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The Fugitive Slave Act
The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 required citizens to assist in capturing runaway slaves and denied alleged fugitives the right to a jury trial. Federal commissioners decided cases and received higher fees for rulings favoring slaveholders. The law angered Northerners, who saw it as unjust and invasive, spurring stronger abolitionist efforts and increasing tensions between North and South over slavery. (Varon) -
The Compromise of 1850
A set of regulations known as the Compromise of 1850 were enacted to reduce conflicts between slave and free states. It strengthened the Fugitive Slave Act, permitted New Mexico and Utah to decide slavery by popular sovereignty, and accepted California as a free state. Although the goal of the compromise was to balance the interests of the North and South, it ultimately deepened the dispute over slavery in the territories and widened sectional divides. (Varon) -
Uncle Tom’s Cabin
Harriet Beecher Stowe's 1852 novel Uncle Tom's Cabin used the story of Tom, a good-natured and respectable slave, to illustrate the brutality of slavery. By exposing the brutality of slavery and sparking anti-slavery feeling in the North, the book swayed public opinion and heightened tensions between the North and South. In the years approaching the Civil War, its influence was vital. (Varon) -
Missouri Court’s Ruling
In 1854, the Missouri courts ruled in the case of Dred Scott v. Sandford, declaring that Dred Scott, an enslaved man who had lived in free territories, was not a U.S. citizen and thus could not sue in federal court. The court also ruled that Congress had no power to prohibit slavery in the territories, invalidating the Missouri Compromise and further deepening divisions over slavery. (Varon) -
The Crime Against Kansas
As Kansas moved toward statehood, violence erupted between the proslavery Lecompton and free-soil Topeka governments. Fraudulent voting by Missouri border ruffians initially secured proslavery wins, but free-soil Kansans soon outnumbered them and drafted their own constitution. Despite Southern pressure on Buchanan and Congress, Kansas became a free state in 1861. The violence, John Brown’s martyrdom, and Democratic divisions propelled Republicans to victory in the 1860 election. (McPherson) -
Massachusetts State Disunion Convention
The Massachusetts State Disunion Convention of 1857 was convened by abolitionists who opposed the expansion of slavery into new territories. The convention focused on the growing sectional tensions between the North and South and discussed the possibility of the North disuniting from the South to preserve freedom. While not as prominent as Southern disunion movements, it reflected Northern frustrations over slavery's spread. (Varon) -
Lincoln vs. Douglas Debate
During the Lincoln-Douglas debates, Lincoln argued Douglas had abandoned the founding fathers' principles and emphasized Republican opposition to slavery. He warned the nation could not endure "half slave and half free," foreshadowing the Civil War. While lacking a plan to end slavery, events like the Dred Scott decision and Lecompton Constitution increased Republican support in Congress. Their 1860 presidential victory was aided by Southern resistance to key initiatives. (McPherson) -
The Mudsill Speech
The Mudsill Speech of 1858 was delivered by South Carolina Senator James Hammond, in which he argued that slavery was essential for the South's economy and social structure. He claimed that society needed a "mudsill" class, or a underclass of laborers, to support the higher classes, and that slavery was the best system for maintaining this structure. The speech defended slavery as both a natural and necessary institution. (Varon) -
The Lecompton Controversy
The Lecompton Controversy of 1858 centered on the proposed proslavery constitution for Kansas, drafted at Lecompton by proslavery settlers. Despite opposition from anti-slavery Kansans, President Buchanan supported it, pushing for its acceptance. However, Congress rejected the constitution after a divisive debate, leading to deepening divisions between proslavery and antislavery factions, and intensifying sectional tensions. (Varon) -
Days of Reckoning
The "Days of Reckoning" of 1859 referred to a period of escalating tensions over slavery in the United States. Key events included John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry in October, aimed at inciting a slave rebellion, and increasing sectional divisions. The raid failed, but Brown became a martyr for abolitionists, deepening Southern fears of Northern aggression and pushing the country closer to Civil War. (Varon)