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Northwest Ordinance
The Northwest Ordinance combined the 10 areas created by the Ordinance of 1784 into an area called the Northwest Territory. The land could later be divided into 3-5 pieces. It specified that 60,000 residents was the minimum for statehood, gave freedom of religion, the right to trial by jury, and prohibited slavery in the area. This was a political event that exacerbated sectional tensions. -
Missouri Compromise
The Missouri Compromise was a law that allowed Missouri to be admitted into the Union as a slave state under the condition that Maine was admitted as a free state. Moving forward, the number of slave states would have to equal the number of free states. This was a political and social event that quelled sectional tensions. -
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Missouri Compromise
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Nat Turner Rebellion
Nat Turner was a slave and preacher who enlisted 70 slaves to rebel against slavery and kill as many white people as possible. He believed that he had received a message from God and it was his duty to free the slaves. The rebellion was unsuccessful long term. This was a social event that exacerbated sectional tensions. -
Annexation of Texas
In the 1820s, Mexico encouraged American immigration to Texas to promote the economy. Tensions grew over the lack of American assimilation into Mexican culture. Texas also wanted to legalize slavery which Mexico outlawed. A rebellion started in 1835 and Texas eventually won independence in 1836. This was a political and social event that exacerbated sectional tensions. -
Gag Rule
The Gag Rule was a Congressional rule that was proposed by a committee led by Pinckney of South Carolina. It banned all proposals in Congress Concerning slavery. As a result, they were prevented from discussing other important issues. This was a political event that quelled sectional tensions. -
Amistad Case
A group of African Americans was kidnapped and placed aboard the Amistad. They took control of the ship, but it was seized off the coast of Long Island. The plantation owners were freed, but the slaves were imprisoned. They were tried in the Connecticut District Court and eventually the Supreme Court. They were acquitted and sent back to Africa. This was a political and social event that exacerbated sectional tensions. -
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Amistad Case
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Mexican War
The two countries couldn't agree on whether the Mexican-American border was the Nueces or Rio Grande. American troops crossed the Nueces and for a while, Mexican troops refused to fight. Eventually, they crossed the Rio Grande and war was officially declared. Mexico initially refused to concede, but a new government was willing to negotiate. America gained New Mexico, California, and the border at the Rio Grande. This was a political, social, and economic issue that exacerbated tensions. -
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Dred Scott Case
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Mexican War
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Wilmot Proviso
While the Mexican War was still occurring, Polk asked Congress for $2 million to purchase peace with Mexico. Representative Wilmot of Pennsylvania proposed an amendment to the bill that would prohibit slavery in any territory acquired from Mexico. It passed in the House but failed in the Senate because southerners argued that all Americans had equal rights in the territories (the right to own slaves). This was a political, social, and economic issue that exacerbated sectional tensions. -
California Gold Rush
Gold was initially found in California in 1848. When word spread, the population increased drastically. The environment was one of greed and excitement. It attracted some of the first Chinese immigrants to America. It also created a severe labor shortage because many men left their jobs in search of gold. This was a social and economic event that exacerbated sectional tensions. -
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California Gold Rush
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Compromise of 1850
The Compromise of 1850 was proposed by Henry Clay as an attempt to resolve the imbalance of slave and free states.
It included the admission of California as a free state, the formation of territorial governments in land acquired from Mexico without slave restrictions, banned the slave trade in DC, and a new, more effective fugitive slave law. Eventually, each piece was voted upon separately and passed. This was a political and social event that exacerbated section tensions. -
Fugitive Slave Act
The Fugitive Slave Act was strengthened as a part of the Compromise of 1850. The federal government became more involved, commissioners and federal judges could issue warrants for the capture of slaves, slave hunters could demand help from any US marshal, and anyone accused of aiding a slave could be punished. Northern states responded by forming mobs to prevent the enforcement of the act. It was a political and social event that exacerbated sectional tensions. -
Publication of Uncle Tom's Cabin
The novel, written by Harriet Beecher Stowe, tells the story of a slave named Uncle Tom and other slaves he encountered. They were all portrayed to be noble and dignified. The book was controversial, especially in the South, because of the positive light it painted the black characters in. In the North, the book encouraged abolitionist movements. The publication was a social event that exacerbated sectional tensions. -
Ostend Manifesto
Pierce had pursued many unsuccessful attempts to buy Cuba from Spain. The manifesto made the case for seizing Cuba by force. When the document became public, it enraged many northerners who believed the government was conspiring to bring another slave state into the Union. The Southerners, on the other hand, would only support it if Cuba became a slave state. This was a political, social, and economic event that exacerbated sectional tensions. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act Ratified
The bill to create a new territory, Nebraska, was introduced by Douglas to aid in the building of the railroad. He knew that Southerners would oppose it because it would fall above the Missouri Compromise line so he added a clause that the legality of slavery would depend on the legislature of Nebraska and another that explicitly repealed the Missouri Compromise. Douglas also agreed to divide the area into Nebraska and Kansas. This was a political and economic event that exacerbated tensions. -
Bleeding Kansas
Pro-slavery forces in Kansas won the majority and legalized slavery. Opposition to slavery met and created a constitution that prohibited slavery. Pierce denounced them as traitors and put the support of the federal government behind the pro-slavery forces. This led to civil strife and violence in the form of the Potowatomie Massacre, the Brooks-Sumner incident, and guerilla warfare. This was a political and social event that exacerbated tensions. -
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Bleeding Kansas
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Dred Scott Decision
Dred Scott was a slave in a free state. Once his master died, he sued his wife for freedom. The Missouri Circut Court declared Scott to be free but the widow's brother demanded a retrial and the case was sent to the Supreme Court. The court ruled against Scott, citing the 5th amendment that the federal government could not take away property. The case also resulted in the Missouri Compromise being declared unconstitutional. This case was a political and social event that exacerbated tensions. -
John Brown's Raid on Harper's Ferry
John Brown led a force of 18 men to attack the national armory at Harper's Ferry, Virginia. His goal was to initiate a slave revolt. It failed as 13 of the men involved were executed. The other 5 managed to escape. This was a social event that exacerbated sectional tensions. -
Crittenden Compromise
The Crittenden Compromise was a peace proposal submitted by John Crittenden. It would have extended the Missouri Compromise line to the Pacific coast. Slavery would have been legal below the line and illegal above. The proposal didn't pass because Radical Republicans were unwilling to accept it. This was a political and social event that would have quelled sectional tensions if it were to have passed.