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Missouri Compromise 1820
The Missouri compromise was an agreement where Henry Clay proposed that Maine, in the Northeast, united to the country and became a free state so that Missouri could also enter the Union but as a slave state. The compromise also established a line below Missouri where slavery was permitted under the line and was forbidden over the line. This event was a cause of the civil war because it clearly divided the country and created tension between slave states and free-states. -
Tariff of Abominations 1828
The tariff of abominations was a protective high tariff placed on imported low priced European goods to protect Northern industry’s economy from dropping. This was a cause to the civil war because it made the southern states angry. Southern states thought this tariff would hurt their trade with Europe and saw this very high tariff on the goods they regularly bought. This led to a clear division between the North and the South. -
Nat Turner’s Rebellion 1831
Nat Turner’s rebellion was a slave rebellion that took place on Virginia. This uprising caused the death of up to 65 men by rebel slaves. This rebel slave rebellion was a cause of the civil war because all these killings angered every slaveholder and every slavery supporter. The idea of black men killing 65 people was infuriating and promoted a bigger conflict towards slavery. -
Texas Annexation 1845
The Texas annexation was when the territory of Texas became a state of the United States. Their annexation meant the incorporation of the 28th state into the country. This was a cause of the civil war because the people on the North strongly objected to the incorporation since Texas was vast slave holding region. This would increase the area and political strength to the slave power increasing the opposition of anti and pro slavery sections in congress. -
Mexican American War 1846-1848
This war was the cause of the Texas Annexation. The Mexicans caused this war because they didn’t accept Texas independence and wanted fought back for the territory. Clearly, Americans won and ended up with a big chunk of Mexican territory afterwards. This event was a cause of the civil war because the expansion of territory meant a huge expansion in slave power and any law prohibiting slavery would cause a big issue. The idea that territory earned by soldiers from both free and slave states was -
Compromise of 1850
The compromise of 1850 was a package of five bills passed by the congress that promoted even more conflict between slave states and free states. The terms were: 1. California was admitted as a free state. 2. The slave trade was abolished in Washington D.C. and in District of Columbia. 3. The territory of New Mexico was organized under popular sovereignty. 4. The Fugitive Slave Act was passed where every citizen had to assist in the return of runaway slaves and slavery was also permitted in the -
Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe 1852
Uncle Tom’s Cabin was an anti-slave novel that reveals the reality of slavery and supports abolitionists causes. This novel was a cause of the civil war because it was a very controversial book that incited issues around slaveholders. This book made slave supporters to claim the author a criminal, a slanderous, and utterly fake. As many people say, this novel “set the groundwork of the civil war due to its controversy.” -
Kansas-Nebraska Act 1854
This act created two new states: Kansas and Nebraska. This opened new lands for settlement and had the effect of nullifying the Missouri Compromise. Now, people would have the right to vote if the state became a free or a slave state. This was a cause of the civil war because it angered the North since those states would become slaveholders. The right of voting for the stance of the state led to a mayor conflict leading to the civil war. -
Bleeding Kansas 1854-1861
Bloody Kansas or the Border War was a series of violent political confrontations between pro slavery and anti slavery groups, which took place in the recently united state of Kansas. This event was a cause of the civil war because it angered the South and the North leading them to serious confrontations and disputes regarding slavery. -
Dred Scott vs. Stanford 1857
It was a decision ruled by the Supreme Court, which stated that, any African American, free or not, could never be an American citizen. In this case, an American slave was taken to free states so he could seek his freedom. The Supreme Court denied Scott’s request. This event was a cause of the civil war and it angered the North because they wanted equal rights for every person and this act was a clear discrimination to slaves. -
Lincoln Douglass Debates 1858
The Lincoln vs. Douglas debates were a series of seven debates between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas who were the candidates for the presidency of the Republican and the Democratic Party. The main topic argued in the debates was slavery. This angered both the North and the South since Abraham Lincoln supported abolitionists and Douglas was a pro slavery candidate. These events were a cause of the civil war because they infringed slavery as a controversial topic. -
John Brown’s Raid on Harpers Ferry 1859
It was an attempt by the anti slave abolitionist John Brown to start an armed slave revolt by destroying a United State’s arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia. This event angered the South because black slaves occasioned this revolt and they were trying to destroy the country’s weapons and cargo infuriated slaveholders. This action incited more slavery and was a controversial event that angered slave states (South). -
Birth of Republican Party 1860
The Republican Party was founded by anti-slavery abolitionists with the purpose of opposing the Democratic Party and abolishes slavery. It was founded in 1854 but started to predominate the country’s politics in 1860. This angered Southern states because this political party was created with the end of protecting black slaves and opposed slavery. This was a cause of the civil war since it strongly opposed slavery and argued for black’s freedom. -
Lincoln’s Election 1860
: Abraham Lincoln was the first Republican president of the United States. He was elected president in 1860 by beating his candidate Stephen A. Douglas. He received 40% of the popular vote since he supported North and West states. This further angered the Southern states because an abolitionist won the presidency. Lincoln was an anti-slave and had the purpose of defending slave’s rights. This was the tip of the glass, which led to the civil war. Tension was really high due to slavery issues and
