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The Missouri Compromise
The Missouri Compromise didn't solve any of the countries slavery problems, it just put it off. It created a line at 36 30, and everything south of it slavery was legal. However it also admitted Maine as a free state and and Missouri. It kept the balance of the slave and free states, and it intensified the tension between the south and north. -
War with Mexico
The U.S waged war on Mexico purely for land growth. The war, as well as expantionalism were viewed by the north as a push by the south to gain more slave territory. The war could possibly offset the balance between slave and free states. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo provided the south with much more territory south of the 36/30 line. -
Wilmot's Proviso
Wilmot's Proviso was a proposed law that would ban all slavery in the territory gained from the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. The balance of free and slave states was even, so the south was able to kill every bill against slavery in the senate. This durastic measure convinced the south that once the north took control, they would try to abolish slavery all together. -
Fugitive Slave Act
The new Fugitive slave act was much stronger, and it allowed for bounty hunters to go into the north and take back freed, or runaway slaves. It was clear that blacks, even freed ones were not safe anywhere. The act enraged the north even more. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin
This novel by Harriet Beecher Stowe showed the hardships of slavery. The south denied the book, and said that slavery was nothing like the book, but the north embraced it, and became more upset over slavery. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
The Kansas-Nebraska Act repealed the Missouri Compromise's 36/30 line, and put in place of it, a system of popular sovereignty. This set off a huge storm of anger in the North, because they loved the Missouri Compromise. This law also tore apart the whig party, and divided the northern democrats. -
Formation of the Republican Party
The Republican party was formed in Ripon, Wisconsin, and it was formed on the restriction of slavery in all territories. The south viewed this as a declaration of war, and prepared for it. -
Two-Party System
As the Republican Party was gaining popularity, the north and the south seemingly had their own political parties. Therefore, the candidates did not have any body truly opposing them, so the got more and more radical, whether it be pro slavery, or abolitionalism. -
Preston Brooks Assult
Preston Brooks, a South carolina Senator beat with his cane Senator Charles Sumner of Massachusets over the issue of slavery. The south viewed Brooks as a hero, and sent him gifts of new canes to try to urge him to do it again. The North was incredibly upset, and it just shows that even the most intelegent people at this time were fighting over slavery. -
Bleeding Kansas
The two states of Kansas was currently under popular sovereignty, which meant the people living in the state would choose whether or not they wanted slavery. This proved troublesome because fights would break out, such as Bleeding Kansas, where there were several murders of white people by other white people. It showed that compromise was no longer a possibility, and war was the only option. -
Dred Scott
The south dominated the Supreme Court, and they ruled in the Dred Scott case that congress was unable to restrict slavery in every territory. This showed the North that if given the opportunity, the south would expand slavery everywhere they could. This sent flocks of northerners to the Republican Party. -
A House Divided against Itself Cannot Stand
During the Election, Abraham Lincoln gave a speach, and stated that the country cannot stay half clafe half free, it had to be on or the other. On the other hand, Douglas, who was running against Lincoln was in favor of Popular Sovereignty. -
John Brown
John Brown organized a slave rebellion, which was the South's worst nightmare. However, this revolt failed, but he was viewed as a martyr in the north, and a mortal enemy in the south. He was hung, along with the other rebels. -
1860 Presidential Election
Abraham Lincoln won the Presidency in 1860, and this was disastrous for the south. Now the federal government was being run by an anti slavery powerhouse, and the south only saw one option, to seceed from the union. -
Civil War
The seven deep south states seceded from the Union, and after the fall of Fort Sumter, four more did. The south attacket Frot Sumter to prevent it from being resuplied, and then Lincoln gathered volunteers to fight in the upcoming war. -
Critten Compromise
This compromise was a last ditch effort by the North to save the North. The compromise consisted of forbidding slavery north of 36/30 and protected south of it. This was too little too late.
