a slave state in the future -
Harriet Beecher Stowe Wrote Uncle Tom’s Cabin
This was a story about a slave who was beaten and treated very poorly by a slaveholder. This was written to change peoples minds about the issue of slavery. It was also written to show people the dangers that slaves went through everyday.
Many people became anti slavery after reading about the horrors slavery held. This weakened the push to keep slavery in the north and in other parts of the world -
Frederick Douglass Gives 4th Of July Speech
It talked about independence for black people. It represents that the black popular action is not free but still repressed.
Many white people began to see what the African American saw and wanted to abolish slavery. This was much more prominent in the north where slavery had been abolished -
Kansas Nebraska Act
This added two territories, Kansas and Nebraska, and caused bleeding Kansas. Many pro and anti slavery activist fought in Kansas and tried to make the state free or pro slavery.
Many anti and pro slavery people died because of this. But int eh end, Kansas became a slave state -
Period: to
Bleeding Kansas
Violent fights between pro slavery groups and antislavery groups.
It directly separated both groups because they were fighting against each other. 55 people ended up being killed -
Attack On Charles Sumner
It was a violent attack on abolitionist Charles Sumner by pro - slavery representative Preston Brooks.
This separated both groups because people ended up bringing guns and knives to the chamber meeting. This increased the already violent tensions between the two parties -
Dred Scott Vs Sanford
It was a case that said that African Americans aren’t citizens of the United States.
This increased tension because some people agreed with this decision and some people didn't. This directly furthered sectional differences because it caused arguments -
Period: to
Raid On Harpers Ferry
It was an attempt to abolish slavery by taking over the United States arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia.
This was one of the most obvious causes of the civil war because it was very violent and it caused many disagreements. Also, this increased militarization in many places -
Election Of 1860
It was the presidential election between Abraham Lincoln, John Breckinridge, John Bell, And Stephen Douglas.
This election was most likely the main cause of the civil war because it caused many southern states to secede from the country. Primarily, because of conflicting ideas about slavery -
Shots Fired At Ft. Sumter
This was the official start of fighting in the American Civil War. Union troops (northern troops) stationed at Ft. Sumter in South Carolina were attacked by the South Carolina militia. Union troops lost and surrendered the fort to the Confederate militia.
Unlike previous acts of violence, this was the first time violence broke out between organized military troops. Fighting in the Civil War would continue for 4 more years after this event. -
Period: to
Southern Secession
This event happened when many southern states broke off from the country.
This was the start of the civil war. It caused the Union and the confederate states to start fighting