-
Missouri Compromise
The Missouri Compromise of 1820 attempted to end the debate on the expansion of slavery by restricting it above the 36' 30" line with the exception of Missouri itself. However, this only suppressed the argument because of the aquirement of new territory, and caused more trouble with the question of slavery. -
War With Mexico
After the mexican-American War, America gained a significant amount of new, unorganized territory from the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. Becuase this territory could become slave states, more fighting and unrest were a result. -
Wilmot's Proviso
Wilmot's Proviso was a proposed law that banned all slavery in the territory from Mexico. Although it never became a law, it caused damage to the northern and southern relations. The South grew fearful that once the North gained more power, slavery would be completely abolished- thus threatening their way of life. -
Fugitive Slave Act
The New Fugitive Slave Act encouraged slave owners to pursue their runaways in the North. This angered northern abolitionists because they were attempting to free slaves , but now the law stated they must capture and return them. It also angered free blacks who were denied the right to a trial by jury for being an alleged runaway. Special Commissioners who oversaw these free blacks could be bribed by owners into testifying against the them. This caused outrage in the North. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin
Girst published in 1852, Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel Uncle Tom's Cabin grew very popular by 1858. It shocked the North by showing what a slave life was like, and angered the South. They argued that it badly depicted a "positive good". -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
The Kansas-Nebraska Act repealed the Missouri compromise which allowed for popular sovereignty in the territories. This meant that the people of the territories could choose whether or not the state would contain slavery. This angered people against slavery, because it opened up the possibility of slavery in every territory. -
Bleeding Kansas
Bleeding Kansas was the name given to an outbreak of violence occuring in the state. One notable event was when pro-slavery Missourians tried to intimidate people who were voting for a free state. Hundreds of peiople ended up dying. After this event, compromise on slavery didn't appear to be an option anymore. -
Formation of the Republican Party
The Republican party was formed as a "party of the North" as a result of protest over "bleeding Kansas". It wanted to restrict slavery from the territories which ultimately caused the South to view it as the enemy and interpret its actions as a declaration of war. -
Two Party System
Because of the Republican Party acting as a faction of the North, the Democratic Party acted as a faction for the South. This breakdown of the two party system was the end of cooperation between the two regions. -
Violence in Congress
A fight broke out in Congress between Preston Brooks of South Carolina and Charles Sumner of Massachusetts. Sumner gave a soeech about slavery that contained offensive remarks which in turn caused Brooks to beat him with a cain. This showed how the heated debate over slavery was even causing "civilized" people to act up. -
The Dred Scott Case
Dred Scott was a freed slave. In this case, the Supreme Court ruled that Congress could not restrict slavery in the territories and nullified the Missouri Compromise and the Kansas/Nebraska Act. This ruling infuriated the North, and they all fled to the Republican Party. It also made the North's fear grow that slave-owners would use government to legalize slavery everywhere. -
Election of 1858
In 1858, Abe Lincoln and Stephan Douglas both ran for the Illinois Congress. Licoln argued in his debate that the Union could not stand divided. The South took this statement as a signal to abolish slavery, which angered them. Douglas favored popular sovereignty. -
John Brown
Brown attempted to start a slave revolt in Virginia, but he failed. However, this event showed the South that they could not live safely within the Union. -
Presidential Election of 1860
The election of 1860 had the Republican Lincoln pitted against the Democratic Breckinridge. Lincoln won the election thanks to the large population of Republicans and his moderate stance on slavery. This caused great unrest in the South- the government was now being run by an anti0slavery party. Most Southerners began to consider seccession. -
Crittenden Compromise
The Crittenden Compromise was the last effort to save the Union by going back to the Missouri Compromise. However, it failed to gain support all around. The South accepted it, because now slavery would be able to expand, but the North rejected it because of this reason. -
Fort Sumter Attack
Several States secceeded from the Union and peacefully turned over forts and posessions to the government. However, Fort Sumter was attacked by the South while the North was resupplying it. Seeing as the North warned the South they were coming, this action starts the Civil War.
