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Louisiana Purchase
The Louisiana Purchase, compelled Congress to establish a policy to guide the expansion of slavery into the new western territory. In addition to the deeper moral issue posed by the growth of slavery, the addition of pro-slavery Missouri legislators would give the pro-slavery faction a Congressional majority. This purchase led to the Missouri Compromise raising tensions between the North and South by who gets what state. -
The Missouri Compromise
The map shows the boundary established by the Missouri Compromise. The compromise is a policy to guide the expansion of slavery into the new western territory. Missouri’s application for statehood as a slave state sparked a national debate. Ultimately, Congress reached a series of agreements such as Missouri being a slave state and Maine a free state. In addition, a line was "drawn" along the 36°30' parallel, dividing north and south as free and slave. -
The Wilmot Proviso
The Wilmot Proviso was a piece of legislation proposed by David Wilmot (D-FS-R PA) at the close of the Mexican-American War. If passed, the Proviso would have outlawed slavery in territory acquired by the United States as a result of the war, which included most of the Southwest and extended all the way to California. Without this act it aloud unmarked territories leading to the fighting over whether or not it was a slave state. -
Bleeding Kansas
The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 established Kansas and Nebraska as territories and set the stage for “Bleeding Kansas” by its adoption of popular sovereignty. Under popular sovereignty, it made the residents of the territories decide by popular referendum if the state is to be free or enslaved. Settlers from the North and the South poured into Kansas, hoping to get numbers on their side of the debate. Passions were heightened and violence raged. It caused massive problems and increased tension -
John Brown’s Raid
Abolitionist John Brown supported violent action against the South to end slavery and played a major role in starting the Civil War. As a result of bleeding kansas, in October 1859, he and 19 supporters, led a raid on the federal armory and arsenal in Virginis. The effort was to capture and confiscate the arms located there, distribute them among local slaves and begin in armed insurrection. A small force of U.S. Marine put down the uprising. There were casualties on both sides. -
Abraham Lincolns Election
Abraham Lincoln was elected by a considerable margin in 1860 despite not being included on many Southern ballots. As a Republican, his party’s anti-slavery outlook struck fear into many Southerners. A little over a month after the polls closed, South Carolina seceded from the Union. Six more states followed by the spring of 1861. It was the final straw for the southerners. -
The Battle of Fort Sumter
Abraham Lincoln made the decision to send fresh supplies to the Fort Sumter in South Carolina (outposts in a foreign land). In April 1861, Confederate warships turned back the supply convoy to Fort Sumter and opened a 34-hour bombardment on the stronghold. The garrison surrendered 2 days later. The Civil War was now underway. On April 15, Lincoln called for volunteers to join the Northern army.
