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All Men
The controversy over slavery started, in my opinon, back when Thomas Jefferson first wrote, "All men are created equal," in the Delcaration of Independence. That Declaration was the foundation for everything American Revolutionaries fought for. It was the basis for our nation. The question was how to interpret those words. -
Setting the Lines
The Industrial Revolution started in 1790, laying the lines for a divide between the North and the South in commerce. The North became industry based and the South remained an argricultural center. The North invented new and faster ways to develop cotton sent from the Sourth. In order to fuffil the demands of the North, the South had to mass produce the cotton, requiring more and more slaves. -
Continuing Division
The Missouri Compromise is one of the many times that politicians pushed the issue of slavery down the line. Because of all the procrastination, tensions built up and would soon explode. The Compromise let Maine enter as a free state and Missouri as a slave state. It also set a line across the continent for free and slave territories entering as states. It didn't last. -
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The Mexican War
The Mexican War opended up oppertunities in new territories for slavery to either expand or decline. Cotroversies and arguements over the expansion of slavery came as a result of the Mexican War. This time also incresed tensions between the apologists and the abolitionists. -
Fugitive Slave Act
This was part of the Compromise of 1850. The act said that Northerners, even if they were against slavery, had to return runaway slaves. It also said that a white man's promise that any black man was a slave automatically inserted that black man into slavery. This REALLY upset many Northerners, creating more tensions between the two sides. -
Another Compromise, More Build-Up
The Compromise of 1850 was another attempt to stall the decision that needed to be made regarding slavery. This agreement composed by the Great Compromiser Henry Clay proposed popular soveriegnty in California. This outraged many slaveholders because most of the people in that state wanted it to be free, turning the balance of the Senate. -
Literature's Role
Uncle Tom's Cabin is one example of how literature not only helped stoke the fire of rising tensions, but it spoke the truth. It revealed the harsh acts of saveholders and the horrible conditions in slavery. The distribution of this book increased support for the abolitionists. -
A Decision, an Uproar
The Kansas-Nebraska Act was decision made by the government (oh my!) that regarded the Kansas and Nebraska territories. They decided to make the decision whether it would be free or slave by assigning it popular soveriegnty. This act was the main cause of Bleeding Kansas and the escapades of John Brown. -
A Blood Bath
Proslavery boarder ruffians from Missouri and Free-soilers from the anti-slavery North East flocked to Kansas causing trouble everywhere. All these people were attempting to affect the popular sovereignty vote. Instead of acknowledging a winner, both sides created their own state constitutions resulting in armed conflict and several deaths. This time in history came to be known as "Bleeding Kansas" -
Beaten by a Cane
On this day, Charles Sumner was beaten with a cane by Preston Brooks on the Senate floor. Brooks was angry about a speech Sumner had given regarding slavery so he took his revenge. This public display of opposition increased tensions between the North and South, more so than before the incident. -
Dred Goes National
Dred Scott, a slave, was taken into free territoy but still owned by his master. After his master died, Dred believed that because he was now in free land he was a free man. But his master's family wanted to take him as a slave, inherited property, they said. The verdict for this case after going through the judicial system many times was that Scott was still a slave. Abolitionists were angry about the decision as it was a nationally watched case. This added to the bomb that would soon explode. -
Raid at Harper Ferry
John Brown was a radical abolitionists who liked to think that God gave him a mission on earth: to to rid the nation of slavery. He was the murderer of 5 proslavery family members and a violent man. He led a small raid in Virginia that ended up being futile and he died during the event along with many of his hopeful followers. It was the beginning of poured blood. -
I Said No to Abe
Abraham Lincoln was a young aspiring politician rapidly gaining popularity among the Republicans. Very tall with interesting features, he quickly gained attention in a room. He certainly gained many Southerners' attention when he was elected president of the US. They were outraged and furious. -
The Fire Started on the Garrison
Confederate forces (mostly Southerners who wanted to cecede, pro slavery) fired on Fort Sumnter. The fort soon surrendered and abandoned the area. People would die over an issue that could have been settled early on. The fire on the garrison was the FInal Straw; now, it was war. The spark was lit, the fire burst to life and roared.
