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Arrival of Slaves
A dutch ship landed in the colonies with the first Negro slaves to set foot in the colonies. Slavery did not become more popular than indenterured servants until the 1670s. This led to the Civil War because slavery in the states would not have exisited had slaves not existed in America. -
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Events Leading to the Civil War
The Civil War was a fight for the freedom of slaves beween the Union (North) and the Confederacy (South). -
Invention of Cotton Gin
The Cotton Gin made it easier to separate the cotton seed from cotton, allowing tremendous amounts to be cleaned at a faster rate. Thus, increasing prosperity in the cotton industry. This event led to the Civil War because slaves became more important than ever. -
End of Mexican American War
America gained California, Utah and New Mexico becuase of their victory. Congress passed the Compromise of 1850 which made California a free state and allowed popular sovereignty in Utah and New Mexico. This lead to the civil war because popular soverignity would later cause violent outbreaks between the North and South. -
Fugitive Slave Act
The Fugitive Slave Act was also part of the Compromise of 1850 which allowed for the runaway slaves to be captured and returned to their owner and punished those who aided their flight. This event lead to the Civil war because it caused many abolitionists to increase their efforts against slavery. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin Published
Uncle Tom's Cabin, written by Harriet Beecher Stowe, revealed the horrors of slavery. This best seller lead to the Civil war because it brought the issue of slavery to life for those few who had not yet joined the cause to abolish slavery and widened the division between North and South. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
Congress passed the Kansas-Nebraska Act which overturned the Missouri Compromise and opened the Northern territory, west of the Missisppi, to slavery. This lead to the Civil War because the North and South began to send settlers to influence the future status of this area, resulting in a violent event know as "Bleeding Kansas." -
Bleeding Kanas
Because the North and South wanted to influence whether this territory became a slave or free state, Kansas became full of of bloodshed from both pro-slavery and anti-slavery citizens, This lead to the civil war because the violence futher dissolved the peace between the North and South. -
Dread-Scott Decision
Dred Scott's case was to prove that he should be free because he had been held as a slave while living in a free state. This lead to the Civil War because many abolitionist became enraged when the Supreme Court ruled that blacks weren't U.S citizens, and slaveholders had the right to take existing slaves into free areas of the country. -
Harper Ferry Raid
John Brown was a radical abolitionist who was aslo involved in the violence in Kansas. He led a group of seventeen men to raid the arsenal located in Harper's Ferry, VIrginia. His goal was to start a slave uprising using the captured weapons, but he was forced to surrender to Colonel Robert E. Lee. This lead to the CIvil War because it made the Southerns believe they could no longer live safely and peacefully with the North. -
Election of Abraham Lincoln
Shortly after the republican candidate, Abraham Lincoln, was elected president, South Carolina, followed by six other states, seceded from the United States. This event lead to the Civil War because of the process of disunion that lead to the prolonged and gruesome war between the pro-slavery and anti-slavery Americans.
