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The Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad(UGRR) was a secret network of people, places, and routes in the north that led slaves to freedom. In 1787, a Quaker named Isaac T. Hopper started a system to aid escaping slaves. The 20th of March is the frst day of spring and that was the safest time to travel.Freedom could be aquired in big cities or black communities, but Canada was the only place a fugitive slave could really be free. This system was used until the Thirteenth Amendment was passed, abolishing slavery. -
The Underground Railroad
The UGRR included free slaves, abolitionists, stockholders, and conductors. Most often, slaves started out in the upper south and made their way to free states and Canada using many different routes. Slaves and abolitionists started the UGRR because they believed slavery was wrong and wanted freedom. Some famout abolitionists were Harriet Tubman, John Brown, and William Still. This system worked by staying hidden because of songs, a secret language, and the usage of many different routes. -
Thomas Garrett
Thomas Garrett of Wilmington, Delaware was born August 21, 1789. He was a key Station Master on the eastern line of the Underground Railroad for 40 years. When he was a child, a black servent employed by his family was taken and almost put into slavery. From then on he devoted his life to aiding the escape of slaves. Garrett was fined so much that his family was almost bankrupt, but still he continued to aid slaves in their escape and helping with black rights until his death on Jan. 25, 1871. -
The Missouri Compromise
The Missouri Compromise was the first compromise that had to do with slavery and admission of slave states to the Union. The north did not want to be outnumbered by the southern states. One of the north’s arguments was that they did not want any more slaves brought into Missouri. Another was that any slaves that were born there, be freed at the age of twenty-five. The south countered that no other states had added conditions at admission. They also claimed that Congress did not have the right to -
The Missouri Compromise
add rules as they went along. The compromise had two parts. The first was that Missouri would be admitted to the Union as a slave state, if no other states admitted above the 36’ 30’ be slave. The other was that Maine would be joining the Union as a free state. In short, the Missouri Compromise made both the north and south happy. -
Nat Turner's Rebellion
Nat Turner was an intelligent slave at the Travis family plantation. He was the leader in a slave rebellion that took place in Virginia in 1831, including about 60 or 70 other slaves. Turner and his fellow runaway slaves had killed about 60 plantation owners including their families. The militia was sent to capture all of the slaves involved in this rebellion, known as Nat Turner’s Rebellion. These slaves were tried, jailed, and executed if they were found guilty. Nat Turner himself was executed -
Nat Turner's Rebellion
himself was executed. This rebellion made white people afraid, and laws for blacks, or “Black Codes” were put in place to assure that a slave rebellion would not happen again. Nat Turner wanted life to be easier, but instead life became much more difficult for slaves all over the Union. -
The Compromise of 1850
the Mexican American war could pick weather they would be free or slave states. Third, in Washington, D.C. the slave trade was outlawed, however slavery was still allowed in D.C. Fourth, Texas was given 10 million dollars to settle their border dispute. Last, there was the fugitive slave law. It stated that all runaway slaves must be returned to their owners. In summary, the Compromise of 1850 had pros for the north and south, but the fugitive slave act arose a lot of controversy. -
The Compromise of 1850
The Compromise of 1850 was started by Henry Clay, or the Great Compromiser. The south again threatened to leave the Union when California wanted to join as a free state. Senator John C. Calhoun of South Carolina did not want a compromise, but President Millard Fillmore and Stephen Douglass supported it. Stephen Douglass even continued the fight when Clay was too weak and sick. The compromise had five parts. First, California was admitted to the Union as a free state. Second, the land gained from -
Bleeding Kansas
After the Kansas-Nebraska Act became law on May 30, 1854, tension arose throughout Kansas. That summer of tension was called Bleeding Kansas. Antislavery settlers from New England moved to Kansas to try to fight against southern proslavery settlers. Proslavery settlers even moved into the territories to illegally vote hoping that Kansas would become a slave state. That summer was filled with acts of violence and murderous raids. -
The Kansas-Nebraska Act
Stephen Douglass introduced the Kansas-Nebraska Act because he wanted to become president and for Chicago to benefit from the railroads that would run through the territories. It was designed for him to gain southern votes, and keep pthe north's sense Kansas nor Nebraska would have use for slaves. The act stated that the territories of Kansas and Nebraska would use popular sovereignty to decide weather they be free or not, disregaurding the Missouri Compromise. -
The Kansas-Nebraska Act
To Douglass's suprise, the north was outraged by this proposal and saw him as a sellout to the Slave Power(the south). The effect of the Kanasa-Nebraska Act was causing even more conflict between the country. -
Dred Scott Case
Dred Scott filed to sue for his freedom after his master passed. He was born a slave in Virginia, but had spent about 12 years in the free state of Illinois and decided he had the right to be free. The case, however, brought up other issues. One being weather Scott even had the right to be heard, and two being the Missouri Compromise. By the 5th amendment, property could be taken anywhere. The court told Scott he had no right being there and that he was property that could be taken anywhere. -
Dred Scott Case
This verdict also voided the Missouri Compromise. The Dred Scott Case sparked tension rapidly and caused many questions to occur. Dred Scott got lucky, and died a free man after being given back to his original owners. The Dred Scott Case, however, was fuel for the Civil War that happened a few years after Scott's passing. -
Presidential Election of 1860
The Presidential Election of 1860 was the first transfer of power that was not peaceful. There were two democratic candidates, John Breckinridge and Stephen Douglas, because the north and south could not agree on one person. John Bell was of the Constitutional Union Party and Abraham Lincoln was the Republican. On Nov. 7, 1860, the Union voted. Lincoln won the presidential election without one southern vote. This angered southern states so much, that 7 of them actually seceded from the Union. -
Presidential Election of 1860
These states formed the Confederacy, which Lincoln refused to recognize. By taking the south seriously, the Attack of Fort Sumter could have been forseen. -
The Attack of Fort Sumter
After Union General Anderson would not surrender, Confederates Bombarded Fort Sumter for 24 hours. The attack may have ended on April 12th, 1861, but the Civil War began. -
The Attack of Fort Sumter
Fort Sumter was forced to surrender on April 12, 1861 by Confererate General Bearegard after President Lincoln had attemted so send supplies to the fort. Fort Sumter was located on Confederate soil in Charleston, South Carolina. When the supplies were sent, it was viewed as a threat by the south. Despite Lincoln telling the governer of South Carolina about the ships, Confereate President Jefferson Davis ordered General Beauregard to demand for the fort's surrender.
