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Invention of the Cotton Gin
Eli Whitney created the cotton gin, a machine that separates cotton from cotton seeds, in 1793 or 1794. He was granted a patent March 14, 1794. At the time, he was employed by Catherine Greene, widow of General Nathaniel Greene. The cotton gin speed up the separating of cotton and cotton seeds so much, plantation owners started getting more slaves, increasing the number of slaves in the south.
https://ehistory.osu.edu/articles/invention-cotton-gin -
Missouri Compromise
An effort by Congress to defuse the sectional and political rivalries triggered by the request of Missouri in the late months of 1819 for admission as a slave state. At the time, the United States contained twenty-two states, evenly divided between slave and free. This caused a hue divide between the states that did not want the slave states to have more power, and the slave states who thought the Northern states were holding them back.
http://www.ushistory.org/us/23c.asp -
Tariff of 1828 & Nullification Crisis
The "Tariff of Abominations" was created to help improve Northern economy by eliminating British competitors. This however hurt southern trade economy overseas. Vice President John C. Calhoun anonymously submitted the "South Carolina Exposition and Protest. Later passed at the Nullification act. This allowed states to choose reject federal laws within its borders. This led to many tense months before s Compromise tariff was created.
Link: http://history.house.gov/HistoricalHighlight/Detail/36974 -
Underground Railroad
This was a network of people, primarily escaped slaves offering shelter, food and aid to escaped slaves in need. There is not a known date for when this happened but it ran during the early 18th century to the Civil War time.
Link: http://www.history.com/topics/black-history/underground-railroad -
Nat Turners Rebellion
Known as the only effective slave rebellion in american history. He and many other slaves spread terror throughout the white south. His actions sparked a massive wave of oppression and new laws against the slaves. Prohibiting education, movement, and even assembly of slaves.
Link: http://www.history.com/topics/black-history/nat-turner -
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The Liberator
The Liberator was a weekly newspaper printed in Boston, Massachusetts by William Lloyd Garrison. This Revolutionary newspaper labeled Garrison as journalistic crusader who demand immediate emancipation. Issues of this newpaper came out until the December after the civil war when he announced "my vocation as an abolitionist has ended" .
Link: http://www.accessible-archives.com/collections/the-liberator/ -
Wilmot Proviso
James K. Polk wanted to gain more territory west which caused a conflict between the north and south over territory. David Wilmot of Pennsylvania proposed the Wilmot Proviso. This document banned slavery in territory that could be acquired by mexico in the current war with Mexico.
Link: http://www.americaslibrary.gov/aa/polk/aa_polk_wilmot_1.html -
Dred Scott Decision
Dred Scott went to court to sue the federal government for hi freedom. Since he was of African decent he was legally not a citizen of the United states. Since he was not a citizen he could not sue the federal government. He remained a slave.
Link: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p2932.html -
Compromise of 1850
Called for the admission of California into the Union as a free state and abolished the slave trade in Washington D.C.. Created the Utah Territory as well and settled a border dispute between Texas and New Mexico.
Link: https://www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/ourdocs/Compromise1850.html -
Uncle Tom's Cabin is published
Written in 1852, the book talks about the story of 2 slaves and their journey. This book contains many of today's stereotypes which are seen in a somewhat negative light. This book covers the brutality of slavery and hoe slaves were treated.
Link: http://www.historynet.com/uncle-toms-cabin -
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Bleeding Kansas
A bloody conflict over slavery in the free state of Kansas where the "border ruffians" crossed the border into Kansas. Missouri pressured for Kansas to become a slave state like Missouri to balance the power in the slave states favor. All pro-slavery acts were rejected in Kansas. No Slavery was ever established in Kansas and most major conflict ended but was still occurring on a much smaller scale.
Link :http://www.history.com/topics/bleeding-kansas -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
Allowed both states to decide if they were to allow slavery or not. Repealed the Missouri Compromise of 1820 which prohibited slavery north of 36,30' latitude.
Link: https://www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/ourdocs/Compromise1850.html -
Brooks Sumner Event
Days after Massachusetts Senator Charles Sumner gave a speach calling the Missouri attackers "murderous robbers from Missouri," calling them "hirelings, picked from the drunken spew and vomit of an uneasy civilization." Later South Carolina Senator Preston Brooks attacked Sumner with a walking cane.
Link: http://www.ushistory.org/us/31e.asp -
Lincoln-Douglas Debates
These were a series of debates between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas of one of the Illinois senate seats. Douglas won the debates and the senate seat but these sparked his national prominence which helped him become the president of the United States
Link: https://www.nps.gov/liho/learn/historyculture/debates.htm -
John Brown's raid on Harper's Ferry
Abolitionist John Brown launched an attack on a U.S. military arsenal in Harper's ferry with a band of armed abolitionists. This was the first part of an elaborate plan to establish an independent stronghold of slaves in the mountains of Maryland. John was captured and convicted of treason and hanged.
Link http://www.history.com/topics/harpers-ferry -
Election of 1860
The election of 1860 was a very controversial election which would decide the fate of the United States. The Northern Democratic candidate Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois, The Southern Democratic candidate John C. Breckenridge, The Constitutional Union candidate John Bell all lost to Republican Abraham Lincoln. The southern states did not accept the results of the election and South Carolina seceded from the union a few weeks later
Link: http://www.ushistory.org/us/32d.asp -
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Secession of the Southern States
The election of president Abraham Lincoln divided the States. Slowly the Southern States began to secede from the union.After seven states seceded the south set up a provisional government in Montgomery, Alabama. After hostile acts at Fort Sumner on April 12, 1861 the border states joined the new government which later moved its capital to Richmond, Virginia.
Link: http://www.ushistory.org/us/32d.asp -
Fort Sumter is fired upon
The Confederate Army fired upon Fort Sumter in an attempt to gain control of the fort. The Fort was lost after the surrender of Major Robert Anderson. The Union would not capture the fort for nearly four years after this event.
Link: https://www.civilwar.org/learn/civil-war/battles/fort-sumter
