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Tobacco Experiment in the USA
John Rolfe began to grow tobacco in Jamestown, Virginia. The cultivation spread due to the cash crop becoming addictive, and it was in need of high labor, therefore plantations were using slaves. However, since tobacco exhausted the soil after a few years, the cultivation of tobacco declined. As a result, farmers started a cotton economy, which will lead to the rise of slavery causing the Civil War. -
The First Arrival of Slaves in North America
John Rolfe had recorded that a Dutch ship had arrived in Jamestown, Virginia with "20 and odd Negroes" who will be later known as the first slaves in America. Despite having indentured servants, slavery seemed a better choice since indentured servants became scarce and limited. Therefore, from this point on, this will be the first step taken to enslave Africans in America which will become a debate between the North and the South leading to the Civil War. -
Bacon's Rebellion
Nathaniel Bacon and his followers disagreed on the policies towards natives, so they revolted against Governor William Berkeley and burned Jamestown, Virginia. This caused to have an instability in the population of free landless men in the colony. Therefore, Virginia recognized that there was a social unrest from the indentured servants. For this reason, planters decided to go for an easier route, by enslaving Africans. This will cause an increase of slave trade, leading to the Civil War. -
The Three-Fifths Compromise
The North and the South were debating whether or not slaves should count as people, or as property. Therefore, the committee determined that each slave would be counted as 3/5 of a free person for taxation and representation. This compromise, made it possible for southerners to buy more slaves in order to get more representation, and pay less for property. As a result, the North and the South had bigger differences about the status of a slave. Which leads to Civil War. -
The Invention of the Cotton Gin
In 1793, there was a high demand for cotton, therefore Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin in order to clean cotton fast and easy. Since tobacco had declined as well as slave labor, the invention of the cotton gin created a new business, which regained the importance of slavery in the South. The high demand made the South expand the use of slavery causing the North to help runaway slaves, and making both sides fight against each other for helping "property", which leads to the Civil War. -
The Missouri Compromise
In 1819, Missouri and Maine applied for statehood as free states, however they where seen to upset the balance and increase the power of the Senate in the North. Therefore, Jesse Thomas's Amendment stated that slavery will be banned in the rest of the Louisiana Territory North of Missouri's 3630' border, and Maine will enter as a free state and Missouri as a slave state.This caused a sign of sectionalism, and a controversy over slavery in the new Western territories. This leads to Civil War. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin
Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote the most powerful document for an abolitionist's propaganda: made her a hero in the North, helped inflame both regions' sectional tensions to a new level, and brought the message of slavery to new audiences. Her book, opened the eyes of thousands of Americans, enlightening them of the reality of slavery. This made the people of the North more passionate, even to the point of fighting against the South to end slavery, which eventually leads to the Civil War. -
Kansas - Nebraska Act
Stephen A. Douglas formed a bill to open new territories, in order for the South to accept he divided the land in two, Nebraska and Kansas in which each will decide slavery by popular sovereignty. This made a bloodshed in Kansas in order to receive votes for either pro-slavery or anti-slavery. This became a symbol of sectional controversy and determination for both the North and the South: showing how both sides were willing to kill for their belief in slavery. This leads to the Civil War. -
John Brown's Raid: Harper's Ferry Outbreak
John Brown led 19 armed soldiers to Harper's Ferry, West Virginia, to seize the federal arsenal. John hoped it will spark an uprising of slaves, however he was captured by Robert E. Lee and was sentenced to death. The southerners saw John as a martyr while the southerners saw him as a threat to its citizens and slaves: making a wider gap between the North and the South over the issue of slavery. This raid made Americans see that Civil War was unavoidable, especially to the southerners. -
The Election of Lincoln
In the Democratic Party, there was a battle between southerners who wanted a strong endorsement of slavery, and westerners who supported the idea of "popular sovereignty". While in the Republican Party, northerners nominated Abraham Lincoln, because he had a solid and modest view on slavery. The election of Lincoln, became the last hope for white southerners to be able to be in the Union safely. As a result, the process of disunion begins, and it leads to the Civil War.
