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The Mexican War ended
Due to the end of the Mexican War, America was ceded Western territories. The problem is, as these new territories. The problem is, as these new territories would be admitted as states, would they be free or slave? -
Fugitive Slave Act
The Fugitive Act was passed as part of the compromise of 1850. This Act forced any federal official who did not arrest a runaway slave liable to pay a fine. This Act increased the Underground Railroad activity as fleeing slaves made their way to Canada. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin was released
The book was written by Harriet Beecher Stowe in 1852. Stowe was an abolitionist who wrote this book to show the evils of slavery. This book, which was a best seller at the time, had a huge impact on the way that northerners viewed slavery. It helped futher the cause of abolition and even Abraham Lincoln recognized that this was one of the events that lead to the out break of the Civil War. -
Kansas - Nebraska Act
It was passed allowing the Kansas and Nebraska territories to decide for themselves using popular sovereignty whether they wanted to be free or slave. -
Charles Sumner is Attacked by Preston on the Floor of the Senate
One of the most publicized events in Bleeding Kansas was Border Ruffians ransacked Lawrence, Kansas, which was known to be a staunch free-state area. Pro-slavery Congressman Preston Brooks attacked Charles Sumner with a cane after Sumner had given a speech attacking the pro-slavery forces for the violence occurring in Kansas. -
Dred Scott Decision
Dred Scott lost his case proving that he should be free because he had been held as a slave while living in a free state. The court did not want to see his petition because he did not hold property. It wet futher, this decision futhered the cause of abolitionists as they increased their efforts to fight against slavery. -
Lecompton Constitution Rejected
When the Kansas - Nebraska Act passed, Kansas was allowed to determine weather it would enter the union as free or slave. In 1857, the Lecompton Constitution was created allowing for Kansas to be a slave state. There was enough oppposition that in 1858 it was sent back to Kansas for a vote. Even though it delayed statehood, Kansas voters rejected the Constitution and Kansas became a free state. -
John Brown Raided Harper's Ferry
John Brown lead a group of seventeen including five black members to raid the arsenal located in Harper's Ferry, Virginia. He wanted to start a slave uprising using the captured weapons. After capturing several buildings, Brown and his men were surrounded and eventually killed or captured by troops led by Colonel Rober E. Lee. This even was one more in the growing abolitionist movement that helped lead to open warfare in 1861. -
Abraham Lincoln was elected President
South Carolina followed by six other states seceded from the Union. Lincoln agreed with the majority of the Republican Party that the south was becoming too powerful and made it part of their platform that slavery would not be extended to any new territories or states added to the Union. -
South Carolina convention
The convention passes ordinance of secession thus seceding from the Union. Meeting was in Charleston, SC, adopted an ordinance dissoving the connection between South Carolina and the United States.
