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Uncle Tom's Cabin
Uncle Tom’s Cabin was written by Harriet B. Stowe and published on March 20, 1852. Stowe was an abolitionist, and she worked to encourage the abolition of slavery through literature. The novel was instantly famous, with over 10,000 copies selling in the first days. The novel told a story of a slave’s death, and portrayed slavery worse than it was supposed to be. The novel creates a lot more tension between the North and South, with the South trying to state what the novel states is not true. -
Republican Party
The Republican Party emerged in the mid 1850s as a party that opposed the Kansas Nebraska Act and replaced the Whig Party. The party consisted of Northern factory workers, professionals, businessmen, prosperous farmers, and eventually, freed black slaves. The Republican Party opposed the idea of expanding slavery, and wanted to work towards abolishing slavery. -
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Bloody Kansas
People of both Southern and Northern States flocked to the territory of Kansas to try and influence the popular sovereignty votes of whether or not the state was to become a slave/free state. This caused many and violent disputes between the different sides. The disputes later led to the Sack of Lawrence, the destruction of many homes, newspaper offices, hotels, of those that were for antislavery caused by proslavery. Showed that Southerners would do anything for slavery to stay even bloodshed. -
Kansas - Nebraska Act
The Kansas Nebraska Act was a work of legislation passed on May 30, 1854 that officially repealed the Missouri Compromise. The Missouri Compromise made the question on whether or not the new states of Kansas and Nebraska should be free of slave states, since slavery was not allowed to exist above the Missouri line. It allowed the states to decide whether they were free or slave states by using popular sovereignty. -
Brooks-Sumner Incident
Senator Sumner of Massachusetts, (Northerner) accused the uncle of Congressman Preston Brooks (Southerner) of many things, mocked his medical disorders, etc. Additionally he gave his “Crime Against Kansas” speech. Brooks heard of the mocking, went to the Senate Chamber and beat Sumner with a cane. This divided the nation and caused tensions because the Southerners saw Brooks as a hero while the North recognized his victim Sumner as a Martyr. The Southerners were proud of Brooks' actions. -
Election of 1856
The parties present in the election were the New Republican Party(John Fermont) vs Democratic Party(James Buchanan) vs Know-Nothing Party (Millard Fillmore). John Fermont guaranteed an end to “Slave Power '' and to repeal the Kansas-Nebraska Act. Democrats promised for the maintaining of slavery in the South and the keeping the freedom in the North. Lastly, the Know-Nothing Party called for Anti-immigration. Overall, the Democrat Party led by Buchanan won. Caused great divide with differing view -
Dred Scott
He proposed that the supreme court look over his case of whether or not he was considered a free man. This caused a greater rift between North and South because the Supreme Court repealed the Missouri Compromise and claimed African Americans were not entitled to citizenship or rights. Their decision ended up limiting the popular sovereignty related to all the states decision on their opinion on slavery in that state. -
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Lincoln-Douglas Debates
The Lincoln Douglas Debates were a series of Presidential debates between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas. Lincoln and Douglas traveled over 10,000 miles across the country and participated in 7 in person debates. They resulted in the Freeport Doctrine over slavery, where Douglas states “The people have the lawful means to introduce it, or exclude it as they please, for the reason that slavery cannot exist a day or hour anywhere, unless it is supported by local police regulations.” -
House Divided Speech
This speech was given by Abraham Lincoln against S. Douglas in their run for Illinois Senate seat. “A house divided against itself cannot stand” In his speech he countered the decision of the Supreme Court on the Dred Scott case. He claimed in order for the US to be an anti-slavery country it would have to do something about it now. He explained that there is no room for compromise, you are either on one side or the other. He predicted that the Union would become divided if action wasn't taken. -
LeCompton Constitution
The 2nd of 4 proposed Constitutions for the state of Kansas, drafted by pro-slavery supporters. This protected slaveholding and the bill of rights excluded free blacks. Caused the Northerners to be angry because free states opposed those objectives. Anti-Slavery supporters voted against it. It was rejected and the state of Kansas ended up joining the Union as a free state. Slavery abolitionists created their own constitution that would effectively ban slavery in Kansas, the Topeka Constitution. -
Harpers Ferry
The Harpers Ferry Raid was an attack by a group of abolitionists that was led by John Brown. The group consisted of around 21 armed men, all of whom were commanded by Brown to fight for their lives and until death. Seven of the men were captured, ten killed, and five were able to get away freely. The attack lasted for two days, and ended with the capturing of Brown and the attack being shut down by the military in the South. The attack results in Brown’s trial and execution. -
John Brown (execution)
Brown’s execution was a result of his abolitionist movements, and mainly a result of his violent actions at Harpers Ferry. Brown was led to his death at 11 AM in Virginia. His final message was, “I am… now quite certain that the crimes of this guilty land will never be purged away but with blood.” Then he was hanged and killed. HIs final message almost hints at the idea of a civil war, especially when he states “but with blood.” Many thought of Brown to be psychotic. -
Election of 1860
The Election of 1860 was far different from any other election in United States history. There were 3 different parties that were affiliated with the election. The Democratic Party, which elected Stephen Douglas, the Constitutional Union Party, who elected John Bell, and the Republican Party which elected Abraham Lincoln. Each Party had far different political beliefs that mainly revolved around the idea of slavery. The Election of 1860 showed the incredible divide in the nation at the time. -
Lincoln’s 1st Inaugural Address
He tried to make peace between the two sides (North and South) that he predicted would go to war. He hoped to preserve the Union and its assets. He treated succession as an act of rebellion. He agreed that he would not interfere with slavery where it existed already. Seven Southern states seceded due to his election into office and formed the Confederate States of America. The civil war began 6 weeks later when the Confederates fired on Fort Sumter.