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Missouri Compromise
The Missouri compromise was a solution to Missouri requesting to be a state. Proposed by Henry Clay, it wanted to admit Missouri as a slave state, and Maine as a free state. This was a goal to maintain balance in the slave and free states. This event took place in Congress, was passed on May 9th 1820, and did maintain balance for a while. However, some Northerners feared would keep the institution of slavery alive, which the North was against. -
The Wilmot Proviso
The Wilmot Proviso was an attempted bill made in congress. Its goal was to abolish slavery in all territory acquired during the Mexican-American war. Made by David Wilmot, proposed on August 8th, 1846, the bill passed in the House of Representatives, but not in the Senate. The people in the South felt as if this was an attack on them, feeling the odds stacked against them. This caused tensions in the South to begin rising. -
Compromise of 1850
The Compromise of 1850 featured a multitude of deals, in attempts to soothe the nation. Of course, it didn’t, as bitterness was bold between the North and the South. Passed by Congress and proposed by Henry Clay on January 29 1850, the compromise suggested many ways to deal with slavery. The most important of these included California admitted as a free state, slavery decided through popular sovereignty in New Mexico and Utah, and the fugitive slave act. -
Fugitive Slave Act
The Fugitive Slave Act was a part of the Compromise of 1850. Suggested by Henry Clay, passed in Congress, this slave act was very controversial in the North. The law allowed escaped slaves to be tracked down and returned to the South. Because African Americans had no right to trial, anyone accused of being a slave was immediately sent back. This sparked conflict in the North, as free men could just be called slaves and sent to a plantation. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin
Uncle Tom’s Cabin is a very renowned book, read by many. Written by Harriet Beecher Stowe, the book brought the cruelties of slavery to the eyes of the typical Northerner. This book was written using only secondary sources, but that was irrelevant. This book sparked the fire that the abolitionists love. This made people want to fight to end slavery. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act/Bleeding Kansas
As the nation continued to divide over the institution of slavery, Kansas and Nebraska wanted to become states. As people argued over whether slavery should be put into the new states, Senator Douglas suggested the idea of popular sovereignty. This was thought to be a good idea throughout congress. As people flooded to the new states, violence began to break out. This was known as Bleeding Kansas. -
Dred Scott Case
The Dred Scott case was a large part of the Slavery conflict. Dred Scott, a slave, tried to sue his owner, after claiming residence in free territories. This case took a whole decade to complete by the Supreme court. However, the outcome did not rule in Scott’s favor, as he was still a slave, and technically not a U.S. citizen. This meant he had no rights. This decision caused outcry within the abolitionists, and was a large stepback for their cause. -
Lincoln Douglas Debate
The Lincoln - Douglas debate had been over the position of senator of the state of Illinois. In this debate, Lincoln had begun to stand in the spotlight of the political world. They had opposing views, as Lincoln wanted to abolish slavery, while Douglas wanted to keep it. The debate was heated but Douglas had won, although Douglas also split the democratic party. This would come to be Lincoln’s advantage. -
John Brown's Raid
John Brown was a very avid abolitionist. He believed that violence was the only way to end slavery. He gathered a group of twenty people, and marched on Harpers Ferry. He tried to get the Union to join him, but of course the did not. He was eventually captured and sentenced to death for treason. His last words were saying he was convinced that slavery could not end without the shedding of blood. -
Election of 1860
This election of 1860 could be considered one of the most important in U.S. history. Each party had appointed their candidate, and now it was anybody's game. Although every candidate had won something, it was Abraham Lincoln who came out on top. He won every free state and shattered through the electoral college. This result angered the south into seceding. -
Southern Secession
The south had finally had enough. About two days after Lincoln was nominated president, South Carolina seceded. Other southern states followed on the bandwagon. This was an issue for Lincoln, as he wanted to keep the nation together. But now there had been a huge movement, one that would come to solidify America and the nation as a whole. On 1861, slavery was abolished in the north, the south seceded, and the Civil War had begun.
