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The Missouri Compromise
To appease both slave and free states Missouri would enter the US as a slave state while Maine would enter as a free state. Also it is agreed that slavery will not expand north past a certain line. Problems would start to arrive thirty years later in 1850. -
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Events leading up to the civil war
The civil war was caused by many things, but the main conflict was over slavery and the expansion of slavery into new territories. -
Compromise of 1850
California would enter as a free state, and Arizona and Utah would decide upon popular sovereignty. The slave trade would end in D.C. The fugitive slave laws were enacted, and settled border disputes between New Mexico and Texas -
Fugitive Slave Law
Part of the compromise of 1850 this law was met with stark opposition from abolitionists who believed slavery was immoral. Citizens were required to turn in runaway slaves and judges were given an incentive to send slaves free or not back to slave holders -
Uncle Tom's Cabin
A novel written by Harriet Beecher Stowe that would bring many to the harsh reality of slavery and the treatment of slaves. It was so popular and influential that it outsold and out printed the Bible. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
Divides an area of land into Kansas and Nebraska. The issue of Slavery would be found over popular sovereignty. Would lead to physical violence in the senate and violence between settlers. People in the north believed that it would repeal the Missouri compromise. -
Pottawatomie Creek Killings
A man named John Brown and his sons had captured five slave holders and would kill them. They believed that they were doing God's work. Many people who didn't believe in slavery were appalled at what they did. -
Dred Scott Decision
A slave who had lived a number of years in a free state would sue for his freedom. However the Supreme court deemed that slaves had no rights free or otherwise. -
Lincoln-Douglass Debate
Douglas was a popular Democrat who believed that slavery should be decided upon Popular Sovereignty. While Lincoln was candidate for the Republican party and believed that slavery should not spread and the growing divide in the country needs to be mended. -
Harper's Ferry
Brown would again use violence. Brown and around 18 others would take hostages and encourage a slave revolt. However no slaves rose and Brown was apprehended by Robert E. Lee and hung. -
Election of 1860
Lincoln had won the Election of 1850 because the Democratic candidates split the vote and gave Lincoln the Electoral College votes that he needed to win. This upset the south because he won without the help of the south and would lead to them fearing that they would lose power.