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Clay's Compromise
The Compromise of 1850 was made to create a Compromise that both the North and the South could accept. To please the North, California became a free sate. To please the South, a new fugitive slave law was introduced. People were allowed to vote for or against slavery. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin
Harriet Beecher Stowe published "Uncle Tom's Cabin," which stressed that slavery is a moral struggle along with a political contest. The significance of this book increased the Northern Abolitionists protest against the Fugitive Slave Act. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
A new bill introduced would divide Nebraska to be in the North and Kansas to be in the South. If the bill was passed, it would repeal the Missouri Compromise and establish popular sovereignty for both areas. Slave supporters voted illegally in Kansas and won a majority for the pro slavery candidates which lead to "Bleeding Kansas." -
Bleeding Kansas
Supporters and opponents of slavery populated Kansas in order to win the vote for slavery. People in Missouri crossed into Kansas and voted illegally in order to win the vote for slavery. Abolitionists' anger lead to bloody violence in Kansas, -
Whig Party
The Whig party split over the issue of slavery and lost support from the North and South. The Democratic Party was still alive but very affected. This caused a new Republican party to form and was in striking distance of the presidency. -
Dred Scott Decision
A slave named Dred Scott, was brought from Missouri to a free territory in Illinois and Wisconsin and back to Missouri. Scott tried to appeal to the supreme court that living in a free state should make him a free man. The supreme court decided, after a long 4 years, that Scott will never be a citizen so he couldn't sue in federal court. -
Douglas vs. Lincoln
Democrat, Stephen Douglas, and Republican, Abe Lincoln debated over slavery in the territories. Some say it was an uneven match. Douglas was a two term senator while Lincoln had been elected to one term in Congress in 1846. Neither wanted slavery, but they disagreed on how to keep it out. Douglas won the Senate seat, yet, some republicans started thinking that Lincoln would be a great candidate for the next presidency. -
Harper's Ferry
John Brown, an abolitionist, believed that the time was ripe to cause an uprising in the U.S. On October 16, 1859, he led a group of 21 men into Harper's Ferry, The troops ended the Rebellion and John Brown was put to death. -
Lincoln & Southern Secession
Abe Lincoln, a republican who wanted to abolish slavery, was elected as president in 1860. He convinced southerners that they had lost their voice in the national government. South Carolina seceded from the Union. Soon after, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas all seceded. This caused the formation of the Confederacy. -
Antietam Battle
McClellan ordered his men to pursue Lee. The two sides fought near a creek called the Antietam. This proved to be the bloodiest single day battle in American history. The next day, instead of ending the war, McClellan did nothing. As a result, Lincoln removed him from command. -
Emancipation Proclamation
As the war continued, Lincoln found ways to use his constitutional war powers to end slavery. Confederacy depended on slaves to build fortifications and grow food. Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation and slavery was emancipated. Emancipation turned into a weapon of war. -
Battle at Vicksburg
Union General, Ulysses S. Grant, fought to take Vicksburg. In the winter of 1862-1863, he tried several ways to take Vicksburg from the Confederates, but nothing was working. After their plans started to work, the city became famished and resorted to dogs and mules for food. They surrendered. The Union achieved a major goal and the Confederacy was cut in two. -
Appomattox Court House
Lee and Grant met at a private home to discuss a Confederate surrender. Lee's soldiers were sent home with their possessions and 3 days worth of rations. Within a month all Confederate Resistance collapsed. The civil war was finally over. -
Lincoln's Assassination
Five days after Lee surrendered to Grant, Lincoln and his wife went to a British comedy. During the third act, John Wilkes Booth came up behind Lincoln and shot him in the back of his head. This lead to the end of slavery and secession. -
Fifteenth Amendment
After Ulysses Grant became president, the Radicals introduced the fifteenth amendment. This states that no one can be kept from voting because of their "race, color, or previous condition of servitude." This was an important victory for the radicals.
