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Underground Railroad
The "Underground Railroad" has been around since the 1700's. It became famous for transporting many slaves to freedom. It was a network of escape routes, safehouses, and abolitionists to guide escaped slaves to a new life. It is estimated that more that 100,000 slaves had escaped via the Underground Railroad. Famous abolitionist such as Harriet Tubman, Fredrick Douglass, and Willian Still escaped by the Underground Railroad, and later worked to free more slaves with it. -
Period: to
Pre-Civil War Era
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Missouri Comprimise
The Missouri Comprimise was passed in March 1820. It was over whether or not Missouri should join as a free state or a slave state. Northerners did not want to tip the balance to the south. The southern states were pushing for states rights. Finally, they came up with an agreement which allowed Missouri to join as a slave state, but Maine joins as a free state. The 36'30' line was also established. This line seperated the boundries between free, and slave states in the Louisiana Territory. -
David Walker
David Walker was a free African-American born in 1796. Walker encouraged the use of violence to obtain his dream of abolishing slavery. He wrote "Appeal to the Coloured Citizens of the World", in 1829. This said to slaves, "If liberty is not given to you, then rise in bloody rebellion." His Appeal was greatly reviewed by William Llyod Garrison's paper "The Liberator". Walker had died a year later. -
Nat Turner's rebellion
Nat Turner was an Afriacn-American preacher, who was enslaved. On Aug. 21, 1831, he and 70 other African Americans set out to rebel. They had killed 56 white Americans hoping to make the whites see that slavery has consequences. Instead, the rebellion made the lives of slaves much worse. Many Blacks where tourtured or killed. Nat Turner himself was hung in November 11, 1831. -
Compromise of 1850 (Continued)
The first part was, California was admitted as a free state. Second, it said that the territories could be split and voters could vote on slavery, also called popular sovereignty. Third, the slave trade in D.C. was banned. Fourth, the border of Texas was settled, Texas got $10 mil. for giving up land it was fighting for. Finally, the Fugitive slave act. It stated that escaped slaves were to be captured, even in free states. It was a nightmare for runaway, and free blacks. -
Comprimise of 1850
In 1850, California petitioned for statehood. This would tip the balance between slave and free states in Congress. The south threatened to seceed from the Union. Henry Clay did everything possible to prevent that. Senator John Calhoun opposed Clay, and wanted slavery in the west. Calhoun, and President Tyler soon died. President Fillmore agreed with Clay's plans. Clay then stepped down and Stephen Douglass took over for him. The Comprimise of 1850 had five seperate parts to them...(continued) -
Bleeding Kansas
Bleeding Kansas took place from 1854-1860. This was the period of time when acts of violence were carried out in the territory of Kansas between pro-slavery and anti-slavery groups. One of the most important Anti-slavery leader in Kansas was John Brown who lived by the sword, and died by it. He used countless acts of violence against Pro-slavery groups, in hopes of abolishing slavery. He raided Harpers Ferry and was soon arrested. Kansas will never be the same. -
The Kansas-Nebraska Act
The Kansas-Nebraska act allowed popular sovereingty in the territories of Kansas & Nebraska. It was passed on May 30, 1854. It outraged many northerners because they felt that the Missouri compromise was long lasting. This act was designed by Stephn Douglass to create a Transcontinental Railroad. Violence erupted as people rushed into Kansas, and both slavery, and anti-slavery groutps went to war. Elections were held, but they caused more problems. Kansas was unable to become a state until 1861. -
The Dred Scott Case (Continued)
They also found the Compromise of 1820 to be unconstitutional. It was then declared void. The case settled on March 9, 1857. Scott was sold back to his original owners, and died one year later. -
The Dred Scott Case
Dred Scott, was the first African-American slave to sue for his freedom. He was sold to the Emerson Family, and when Mr.Emerson died, Mrs.Emerson hired him to work for other people. Dred, sued her for the freedom of his family. At first the Circuit Court of Missouri were in favor of Mrs. Emmerson. But then they were in favor of Scott for his second suit. Mrs. Emerson appealed to the Supreme Court, which overturned the decision. The supreme Court stated that Scott was not a citizen, nor a person. -
Presidential Election of 1860
In 1860, it was election time again. The Democratic Party had John Breckinridge, and Stephen Douglass. The Constitutional Union had John Bell. But, this strange, fairly new party, the Republican Party had Abraham Lincoln. History will never be the same. Lincoln did not recive a single southern vote, but he still recived the highest electoral votes with 180. The South was enraged, and South Carolina seceeded. America was on the brink of Civil War... -
The Attack on Fort Sumter
In 1861, Abraham Lincoln sent ships to resupply Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor, SC. Lincoln refused to recognize the fort as Confederate property, but the South thought otherwise. As the ships entered the harbor and the Confederates bombarded the fort. There were no lives lost. Four more states seceeded, and the Civil War was underway...
