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Uncle Tom´s Cabin
¨Uncle Tom´s Cabin¨ was a book written by Harriet Beacher Stowe, this book depcited the harsh realities facing many slaves in America. Uncle Tom´s Cabin widened the chasm of the division between the North and the South, because the South called the book a misrepresentation of slavery, but the North sympathized with the tale. Many people had not been exposed to slavery, but those that read this book soon became aware of the crisis taking place, and became antislavery, -
Birth of the Republican Party
Past members of the Whig Party rallied together to advocate for antislavery in Western territories. These people held a meeting, which is generally regarded as the first meeting of the Republican Party. The North loved the Republican party, but the South threatened secession if a Republican became president. This rang true when Abraham Lincoln, a Republican, won office in 1860, and South Carolina seceded, then 5 other states quickly thereafter. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
The Kansas-Nebraska Act repealed the Missouri Compromise, created two new territories open to settlmenet (Kansas and Nebraska), and gave each new territory the right to decided on whether or not it will allow slavery. This act outraged the South, inspiring men to go to Lawrence, Kansas, and riot, destroying newspaper offices, burning books, and ruining the town. This event was called ¨Bleeding Kansas¨. -
Bloody Kansas
Between 1855 and 1861, Bloody Kansas underwent several guerilla wars involving proslavery and antislavery forces. Bleeding Kansas instensified the importance of the future legislation regarding slavery in America, and further divided the North and South. Bleeding Kansas was a message to America that armed dissent over slavery was inevitable. John Brown participated in Bleeding Kansas, fighting for slaves' rights. Bleeding Kansas showed how powerful abolitionism was becoming. -
Brooks-Sumner Incident
The caning of Charles Sumner happened in the U.S. Senate Chambers, when proslavery politician Preston Brooks beat Charles Sumner, an abolitionist Republican with his cane. Brooks did this because of Sumner's speech two days prior which involved voiced impassioned criticism of slaveholders, which was partially directed at a relative to Preston Brooks, which was his inspiration for nearly beating Sumner to death. This caning was symbolic of the end of civilized discussions regarding slavery. -
The Election of 1856
In the election of 1856, democrat James Buchanan defeated John C. Fremont and former President Millard Fillmore, becoming the 15th president of the United States. Slavery was the main issue to Buchanan, who supported the expansion of slaves and called for popular sovreignty, which would allow states to decide for themselves whether they wanted to have slavery. This was the first election in which Republicans were able to participate and have a presidential candidate to represent their needs. -
Dred Scott Decision
The Dred Scott decision was made by the Supreme Court, and Justice Taney explained that just because a slave has taken a residence in a free territory, they are not free. Scott was a slave who had been moved out of slave territory, into free territory, then sued his master´s widow. It was also decided that since Scott was viewed as a piece of property, he had not have the consitutional right to sue in federal court, as he was not a citizen. -
The LeCompton Constitution
The Lecompton Constitution was the second of four total constitutions proposed to be established in the state of Kansas. The LeCompton Constitution was a proslavery document which excluded slaves from natural rights. Kansas was one of the popular sovreignty states when it came to allowing slavery, and when this constitution was created, frictions between the North and the South increased because it appeared as if slavery woulld be extended into Kansas, even though it was never passed. -
Lincoln's House Divided Speech
On June 16, 1858, former President (at the time Lincoln was running for Senate) Abraham Lincoln gave a speech at the Republican Convention in Illinois. This speech was "rich in moral significance", were Lincoln said that a "house divided cannot stand", meaning that America could not remain divided over the topic of slavery. This speech advocated for equality for slaves. Lincoln argued that if America wanted to a be a free country, it was now or never. -
The Lincoln-Douglas Debates
The Lincoln Douglas debates were a series of 7 debates, each about three hours long. Beginning on August 21 1858, and ending the same year in October 15. One of these debates too place in Freeport Illinois, and Lincoln proposed to Douglas that in order to fight slavery, they would not support proslavery with legislation. ¨the people of a territory can, by lawful means, exclude slavery from their limits prior to the formation of a State Constitution¨ . -
Harper´s Ferry
¨Radical abolitionist¨ John Brown went to the Harper´s Ferry Arsenal to steal weapons to arm slaves in Virginia and initiate a revolt. Brown and 21 other men went to the arsenal. Brown and his men captured prominent citizens and attempted a siege on the arsenal. The raid failed however, and John Brown was excuted via hanging for his crimes. -
John Brown and the events of Harper´s Ferry
John Brown was a prominent abolitionist, fighting in Bleeding Kansas, and he took ¨agressive action¨ against proslavery institutions. John Brown was a complex figure, viewed by the North as a martyr/hero, but by the South as a madman. John Brown´s daring activism shown when he attempted to raid the arsenal at Harper´s Ferry and kidnap Colonel Lewis Washington. Brown wanted to get weapons from the arsenal and give them to slaves, initiating and armed revolt. This failed, Brown was hung in 1859. -
The Election of 1860
Abraham Lincoln, a Republican, won the election of 1860 (despite being absent from the ballot in 10 states). This epic victory, both in terms of electoral votes and the popular majority foreshadowed an end of slavery, but as South Carolina seceded, enraged by Lincoln´s victory, it become apparents slavery had to be fought to be abolished. Lincoln´s election initiated the Civil War, because the South is beginning to secede, and the increasing conflict can no longer be ignored. -
Secession from the Union
Outraged over the expansion of slavery into the recently-acquired territories and the ¨increased hostility¨ from the North against slavery as an institution, Southern countries seceded one by one. South Carolina was the first to secede, but Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, Virginia, Arkansas, North Carolina, and Tennesee. -
Lincoln's First Innaugural Address
Abraham Lincoln was elected President in 1860, and he delivered his first Innaugural Address on March 4, 1861. In this speech, Lincoln was tactful witht the south, but made it clear he would enforce U.S. law on the seceded states. Lincoln supported the South, but he was sure not to be too callous with the South and make tensions worse. Lincoln was strongly in opposition to secession and the "seizure of federal property". This speech was a concise declaration of Lincoln's promises as President.