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Missouri, now a slave state, wanted to join the Union. After being accepted, the balance of free and slave states was offset. Differences grew into sectionalism.
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Proposal that specified that slavery should be prohibited in any land aquired from Mexico. Southerners were very mad because they encouraged the spread of slavery.
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Slave trade was banned in Washington D.C., the Fugitive Slave Act was amended and California joined the Union and became a free state.
(Exact date unknown) -
This act required all citizens of the North and South to help catch runaway slaves. Anyone aided a slave could be punished by fine and/or imprisonment. This act mounted anger in the North.
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Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of Uncle Tom's Cabin, stunned people with her description of slavery. This grew anger in the South.
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Stephen Douglas composed that the issue of slavery would be decided by the residents of the territory.
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A group of slavery-supporters ransacked Lawrence, Kansas. John Brown, an abolitionist fought back, in pursuit of killing every proslavery man in Pottawatomie Creek. Kansas became free.
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Slave, Dred Scott, sued for freedom from his owner who maintained possession of him when entering a free state. Court decided that he could not sue because he is property.
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Stephen Douglas battled Abraham Lincoln in a series of face-to-face debates,(Topic of Slavery), to win a seat in the senate. This was the South's introduction to Lincoln.
(Debates took place in many towns, therefor, many dates were undescribed) -
Abolitionist John Brown led a group of 20 men, including 4 blacks had planned to over run Harper's Ferry, Virginia and seize their arsenal.
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Lincoln Elected 16th president of U.S., even though his name wasn't on ballet in some southern states. This eventually pushed the south towards sucession.