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Uncle Tom's Cabin
This book was written by Harriet Beecher Stowe. It was an anti-slavery book that became very popular, read, and controversial. She wrote the book as a result of the slave laws that were being passed at the time. (Fugitive Slave Act) The book had a great influence on what people thought about slavery, and was one of the components of the events that lead tot he Civil War. -
Kansas Nebraska Act
The Kansas-Nebraska Act allowed for popular sovereignty in the territories that were due to whether or not they should be slave states. This was created by Stephen Douglas. It also The Act served to repeal the Missouri Compromise of 1820 which prohibited slavery north of latitude 36:30 and eventually leads to the Bloody Kansas. -
Bloody Kansas
Bloody Kansas was a series of attacks from pro-slavery and anti-slavery forces. When the Kansas-Nebraska Act was passed, there was conflict on whether they should be free or slave states. (Popular Sovereignty) There was a huge division among the people and the government which created tension. Eventually, people broke into the Kansas: Missouri border, Lawrence, and began destroying the place. John Brown was also involved in the destruction and killings. -
Republican Party
In 1854 there is discussion on the issue of slavery. After the Kansas-Nebraska act is passed, the compromises go away, but this is what was keeping both sides of the party fair. The people from the Whig party were working to create a new party in order to oppose the spread of slavery to the west. This was known as the Republican Party. It was aprt and with the Anti-slavery.. -
Brook-Summer Incident
This was an act of violence that took place on the floor of the Senate. Congressman Brooks sneaks up behind Sumner, the senator and beats him with a cane. This was a result of an anti-slavery speech that Sumner had given. He stroked him in the head repeatedly. This incident caused the country to divide. -
Election of 1856
The candidates in this election are James Buchanan for the Democrats, John Freemont for the Republicans, and Millard Fillmore the Whig-Americans. These candidates are anti-Catholic and impact more in the North because of their beliefs. The Republicans are against the expansion of slavery and the Democrats are arguing that if the Republicans win, there is going to be Civil War. Soon James Buchanan would win the Election. The 2 parties divided he North and the South. -
Dred Scott
Scott was an enslaved man who was under the control of a man named Blow. They moved to Alabama and then Missouri. Blow dies and then a surgeon named Emerson has ownership and moves them to Illinois, a free state. They move around frequently in and out of free states and Scott decides to sue for his freedom. He argues that he lived in free states where it was banned so he should be free. The court says that slaves are property and not citizen, therefore, could not be free. -
LeCompton Constitution
This constitution was written as a result of the Constitution which outlawed slavery. The LeCompton constitution was written to nullify that constitution and make Kansas a slave state. It was there to protect slaveholders and allow people to decide if they want to bring in more slaves or not. It was never put in place but is seen as another push toward the Civil War. It was rejected but it was compromised to be submitted=d as a free state. -
House divided Speech
Lincoln gave this speech when running for senator. He also addressed the Dred Scott case. He lost the election, but he gained lots of recognition for speaking out against slavery. In the speech he stated that the nation would not stand if it was divided. The speech did not try to end slavery, but he said that it was inevitable because eventually slaves would not be needed. He stated that slavery was either illegal in every state or legal in every state. -
Lincoln Douglas Debate
The Lincoln-Douglas debates were a series of debates between Lincoln and Douglas. Lincoln and Douglas had such a huge impact that it divided the nation further. Douglas was democratic and spilt between the slavery issue, and Lincoln was republican and anti-slavery. They argued between the reasons why or why not slavery should be allowed. During the debates Lincoln questioned if the free people could stop slavery. -
John Brown
John Brown was an abolitionist in the United States during the pre-Civil War era. He gained popularity for his violent approach to ending slavery and was involved in several violent confrontations, including the infamous 1856 "Bleeding Kansas" conflict. His actions and fervent anti-slavery stance made him a polarizing figure and contributed to the escalating tensions that eventually led to the Civil War. He also led the raid of Pottowmie and the Harper's Ferry. -
Harper's Ferry
Harper's Ferry was a raid by John Brown. Harper's Ferry was the second largest armory in the U.S. The goal was to incite a slave rebellion. He took control of the armory, and he believed that slaves would arm themselves and rebel. It does not work out and he takes control of the armory and then his sons are killed. Him, and his followers are captured. It was one of the more immediate effects of the Civil War and disunion. After this the South began to raise war and militias. -
Election of 1860
The election of 1860 was the most important in American history because it would determine the future of the Union. It reflected the deep divisions in the United States. Furthermore, it also determined the President who would in the future serve the people during the grueling years during the civil war. The election had four major candidates representing for the Union. Abraham Lincoln the Republican candidate, won the presidency, warning the south. -
Secession
The states that all left were North and South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, Virginia, and Tennessee. After they had left 50 counties remained in the Union and all of them were west of Virginia. The reason why the slave states seceded was because they feared that slavery was about to be outlawed. South Carolina was the first state to succeed from the union. They formed the confederate states of America with Jefferson Davis as president. -
Lincoln's 1st Inaugural Adress
Lincoln's First Inaugural Address happened on March 4, and he wrote the whole speech by himself. There were 4 copies of the same address were made and had been locked away. within writing his speech he did not want to upset the North or the South, so he took his time within writing and publicizing it.