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Uncle Tom's Cabin
Uncle Tom's Cabin was the first novel to portray an African American as a hero, written by Harriet Beecher Stowe. It's about Tom, who is sold down the river to a rather cruel man by the name of Simon Legree. -
Dred Scott
Dred Scott, a slave that decided to sue for his freedom upon stepping into free territory. This was done as those who are slaves typically were free upon making it into states determined to be free. Scott was given his freedom originally, but was returned to slavery after the case was brought up again. It was determined that Scott was property, and that property could not vote. It was then decided that the Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional, states could not choose between free and slave. -
Republican Party
The Republican Party was first created in 1854, which was made up of antislavery radicals, free soilers, political abolitionists, Whigs, Jacksonian Democrats, nativists opposed to foreign immigration, and antislavery immigrants. It began simply after protest groups would come together and adopt the name Republican. -
Kansas Nebraska Act
Enacted by Stephen A. Douglas, allowed those within the territories of Kansas and Nebraska to choose if they wished to be a slave state or free state through popular sovereignty. -
Bloody Kansas
After popular sovereignty came into play, the North and South began to fight over Kansas territory, making it a battlefield in which factions would fight ruthlessly. This was all over if Kansas should be pro-slave territory or anti-slave territory. Eventually, it was voted upon that Slavery would be legal in Kansas, while anyone questioning the legality of slavery would find themselves with five years of imprisonment. -
Brooks-Sumner Incident
After Senator Charles Sumner gave a two day speech bashing several southern senators, including senator Andrew Butler, Butler's nephew entered a senate chamber and proceeded to beat Sumner over the head with his cane. This caused serious damage to Sumner, and it took years for him to recover. Preston Brooks, the name of the nephew was seen as a hero in the south however. -
LeCompton Constitution
In September of 1857, pro-slavery forces assembled in Kansas, Lecompton to draft a Constitution that brings Kansas into the Union as a slave state. Pro-slavery forces were aware they would not win a fair election, so they offered a referendum on if voters preferred the Constitution with or without slavery. This resulted in "with slavery", so Kansas would be admitted as a slave state. Senate passed a bill admitting Kansas as a slave state. This was rejected and replaced with a bribe with land. -
A House Divided Speech
Lincoln, on June 16, 1858, delivered a speech on the critical issues dividing the nation, those being slavery versus free labor, popular sovereignty, as well as the legal and political status of black Americans. Lincoln goes to say that a house divided against itself cannot stand, meaning that while the nation may not fall, one side will overtake the other eventually. -
Lincoln-Douglas Debates
The Lincoln Douglas Debates are a series of seven debates between Stephen A. Douglas and Abraham Lincoln. Slavery, free labor, popular sovereignty, and the legal status of blacks in the United States were all heavily debated upon in this time. Douglas would go to describe Lincoln as fanatical who wanted to make blacks socially equal to whites, Lincoln stated his belief that that slavery is a dynamic, hungry for territory, when left unchecked, would bring everyone to a state of virtual slavery. -
Harper's Ferry
After pro-slavery forces raided the town of Lawrence, John Brown sought revenge. Brown along with five of his sons raided cabins that resulted in the death of five men. This in part triggered a heavy amount fighting in which one of his sons were killed. This would lead to his plan to bring up a slave uprising, raising money to do so. He brought a group of 22 men, including his sons to capture the arsenal. The raid itself was a success, however, word spread, and they would be surrounded. -
John Brown
John Brown was an American abolitionist that, along with his sons, raided cabins along the Pottawatomie Creek and killed five men, led a raid into Missouri in which a Planter was killed, resulting in the release of eleven slaves, then raided Harper's Ferry, which was a federal arsenal, in hopes to bring about a slave uprising. Despite successfully taking the arsenal, word got around quickly, and by morning his group was surrounded. Brown was tried for treason and hanged. -
Election of 1860
The Election of 1860, the Democratic Party assembled in Charleston, South Carolina to elect a presidential nominee. Southern delegates wanted a way to guarantee rights of slaveholders in pro-slavery territory. This was refused, and the southern delegates as a result walked out. The remaining delegates nominated Stephen Douglas, southern delegates chose John C. Breckinridge as their nominee. The Constitutional Union Party nominated John Bell and the Republican Party nominated Abraham Lincoln. -
Secession
From January ninth to February first, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas all joined South Carolina in leaving the Union. When the time came to vote upon these states' secession, there was a lot of opposition, and many did not wish to separate. This in the eyes of some was proof that compromise to a certain degree was possible. -
Lincoln's 1st Inaugural Address
Lincoln, at the time of his Inauguration, was faced with several conflicts within the country. Seven states had left the Union, and tensions would rise between the fighting North and South. Within his speech, he clearly stated that he was anti-slavery, but did not intend to harm any slaveholder's rights or pro-slave territory that already exist. While on the side of the North, Lincoln wanted to reassure that any fear the South had was irrational. -
Election of 1856
The Election of 1856 took place quite literally in the middle of a civil war, specifically Kansas's civil war. The Republican Party held it's first national convention, all while denying the authority of Congress, not to mention of territorial legislatures. The party nominated John C. Fremont, while the Democrats nominated James Buchanan.
This election is described as one of the most bitter, and it shows as voting divided along sectional lines, each side visualizing the other side negatively.