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The Mexican War Ends
With the end of the Mexican War in 1848 and the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, America was ceded western territories. This posed a problem. As these new territories would be admitted as states, people wondered if they would be free or slave states? To deal with this, Congress passed the Compromise of 1850, which basically made California free and allowed the people in Utah and New Mexico to choose for themselves. -
The Fugitive Slave Act Passes
The Fugitive Slave Act was passed as part of the Compromise of 1850. This act forced any federal official who did not arrest a runaway slave to pay a fine. This was the most controversial part of the Compromise of 1850 and caused many abolitionists to increase their efforts against slavery. -
'Uncle Tom's Cabin' Is Published
'Uncle Tom's Cabin' was written in 1852 by Harriet Beecher Stowe. Stowe was an abolitionist who wrote this book to show the evils of slavery. The book became a best-seller and had a huge impact on the way that Northerners viewed slavery. It helped further the cause of abolition, and even Abraham Lincoln recognized that this book's publication was one of the events that led to the outbreak of the Civil War. -
Charles Sumner Attacked by Preston Brooks on the U.S. Senate Floor
One of the most publicized events in Bleeding Kansas was when the Missouri pro-slavery activists known as the "Border Ruffians" sacked Lawrence, Kansas, which was known to be a staunch free-state area. One day later, violence occurred on the floor of the U.S. Senate. Pro-slavery Congressman Preston Brooks attacked the abolitionist Senator Charles Sumner with a cane after Sumner had given a speech condemning the pro-slavery forces for the violence occurring in Kansas. -
Dred Scott Loses His Case to Be Free
The Supreme Court ruled that his petition could not be seen because he did not hold any property and argued even though he had been taken by his "owner" into a free state, he was still a slave because slaves were to be considered the property of their owners. This decision furthered the cause of abolitionists as they increased their efforts to fight against slavery. -
'Bleeding Kanses' Riots Shock Northerners
In 1854, the Kansas-Nebraska Act was passed, allowing the Kansas and Nebraska territories to decide for themselves whether they wanted to be free or slave. By 1856, Kansas had become a pit of violence as pro- and anti-slavery forces fought over the state's future to the point where it was nicknamed "Bleeding Kansas."
