westward expansion timeline

  • Free vs. slave controversy

    Congress has become increasingly involved in how to seperate the new states: free or slave and it has become a rising issue in other people's mind as well.
  • Missouri compromise

    The Missouri compromise was created as an agreement on how to divide the free and slave states.
  • Missouri's admittance to the union

    Missouri was admitted as a free state to the union, there were no other states admitted until 11 years after.
  • Andrew Jackson was elected president

    Andrew Jackson was elected president, he promised to expand the states westward.
  • mexico abolished slavery

    The mexican government abolished slavery to lessen american influence on them.
  • Texas becomes independant

    April, 1836 Texas gained its independance.
  • Slavery reached Texas

    The westward expansion carried slavery down into the Southwest, into Mississippi, Alabama, crossing the Mississippi River into Louisiana. Finally, by the 1840's, it was pouring into Texas.
  • Fugitive slave act

    The fugitive slave law was added, making it a law to send the fugitive slaves from the north to back to the south. A second fugitive slave act followed this one tightening restrictions, these were used to prosecute blacks.
  • Kansas-nebraska act

    The kansas Nebraska act was created which divided the states by the 40th parallel. Kansas went to the Southa nd Nebraska went to the north.
  • Dred scott decision

    The Dred Scott decision was handed down in 1857, which denied citizenship to free and enslaved blacks lessening their rights even more.