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Timeline of 1850-1861
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Uncle Tom's Cabin
Written by Harriet Beecher Stowe in 1852. She wrote and published this book after the passage of the Fugitive Slave Law. This book described the cruelty of slavery and how it created conflict between free and slave states. Over 300,000 copies were sold during the first year. -
Bloody Kansas
Armed conflict between 1854-1861 caused by the flow of both Southern slave holders and antislavery families into Kansas. -
Republican Party
Formed after the death of the Whig Party. Demanded that slavery be excluded from all the territories. -
Kansas Nebraska Act
Permitted settlers to carry slaves into Kansas and Nebraska and determine whether they should enter the Union as free or slave states. -
Election 1856
Occurred in the midst of Kansas's Civil War. Democrats elected James Buchanan for their candidate; Republicans elected John C. Fremont as their candidate. Buchanan won the electoral vote with 174 votes. -
Brooks-Sumner Incident
Senator Charles Sumner gave a two-day speech, "The Crime Against Kansas," in which he denounced and made fun of Senator Andrew Butler. In response, Senator Preston Brooks of South Carolina charged at Sumner and attacked him with a cane. -
Dred Scott
A Missouri slave who sued for his freedom in 1846. He argued that while he had been a slave of an army surgeon, he had lived in Illinois (free state) and Wisconsin (free territory) which made him free. His freedom was granted in 1850 but the court reversed the decision and was again a slave. He then appealed to the federal courts and their verdict concluded that slaves were not citizens, the Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional, & Congress had no right to exclude slavery from the territories -
LeCompton Constitution
Second constitution drafted for the Kansas territory which was written by pro-slavery supporters. It permitted slavery, excluded free blacks from living in Kansas, and allowed only male citizens to vote. It was not passed by congress and Kansas ended up being a free state. -
House Divided Speech
Address given by Abraham Lincoln upon accepting the nomination of the Republican party for U.S. Senator. -
Lincoln Douglas Debates
August 21, 1858- October 15, 1858
Seven debates between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas during the 1858 election campaign for a U.S. Senate seat; the debated concerned slavery and states' rights. Douglas won the election. -
Harper's Ferry
John Brown led a band of followers in an attack on the federal arsenal at Harper's Ferry, Virginia. His goal was to use the weapons seized to lead a slave uprising. This was not successful and he was taken prisoner along with the surviving men by a force of U.S. marine commanded by Colonel Robert E. Lee. -
John Brown
An anti-slavery activist who led the attack on Harper's Ferry which was ultimately unsuccessful. After the attempted attack he was put on trial for conspiracy, treason, and murder. As a result of his actions, he was hung. -
Election 1860
Election against Lincoln (Republican), John C. Breckenridge (Southern Democrats), Stephen A. Douglas (Northern Democrat) and John C. Bell (Constitutional Union Party). Lincoln won only 39 percent of the popular vote but won majority of the electoral votes. -
Secession
Began with South Carolina seceding from the Union on Dec. 10, 1860. During Jan. 9-Feb. 1, 1861 six states: Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas also seceded from the Union. -
Lincoln's 1st Inaugural Address
Abraham Lincoln was first sworn into office as president of the U.S. He stated that he had no constitutional authority to abolish slavery.