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The Missouri Compromise
There was a debate over where slavery was allowed-- and a debate occurred and a compromised was reached and the Missouri Compromise of 1820 stated that Missouri entered as a slave state, Maine entered as a free state, 36'30" line was drawn. -
Wilmot Proviso
This plan was presented by David Wilmot, he was a congressman from Pennsylvania. He wanted to stop the spread of slavery into all the territories that were won from Mexico. Therefore, his plan PASSED the HOUSE but FAILED in the SENATE. They viewed his plan as showing the power of the North, his plan also made the South suspicious of the North's intentions. -
Free Soil Party
This Free Soil Party was a new party formed in Buffalo, New York. It was formed by Northerners who wanted go over the issue of slavery. This was the first "sectional party" formed and Martin Van Buren was ruled in as their first candidate for president. -
Compromise of 1950
Again there was another compromise. This time it included 5 parts: California entered as a FREE state and area from Mexican Cession divided into Utah and New Mexico. Slavery issue was based on by POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY! It ended slave trade in our own capital ,Washington D.C, it made a strict Fugitive Slave Law, settled border problems between New Mexico and Texas. Then again all the problems were fixed at last..... FOR NOW! -
Fugitive Slave Law
This law was part of the Compromise of 1850, it required citizens to catch runaway salves if they have ran off. If a person did not comply or return the runaway slave, they could be fined up to $1,000 or put in jail for 6 months. The judge received $10.00 if the people returned the slaves and $5 if they freed them. Many blacks who were free were captured and sent back into slavery where they would keep working. Northerners hated this law because it forces them to become part of slavery. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin
This was a novel written by Harriett Beecher Stowe. The purpose of writing this is to show the evils of slavery by telling the story of an older slave who was whipped to death by his owner. After people read this many Northerners began to change their view of slavery. On the other hand the Southerners said the book was full of lies. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
This act divided lands into Kansas and Nebraska territories. They decided that slavery would be decided by popular sovereignty. It led to violence in the Senate; pro-slavery and anti-slavery settled in one area and this lead to conflict. The Northerners believed this repealed the Missouri Compromise. -
Pottowatomi Creek Killings
Since all the violence was going on in Kansas, John Brown and four of his sons decided to take the law into their own hands. They ride into a small town names Pottowatomi Creek and pull 5 pro-slavery men out of their beds in the middle of the night. Those men are later murdered and John Brown said that "GOD had told him to do this". Many Northerners, while they don't believe in slavery, are appalled at what he did. -
Dred Scott Decision
Dred Scott was a slave, he lived in a free territory with his owner. His owner moved back into a slave state while is owner died there. Scott had abolitionist attorneys file a law suit for him, it went to the Supreme Court but he LOST. They said he was NOT a citizen, he was more of property so therefore they couldn't file a lawsuit. Southerners loved the ruling while the Northerners hated it. -
Lincoln-Douglass Debate
Now we have the Lincoln and Douglas debate. Douglas believed in deciding slavery by popular sovereignty. Lincoln believed that slavery should not be allowed to spread into the territories. Lincoln also believed the nation couldn't survive if the fighting continued. -
Raid On Harper's Ferry
John Brown led five blacks and thirteen whites into Harper's Ferry. They planned to raid an arsenal and start a slave revolt. The problem here was that no slaves "rose" to help. A big number of his men died and Brown was arrested, Brown tried and found guilty. Some Southerners thought of him as a "Martyr" (someone who dies for his beliefs). -
Election of 1860
Lincoln ran against Douglas in the Presidential Election of 1860. The Southern states did not like Lincoln or what he believed in. They supported Douglas yet Lincoln still got elected. Southerners grew very angry, this did not matter what their opinion were, the North had to much power. Many Southerners talked of leaving and taking themselves from the Union.
