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David Wilmot introduces Wilmot Proviso
Bans slavery in the Mexican Cession. Links racism and antislavery. Passes in the House, Fails in the Senate. Battle over Proviso foreashadows sectional conflict of 1850's. -
Free soil party founded
Founded three months after the mexican american war when Congressman David Wilmot proposed a amendment to the military appropriations bill tyhat would ban slavery in any territory that might be acquired from mexico. -
Election of 1848
In time for the election of 1848, slavery in the mexican cession failed to be resolved. The Democrats nominated Cass on a platform of squatter sovereignty. The Whigs evaded the question by running General Zachary Taylor without a platform. Taylor refused to commit himself on the status of slavery in the territories but northern whigs favoring restriction took heart from the general's promise not to veto any territorial legislation passed by congress. Southern whigs went along with taylor be -
Compromise of 1850
A series of proposals by Henry Clay including Californias admittance as a free state. Slave trade prohibitted in DC, and enforces a strong fugitive slave law. -
Fugitive Slave Law
Suspected Fugitives were now denied a trial by jury the right to testify on their own behalf, and other basic constitutional rights. -
Election of 1852
In the election of 1852, the main candidates were Pierce, Scotte, and Hale. Scott supported the faction that resisted nativism and sought to broaden the appeal of the democratic party. Pierce was a colorless nonentity, and appealed to free states. He was a whig.The Freesoil candidate, Hale. The Democratic candidate, Pierce, won the election. -
Harriet Beecher Stowe publishes Uncle Toms Cabin
Lliterary abolitionism eraches climax with the enourmously successful novel that fixed the in the northern mind and image of a slave holder as brutal as Simon Legree -
Armed Abolitionists attempt to free Anthony Burns
Abolitionists attempt to to free fugitive from courthouse where his extradition hearing was to take place. The fugitive could not be reached. -
Ostend Manifesto
AMerican ministers to England, France, and Spain met in Ostend to drawe up a memorandum for the administration urging acquisition of Cuba by any means necessary. -
Nativist movement begins to surface as a major political force.
They surface as the American Party. Much of their backing came from Whigs looking for a new home, but the party also attracted some ex democrats. -
American party wins complete control over massachusettes.
Success of new party was so dramatic, it was compared to a hurricane. They won success of Massachusetts capturing the governship, most of the seats in the legislature, and the entire cngressional delegation. -
Know Nothings gain power in New England.
Know Nothings gain power in three more New England states, took maryland, kentucky and texas, and emerged as the principle opposition to the democrats everywhere else except the midwest. -
Election of 1856
In the election of 1856, the democratic candidate was Buchanan. He endorsed popular sovereignty in the territories. The republican candidate was Fremont. His platform called for liberation of kansas from the slave power and for congressional pohibition of slavery in all territories. The know nothing candidate was Fillmore. Buchanan came out on top, with Fremont close behind, leaving Fillmore in the dust. -
End to Guerrila War
A hit and run guerilla war raged between free states and slave state factions. -
Lecompton constitution killed.
People of Kansas killed constitution when they voted it down by a margin of 6 to 1. -
Kansas becomes a free territory
Kansas becomes a free territory rather than a slave state and the issue of slavery in the territory lost some of it's immediancy. Although, it continued to carry a great deal of emotional and symboic meaning. -
Douglas wins position to the Senate from Illioniois
Democrat Douglas beats Lincoln Although republican candidates for the state legislature won a majority of the popular votes. -
John Brown raids Harpers Ferry
In Virginia, Browns aim was to extend the plantations regions of the lower south. But the neighboring slaves did not rise up with him. Browns raiders were driven out of the armory and arsenal by local militia and were force to take refuge in a fire engine house. There they were stormed by a force of Marines and ten of Browns men were killed or wounded. -
Chain of events turn southern anxiety into fear
Anxiety about northern attitutudes changed from anxiety to policies of fear. The events alarmed slaveholders becayse they appeared to threaten their safety and dominance in a new and direct way. -
Election of 1860
In the election of 1860, Lincoln won by an incredible margin. He was a self made man from illinois, a republican, and embodied the republican ideal of equal opportunity for all. John C. Beckenridge was the southern democratic candidate who came in second place with a platform of federal protection for slavery in the territories. In third place was the northern democrat Stephen Douglas with a platform of popular sovereignty. In last place was the constitutional union candidate John Bell repr
