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The Missouri Compromise
The Missouri Compromise was created to keep balance of power in Congress by admitting Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state in the Union. It also said that all states in the Louisiana Territory south of 36° 30´ latitude line is a slave state and all states above the line are free states (excluding Missouri). During the Dred Scott Decision, the Supremem Court ruled that Congress did not have the power to prohibit slavery, thus ending the Missouri Compromise. -
The Fugitive Slave Act
The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 was passed by Congress and stated that all "runaway" slaves were to be returned to their master. The Fugitive Slave Act wasn't very effective at first so Congress created a new law saying that any official of the law who didn't enforce the Fugitvie Slave Act were subject to 6 months in jail and a fine of $1,000. Suspects of being an escaped slave had no right to defend themselves in court and thus many free slaves were returned to being slaves. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin
Uncle Tom's Cabin was accused by many as a book that was meant to turn people to anti-slavory. It was publised in 1852 and was very controversal. The book was considered "the greatest novel of our time" and changed many peoples views on slavory. It was written by Harriet B. Stowe, who grew up in Connecticut and was against slavory in the U.S. -
Bleeding Kansas
In 1854, the Kansas-Nebraska Act was passed which voided the Missouri Comprosmise, and also started many fights between Pro-Slavory and Anti-Slavory. The Kansas-Nebraska Act stated that the people have the right to choose if their state is a free state or slave state, much like an election. This spawned fighting between Pro-Slavory and Anti-Slavory believers, this fighting led to massive blood-shed and earned the Kansas-Nebraska Act "Bleeding Kansas." -
The Dred Scott Descision
In March, 1857, the Supreme Court declared that anyone with African ancestry, regaurdless if they were free or not, were not protected under the U.S. Constitution and had no right to be citizens in the U.S. The Supreme Court also ruled that the Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional and Congress didn't have the power to declare if a state was free or not. The Dred Scott Decision is often regaurded as the worst decision made by the Supreme Court ever. -
Abraham Lincoln Elected President
Abraham Lincoln was inaugurated in March 1861. He lead the Union throught the Civil War and effectivly ended slavory. Abraham utilized all his resources he had to ensure the Union was maintained. Abraham was loved by the north and hated by the south, as President, he cammanded the Union to victiory against the Federacy. -
Harper's Ferry
In 1861, when Verginia seceded from the Union, U.S. troops attemped to burn the arsenal in Harper's Ferry but never succeeded. General Robert E. Lee attacked and captered Harper's Ferry because it offered a quick escaped route and supply line for his troop. The Federal garrison surrendered to Gen. Lee and became the largest surrender of U.S. troops until World War 2. In July, 1864, the Union controled Harper's Ferry again.
