1850-1861

  • Uncle tom's cabin

    a book written by Harriet Beecher Stowe that showed slavery for what it was. Had mixed reviews at the time but it was extremely popular at the time.
  • Republican Party

    Came out of the ashes of the Whig party. Gave those who opposed slavery a party to vote for.
  • Kansas Nebraska act

    Declared that both Kansas and Nebraska could chooses whether to come in as a free state or a slave state.
  • Bleeding Kansas

    The fighting between slavery and anti-slavery forces in Kansas
  • Election of 1856

    Election divided due to the issue of slavery. after the fall of the Whig party was the last time there would be a Whig candidate.
  • Brooks sumner incident

    During a senate meeting Brooks physically assaulted Sumner by repeatedly hitting him with his cane
  • Dred Scott

    Slave that after his owner moved to a free state and die prompting a change in ownership he decided that being in a free state means he should be free and thus sued his new owner but lost.
  • LeCompton Constitution

    The constitution written by pro-slavery forces in Kansas to get Kansas admitted as a slave state. was ultimately rejected.
  • Lincoln Douglas debate

    during the senate election in Illinois involved 7 topics including slavery and popular sovereignty.
  • House divided speech

    A speech given by Abraham Lincoln during the Illinois Republican state convention.
  • Freeport doctrine

    A doctrine written by Stephen Douglass stating that western states could outlaw slavery.
  • Harper's ferry

    a raid on Harper's ferry by john brown to steal weapons to use to fight in bloody Kansas. the raid was a failure.
  • John brown

    A avid anti-slave leader. during bloody Kansas he freed slaves, massacred slavery forces. He was arrested charged and hanged.
  • Election of 1860

    issues were slavery, states rights and the western territories. the republican candidate Abraham Lincoln won the election. the pro-slavery south were not happy about this outcome.
  • Secession

    After the election the south was unhappy and one by one they started to secede from the union starting with South Carolina
  • Lincolns 1st Inaugural address

    He called for peace with the south and promised if they rejoined the union that he would not interfere with their states rights and wouldn't touch slavery where it already stood.