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Events that led up to War
This is a timeline of the events that led to the Civil War. These six events have an influence on the start of the Civil War. All of them had an impact and reason for war. The time span was from 1810 to 1865. These events were the start of the War. -
Missouri Compromise
The Missouri Compromise admitted Missouri into the Union as a slave state and Maine as a free state. Congress drew an imaginary line across the Lousiana Purchase. This kept the Union together but pleased very few. The South and North both had different thoughts on it which caused trouble and led to the Civil War. -
The Compromise of 1850
The Compromise of 1850 was made in order to admit California as a free state. This Compromise was debated for nine months. The agreements included allowing Utah and New Mexico territories whether to allow slavery and creating a stronger fugitive slave law. Few Americans wanted to face a war over slavery. It gave an influence to start war because creating the compromise was very frustrating for the Union. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
The Kansas-Nebraska Act was passed in 1854. The act created the Kansas and Nebraska territories. It also abolished the Missouri Compromise and allowed some settlers to decide whether slavery would be allowed in the territories. This outraged the Northerners making them worried. -
Dred Scott Decision
The Dred Scott decision was a decision decided by the Supreme Court in 1857. It said that African Americans could never be citizens of the U.S.and stated that the Missouri Compromise was not consitutional. Many Northerners, were very enraged by the decision. This left an unequal balance between slaveholders and the Northerners. -
The Election of 1860
The Election of 1860 had shown how divided the nation was. The Democrats had split between the Southern and Northern factions. Stephen Douglas was nominated for the Northern Democrats and John C. Breckinridge of Kentucky for the South. It left the white Southerners with an unmistakeable message. The South was in minority. -
Attack on Fort Sumter
On April 12, 1861, a fire was opened on Fort Sumter. Fort Sumter was a federal fort in Charleston Harbor. The defenders of the fort hauled down the American Flag an replaced it with the white flag of surrender. Many peoples' thoughts about saving the Union had gone away. This was the final issue that led to war.
