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Missouri Compromise of 1820
The Missouri Compromise of 1820 was a plan proposed by congress to settle land disputes on slavery. This compromise allowed Missouri to be a slave state and would allow Maine to become a free state. This compromis stated that any territory above the 36 degree 30' line and states above the line would be free of slavery. -
Gag Rule
Proslavery leaders worked for the Gag Rule which would prevent the discussion of slavery in congress. This would prevent the North from making attempts to end slavery or prevent slavery in the South. In 1844 the Gag Rule was repealed and allowed congress to talk about slavery again. -
Texas enters U.S.
Texas is annexed into the Union in December of 1845 seperating from Mexico. This creates conflict with Mexico about the territory of Mexico. Also, Texas has a large slave holding population and there were arguments on whether Texas should be a free or slave state. -
Mexican American War
The U.S. declares war on Mexico after disputed territory. President James Polk believed America had "Manifest Destiny" which means they had the right to spread across the continet to the Pacific Ocean. The U.S. gained California, Utah, Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico from the war and would later be added to the Union. -
Wilmot Proviso
Congressmen David Wilmot of Pennsylvania proposed this bill to the congress as a soultion to slavery. This act said that all territory gained in the Mexican American war should be free of slavery. The South disapproved of this act and it started a huge debate on slavery in congress. -
Popular Sovereighty
Proposed by Congressman Lewis Cass to settle disputes on slavery. His plan was to have the state vote on whether there would be slavery or not. This would be implemented on states such as Kansas. -
Free Sol Party
Antislavery members of the Whig and Liberty parties join to form the Free Soil Party. This party opposed the expansion of slavery into newly acquired territoty out west. Also, they thought land shold be free for settler that are moving out west. -
Compromise of 1850
A compromise proposed by Henry Clay to keep the Union together. The act said that California would be admitted as a free state. Utah and New Mexico territories would be decided by popular sovereignty as if they wll be slave states. The South recieved a fugitive slave act that made Northeners return run-away slaves back to the South. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
The Missouri Compromise stated that all states north of the 36 degree 30' line would be free states. Stephen Douglas wanted the Nebraska territory to be settled by popular soveregnity and to get rid of the Missouri Compromise line. This caused many Southeners to sneak into the territory to vote for slavery which caused a big conflict between the North and South. The Republican Party formed because of these conflicts. -
Dred Scott Decision
Dred Scott was a slave for an Army surgeon and moved to Illinois and then Wisconsin which were both free terriories or state. He claimed that since he was in a free territory he should be a free person. The supreme court ruled that since he was not a citizen and was property and property could not be taken from the owner. This basically said that slavery was allowed in free states as well. -
Abraham Lincoln elected
Abraham Lincoln was selected the first Republican Party president of the United States. He was for antislavery which worried many Southern states. By the time Lincoln was inagurated seven states had seceded from the Union and the Confederate states had formed.
