🕰️ Events Leading to the Civil War (1850–1860)

By 53842
  • The Compromise of 1850

    The Compromise of 1850

    What happened:
    Congress passed a series of laws to ease tensions between free and slave states. California entered as a free state, while the Fugitive Slave Act required citizens to return escaped enslaved people. How it led to war:
    The Fugitive Slave Act angered many Northerners, who felt forced to support slavery. This deepened the divide between North and South.
  • Kansas-Nebraska Act

    Kansas-Nebraska Act

    What happened:
    This act let settlers in Kansas and Nebraska vote on whether to allow slavery. It repealed the Missouri Compromise’s ban on slavery north of the 36°30′ line. How it led to war:
    Led to violent clashes as both sides rushed to influence the vote — setting off a chain of violent events in Kansas.
  • Bleeding Kansas

    Bleeding Kansas

    What happened:
    Pro-slavery and anti-slavery settlers fought violently in Kansas over whether it should allow slavery. How it led to war:
    Led to violent clashes as both sides rushed to influence the vote — setting off a chain of violent events in Kansas.
  • Preston Brooks vs. Charles Sumner

    Preston Brooks vs. Charles Sumner

    What happened:
    After Senator Charles Sumner gave an anti-slavery speech, Representative Preston Brooks attacked him with a cane in the Senate chamber. How it led to war:
    The attack shocked the North and thrilled the South, symbolizing how bitter and violent the national debate over slavery had become.
  • Dred Scott v. Sanford

    Dred Scott v. Sanford

    What happened:
    The Supreme Court ruled that African Americans, enslaved or free, were not citizens and that Congress could not ban slavery in U.S. territories. How it led to war:
    This decision enraged Northerners, delighted Southerners, and made peaceful solutions over slavery seem impossible.
  • Lincoln-Douglas Debates

    Lincoln-Douglas Debates

    What happened:
    Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas debated seven times during the Illinois Senate race, focusing on the issue of slavery in the territories. How it led to war:
    The debates highlighted the moral and political divisions over slavery and raised Lincoln’s national profile as a leader opposed to its spread.
  • John Brown’s Raid on Harpers Ferry

    John Brown’s Raid on Harpers Ferry

    What happened:
    Abolitionist John Brown led a small group to seize a federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia, hoping to inspire a slave revolt. He was captured and executed. How it led to war:
    The raid terrified Southerners and convinced many that Northerners would resort to violence to end slavery, increasing tensions dramatically.
  • Election of Abraham Lincoln

    Election of Abraham Lincoln

    What happened:
    Abraham Lincoln won the presidency without carrying a single Southern state. His platform opposed the expansion of slavery into new territories. How it led to war:
    Southern states viewed his election as a threat to slavery and began to secede from the Union, setting the stage for the Civil War.