-
Compromise of 1850
In the Compromise of 1850 it allowed California to join as a free state and banned slavery in the District of Columbia. This also gave New Mexico and Utah the right to decide for themselves on whether they want to be a slave state or not. -
Compromise of 1850
This is all important because the South got angry because this compromise got rid of more slavery. It also worsened the ongoing fued between the North and the South because it gave states the opportunity to choose whether they were a slave state or not. Becsause of this abolishionists and pro-slavery people rushed to the new land and fought more about what the state should be. -
Beating of Senator Charles Sumner
Senator Charles Sumner, an antislavery republican, brought up the issue of Kansas being a slave state or a free state in his "Crime Against Slavery" speech. When the South heard about this they sent a cousin of one of the proslavery democrats that was negatively mentioned in Sumner's speech. The cousin, Preston Brooks, beat sumner harshly with a cane. After this Brooks received more canes with letters saying "hit him again". -
Beating of Senator Charles Sumner
The North was shocked by the behavior of the South. This showed that it truely seemed impossible for the United States to become a united nation and also would be very difficult for leaders to continue to a compromis. Which clearly adds the continueing fued between the North and the South. -
Pottawatomie Massacre
John Brown dedicated his life to ending slavery. He felt that they should "fight fire with fire" instead of trying to be civil with one another. One night John gathered a small group of people near his home, then at night he stalked up to the cabins of five proslavery men at Pottawatomie creek. They then stalked them and killed them. -
Pottawatomie Massacre
This is important because after this crime was comitted John and his group managed to get away with it. This angered the proslavery people and encouraged them to fight back. An event like this was very indicative to many more battles and fights to come. -
Election Day
Abraham Lincon was Elected president. Abe was know for how much he cared about ending slavery. He played a big role in leading the Union. The big importance of this was because of him being elected he was the influence of how the war was fought and the lead to success for the North. -
Fort Sumter
The Southerners wanted the North to surrender to them without a battle so they made the desicion to surround Fort Sumter. The South had guns and cannons facing Fort Sumter preventing any ships from coming in or coming out. With that the North knew they only had six weeks of food so they had to make a plan. Lincon decided to risk it and have a ship bring them supplies and that's when the first shots had gone off. -
Fort Sumter
The North surrendered to the South to prevent any injuries or deaths. Unfortunately though one man died after the surrender in an accidental explosion. This man would be the first to die in the war that would claim more than 620,000 peoples' lives. -
Stonewall's Victory
General Stonewall, who commaned Confederate forces in the Shenandoah Valley, attacked the Union in late March. The Union was not prepared for this battle therefor they retreated to Potomac. They then rushed to Washington D.C. to protect it because they felt that this was a sign to a future attack on the Union, but in a more imortant place. -
Stonewall's Victory
This "victory" is a good way to show why this war kept going. Battle after battle the Confederates or the Union didn't know who was going to strike where next. -
Troubles in the Union
The war had just barely began and you can already see clear problems. Having the Union so poorly cared for while the Confederates were seeming to have a fine start just adds to the conflict. With the controversy being such a deep topic to both sides a problem like this just makies both sides not want to give up. -
Troubles in the Union
After a harsh Union loss at the Battle of Fredericksburg they were in bad shape. The Union poor hospital care, bad food, and sicknesses, the soldiers' were losing hope. Many men had even left the army without permission. Due to the Union needing all their supplies from the North, which came from trains and boats, it was hard to get it to their men in Virginia. They also didn't have good supply officers. Which was needed to keep the men healthy. -
The First Conscription Act
Beacause of recruiting issues the first Conscription Act. This act made it so all men between the ages of 20 and 45 were able to be randomly drafted into the war. The only way out of it was to pay your way out which was seen as unfair to the poor. This made riots break out adding to the problem. This shows that there is no solution to the problem of this ongoing war. It also shows men don't want to keep fighting, but they make the war go on by drafting. -
The Battle of Spotsylvania
General Grant from the Union kept fighting General Lee at the Spotsylvania Courthouse. He promised that he would fight all summer long about this war. Grant was set on winning and this one fight wasn't going to stop him from giving up. The motivation like this in all battles whether it was in a courthouse or with artillery is what really kept this war going. -
Sherman March
General Sherman of the Union marched from Georgia to South Carolina destroying everything in his path. Sherman was doing this to show what the Union could do if this war didn't come to an end. This shows how we fought the war; brutally and to the point.
