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Wilmot Proviso
After the Mexican American War, this bill compromised a territorial settlement with Mexico. David Wilmot suggested an amendment to the bill stating that none of the territory acquired in the Mexican War should be open to slavery. It was passed in the House of Representatives but the Senate adjourned without voting on it. This bill caused an ample amount of controversy, especially between the North and the South. Read more: Wilmot Proviso — Infoplease.com http://www. -
The Compromise of 1850
The controversy from the Wilmot Proviso spilled over into 1850 which forced the North and South to come to a compromise. The North recieved California as a free state, the slave trade was declared illegal in the capital and Texas loss their boundary dispute with New Mexico. The south's prize from this bargain was that slavery was allowed in Utah and New Mexican territories, Washington DC permitted slavery in the south, Texas got $10 million and the fugitive law was passed. -
The Fugitive Slave Law
This law demanded that slaves who escaped were mandated to return to their masters if they were discovered. People who helped runaway slaves were subjected to criminal sanctions. The North refused to accept this law and many states proposed other laws that nullified its effect. When the law was acted upon it would result in angry mobs or violence. These rebels were put in prison or heavily fined. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin- Harriet Beecher Stowe
After being angry at the Compromise of 1850 and the Fugitive Slave Law, Harriet Beecher Stowe poured her ideas into a novel.This novel "Uncle Tom's Cabin" changed America's perception of slavery. It spoke out against oppresion and demanded that Blacks be treated as human beings and not as property. -
The New Republican Party Forms
The new republican party was heavily influenced by the ideology of liberal capitalism. This party intended to be antislavery supporters. -
Kansas Nebraska Act 1854
This act allowed inhabitants of Kansas and Nebraska to choose whether slavery would exist or not in their territories. This act repealed the Missouri Compromise whichbanned slavery in these areas so many Northerners were upset which resulted in violence. -
Nativism and the Know Nothings
Nativists were a political group that aimed to keep power out of the hands of immigrants. To them, immigrants were a threat to America's economic and political security. They opposed slavery but thier negative methods and behaviors killed them as a political faction. -
Charles Sumner Beating- Preston Brooks
South Carolina's Congressman, Preston Brooks, attacked and nearly put Charles Sumner, a republican senator on the Senate floor because Sumner had delivered an anti-slavery speech. The speech was called "The Crime against Kansas". Sumner stated that Andew Butler, the senator of South Carolina was a pimp for slavery. Andrew Butler happened to be Preston Brooks cousin. -
The Dred Scott Decision
Dred Scott was a slave who moved to a free state, He went to court in the hopes that he'd be granted full freedom, however the court's decision was to recapture him as a slave and move him back to Missouri. Although he had many disagreements, Frederick Douglass thought that the case had a positive side to it because it brought slavery to the forefront and this brought us a step closer to its complete abolishment. -
Bleeding Kansas
Because the Kansas Nebraska Act was passed, anti-slavery advocates held elections and lost twice. The pro-slavery supporters were charged of election fraud. Violence became immense when infuriated anti-slavery supporters rose up with John Brown as their leader. This developed the name "Bleeding Kansas" -
Lincoln Douglas Debates
This was a series of debates between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglass primarily centered around the controversial issue of slavery. They were campaigning for a seat in the Senate. Lincoln was anti-slavery, while Douglass believed slavery was correct. Although, Lincoln ended up losing the election, the debate put him in the spotlight and led to his presidency. -
Harpers Ferry Incident
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Abolitionist John Brown and his followers went to Harpers Ferry and seized the United States armory. John Brown, a white manbecame interested in the abolitionist movement and took it upon himself to join it. This event at Harpers Ferry brought awareness about the infuriation and separations slavery was causing. -
Lincoln Elected President
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Abraham Lincoln was elected the 16th president on the United States. He was the first republican to win presidency and he was anti-slavery. His presidential victory meant that southern state secession would begin. -
Southern Secession
BibliographyThis event directly led up to the civil war. 11 southern states withdrew from the union because of discontent. After Lincoln became president southern states felt that he would outlaw slavery. This divided the US tremendously which started the civil war.
