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Northwest Ordinance (P)
Chartered a gov't for the Northwest Territory, provided a method for admitting new states to the Union from territory and listed a bill of rights guaranteed in territory. Listed were some fundamental rights including trial by jury, habeas corpus, due process and religious freedom. Excessive fines and cruel and unusual punishments were banned. Slavery was also banned in new territories and fugitive slaves would be returned to their masters. Political, economic and social event. -
Missouri Compromise (P)
In order to maintain balance between the free and slave states, Maine was created to off set the admission of MO into the Union. Defines the southern border of MI as a line for slave and free states creating and imbalance of potential free and slave territory. Political and social event. -
Nat Turner Rebellion (E)
In Virginia on August 21 Nat and a few others killed Benjamin Travis and his family in his sleep. Then in the following days, 22-23, their group went from house to house and killed 60 white people. Easily overpowered by local whites and state militia The group was dispersed, killed or captured and many innocent slaves were slaughtered due to hysteria from massacre. Political and social event. -
Gag Rule (E)
A rule that limits or forbids the raising, consideration, or discussion of a particular topic by members of a legislative or decision-making body. The most famous example of gag rules is the series of them in effect in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1836 to 1844, concerning slavery. Political events. -
Amistad Case (E)
United States v. Schooner Amistad was a United States Supreme Court case resulting from the rebellion of Africans on board the Spanish schooner La Amistad. It was an unusual freedom suit that involved international issues and parties, as well as United States law. Political event. -
Annexation of Texas (E)
Delegates were sent to D.C. and Texas was denied recognition until
1837. In 1844 President Tyler persuaded TX to apply for statehood again but were blocked by Northern Senators in Congress. Annexation by James K. Polk and John Tyler. Political event. -
Mexican War (E)
Congress declared war on Mexico. Opposition from Whigs
and other critics. (Polk manipulation of war and draining of resources and attention). Expansionist views, U.S. wanted as much of the Mex. terr. as they could get. Political and economical event. -
Wilmont Proviso (E)
Representative from PA and antislavery Democrat. Introduced an amendment to the appropriation bill prohibiting slavery in any terr. acquired from Mex. FAILED. debated and voted on repeatedly for years. Pres. Polk extended MO Compromise and popular sovereignty would allow states to decide the status of slavery or free state. Various proposals dragged on and unresolved when Polk left office in 1849. Political event. -
California Gold Rush (E)
Thousands of people began flocking to California in search of gold.
Created crazed excitement and greed. Swelled both the agriculture and urban population of the territory. Gold Rush put pressure on
resolving status of CA and all territories and slavery issue within them. Economical and social event. -
Compromise of 1850 (E)
Henry Clay presented to the Senate on Jan 29, 1850. Bill’s provisions: CA as free state, formation of gov'ts for rest of lands acquired from Mexico w/o restrictions of slavery, abolition of slave trade, (not slavery) in D.C. and new/more effective fugitive slave laws. (defeated bill). Compromise: by Stephen A. Douglas, sale of gov’t bonds and construction of roads. Congress and Pres. Fillmore signed the compromise. (victory of bargaining and self interest). Political event. -
Fugitive Slave Act (E)
Required those in the North (free states) to capture and
return fugitive/runaway slaves to their owners in the south. Heavy opposition by abolitionists and several northern states barred the deportation of fugitive slaves. Political and social event. -
Publication of Uncle Tom's Cabin (E)
An anti-slavery novel by American author Harriet Beecher Stowe. The story widened the chasm between the North and the South, greatly, strengthened Northern abolitionism and weakened British sympathy for the Southern cause. The novel had a profound effect on attitudes toward African Americans and slavery in the U.S. and is said to have "helped lay the groundwork for the Civil War." Political and social event. -
Ostend Manifesto (E)
A private document from Osten, Belgium making the case for
seizing Cuba by force. (Pres. Pierce dream). Angered many antislavery northerners and accused the admin. of conspiring to bring a new slave state into the Union. (bill died in Senate). Political event. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act and Bleeding Kansas (E)
Dispute about eastern terminal and where to put it. Clause repealed the MO Comp. and status of slave or free state determined by popular sovereignty. Nebraska and Kansas divided to make action more acceptable to southerners.
Bleeding Kansas 1861: revenge to MO arresting free-state leaders, burned their houses. Abolitionist, John Brown and 6 followers and murdered 5 pro-slavery settlers to discourage other supporters of slavery from entering Kansas. Political and social event. -
Dred v. Scott (E)
Dred Scott, a slave whose master died, sued widow
to make him free b/c he was in a free state. Master’s brother wanted to claim Scott. Chief Justice Roger Taney said that Scott could not
bring a suit to federal court b/c he was a slave and not a citizen.
Taney concluded that Congress possessed no authority to pass a law depriving persons of their slave property in the terr. Most
controversial and notorious decisions in its history. Political and social event. -
John Brown and Harper's Ferry (E)
Abolitionist, John Brown made plans to seize a mountain fortress in VA where he could stir up a slave insurrection in the south. Oct 16 he and his group attacked and seized control of a U.S. arsenal in Harpers Ferry, VA. Brown surrendered to Robert E. Lee after lack of inspiration of uprising (Death to him and his followers). Political and social event. -
Crittenden Compromise (E)
Was an unsuccessful proposal to permanently enshrine slavery in the United States Constitution and thereby make it unconstitutional for future congresses to end slavery. It was introduced by United States Senator John J. Crittenden (Constitutional Unionist of Kentucky) Political event.
