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Missouri Comprimise
The Missouri Compromise was suggested by Henry Clay in 1820. It was designed to help settle arguments on the subject of slavery and new states becoming slave states The Missouri Compromise divided the country into northern and southern sections. New states above this imaginary line would be a free state which wouldn’t allow slavery. Any new state below this line would be a slave state and allow slavery. -
Wilmot Proviso
The Wilmot Proviso was designed to end slavery in new territories acquired from the Mexican cession. It was introduced to the House on August 8, 1846 by David Wilmot. It was later reintroduced in February 1847. This passed in the House but not in the Senate twice. If this had passed it would have created more conflicts between the North and South. -
Comprimise of 1850
The Compromise of 1850 was suggested by Henry Clay and consisted of 5 bills and was passed by Congress. This made Texas have to give up its claims to New Mexico along with its claims above the Missouri Compromise. It also admitted California as a state and allowed the people of the Utah and New Mexico territories vote by popular sovereignty whether they wanted slavery in the state or not. The Compromise also ended the slave trade in the District of Columbia and enacted the Fugitive Slave Act. -
Fugitive Slave Act
The Fugitive Slave Act was part of the Compromise of 1850. It required that all slaves, even in free states and territories, must be returned to their master if captured. Even people in free states or territories had to return these slaves, even if they didn’t want to. Bloodhounds were often used to track down escaped slaves. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin
Uncle Tom’s Cabin was written by Harriet Beecher Stowe and published in 1852. This book finally showed people how terrible slavery was and how slaves were being treated. Uncle Tom’s Cabin was a very popular book in both the U.S. and in England. The South said that the book was fictional and that they treated their slaves better than told in the book. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
The Kansas Nebraska Act was made so that the people of the Kansas and Nebraska Territories could vote whether they wanted to be a slave state or not. This was very much like the Compromise of 1850 allowing New Mexico and Utah to vote with popular sovereignty whether they were to be a slave state or not. -
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Bleeding Kansas
Bleeding Kansas was a conflict of southern slaveholders and northern abolitionists. Northern abolitionists feared that rich slave holders would buy all the farmland and spread slavery into the new state. -
Dred Scott Case
Dred Scott had tried to sue for his freedom. This was because he had lived as a slave in two different free states and thought this meant that he should be freed. This case established the fact that African Americans, freed or enslaved, were not considered American citizens. Dred lost the case but this case was an important one in America’s history. -
Lincoln-Douglas Debates
The Lincoln Douglas Debates were a series of debates between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas. Both Lincoln and Douglas were trying to win over the state legislature in hopes of becoming the new Senator. Douglas was a well known politician while Lincoln was unknown in the world of politics. Douglas eventually won and became senator but Lincoln later became president. -
John Brown's raid on Harper's Ferry
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John Brown's Raid on Harper's Ferry
An abolitionist named John Brown thought that the slaves should fight back in order to end slavery. He planned to raid an arsenal called Harper's Ferry. He had with him and army of 21 people and attacked on October 16. Brown’s plan relied on local slaves joining him and fighting with him but none did. As a result, Brown and his men were met by the local militia and they fled into the neighboring fire engine house. Brown and most of his men were eventually captured and Brown was later hung. -
The Election of 1860
The election of 1860 was a catalyst for the Civil War. Abraham Lincoln was the Republican candidate, Stephen Douglas was the Democratic candidate, John Breckinridge was the Southern Democratic candidate, and John Bell was the Constitutional Union candidate. Abraham Lincoln and his running mate Hannibal Hamlin won the election but this caused some issues. Because Lincoln won, the South seceded from the union and formed the Confederate States of America. This was the beginning to the Civil War. -
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Southern Secession
Shortly after the election of 1860, South Carolina seceded from the Union. More ten more states followed in successfully seceding afterwards. These states formed the Confederate States of America (CSA). Lincoln had encouraged them to rejoin the Union but they refused. With the secession of these states came the Civil War. -
Bleeding Kansas
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Southern Secession
