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The Missouri Compromise of 1820
The Missouri Compromise of 1820 was based off of the desire for Missouri to come into union as a state specifically a slave state. Missiouri would make it unbalanced due to 11 free and slaves states during this time. Maine broke off from Massachusets and was entered as a free state. There became a 36-30 line of longitude that was established saying that slavery was not permitted above the line (north). (McPherson, 8). -
Methodist Episcopal Church Split
Bishop J. O. Andrew of Georgia was censured by the General Conference after he married a slave owner which began the split. Delegates from the southern states created the Methodist Episcopal Church South which grew to be the religious presence in the South. The split into two conferences was due to the tensions over slavery and the power of the denomination's bishops (Varon, 177). -
The Wilmot Proviso
David Wilmot was a democratic congressman from Pennsylvania. On behalf of anti-slavery forces he proposed the amendment that all lands obtained as a result of the Mexican-American War would be free of slavery and forced labor for all time. The Wilmot Proviso eventually was never passed by both houses of Congress. (Varon, 10). -
The Compromise of 1850
The Compromise of 1850 were proposals that were effort to settle regional crisis in an effort for compromise. California was admitted to the United States as a free state due to the rapid population increase from the gold. The north refused to enforce the Fugitive Slave Law but the south complied and began to capture runaway slaves. This compromise overturned the Missouri compromise and let the issue of slavery still unsettled (Class Notes, 11/21). -
Fugitive Slave Act
A component of the Compromise of 1850 was the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850. Even if they were in a state of freedom, the law mandated that slaves be returned to their masters. The act also mandated that the federal government be in charge of locating, bringing back, and prosecuting runaway slaves. If U.S. marshals and deputies refused to capture their property they would be fined $1000. (McPherson, 80). -
Uncle Tom's Cabin Publication
Uncle Toms Cabin was a book published by Harriet-Beecher Stow on a fictional account of slavery but at the time was celebrated as realistic. It represented the frank and brutal assessments of slaves and was written based on interviews with fugitive slaves. This was the most widely sold book at the time. Ultimately, it was banned in the south and if seen with it you could go to prison. There became counter narrative books that came out about the positives of slavery. (Class notes, 11/21) -
Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854
The Kansas-Nebraska Act was a pivotal moment in the North and South divide. Senator Stephon Douglas proposed the principle of popular sovereignty for Kansas and Nebraska. This act effective removed the Missouri compromise meaning there became an end to the dividing line between free states and slave states. Anti Slavery associations payed people to move to Kansas which meant outnumbering pro slavery associations. Kansas ultimately became a free state during the civil war (Class notes, 11/21). -
Canning of Charles Sumner
Charles Sumner was a senator from mass and was a member of the newer political party called the republican party. He was not shy about how he felt in his hour long speech called " Crime against Kansas". He spoke about slave power and not being a fan of slave owners. He effectively called Andrew Butler a rapist of his slaves. Sumner was eventually beaten by Preston Brooks with a cane for insulting his cousin (Class Notes, 11/21). -
Bleeding Kansas
Proslavery men entered Lawrence Kansas and attacked the anti-slavery settlers. It was a storm of violent guerrilla warfare through localized attacks for legality of slavery over Kansas. Senator Stephan Douglas proposed popular sovereignty which lead to the violent flooding to Kansas. Kansas ultimately becomes a free state during the war. This era became known as Bleeding Kansas. (Varon, 266). -
Pottawatomie Creek Massacre
John Brown was an abolitionist who murdered five proslavery men in the banks of the Pottawatomie Creek in retaliation to Bleeding Kansas. John Brown army included members of his family. They were armed with rifles, knives, and broadswords when attacking the territory. The five proslavery settlers were killed in front of their families. This massacre was in response to the "Sack of Lawrence" marking the beginning of the Bleeding Kansas period (McPherson, 153) (Varon, 267). -
Dred Scott Decision
The law suit brought forward by slave Drew Scott was over his legal status when transferring through free and not free slave states due to his slave owner being in the U.S. military. When this case was at the Supreme Court level Rodger Taney wrote that the majority rule says that Scott cannot sew because he is not a citizen of the US due to him being a slave. (Class Notes, 11/21) -
Rejection of Lecompton Constitution
Kansas statehood was supported by Southerners who supported slavery. The Lecompton Constitution had provisions that protected slaveholding and would guarantee slavery in Kansas. Many Northern democrats viewed this as a travesty of popular sovereignty. As a result of Congress's opposition, a solution was put forth that called for the territory's voters to be asked to approve the constitution once more. (Varon, 305-307) -
House Divided Speech
Abraham Lincoln spoke to more than 1,000 delegates on the issue dividing the nation because of slavery. Protests in the North and Triumph in the south due to the Dred Scott decision declaring that no slave could be a US citizen. Slavery was being identified as the moral and political issue that was threatening the issue of the United States. Lincoln expressed ultimately that slavery must be universally accepted or universally denied. (Varon, 315) -
John Brown raid on Harpers
John Brown was an anti-slavery zealot who attacked a federal armory in Harpers Ferry, Virginia. This raid became an attempt to start a revolt of enslaved people and destroy the institution of slavery. The raid failed and the U.S. marines captured Brown alive and charged him with treason by the state of Virginia. Brown was eventually executed in December and created a martyr for the anti slavery cause. (Class Notes, 11/21) -
Election of 1860
In the election of 1860 Abraham Lincoln became the president after winning 39.6% of the vote against 3 other candidates. Lincoln was not assumed to win the election due to only having 1 term in congress and not being on the ballot of 4 southern states. Abraham Lincoln was apart of the Republican Party which at the time was brand new only being founded in 1854. (Class Notes, 11/28)