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Compromise of 1850
On January 29, 1850, Henry Clay introduced a series of resolutions to avert a crisis between the North and South. Within this act, the Fugitive Slave Act would be amended, California would be added as a free state, the slave trade in D.C would end, and Utah would enter as a territory. A boundary between New Mexico and Texas was also created. These resolutions were helpful, but still couldn't contain the rising tension between the North and South. -
Publication of Uncle Tom's Cabin
Written by Harriet Beecher Stowe, Uncle Tom's Cabin has become the quintessential novel on slavery. It argued that morally, slavery was reprehensible. It was controversial and became a banned book for sometime. Arguably, it was a primary cause that instigated the Civil War, as the book caused so much outrage. The book was inspired by the fugitive slave laws of the 1850s. She became viewed as a literary hero by some. -
Gadsden Purchase
The Gadsden Purchase is a 29,670 square foot region of land, which is in now present day New Mexico and Arizona. It was purchased by James Gadsden who was a US ambassador to Mexico. This land would later become a part of the southern transcontinental railroad and it was an attempt to heal the wounds that still lingered after the Mexican-American War. -
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"Bleeding Kansas"
Bleeding Kansas was a series of violent and political confrontations between 1854 and 1861 while Kansas was being explored and settled. In 1854, The Kansas-Nebraska act overshadowed the Missouri Compromise, arguing and carrying out the usage of popular sovereignty when deciding if Kansas and Nebraska should become free or slave states. The conflict between those that wanted these states to be free and those that wanted slaves foreshadowed the bigger conflicts to come during this time. -
Creation of the Republican Party
A group of Whig party members found themselves in conflict with other members of the party due to the issue of slavery. The Compromise of 1850 divided the party and the anti slavery sect of the party arranged a meeting to create a new party, one that fought against the institution of slavery. They no longer wanted to be compliant and stay silent. The party began to rapidly gain popularity in the North. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
This piece of legislation allowed the citizens of the Nebraska and Kansas territories to decide whether they wanted them to be free or slave territories. The act in turn repealed the Missouri Compromise of 1820. Those in opposition to this new legislation helped found the Republican Party, who were dedicated to abolishing slavery. Because of this, the country inched closer to a civil war. -
Ostend Manifesto
Due to slave owners interest in Cuba, 3 American diplomats decided to meet and consider the proposition to acquire Cuba from Spain. Pierre Soule, John Y. Mason, and James Buchanan all met under Secretary of State William Marcy to discuss the prospect. Once the document was published, the North was outraged because they saw it as a way to extend slavery, due to the fact that Cuba did indeed have slavery. It made people skeptical of Franklin Pierce and damaged the Democratic Party. -
Brooks-Sumner Affair
After Sen. Charles Sumner had given a speech in Congress entitled, "The Crime Against Kansas", a congressmen named Preston Brooks proceeded to attack him with a walking cane. His speech had been about the abolition of slavery and at one point in the speech, he mentioned the uncle of Brooks. He took this as a personal attack and was so violent towards Sumner that he shattered his cane. This event showcases the acts that were committed from one side of the slavery issue to another. -
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Panic of 1857
The Panic of 1857 was a financial crisis that occurred due to over-expansion and the ever declining international economy that the United States was attempting to maintain. It was the first worldwide economic crisis. Although it ended in 1859, it was not fully reversed until the Civil War was in full force in 1861. -
Dred Scott Case
A major controversial Supreme Court decision, Dred Scott v. Sanford was decided upon on March 6, 1857. The decision stated that even though Scott's master had died, he was still not legally free. This case added to the outrage of the anti slavery movement and created momentum for the Civil War. -
Publication of The Impending Crisis of the South
Written by Hinton Rowan Helper, The Impending Crisis of the South was a book published in 1857. The book primarily attacked the institution of slavery, calling it inefficient and a hindrance to progress. Abolitionists were supporters of the book and it outraged many supporters of slavery. It was an argument that was primarily economic rather than moral. It viewed slavery as something stopping us from advancing as a nation in that way. -
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Lincoln-Douglas Debates
The debates between presidential candidates Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas were widely publicized and helped the public discern which candidate was more fit for the presidency. There were 7 of them, all occurring in towns in Illinois. The topic of slavery was the primary issue that was spoken about and people traveled to witness them. Newspaper coverage was also extensive and this short 2 month period truly showed how people on both sides of the issue handled the other. -
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John Brown's Raid
A raid led by John Brown occurred in Harper's Ferry Virginia. It took place over the course of 3 days. His major goal was to instigate a region wide slave rebellion in the South. It was very off the cuff and no plans or escapes were created. They only gained weapons because Brown stole ammo and guns from the federal arsenal. Many slaves didn't join the revolt and after a mere 36 hours, it was put to an end. In the North, he was praised, but the revolt simply added to the divide between regions.
