-
The Missouri Compromise
The missouri compromise was a temporary solution to the issue of slavery in the United States following the Lousiana Purchase. It required all states above the 36-30 line to be free states, and all the states below the line to be slave states. This compromise only lasted for thirty four years before it was repealed. -
War with Mexico/ Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
The United States went to war with Mexico over the idea of manifest destiny, which effect them by trying to annex Texas. The United States won the war and signed the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. The treaty gave the United States a vast amount of land south of the 36-30 line that would be open to slavery. -
Wilmot's Proviso
David Wilmot proposed a bill that would ban slavery in all the territory acquired from Mexico. Although the bill made it through the house, the bill was thrown out after the senate voted against it. Although the bill wasn't passed the south felt they were threatend with the abolishment of slavery if North gained control of the senate. -
Fugitive Slave Act
The Fugitive Slave Act required all run away slaves to be persued, captured, and sent back to their owners. Northerners were outraged at the act because they were required by law to do the exact opposite of what they believed in. Also, freed blacks were worried they would be wrongly accused and sent back to become a slave. This fear caused a number of free blacks to flee to Canada. -
Uncle Toms Cabin
Uncle Toms Cabin was a story written to provide a insight into a slaves life. The south became enraged because they felt the story was making life seem worse than it was. On the other side of the spectrum, the north was outraged at how horrible slave life was, and they became even more antislavery. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
The Kansas-Nebraska Act repealed the Missouri Compromise and gave states the right to popular sovereignty. Popular sovereignty was most important because it allowed for the quick organization of the new territories which would allow the transcontinental railroad to be built. -
Republican Party
The Republican Party formed as a antislavery party completly opposed to any form of slavery. They didn't wan't slavery to spread but they wanted to keep it where it was. -
Breakdown of the Two Party System
The Republican Party became the party of the North, but the Democratic Party became the party of the south. The candidates of each political party became more radical and stopped compromising. Without compromise between parties, the nation increasingly became split between North and South. -
"Bleeding Kansas"
"Bleeding Kansas" was a act of violence where pro slavery and antislavery advocates clashed in Kansas over the issue of popular sovereignty. The attacks were brutal and furthered the impossibilty of compromise between the North and South. -
Congressman Preston Brooks beat Senator Charles Sumner
When Preston Brooks beat up Charles Sumner the south rewarded him with gifts and canes to show their support for the violence. Furthermore, this act of violence was performed by the very people that were supposed to be holding the country together. -
Dred Scott Case
The Dred Scott case ruled that congress couldn't restrict slavery in any territory. This ruling made northerners worried that slave holders were trying to make slavery universal. This ruling also reestablished the idea that blacks could not sue or have any legal rights. -
House Divided Speech
Abraham Lincoln gave a compelling speech that said our country couldn't stand being half slavery and half antislavery. Stephen Douglas opposed Lincoln and advocated the idea of popular sovereignty. -
John Brown
John Brown was a radical abolitionist who took matters into his own hands and massacred 5 white slave owners with his sons. He then tried to start slave uprisings by providing the slaves with weapons. However, Brown was caught and hung, and the only casuality was a slave who had his ear cut off as a souvineir. -
1860 Presidential Election
Republican Abraham Lincoln wins the election and basically made the government antislavery. The south decided they would either have to face the extinction of slavery, or they would have to abandon the union.
