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Eli Whitney and the Cotton Gin
Eli Whitney invented a very significant machine called the Cotton Gin. This made it quicker and easier to pruduce cotton materials; because of this there was a mass produce of shirts, which made sales sore! The North thinks they should hire people to work in factories, but he South said they need slaves to pick the cotton (the number of slaves in the South grew drastically). -
Nullification
This is when a state does not have to follow a federal law if they feel the law violates their constitutional rights. Jackson wanted to put tariffs on the southern states. South Carolina opposed and refused to pay anything. This got other states to nullify as well, which led to national crisis. By 1830, nullification was slowly declining. -
Annexation of Texas
Texas became a "Lone Star Republic." Because Texas had too many slaves, they were denied statehood; the governemtn did not want another slave state. The only way we have Texas as a state today, is because of a joint resolution (a resolution passed by both Legislative parties). The North thought it was unfair and the tension between the North and South increased. -
The Mexican War & Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
The Mexican War was started mostly because Mexico felt threatened by America because they had taken land from them. By the end of the war, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was created. This was to question the US about denying a state its statehood if it is for slavery. In fact, the US did not want any more Slave states. Mexico did not want slavery so this treaty questions the US about the expansion of slavery and insists that this will increase the amount of slave states. -
"King Cotton" Argument
The South kept arguing about how much they needed the slaves for "a supreme industry." The South depended on the cotton industry. They also argued that emancipation of slaves would hurt the US economy. America had to decide on whether keeping or getting rid of slavery was a matter of national security. -
Dred Scott vs. Sandford
Dred Scott was a slave who sued for his freedom. Because his owner had died, the nephew of the owner got Scott and he lived in a free state; "automatically" making Scott free. The supreme court still called him a slave even living in a free state. The court denied Scott the right to sue due to "African Americans are not citizens," so he did not have the right to sue. Later on, Dred Scott was hanged a martyr. -
John Brown and Harpers Ferry
John Brown was an abolitionist who believed you had to use force to obtain freedom. He seized federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry, VA. He was a murderous man, running to slave owners homes and slaughter them and their families. Later on, Brown was hanged as a martyr; died for his beliefs.
