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Events Leading to the Civil War
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Kansas-Nebraska Act is Passed
The Kansas-Nabraska Act was an act that made the Missouri Compromise void by adding two states into the union under popular soventry that were above the line that allowed slavery. These two states were Kansas and Nebraska. Due to the fact that they were annexed under popular soventry, this meant that the white male settlers were allowed to determine whether or not slavery would be legal in their states. -
Bloody Kansas Begins
Bloody Kansas reffers to the point in history during which the new territory of Kansas was flooded by both slavery supporters and abolishinists who wanted to influence the decision of Kansas' stance on slavery. This did not take long before it turned into violent outbrakes at the borders as the settlers fought for their causes. -
The Sumner and Brooks fiasco
Republican senator Charles Sumner delivered an aggressive speech in the senate that attacked the idea of slavery and specifically singled out senator Andrew Butler. After this speech Butler's nephew Representative Preston Brooks attacked Sumner with his cane during a senate meeting. Brooks was seen as an icon in the south and was encouraged by his followers. They even went so far as to send him canes in the mail. Sumner took three years to fully recover. -
Dred Scott Vs. Sanford Case
Dred Scott was a slave that lived in Missouri. He moved with his master to Illinois, a free state. In Illinois he was still kept as a slave and later was moved back to Missouri. When returning to the slave state Dred Scott tried to sue for his freedom, saying that his stay in Illinois was unlawful. Scott lost this case under the grounds that he was African American which made him not a citizen of the united states. This gave him no right to sue in the federal court system. -
John Brown Attacks Harpers Ferry, Virginia
John Brown and a small group of others attacked and raided Hapers Ferry, Virginia. They took prisoners of the town and siezed both the armory and the arsenal. Brown hoped that he would be joined by slaves in the town that would choose to rebel. However this did not happen and Brown and his men were overthrown by morning. John Brown was sentenced to be hanged for murder, treason, and slave insurrection. -
Abraham Lincon Wins the Election
When Abraham Lincoln won the presidential election of 1860 he contributed to the civil war because he was against slavery. The south had had conflicts prior to this election and some speculate this was their final straw. In fact President Lincoln wasnt even on most ballets in the deep south. -
South Carolina Secedes From The Union
South Carolina's decision to secede from the union sparked a rapid movement of secession. immidiatly after, southern states began to form malitias. within a month five other states seceded. including Florida, and newly annexed Texas. -
Robert Anderson Moves His Troops
Six days after South Carolina seceded from the union Major-General Robert Anderson, who was positioned at Fort Moultrie, moved his army to Fort Sumter in fear of their safety. This would lead to a later battle. -
Mercahnt Ship, Star of The West is Attacked
The ship "Star of the West" was sent to Fort Sumter to bring supplies to Anderson and his men. However they decided that they did not want supplies right away and the ship should be called back. Through miscommunication the ship continued anyways and was shot at by the fort. This lead to a stand off at Fort Sumter until the civil war officially began. -
Montgomery Convention
On February 8th representatives from the six states that has seceded from the union met in Montgomery, Alabama at the Montgomery convention. At this convention, the south quickly wrote up a new constitution that was ratified just four days later. Also Jefferson Davis was unanomously voted president of the Confederacy. -
Conferderate Council Authorizes an Army
The South begins to gear up for a war against the North incase matters get out of hand. The Confederate Counsil authorizes a Confederate army to be created using volunteers. -
Confederate Army Attacks Fort Sumter
Fort Sumter was one of the only two forts in the seceded states that was still under federal control. On April 12th 1861 Confederate troops fired at the Fort. The Fort had no choice to surrender and it was evacuated the next day.