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The Missouri Compromise
A compromise to accept Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state in order to balance the free and slave states in the senate. The bottom border of Missouri marked the Mason-Dixon line. This line divided the country into free slave states in the north and slave states in the south. It marked a start of division in the country as well, now that the line provided yet another reason in which the North and South differed. Differences in slavery ideals would be a foundation for later argume -
Tariff of Abominations
Jackson's tariff sought to protect northern and western agricultural products from competition with foreign imports; however, the resulting tax on foreign goods would raise the cost of living in the South and endanger the south's trade relationships with other countries. This led to Southern states seeking nullification, and threatening with secession, like South Carolina, as the federal government was favoring one region more than the other. Needless to say, it was a separation factor. -
Nat Turner's Rebellion
An effective black v. white rebellion that killed dozens of white folk over the course of 2 days in Virginia. The rebellion was lead by Nat Turner, that was later captured and killed along with the other participants. It scared, and angered the slave holders, so In the immediate aftermath of the rebellion many Southern states, including North Carolina, tightened restrictions on African Americans. The violent death of the participants showed the South's warning on their slavery views. -
Compromise of 1850
Henry Clay's Five laws that dealt with the issue of slaveryI, t's purpose was appeasing tensions about newly aquired Mexican War territory. California wanted to enter the Union as a free state, potentially upsetting the balance of slavery views in the senate. The laws included the Fugitive Slave Act, the voting on slavery rights for Utah and Nex Mexico, and the freeing of all other western countries except Texas. It was a fail attempt at unification. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Breechet Stowe
A book by Harriet Beecher Stowe that talked about the terrors of slavery and called the attention of all the America's and even Europe. It also raised awareness of slavery in the North, and simultaneously inciting disaproval from the north's part. It demanded that the United States deliver on the promise of freedom and equality, galvanized the abolition movement and contributed to the outbreak of the Civil War. -
Kansas Nebraska Act
An Act that brought in Nebraska as a state after organizing it's territory. The Kansas-Nebraska act made it possible for the Kansas and Nebraska territories to open to slavery. Since it was above the line of the Missouri Compromise, this compromise had to be repealed, which greatly angered the North.They felt that if the Comp.1820 was ignored, the Comp of 1850 could be ignored as well. Violations of the hated Fugitive Slave Law increased. This was a huge division and controversial factor. -
Birth Of the Republican Party
Passage of the Repeal of Missouri Comp bill irrevocably split the Whig Party, one of the two major political parties in the country at the time. Every northern Whig had opposed the bill; almost every southern Whig voted for it. With the emotional issue of slavery involved, there was no way a common ground could be found. Most of the southern Whigs soon were swept into the Democratic Party. Northern Whigs reorganized themselves with other non-slavery interests to become the REPUBLICAN PARTY. -
Bleeding Kansas
The Kansas-Nebraska Act decreed that the residents would determine whether the area became a free state or a slave state. Proslavery and free-state settlers flooded into Kansas to try to influence the decision. Violence soon erupted as both factions fought for control. Abolitionist John Brown led anti-slavery fighters in Kansas before his raid on Harpers Ferry. This was a division factor and a decimator, as an incitement on political and social issues turned into a fight with violence. -
Dred Scott v. Sanford
Dred Scott was a Missouri slave that was taken to Illinois, a free State, and on to the free Wisconsin Territory by his owner. When his owner died, Scott sued the widow for his freedom in the Missouri supreme court, claiming that his residence in the “free soil” of Illinois made him a free man. He lost the case, and the jury proclaimed the MC. unconstitutional, in violation of the owner's right to take their property anywhere. This incited protests and adressed the issue of moving slaves. -
Lincoln Douglas Debate
Douglas and Lincoln debated over a seat at Senate in Illinois in a series of debates .Douglas still backed "popular sovereignty,", maintaining the right of the citizens to permit or prohibit slavery. Lincoln pointed out that Douglas's position directly challenged the Dred Scott decision, which decreed that the citizens of a territory had no such power. Lincoln lost but gained more republican and northern followers.Douglas lost Democratic support. -
John Brown's Raid on Harpers Ferry
In October 1859, the U.S. military arsenal at Harpers Ferry was the target of an assault by an armed band of abolitionists led by John Brown.The raid was intended to be the first stage in an elaborate plan to establish an independent stronghold of freed slaves in the mountains of Maryland and Virginia. Brown was captured during the raid and later convicted of treason and hanged, but the raid made white Southern fears of slave rebellions and increased the tension between Northern and South. -
Lincoln's Election
Abraham Lincoln is elected president over a divided Democratic Party, and a good senate campaign : becoming the first Republican to win the presidency.The announcement of Lincoln's victory signaled the secession of the Southern states, which since the beginning of the year had been publicly threatening secession if the Republicans gained the White House, because of his views on slavery. By his inaguration, 7 states had seceeded. 1 month later the war began.
