-
Election of 1848
The US presidential election of 1848, was held on November 7, 1848. Zachary Taylor defeated Lewis Cass in the race for presidency. And right before the election, the the Free Soil Party got people thinking about land free from slavery. -
Compromise of 1850
There were five major provisions to the Compromise of 1850, including:
-The Fugitive Slave Law; people had to return all found runaway
slaves, otherwise they were considered to be harboring a fugitive
-No Slave Trade in Washington D.C, since it was the capital (really
bad look for the country)
-California was admitted as a free state
-The Compromise establishes and sets the boundaries of Utah -
Uncle Tom's Cabin
With the release of 'Uncle Tom's Cabin' the feud between the north and the south increased severely. In the north, many many people were outraged, and wanted change immediately. However, in the South, slave owners were infuriated, and felt as though they were attacked and misrepresented to the public. -
Kansas- Nebraska Act
The Kansas- Nebraska Act repealed the Missouri Compromise, and divided the area into two separate territories. Those who resigned in the Nebraska and Kansas territories would either vote for or against slavery. -
The Know Nothing Party
Originally a secret society, the Know Nothing Party was the American political system’s first major third party. Their members were all descendants of colonists or settlers and did not include any indigenous folk. -
Dred Scott Case
According to history.com, "The Dred Scott case was a decade-long fight for freedom by a Black enslaved man named Dred Scott." After years of fighting, the United States Supreme Court gave power to the anti-slavery movement and served as a stepping stone to the Civil War. -
The Lincoln-Douglas Debates
Stephen Douglas fought Abraham Lincoln in debates around the state of Illinois. Their face to face battle lasted from from August 21, 1858 until October 15, 1858. In the end, Douglas came out triumphant over Lincoln, and according to battlefields.org, Democrats gained forty six seats, while Republican's only had forty one. However, just two years later, Abraham Lincoln won the 1860 presidential election. -
John Brown’s Harpers Ferry
In October of 1859, the military arsenal at Harper's Ferry were the target of assault. They were attacked by John Brown and armed abolitionists. This attack was just the beginning, because John Brown and his crew had greater hopes of creating an independent citadel for freed slaves in the mountains of Maryland and Virginia. Overall, this attack increased the diverse tension between north and south states, leading up to the American Civil War -
Lincoln is President
Two years after his loss to Stephen Douglas in their 1858 debate, Abraham Lincoln ran for president. He came out victorious, however his election caused lots of controversy, and further led to the splitting of the southern states, and inevitably the of civil war. -
The "Little Woman Who Started the Big War"
After her releasing of Uncle Tom's diner, Harriet Beecher Stow received a lot of backlash and feedback. However, nearly 10 years after the book was released, Abraham Lincoln finally met Harriet. His words to her were, "So you're the little woman who started the big war."