-
Missouri Compromise
Presented by Henry Clay, was a compromise that potentially resolved the slave vs. non-slave state issue. It stated that Missouri would be added as a slave state, and Maine would be added as a free state. Also, it was resolved that from that point on, everything north of 36 degrees 60 minutes (longitude) was to become free states and everything south would be a slave state. -
Compromise of 1850
Was also presented by Henry Clay and included that: California was admitted as a free state. Also slave trade was outlawed in Washington D.C, the nations capital. The remaining territory of the Mexican cession decided on slavery with popular sovereignty. This compromise also included the Fugitive Slave Law, so that the northerners must send escaped slaves back to their owners, or go to jail. -
Fugitive Slave Law
This was hated by the North, mainly because it made them feel complicit with slavery. Lots of mobs formed and attacked marshalls. Also Vigilance committees helped the run-away slaves illegally. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin publication
Was a book written by Harriet Beecher Stowe. In the book she emphasized the harshnesses of slavery and how it needed to end. The south was outraged by this and protested that most of the content of the book was not true. Harriet was known as the "little women that started the war". This later led to the sucession of multiple southern states which ultimately led to the Civil War. -
Birth of the Republican Party
This party was formed by former whigs, and was meant to stop the farther spread of slavery in the West. This party became big when in 1855, a republican had been elected Speaker of House. -
Kansas- Nebraska Act of 1854
Bill that was passed, allowing people to decide if a territory were to legalize slavery, with popular sovereignty. This created a huge conflict between the North and South mainly because Kansas/Nebraska was in the North, so southerners started to move North just to vote for slavery. This ended up leading to a conflict known as "Bleeding Kansas". Also this Bill made the Missouri Compromise basically useles. -
Dred Scott v. Sandford
(1857) The US supreme court decided that African Americans, whether enslaved or free, were not citizens of America. They had no power to sue in federal court. -
John Brown’s raid on Harpers Ferry
John Brown, a true abolitionist, took his supporters and marched down to Harpers Ferry. Brown and his men captured prominent citizens and seized the federal armory and arsenal. Brown hoped the slaves would join them in their raid but they did not. They had a successful weapons raid, and supplied the slaves with whatever they obtained, so they could fight back against the south -
Election of 1860
Abraham Lincoln was the first president of the Republican Party, elected in 1860. This was the immediate cause of the Civil War, mainly because after he was elected a few southern states seceded from the Union to continue slavery which wouldn't be tolerated. -
Shots fired at Fort Sumpter, SC
The confederation tried to storm fort Sumpter, but the Union held them back for a couple of days until they were defeated (union). these were the first shots fired of the civil war.
