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Missouri Compromise
Missouri wanted to join the union as a slave state. This would throw off the balance between free and slave states, so Henry Clay proposed a compromise where Maine would also be added to the union as a free state. Also a line would be place along the southern border of Missouri which would ban slavery North of it. -
Wilmot Proviso
This document laid out what should become of the Mexican Cession. In this document it explained that states in the Mexican cession should be declared free states. This passed in the northern controlled House of Representatives but not in the southern controlled Senate. -
Compromise of 1850
To address the issue of adding the Mexican Cession and California to the Union, Henry Clay came up with a compromise. The Compromise of 1850 split the Mexican Cession into two states, Utah and New Mexico, where they could vote for whether or not they wanted to be a free state or a slave state. California would be a free state. -
Fugitive Slave Act
In order to adress slaves escaping with the help of free people, the Fugitive Slave Act was passed. This act allowed for slaves to be arrested even after they had made it to freedom. The penalty for people who had helped them escape could be death. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
To settle the dispute of whether the states of Kansas and Nebraska should be free or slave states Stephen Douglas proposed that these two should decide for themselves through popular soveriegnty. -
Bleeding Kansas
As proslavery citizens rushed across the border from Missouri conflict arose with antislavery settlers. Multiple violent confrontations arose. -
Dred Scott v. Sandford
Dred Scott sued for his freedom because his master died while he was in a free state. The case was brought to the Supreme court where they decreed three things. A slave is not a citizen so they can't bring suit to court, a slave is property of the owner and the 5th amenment protects that, therefore the Missouri Compromise is unconstitutional. -
Lincoln Douglas Debates
In order to compete for the spot in the Illinois Senate Douglas and Lincoln had many debates regarding slavery and sectionalism. Douglas accused Lincoln of thinking of negros as his brother. Lincoln accused the democrats of trying to spread slavery to the whole country.
