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Mexican War
The Mexican War was a result of the United States annexing the state of Texas. After months of combat, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed between the two countries on February 2nd, 1848, and outlined four specific terms for Mexico and the States to obey. Mexico was no longer in possession of the right to claim Texas, or the states of California and Nevada. The United States in turn paid Mexico $15 million, and settled claims its citizens had made previously against Mexico. -
Compromise of 1850
The Compromise of 1850 was created to resolve the issues that arose when California asked to become a free state within the Union. It made the amount of free and slave states uneven, and ignited a huge conflict in Congress. The Compromise said that California would be free, New Mexico and Utah could decide for themselves if they were slave states or not, Texas gave up New Mexico, no more slaves could be sold, and a Fugitive Slave Act was made where escaped slaves were returned to their masters. -
Publication of Uncle Tom's Cabin
Written by Harriett Beecher Stowe, the novel Uncle Tom's Cabin altered public view on slavery, and the lives slaves led under different masters and the different obstacles they commonly faced. It pushed people towards being abolitonists, which became important when the Civil War broke out less than a decade later. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
The Kansas-Nebraska Act made it possible for members of those states to make their own decision on whether to be free or contain slavery. It ended the Missouri Compromise, and caused representatives from the North and South to rush in and attempt to convince the states to join them in their respective beliefs of abolitionism or slavery. Battles were fought over the issue, but Kansa eventually emerged as a free state. -
Attack on Charles Sumner
An abolitionist, Charles Sumner spoke out about recent attacks over the matter in Kansas and Nebraska on the Senate floor, specifically being harsh towards the senator from South Caroline, Andrew Butler. A relative of Butler and a member of the House of Representatives, a young man names Andrew Brooks viciously beat Charles Sumner, who'd been sitting at hi desk, leaving him with physical damage and paranoia issues. -
Attack on Lawrence, Kansas
A large group of men from Missouri marched into Lawrence Kansas armed with heavy weaponry and harsh intentions. A town considered to be a haven for abolitionists, the vicious attack that left many buildings and lives destroyed provoked the massacre James Brown committed in revenge shortly afterward. -
Attack at Pottawatomie Creek
Pottawatomie was the third attack in a very short period of time due to rapidly escalating tensions concerning the precense of slavery in Kansas or Nebraska. James Brown, proclaiming himself God's messenger to abolish slavery, headed the attack with a group of followers that, by the end of the night, had six men murdered before their families and an outbreak of protest erupting at such a massacre. -
Harper's Ferry
James Brown, having already proved himself adept at wreaking havoc, once again made a statement regarding his insistence slavery should end. He and his men took control of the United States Armory and Arsenal in Harpers Ferry, having power over all of it's contents, and tried to convince slaves to rebel against their masters. Bloodshed and capture were two familiar components to Brown's activities by this point, and when put on trial before a jury, he was found guilty for his crimes. -
Election of 1860
The Election of 1860 was heavily wrapped around slavery, and picking canidates who would hopefully settle the matter. The main canidates, Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas, made dozens of speeches as they campaigned across the country. The vote yielded that Lincoln had come out on top with the most electoral votes and some of the popular votes as well, while Douglas was mainly poplar vote. Either way, Lincoln was the new President, and determined to resolve the conflict over slavery. -
Abraham Lincoln Inaugurated
A charismatic new President, and phenomenal speechmaker, Lincoln calmly stressed to the nation to stay together, to help him find ways to resolve disagreements and soothe tensions. He discussed his views on political documents already passed and overall did his best to convey a sense of awareness, calm, and determination to the American public.
