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Missouri Compromise
The Missouri Compromise divided the nations free states and the slave states on March 2, 1820. This is considered a cause of the Civil War because it began the division of the country. Sectionalism was created in America between the Southern states and the Northern states. -
Rebellion of Nat Turner
The Rebellion of Nat Turner occurred in August of 1831 when a slave by the name of Nat Turner caused an uprising in many plantations in Virginia. An estimated 60 white people were killed through the rebellion. This is a minor cause of the Civil War because it marked one of the bloodiest uprisings in the South at this time which is significant since it received much attention. The attention then affected the questioning of what was going on in the South with treatment of slaves. -
Manifest Destiny Ideologies
The term "Manifest Destiny" was created in 1845. This was the idea that the US was destined to expand in the continent of North America. This idea was a major cause to the Civil War because without it, the debate on whether or not the new states out west should become slave or free states, would've never existed. -
End of Mexican-American War
The Mexican-American War ended in 1848 due to the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which gave western territories to the US. This is a cause of the Civil War because those territories caused the issue on whether or not the states would have slavery or not. -
Mexican Cession
The Mexican Cession is a result of the end of the Mexican-American War as it is the land that the US claimed. Like mentioned previously, this land in the west caused a great deal of debate, and divided the North and South on their opinions. Tensions grew. -
Fugitive Slave Act
The Fugitive Slave Act was passed on September 18, 1850 which caused slaves to be treated worse. They were required to go back to their owners even if they resided in a free state after escape. This angered many Northerners and the abolitionist movement increased their efforts. -
Publication of Uncle Tom's Cabin
Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote "Uncle Tom's Cabin" in 1852. This had a large impact on the viewing of slavery and it also furthered abolitionism. This led to the Civil War in a minor way because it hindered people's opinions to be more sympathetic of slavery as a whole. This then caused stronger emotions to emerge. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
The Kansas-Nebraska Act was passed in 1854 where Nebraska and Kansas became territories. This was a cause of the Civil War because it actually first caused another event which would later be known as "Bleeding Kansas." This will be further mentioned on the next timeline event. -
"Bleeding Kansas" (Pottawatomie Massacre)
The "Bleeding Kansas" riots occurred in 1856 as a result of the Kansas-Nebraska Act. One specific massacre in the state was the Pottawatomie Massacre where John Brown and his followers killed five men who supported slavery. The state of Kansas was very violent at this time, therefore, increasing tensions between Northerners and Southerners. -
Preston Brooks Attacks Charles Sumner
Preston Brooks attacked Charles Sumner on the floor of the US Senate in 1856. This was apart of the "Bleeding Kansas" era. Brooks was in support of slavery and he hit Sumner with his cane after Sumner gave a speech blaming the pro-slavery population for the violence occurring. This caused the Civil War in a way because the violence kept getting worse over time with tensions increasing. -
Dred Scott
Dred Scott was an enslaved man who argued he should be free considering he was living in a free state. He lost his case, though in 1857. Efforts to fight slavery continued after this even further. Many Northerners believed in Scott's argument since the North was free. -
Lecompton Constitution
The Lecompton Constitution protected slaveholding in Kansas. It was very controversial because it was trying to get slavery legal in the state of Kansas. Kansas at this time was a mess and the build up there was about to boil over. -
Raid of Harper's Ferry
The Raid of Harper's Ferry occurred in 1859. It was led by violent abolitionist John Brown who attempted to take over the arsenal at Harper's Ferry. The violence over the years has increased, and this incident was also called the Tragic Prelude to the Civil War. -
Election of Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln got elected in 1860 and this really angered many Southerners. The first state in the South seceded from the Union a month after Lincoln being elected. Many more states followed the next year. -
Formation of the Confederacy
Once the Southern states seceded from the Union, they came together to form the Confederate States of America. This was a direct result of the election of Abraham Lincoln. The secession of the South really solidified the inevitable Civil War that was to come.
