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Sectionalism
The Mexican War strengthened feelings toward sectionals. Each section (North vs. South) wants to do what's best for themselves, instead of the country. (1800s) -
Missouri Compromise
Missouri wanted to join the Union as a slave state. The compromise was that Missouri can join the Union as a slave state, as long as Maine also gets accepted as a free state. All of the states north of the 36 degree 30 min. latitude line are free states, but Missouri, and all of the states south of the 36 degree 30 min. latitude line are slave states. -
New Western Lands
It was an expansion of land to the U.S. after the Mexican War. Now there is a lot more land that they are fighting about whether or not it is free or slave state. -
California becomes a state
California joined the union as a free state. This caused havoc among the senators because there is now more free than slave states. -
Clay vs. Calhoun
Clay and Calhoun are both senators when California becomes a state. Clay wants the country to stay together and encouraged teamwork, but Calhoun threatens that the south will secede if slavery was not allowed in the western lands. -
Fugitive slave law
It required all citizens to help catch runaway slaves. -
Compromise of 1850
When Calhoun and the President died the new president agreed to compromise. The compromise states:- California can join as a free state 2.The rest of the Mexican Cession was divided into Utah and New Mexico
- Ended slave trade in Washington D.C. but can't ban it elsewhere
- Included a strict fugitive slave law
- Settled border dispute between Texas and Mexico
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Uncle Tom's Cabin
A book, popular in the North, that explains the evils of slavery, and the injustices of the fugitive slave law. This book helped to change people's views on slavery. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
The Nebraska Territory is divided between Kansas and Nebraska and the people got to decide whether they are a free or slave state. -
Bleeding Kansas
People for and against slavery fought battles to create the government. -
Dred Scott v. Sanford
Dred Scott was a slave in Missouri but later moved to Illinois, a free state, with his master. Later they returned to Missouri and Scott's owner died. Scott's lawyers argued that since Scott lived in a free state he should be a free man. But the case went up to the Supreme Court and they ruled that Scott could not file a lawsuit because he was a slave, that meant he was property and not a citizen. Congress did not have the power to outlaw slavery. -
John Brown's Execution
John Brown was an abolitionist who moved to Kansas to help make it a free state by killing people who believed in slavery. He was arrested and killed in 1859 and the North mourned since he was a hero to them -
Lincoln's Election
Abraham Lincoln became President because there was more Northern, than Southern voters. To many Southerners, Lincoln's election meant that the Southerners had no voice in government because both the President and Senate were against slavery. -
Fort Sumter
Location of the first battle that was the start of the Civil War.