Events Leading to Civil War

Wilmot Proviso

Apr 2, 1846

*Wanted to ban slavery in the Mexican cession territory (excluding Texas)
*Congress refused to pass the proviso,and there was a debate over the proviso that set up a 4 year battle over lsavery.
*It didn't pass,and this lead to the creation of Free-soil party.(this was the 1st political party dedicated to stop slavery expansion)

Compromise of 1850

Apr 2, 1850

*California was made a free state
*Utah&New Mexico were made slave states
*Many slave laws were pased (Fugitive slave laws)
*They were trying to balance slavery between free and slave states

Fugitive lsave Law

Apr 2, 1850

*This law helped lsave holders re-capture runaway slaves
*Nullification-A state can refuse to follow a law of congress within their state boundaries.

Uncle Tom's cabin

Apr 2, 1852

*This was a novel written by Harriet Beecher Stowe
*Its purpose was to end slavery.

Kansas Nebraska Act

Apr 2, 1854

This act stated that people in the territories could decide for themselves wether they wanted slavery or not.
People began coming into Kansas Nebraska.

Bleeding Kansas

Mar 30, 1856

Abolotionists and pro slavery people fought eachother. A small lcivil war errupted in Kansas.

Dred Scott

Apr 3, 1857

Dred Scott was a slave that sued for his freedom.
He was told that African AMericans were not citizens,and that they were just property....therefore they could not sue in court.

Lincoln-Douglass Debates

Apr 3, 1858

Douglass and Lincoln debated slavery
Lincoln thought slavery was wrong and should not expand.
He lost the election,but became nationally famous.

Harper's Ferry

Apr 2, 1859

John Brown seized the federal arsenal and wanted to start a slave revolt in Virginia and end slavery.

Election of 1860

Apr 2, 1860

Fort Sumter

Apr 12, 1861

Lincoln was sending supplies to the fort,and the south opened fire on April 12,1861 and Union forces had no choice,but to surrender. THIS WAS THE START OF THE WAR!