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Causes of the Civil War

By Guo

  • Missouri Compromise

    Missouri Compromise
    The Northern and Southern politicians have heated debates over the growth of slavery. Henry Clay, the Great Compromiser, settled the debate by drafting the Missouri Compromise. It was a series of laws that helped maintain the balance between slave states and free states.

  • Nullification Crisis

    Nullification Crisis
    Southern states felt that the tariffs only supported the North. Vice President John C. Calhoun said states could nullify if unsticonstitutional. The federal government denied South Carolina's argument, Sounth Carolina threatened to secede. It ended with Henry Clay compromising and lowering the tariffs.

  • Compromise of 1850

    Compromise of 1850
    Congress had many heated debates about the new territories won from Mexico. Henry Clay had helped decide which would be "free" or "slave" states by creating the Compromise of 1850. It states that California would be a "free" state, and that Congress would not pass laws banning slavery from the rest of the territories.

  • Fugitive Slave Act

    Fugitive Slave Act
    The act permitted the arrest of any suspected slave. This act heightened tensions, which led to John Brown's raid and the American Civil War.

  • Bleeding Kansas

    Bleeding Kansas
    5,000 people from proslavery Missouri came and voted for proslavery representatives in Kansas illegally. Anti-slavery opponents started their own government, which was attacked by proslavery forces.To avenge the attack, John Brown slaughtered several of his proslavery neighbors.

  • Dred Scott Desicion

    Dred Scott Desicion
    Dred Scott tried to sue for his freedom, but the court ruled he was not free based on his residence, African Americans were not citizens when the Constitution was drafted, and he was the property of his owner.

  • Attack on Henry's Ferry

    Attack on Henry's Ferry
    John Brown wanted to inspire slaves to fight for their freedom, so he planned to raid an arsenal to give slaves weapons. He was captured, saluted by the abolitionists as he was hanged, and the issue of slavery had risen tensions to the breaking point.

  • Election of 1860

    Election of 1860
    Abraham Lincoln wins the election, in which shortly after, Southern states began to secede from the Union.