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Period: to
Events Leading to Civil War
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War with Mexico
Did not want to surrender, but forced to. Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848) = Rio Grande as the southern border of Texas and U.S. has parts of California and New Mexico (Mexican Cession). The U.S. paid $15 million for the land. -
Compromise of 1850
California = Free State, Mexican Cession = Utah and New Mexico (and settlers decide free or slave), land dispute with Texas and New Mexico to new territories for removing $10 million of Texas’ debt. -
Fugitive Slave Law
Track runaway fugitives that escaped to the North, capture them, and return them to their owners. U.S. commissioners could issue warrants against fugitives, captured slaves who claimed to be free = denied the right to a trial by jury. Citizens who helped slaves = heavy punishment. -
Underground Railroad
A loose network of free blacks/ ex-slaves + white abolitionists = help escaped slaves. “Underground”. -
Pro & Con Slavery - Literature
Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Impending Crisis of the South. North thought of it as inhuman (with slaves). South thought of it as untruthful. Slavery = Evil? Good? Polarized sides. Impending Crisis of the South also attacked slavery (slavery weakened economy). South banned, North distributed. -
KS-NE Act
Bill to divide Nebraska into Kansas and Nebraska (each can decide slavery/free). Territories = north of 36 30’ line = MORE SLAVERY.
KS - Kansas
NE - Nebraska -
Republican Party Established
Founded in Wisconsin in 1854. Coalition of Free-Soilers + Whigs. Oppose slavery (NOT end). Soon second largest party, but alienated the South. -
Bleeding Kansas
Fighting between proslavery + antislavery groups = bleeding Kansas. Divided Northern and Southern again. -
Sumner-Brooks Incident
Sumner verbally attacked Democrats. Brooks beat Sumner with a cane = never recovered. Divided sides. -
Lecompton Constitution
Accept/Reject proslavery for Kansas. Buchanan said yes, Congress said no. Kansas settlers said no. -
Dred Scott v Sandford
Dred Scott was a slave in Missouri and then lived in Free Wisconsin for two years. Would he be returned as a slave? 3 things made: Dred Scott had no right to sue in a federal court, Congress did not have the power to deprive any person of property without process of law, and the Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional. Angered Northern states and “delighted” Southern states. -
Panic of 1857
Ended in 1857 with a financial panic. Prices dropped + unemployment increased. Southern = unaffected. -
Lincoln-Douglas Debate
Douglas’ campaign for Senate seat. Douglas was known, Lincoln was not. Lincoln challenged Douglas. Debate = Freeport Doctrine. Douglas won, but alienated Southerners (asked about slave codes). Lincoln = national figure! (1860 president) -
John Brown's Raid
Attacked federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry. Plan was to use the guns from the arsenal and to arm slaves. Captured and hanged. North hated Brown, South hated North for believing they were lying. John Brown = classified as a martyr. -
Election of 1860
President of 1860 = last hope. Douglas = best chance. Vice President = Breckinridge. Republicans turned away from Seward to Lincoln. If Lincoln was elected, states would leave. Know-Nothings + Democrats = Constitutional Union Party. Union Party elected John Bell. Lincoln = Minority president. Republicans = much more votes, but free states had enough votes.
