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Missouri Compromise: Tensions stemming from slavery start to build after The Louisiana purchase when congress was forced to expand slavery into the western states. A national debate was sparked after Missouri's application as a slave state came in 1820. Congress eventually agreed upon Missouri being a slave state and Maine being a free state. This was one of the first events depicting a conflict over the expansion of slavery, a factor that would eventually play part in causing a civil war.
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In the Latin Dictionary, "Antebellum" means "before the war". The Antebellum Era takes place after the war of 1812 but before the American Civil War, hence the name "Antebellum". During this time politicians of the North and the South disagreed with each other and tension built up. The clash over slavery, economy, cultural value and power of the federal government would eventually lead to a split between a North led by Abraham Lincoln and a South led by Jefferson Davis.
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In 1831, an enslaved man by the name of Nathaniel Turner led a rebellion that set off a massacre of 60 white people and 200 black people. This action ignited fear in the south and prohibitions were placed on enslaved people such as no education, movement, or assembly. As a result, many slaves became illiterate and black people were seen as villains. The rebellion didn't show much benefit to slaves, however, this rebellion managed to put the attention of many politicians on the issue of slavery.
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During the Mexican-American war, David Wilmot fought for a piece of legislation that would have outlawed slavery in states acquired by the war. David Wilmot attempted to propose this idea many times but was rejected each time. In the end, Wilmot's attempts failed and had no impact on the compromise of 1850. Although all of David Wilmot's attempts failed they did at least manage to achieve discussions of secession in the country.
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In 1850, 5 separate bills were passed by the U.S. Congress that determined what states would have free status and what states would have slave status. California was admitted as a free state, New Mexico and Utah were to decide for themselves. Texas boundaries were also decided. Along with deciding slave states and boundaries, a Fugitive Slave Act was also passed which helped slaveowners recover runaways.
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Harriet Beecher Stowe released a fictional book called "Uncle Tom's Cabin" in 1852. This book would go on to be the 2nd most sold book in America next to the Bible. Northerners realized the horror of slavery while southerners protested the book. Although fiction, Uncle Tom's Cabin widened the division between north and south.
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In 1854, the Kansas-Nebraska Act was passed which established both states as a territory and set off a series of violent confrontations between pro-slavery and anti-slavery forces in the Kansas Territory.
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In May of 1856, John Brown and his supporters killed 5 pro-slavery settlers in the Pottawatomie Massacre. This attack was a response to a ransacking in Lawrence, Kansas by pro-slavery settlers. Brown survived this fight and returned to the north afterward to plot a bigger act. John Brown's attack in 1856 was another action that would further split pro-slavery settlers and anti-slavery settlers.
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A Virginia slave by the name of Dred Scott attempted to sue for his freedom in 1857. Scott lost and was denied all rights as a human being and was classified as a piece of property by the justices of the supreme court. The political landscape, which was preventing the civil war, was threatened to be recast by the Dred Scott decision and the gap between North and South widened. As for Scott himself, he was later granted freedom by the son of his original owner that same year.
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Abraham Lincoln, who was a prairie lawyer at the time, engaged in 7 public debates with Stephen Douglas during the year of 1858. In these debates, they debated the controversial issue of slavery. Douglas ended up winning the senate race with the Democrats gaining 46 seats to Republicans 41. Although Lincoln lost, these public debates gave him the national spotlight which would help him in his election 2 years later.
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After the Pottawatomie Massacre in 1856, John Brown returned to the North to plot an even bigger attack. In the fall of 1859, John Brown and 19 of his supporters raided Harpers Ferry in an attempt to confiscate their arms so they could distribute them to slaves. The uprising was eventually put down and ended with casualties on both sides. Brown along with his 7 remaining supporters were tried and Brown was hanged.
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On November 6th, 1860, the 16th U.S. election took place. Abraham Lincoln and Hannibal Hamlin emerged triumphant for the Republican Party. This struck fear into many Southerners and South Carolina seceded from the union in the month that followed. After South Carolina, 6 more southern states seceded from the union, and the country was officially divided.
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On April 12th, 1861, A Confederate General bombarded Fort Sumter after Lincoln announced plans to resupply it. After 33 hours the union surrendered. The south managed to fire the first shots at the Battle of Fort Sumter and the Civil War was well underway. The first battle of the civil war took place on July 21st, 1861 in Virginia and was named The First Battle of Bull Run.
