U.S. Sectionalism

Missouri Compromise

Mar 3, 1820

In the Missouri Compromise, the main issue was whether new states would be admitted as free or slave states. The legislation admitted Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a non-slave state at the same time to keep balance between free and slave states. In the Missouri Compromise, the North and South were impacted differently because it affected the balance of power in Congress. The Missouri Compromise increased tensions by making slavery a national political issue.

Nullification Crisis

1832

In the Nullification Crisis, the main issue was the Souths resistance to tariffs on foreign goods. In the Nullification Crisis many Southern planters depended on foreign trade for their livelihoods. The Nullification Crisis increased tensions because it was the first time that friction between state and federal authority.

Fugitive slave act

1850

The main issue of the Fugitive slave act was it required slaves be returned to their owners even if they were in a free state. This made the federal government responsible for finding, returning, and trying escaped slaves. People who were impacted by this act was free blacks and former slaves. The Fugitive slave act increased Sectionalism by making the North have to return slaves who ran away to free states.

The Compromise of 1850

1850

In The Compromise of 1850, the main issue was to keep the number of slave and free states the same. In the Compromise of 1850 the North and the South were impacted because they got different state laws and different permissions. The Compromise of 1850 increased tensions because when California admitted as a free state it would soon lead to the Missouri Compromise because it was uneven numbers of free and slave states. And there was lots of laws that one side didn't agree with.

Uncle Tom's Cabin Published

1852

The main issue of Uncle Tom's Cabin is slavery and the Fugitive slave Act. People who were impacted by this event would be slave owners. This is because they were moved by the play made about this book and it changed their point of view on slavery due to the book being written in a slaves point of view. The publish of this book increased tensions because people were showed what they didn't like. Some states even banned the book and if you got caught reading it, it could lead to imprisonment.

Kansas-Nebraska Act

1854

In The Kansas Nebraska Act, the main issue was it let the states decide what they wanted to be, and people would fight over what they wanted. The Kansas Nebraska Act impacted the republican party because the act helped found it. The Kansas Nebraska act increased tensions by making people debate on if they should have slavery or not in their state. This act also led to Bleeding Kansas.

Bleeding Kansas and the Pottawatomie Massacre

1856

In Bleeding Kansas and the Pottawatomie Massacre, the main issue was that people were fighting each other to choose if the state was free or slave. In these events it impacted white northerners and with southerners because they were fighting each other. Bleeding Kansas and the Pottawatomie Massacre increased tensions because they went into a series of brutal confrontations. People ignored laws and did whatever it took to force citizens to vote for the way they wanted it to go.

Dred Scott Decision

1857

The Dred Scott Decision's main issue was it upheld slavery in free states. In the Dred Scott decision runaway slaves and northerners were impacted by this decision. The Dred Scott decision increased tensions because it convinced many northerners that the South was determined to preserve and extend slavery

John Brown's Raid and Trial

1859

The main issue of John Brown's Raid and Trial was it provoked African Americans to fight back against slavery. In John Brown's Raid and Trial the North and South were impacted because he was against the South and was helping the North fight back. John Browns raid raised tensions because many southerners viewed the raid as a direct attack the South.

The Election of Abraham Lincoln

1860

In the Election of Abraham Lincoln the main issue was that whoever won was going to get their way with slavery. In the Election of Abraham Lincoln the North and South was impacted differently because one side was impacted good and the other not so good. This was because Lincoln wanted to abolish slavery. The election increased tensions because Lincoln wanted to abolish slavery and the South thought I was taking away their way of life. So they seceded.