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Missouri Compromise
By the time 1819 rolled around, the United States now comprised of 22 states equally split between free states and slave states. In the same year, Missouri applied to be a state but as a slave state. Since the admittance of one more slave state would unbalance things, the North formed a strong opposition against it. In 1820, however, a compromise was worked out which stated that in order to not upturn the balance between the states, Maine would be admitted too as a free state to ease tension. -
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The Nullification Crisis
New England spokesmen imposed high tariffs on to keep European manufactured goods out of the U.S despite opposition from the South. With the passing of the "Tariff of Abominations", tensions between the two rose to a crescendo. In retaliation, VP Calhoun proposed the doctrine of nullification which argued that a state could nullify any federal acts it deems unconstitutional. Pres. Jackson and VP Calhoun turned enemies although things were resolved with The Force Bill and the Compromise Tariff. -
Wilmot Proviso
After the Mexican American war, the most debated question was whether the newly acquired land would become free or slave. Northern Democrat, David Wilmot, suggested the new territory remain slave free. By supporting the Proviso, the Northerners hoped to keep the territory Black-free and ensure that the White settlers would not be met with competition. In the end, while the Proviso did not become law, it remained a topic of contention for both sides because of what it represented for anti-slavery -
Compromise of 1850
After the threat of southern secession, Henry Clay offered a series of proposals to Congress as a single bill with five concessions. Despite the intense debates in Congress over the omnibus bill, it was ultimately defeated. However after the death of President Taylor, Senator Douglas stripped down the original bill into five separate bills which were voted on. In the end, all five concessions were passed and were celebrated as a victory for both Northerners and Southerners. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin
Uncle Tom's Cabin was a story published in an anti-slavery paper about a slave who is sold to a vicious plantation overseer, Simon Legree, after the death of his previous owner. Tom is ultimately flagged to death after his continued silence on the locations of two fugitives. Writer Harriet Stowe described the brutalities slaves faced every single day through her imagination and miraculously gained the book an enormous readership, prompting the North to take an even harsher stance on slavery. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
In 1854, Senator Douglas proposed the Kansas-Nebraska bill to placate the South as it repealed the Missouri Compromise in favor of popular sovereignty. Confident in his belief that they would oppose slavery, he hoped to appeal to the South without giving up much in return. However, it backfired when the North strongly attacked it. Despite the passage of the bill, the general outrage of the bill by the North and approval of it by the South reignited the rivalry between the two and harmed Douglas. -
The Ostend Manifesto
The Ostend Manifesto was the last effort by President Pierce to obtain Cuba in order to establish a Latin-American slave empire. The American ministers Soulé, Mason and Buchanan essentially threatened Spain to sell Cuba for $130 million. Unluckily, information about the Manifesto got out and quickly fell apart. Many Northerners were enraged by the desires of the South to establish an overseas slave empire through unjust expansion while the South remained optimistic. -
Scott v Sanford
Dred Scott, a slave who had followed his owner through free territories before returning to Missouri and arguing before courts that he was free since he had resided in free territories. Ultimately the Supreme Court decided that Scott could not sue for his freedom since Blacks did not have the same rights as White Americans. They also decided that his forrey in free states made no difference. The North was horrified and thought of it as undermining popular sovereignty in the individual states. -
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John Brown's Raid
Despite his old age, John Brown was committed to do something significant for the anti-slavery cause. He planned to seize weapons from Harper's Ferry and to start a slave revolt in the Appalachians. Unluckily, the whole expedition went awry and ended with ten people dead and him wounded and captured. The event roused old Southern fears of a slave revolt occurring whereas most Northerners wildly condemned him. -
Election of 1860
The election of 1860 brought to light splinters on political views within the Republican and Democratic parties with their inability to come to a consensus on a single candidate for either party. Ultimately the election highlighted issues like slavery expansion, secession, government-state-territory relations and abolition. In the end, Lincoln's moderate stance on political issues and his lack of experience in administration ended up giving him the edge he needed to win the volatile election.