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The Missouri Compromise
The Missouri Compromise preserved the balance between slave and free states in the senate. -
Dred Scott Decision
In 1846 Scott with the help of Anti- Slavery lawyers sued for his freedom. Scott said that because he had lived in free states he should be a free man. The the Supreme Court Justice, Roger B. Taney said that slaves are by right property, and that by taking property away from a citizen without a good reason would be violating the constitution -
The Compromise of 1850
With president Taylor's help, California applied to become a free state.However if California were to enter as a free state, the slave states would be outvoted in the senate. Senator Henry Clay made a proposition, California would enter as a free state, and the rest of the territories would have no limits on slavery. Slave trade would be banned in Washington D.C., but not slavery, Senator Henry Clay also pressed the fugitive slave law to be more powerful. -
The Kansas-Nebraska Act
The Senator of Illinois, Senator Stephen A. Douglas proposed that the territories of Kansas and Nebraska become states. Because both were above the 36 degrees 30'N latitude, it was not expected of them to become slave states. Senator Douglas proposed that that settlers living in those territories vote on what type of state's they would become. This is called popular sovereignty which means the government let's the people decide. -
"Bleeding Kansas"-Sacking of Lawrence
In the spring of 1856, 800 pro-slave supporters attacked an antislavery town called Lawrence, in Kansas. Antislavery forces retaliated, led by the abolitionist John Brown, who vowed to "strike terror into the hearts of the Pro-slavery people", he killed five Pro-slavery supporters. -
Lincoln Douglas Debates
Lincoln lost the election to Democrat Stephen A. Douglas, but he won the support of hundreds of anti slavery supporters. -
Raid on Harper's Ferry
John Brown, an abolitionist, led a mob on a gun raid to gather supplies for a revolution. John Brown wanted slaves to fight back for the right to their freedom. John Brown and his mob of abolitionists, were defeated by Pro-Slavery citizens. However Antislavery supporters considered John Brown a martyr which means someone who died for a good cause. -
Election of Lincoln
Slavery broke the Democratic party in two. Northern Democrats wanted Stephen Douglas in office. Southern Democrats wanted John C. Breckinridge in office. The Republicans wanted Abraham Lincoln in office. The South were scared that if if the Republican's won, they would try to stop slavery. In most Southern states Lincoln's name wasn't even on the ballot. Still, Lincoln won the election, and the North supported and defended him. The South angered at the outcome, considered secession. -
Lincoln- Inaugural Address
Lincoln would become the president of a broken country, the people wondered what he would do, what he would say. They wanted to know if he would let their country fall to pieces. Lincoln said that he would not allow secession, he threatened to enforce the laws of the United States, but he also pleaded with the South to come back t the Union. -
Attack On Fort Sumter
Confederate States were retaliating, they were taking U.S. fort. Lincoln got a message from the commander at Fort Sumter, saying they were low on supplies, and the Confederates were demanding they surrender the Fort. Lincoln didn't want to start a war, but he couldn't allow the Confederates to keep U.S. forts. Lincoln sent a group of men with supplies to Fort Sumter, unarmed. The Confederate President, Jefferson Davis, made a fateful decision that day, he ordered his men to fire.
