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The Missouri Compromise
The Missouri Compromise was passed to satisfy the North and the South. The unorganized territory from the Louisiana Purchase promoted questions regarding the expansion of slavery. Both parts of the country wanted something different to gain power in Congress. The compromise stated that Missouri could be a slave state if Maine could be admitted as a free state, it also required all states above the 36'30 to be free. The compromise promoted sectionalism causing conflict in the future. -
Compromise of 1850
The Compromise of 1850 was passed to defuse conflict that had arisen from new territories. The territories from the Mexican war were not decidedly slave or free areas. This compromise established California to be a free state, New Mexico and Utah territories to be decided by popular sovereignty, paid off Texas's debt, stopped the slave trade in the capital, and adopted a new fugitive slave act. All of these were relevant issues at the time that needed solutions. The compromise wasn't enough. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
The Kansas-Nebraska Act was an organic act passed by Congress to establish the statehood of Kansas and Nebraska. This act repealed the Missouri Compromise and gave the states the right of popular sovereignty. The Missouri Compromise being repealed cause tension between the North and the South and the act caused Bleeding Kansas. Horrible events occurred throughout Kansas since the citizens could not effectively use popular sovereignty. Tragedy could've been voided by the Act not passing. -
Dred Scott vs. Sanford
The Dred Scott vs. Sanford case originated when a slave sued his owners. Scott was a slave in Missouri with his family but was moved to a free state. Since slavery was not legal in this state, Dred Scott brought it to court in hopes of being freed. Congress decided that since African Americans are not protected by the Constitution, it was not unconstitutional for his master to own him in a free state. This case angered abolitionists as it essentially nullified the meaning of being a free state -
The Harpers Ferry Raid
The Harpers Ferry Raid was the raid of an arsenal in an effort to start an armed slave revolt in the South. Led by abolitionist John Brown, the plan was to raid a southern armory with the help of his kin and local slaves. Expecting hundreds of slaves to assist, Brown thought that his plan was foolproof. Only five slaves arrived for the raid and 13 white men. This left a group of nineteen men to take over an entire arsenal. The raid failed but became known as "the Civil War's dress rehearsal." -
President Lincoln Elected
Abraham Lincoln was a Republican candidate in the 1860 election. He held abolitionist views and other ideas that benefited the North, such as protective tariffs. In the election, Lincoln beat his three opponents in the popular and electoral college votes. Most of his votes came from the North as his ideology did not match the citizens of the South. Directly after President Lincoln's inauguration, Southern states began to secede as they did not want their right to own slaves to be taken. -
Secession Crisis
Almost directly after the announcement that Abraham Lincoln was the sixteenth president, southern states began to gather and discuss the topic of secession. South Carolina was the first, on December 20th of 1860 South Carolina seceded from the union. Six other southern states followed including Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, and Florida. It was not till President Lincoln was in office that there was a battle. After Fort Sumter, four more states seceded leading to the Civil War.
