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Underground Railroad
Provided fleeing slaves with shelter, hiding, and food on their journey North. -
Fugitive Slave Act
The Acts allowed the states to capture runaway salves and return them to their owners. It also introduced consequences to those who aided slave's flight. -
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Charles Sumner's Life
Charles Sumner was an Anti-Slavery leader and fought on multiple fronts for equality for blacks. He was mostly defeated but saw success later in life. -
Compromise of 1850
The compromise settled disputes over land gained in the Mexican-American war, allowed states to determine slavery laws from popular sovereignty, and made it easier for salve owners to capture fugitive slaves. It also ended the slave trade in Washington D.C. and stalled the decision on slavery for the nation. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin Published.
The book depicted a slave's life for people who did not know. It focused on the brutality of owners and horror of slave life. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
A bill that allowed states to decide slavery laws based on popular sovereignty. -
"Bleeding Kansas"
The late 1850s were characterized by many skirmishes fought by armed settlers who could not come to terms on whether Kansas would be slave owning or not. -
Dred Scott v. Sanford
A slave that lived in free states with his owner moved to the South and tried to claim he had emancipation because he lived in free states. The judge was pro-slavery and denied Scott his claims. -
Lincoln-Douglas Debates
Debates covered topics such as sectionalism and slavery. The debates would spark further exploration on a number of topics of debate and controversy. -
Harpers-Ferry West Virginia
A skirmish broke out at a U.S. Military Base in Harpers Ferry. John Brown and some outlaws attacked the outpost. Brown was later captured and hanged for his crimes. -
Election of 1860
This election was critical because it would help decide the issue of slavery. Neither party could find a suitable candidate easily. -
Secession from the Union
Eleven Southern States soon ceded from the Union over slavery disagreements. This sparked a violent civil war that lasted four years, with the North or Union winning. -
Fort Sumter
A fortification in South Carolina that is most famous for having the "first shots" of the civil war fired there.
