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The Missouri Compromise of 1820
The Missouri Compromise of 1820 resulted in Missouri entering the US as a slave state, and Maine entering the US as a free state. A 36° 30" line was drawn across the US (as seen in the picture). This forced any territories and states newly created below the line to allow slavery. Any territories and states newly created above the line were not to allow slavery. -
The Fugitave Slave Law
This law was part of the Compromise of 1850. It forced people living in northern towns and cities to help slave catchers find and seize slaves that jumped the border into a free state. If someone refused to help the slave catchers, they could be fined up to $1000 or six months in jail. -
The Compromise of 1850
California entered the Union as a free state. (California had gold, so it was quickly admitted to the union.) The area from the Mexican Cession was divided into Utah and New Mexico. Slavery was going to be decided there by Popular Sovereignty. Slave trade was ended in Washington D.C, so that it would not make the United States look bad in front of other countries. The border problems between New Mexico and Texas were settled. Also, Congress created a strict Fugitave Slave Law. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin
Uncle Tom's Cabin is a novel that was written by Harriet Beecher Stowe. It is about a kind, old slave who is beat to death by his master. It was written to show the evils of slavery. After reading it, many Northerners changed their views of slavery. They wanted to get rid it completely. A play based on the book was put on in many northern towns. Southerners said that the book was full of lies. -
The Kansas-Nebraska Act
The Kansas-Nebraska Act divded territories in the west into Kansas and Nebraska. Congress decided that slavery would be decided in those states by popular sovereignty. This led to violence in Kansas. Abolishonists and pro slavery settlers killed each other so that the other side would have less voters. Northerners believed this repealed the Missouri Compromise. -
Pottowatomi Creek Killings
Because of the violoence in "Bleeding Kansas", John Brown and four of his sons decided to take the law into their own hands. They went to a small Pro-Slavery conrolled town called Pottowatomi Creek and brutally killed five pro-slavery settlers in the middle of the night. He believes that he and his sons are doing what God told them to do. Many Northerers, even though they did not belive in slavery, were horrified at what John Brown did. -
Dred Scott Supreme Court Case
Dred Scott was a slave who lived in a free terrority with his owner. His owner moved back into a slave state, and left Dred Scott behind. While going back to a slave state, his owner died. Dred Scott believed he was free and he hired abolishonist attorneys to file a lawsuit so that he could become free. However, the Suprere Court's judges (who were mainly pro-slavery) ruled that he was property, and therefore he could not file a lawsuit. They also ruled Congress could not ban slavery. -
Lincoln-Douglas Debate
Abraham Lincoln and his opponent Frederick Douglas had a presedential debate. Douglas believed in deciding on slavery by popular sovereignty, while Lincoln believed it should not be allowed to spread into new territories and states. Lincoln also believed that America could not survive if the fighting over slavry continued. He said 'A houses divided against itself cannot stand." -
The Raid on Harper's Ferry
John Brown led a raid on an arsenal in Harper's Ferry, WV, to start a armed slave revolt. Five African American people and 13 white people joined him. He thought that many slaves would join him. However, no slaves came to help him start a rebellion. A number of the men died, and John Brown was arrested by Robert E. Lee. He was tried and found guilty for treason and murder. Northerns thought of him as someone who died for there beliefs, while the South led parades in celebration of his death. -
The Election of 1860
Lincoln ran against Frederick Douglas in 1860 presidential election. The Southern States hated Lincoln and his ideas. The South supported Douglas. In some southern states, Lincoln's name was not even put on the ballot. However, Lincoln still won. The South grew very angery, and said that only the North's opinions mattered. They claimed that the North had too much power. Many Southerners talked about seceding.
