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Missouri Compromise
The Missouri Compromise of 1820 is the compromise where Missouri enters the United States as a slave state, but all territories above the Southern border will become a free state. This angered both Southerners and Northerners as slavery would continue, and there would be a chance that an imbalance of free/slave states could exist. -
Compromise of 1850
The Compromise of 1850 made California, the newest state, became a free state, and New Mexico and Utah were chosen by popular vote. The compromise also settled border problems between Texas and New Mexico. However, the Fugitive Slave Law was added, which created a lot of tension between the North and South. Other than the Fugitive Slave Law, the compromise of 1850 aided in temporarily reducing tension between the South and North. -
Fugitive Slave Act
The Fugitive Slave Act was part of the compromise of 1850 where all citizens were required to return any slaves that escaped from their masters by federal law. If people did not comply, they could be fined or jailed. This law was one of the driving factors that led to the Civil War; the Northerners did not understand why they needed to partake in aiding with slavery, while the Southerners were frustrated that Northerners would ignore federal law. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin
Uncle Tom's Cabin is a novel written by Harriett Beecher Stowe, which highlighted to many white Americans the immorality of slavery through an older slave being whipped to death by his master. Arguably the main reason why the Civil War occurred, many Northerners were appalled at the questionable practice of slavery, but Southerners believed that the novel had lies. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
The Kansas-Nebraska Act was enacted in 1854 and created the Kansas and Nebraska territories. It also determined that all slave/free states would be determined by popular sovereignty, which overrode the Missouri Compromise. Due to the states being determined by popular sovereignty, both pro and anti slavery governments were established and neither respected each other, leading to violence, especially in the Kansas territory, which is called Bleeding Kansas. -
Pottowatomi creek killings
John Brown fights back at pro-slavery violence in Kansas. He and his followers grabbed five pro-slavery men in the night and murdered them. Brown sees it as means to end slavery and what "God wanted" him to do. Appalls northerners and southerners. -
Dred Scott Decision
Dred Scott was a slave. His master left him in a free territory, and he died in a slave state. Scott hired abolitionist attorneys but they lost trial for freedom in Supreme Court. Ruling showed slavery was still present in northern territories and this made northerners furious. -
Lincoln-Douglass Debate
Lincoln and Douglass debated on slavery and american policies. Douglass supported popular sovereignty while Lincoln believed it should be limited to where it was already at. Lincoln believed the Union would tear itself apart if it did not solve fighting caused by slavery. -
Raid On Harper's Ferry
John Brown led five blacks and thirteen whites into Harper's Ferry. Planned to raid an arsenal and start slave revolt. Slaves didn't revolt. Failed, Brown was arrested and later hanged. Northerners saw him as a martyr. -
Election of 1860
Lincloln ran against Douglass in the 1960 election. The South completely rejected Lincoln but he still won with many electoral votes. South were furious and thought north had too much power and threatened to secede from union.