-
Period: to
Conflicts Leading to the Civil War
-
Nat Turner's Rebellion
Turner's Rebellion reflected the great dissatisfaction of slaves and their treatment. Resulting in around 50 white casualties, fear struck the hearts of Southern whites. This fear led to the administration of stricter slave codes and reasoning behind Virginia's succession from the Union- a contributing cause of the Civil War. -
Nullification Crisis of 1832
This crisis was in response to the controversial act of South Carolina nullifying the recent placed tariff acts (Tariff of Abomination). This raised a conflict between SC and President Jackson, states' rights across the US, as well as the feeling of mistreatment and injustice from the Southern states that continued to grow. -
Period: to
Mexican-American War
Having recently broken off from Mexico, independent Texas desired to join the U.S., but Mexico would not let this happen without a fight. This war resulted in westward expansion of the U.S., which threatened to throw off the balance between the amount of states that were pro-slavery and against slavery. As well as increasing the controversy of slavery, this war introduced many key civil war figures such as Abe Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E.Lee. -
Resistence to the Fugitive Slave Act
This Act was in relation to Henry Clay's compromise to avoid the Southern state's succession. However, the act only really allowed the South to profit, and took a toll on the Northerner's moral beliefs. It forced Northern whites to return runaway slaves, which caused many of them to resent the institution of slavery and the government's apparent support. -
Reaction to "Uncle Tom's Cabin"
Depicting the truth behind slavery, this bestseller uncovered the horrors of everyday life for a space. The popularity and strong notions supported in the book led to widespread conflict between the North and South. The North felt enlightened to the evil acts of the South, while the South argued that the book over exaggerated the turmoil slaves endured. -
Period: to
Bloody Kansas/Border War
The Kansas-Nebraska Act's policies of "popular sovereignty" allowed the people to dictate the state's slavery stance. However, due to much controversity over the subject, a series of violent clashes occurred. These clashes reflected that the differences between the classes and the slave beliefs were to great for compromise. -
The Caning of Charles Sumner
This violent act was carried out on the floor at the United States Senate, by Pro-slavery activist Preston Brooks. Angered by Sumner's recent abolitionist speech specifically targeting Brooks's family- this event sparked anger and foreshadowed that even politicians could not solve the conflict of slavery without bloodshed. -
Dred Scott vs. Sanford
This case was in result of a Virginia slave declaring the right to sue his master's widow for his freedom. Scott won his case in a local court, however the Missouri Supreme court ruled that Scott had "no rights which the white man was bound to respect", the Northern population was disgusted in the state court reversing the decision which led to a drastic climb in popularity for the anti-slavery Republican Party. -
John Brown's Raid
Connecticut abolitionist John Brown led a raid of 21 slaves to the U.S. arsenal at Harper's Ferry, Virginia. Brown was captured and killed, and abolitionists painted him to be a "martyr of freedom." This act brought direct attention to the increased tension between the abolitionists and slave-holders. -
The Battle of Fort Sumter
Abe Lincoln sneakily set up a scheme, so that the fires first shot were by Confederates. Months of tension surrounded the fort due to the Union refusing to give it up even after SC's succession. The contributed efforts of both sides to start this battle reflected the immense hatred between the North and South and it's inevitable erupt. This battle initially began the civil war.
