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Importation of Slaves Ends
Ending the importation of slaves was a social and political decision that was made years in advance of the actual act. Tensions of continuing slavery arose when it came down to the ratification of the constitution. Delegates decided that although some thought it wrong, it was best to keep the Southern states, who used the slave trade heavily, at bay by giving them time with the continuation of the slave trade. It was the best political move to not create clear conflict. -
The Missouri Compromise/ The Compromise of 1820
The Missouri Compromise was established with political intentions because Missouri wanted to become a slave state. Since the issue of slavery was dividing the country, congress felt that the number of slave states should not exceed the number of free states. If this were to happen, slave states would have more political power. As a compromise, congress separated the Massachusetts territory into Maine and Massachusetts to create an even balance of slave to free states. -
The Wilmot Proviso
The Wilmot Proviso classifies as a political move because his bill brought more territory to the side of the free states. This built a lot of tension in the slave states because they believed it to be an effort of malice brought on by the free states simply wanting to gain support by taking the newly obtained former Mexican territory and turning it into a political move. Slave states were further angered by congress' reluctance to overturn the bill as requested by them. -
The Compromise of 1850
The Compromise of 1850 was a simple political compromise made to attempt to maintain peace after the Mexican territory had been obtained. It was a series of five smaller bills stating that California would be a free state, that the former Mexican territory would be part of the US but had no specifications on slavery, the placement of the border between the US and Mexico, the DC slave trade, and the Fugitive Slave Act. -
The Fugitive Slave Act
The Fugitive Slave Act was a political move that backfired in the eyes of the compromiser because what was supposed to be an act to please the slave-owning states actually caused even more tension and anger. The Fugitive Slave Act stated that if runaway slaves were caught, they could be tried in a criminal and civil court hearing, making their sentence far more severe. But this effort proved to be largely ineffective for the southern states because they claimed other laws got in the way. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin
Uncle Tom's Cabin, written by Harriet Beecher Stowe, is a social commentary about the immorality of slavery. The book played a large part in informing the citizens of free states about the extreme torture slaves are constantly faced. This book put many slave-owning states on edge, claiming that the book intentionally dramatizes the relationships between the slaves and their owners. They attempted to get the book banned but were rejected many times. -
The Kansas Nebraska Act
The Kansas Nebraska Act was a political act originally with the intention of splitting up that vast area of the Nebraska territory. But this sparked more controversy because the area in which they split up emphasized what could be a slave state and how far it would spread. This act repealed the Missouri act, formally stating that slavery was abolished in that region. -
Bleeding Kansas
The Bleeding Kansas event had been a political and social effort to add another slave state to the US. When Kansas became an official state, people from the North and South rushed to live there in order to make a majority of the people either support or reject the idea of slavery. But this backfired, as both powers were strong. Eventually, the former Missourians came to the town of Lawrence, a predominantly Northern town, and had a territorial civil war that resulted in 200 deaths. -
The Caning of Charles Sumner
The caning of Charles Sumner was a political act driven by the built-up tension between the feuding Northerners and Southerners. Sumner got attacked by the cousin of Andrew P. Butler, Preston Brooks because the Sumner was extremely outspoken about his distaste for slave owners and slavery. After this beating, more opposition became relevant as people were supporting this heinous act in the South. -
The Dred Scott Decision
The Dred Scott Decision represented both a political and social impact on society at that point because it showed that the justice system was not in favor of any African Americans despite the federal law proving freedom. Dred Scott had been a slave for much of his life in a free state according to the Missouri Compromise that was later repealed. Although Scott's argument was valid and he should have been granted his freedom, the court ruled in favor of the slave owner 7-2.