Events Leading to Civil War-Shannon Aikens

Fort Sumter

1861 BCE

Fort Sumter was a military site in South Carolina where the first shots of the Civil War rang out. Originally occupied by soldiers supporting the government, Fort Sumter was taken over by Confederate soldiers after a violent exchange in 1861. There was no denying at this point that the tensions between the North and South were too high to settle by any means other than war.

Secession

1860 BCE

After the election of 1860, states in the southern portion of the U.S. did not want to be controlled by the federal government, now run by an abolitionist. Gradually, southern states left the U.S. and formed the Confederacy. In total, eleven states were a part of this new group, with a handful of others pledging their support. The geographical split in the U.S. was the unofficial start of what would become the Civil War.

Election of 1860

1860 BCE

The Election of 1860 was extremely important, as it would ultimately decide the outcome of the fight over slavery. Northern abolitionist Abraham Lincoln narrowly won, but he did not have the support of the southern U.S. The choice of leadership pushed southerners' anger over the brim, forcing them to evaluate their place in the country.

Harpers Ferry

1859 BCE

Harpers Ferry was another violent event that only furthered tensions and conflict between the North and the South. A man named John Brown, an abolitionist, led an attack on Harpers Ferry, a military stronghold, in order to establish an independent free location within West Virginia. The attack did not go as planned, but southerners became fearful of what northerners would do to put an end to slavery. These emotions were a main reason why the Civil War broke out.

Lincoln/Douglas Debates

1858 BCE

In 1858, both Lincoln and Douglas were running for a seat in the U.S. Senate, and their debates were of great importance during the time period. The focus was mainly on slavery and the conflicts between the North and the South. Though Lincoln ultimately lost, his party had received more popular votes, reflecting a change in the political views of the American population. The North had a favorable view of Lincoln, who would later become a highly influential figure.

Dred Scott Case

1857 BCE

Dred Scott was a slave who had previously lived in a free state and later returned to the slave state of Missouri. He went before the court to gain his freedom, but was ultimately denied. Northerners were outraged at the decision and further conflict between them and the southerners ensued.

Bleeding Kansas

1855 BCE

Bleeding Kansas refers to a period of time after the Kansas-Nebraska Act was passed. People from both slave and free states tried to settle in the new territory of Kansas and shape its slavery status. The tensions between the groups were so high and caused violence to erupt. This was one of the major events to influence the eventual Civil War.

Kansas-Nebraska Act

1854 BCE

The Kansas-Nebraska Act overturned previous legislation, the Missouri Compromise, and decreed that popular sovereignty would be used to determine whether a new state would allow slavery. The Act did not satisfy either northerners or southerners, and violent conflicts arose shortly after it was passed.

Uncle Tom's Cabin

1852 BCE

Uncle Tom's Cabin was a novel by Harriet Beecher Stowe that detailed her perspective of slavery. The novel was read all throughout the U.S. and shaped the general opinion of slavery. Due to the book's nature, it most likely fueled the fiery tensions between the North and the South.

Compromise of 1850

1850 BCE

The Compromise of 1850 settled post-Mexican War territorial disputes by adding California as a free state and letting the popular vote decide about the status of Utah and New Mexico. While it did put an end to the slave trade in the nation's capital, the compromise included the Fugitive Slave Act, cracking down on escaped slaves. The Compromise of 1850 allowed for a temporary peace between states, but made no impact in the long term.

Fugitive Slave Act

1850 BCE

The Fugitive Slave Act was a piece of legislation that further enforced penalties on escaped slaves and those who aided them. This was in response to southern outrage over the underground railroad. However, the northern states opposed the act and tried to establish their own laws to combat it. The Fugitive Slave Act only worsened the current situation and tensions between states.

Charles Sumner

1850 BCE

Sumner was an anti-slavery activist and senator during the mid 1800s. He was vocal about abolishing slavery and supported the Republican Party. When the Civil War broke out, he was in support of it, as long as it got rid of slavery. Due to his protesting against southerners and their policies, it can be assumed that Sumner contributed to the rift between the North and South.

Underground Railroad

1830 BCE

The Underground Railroad was a system of people who helped slaves escape North for freedom. Many of the "conductors" were free black northerners, such as Harriet Tubman. As the number of slaves utilizing the underground railroad increased, southerners were becoming more agitated. This led to even further divisions between the northern and southern states.