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Compromise of 1850
The compromise of 1850 consisted of 5 acts that were passed regarding slavery. The fugitive slave law was amended, the slave trade in Washington was abolished, California entered as a free state, Utah had a territorial government created, and rules were passed settling a boundary dispute between Texas and Mexico. This compromise had a big impact on the civil war as it made rules that became very controversial to people in the nation. -
Fugitive Slave Act
This act stated that people who aided runaway slaves would face consequences. it made abolitionists and people against slaves mad. The underground railroad was created, and there was more tension between people from both sides. -
California admitted to the Union
This was when California became the 31st state admitted to the Union. They were not a slave state which was another state that would vote for freed slaves. That made the topic more controversial between people on either side of the slave controversy. -
Blood Spilled
The first kill proceeding the civil war happened to a slave owner named Edward Gorsuch when he tried to recapture some of his slaves. He was killed by armed opponents. This was the first blood spilled over the slavery issue and it led to the Civil war. -
Uncle Toms Cabin
Harriet Beecher Stowe published the novel "Uncle Toms Cabin" written about the life of a slave family and their struggles. This had a huge impact on the people, and helped solidify the opposition of slavery in the North. Millions of copies were sold, and with the push to oppose slavery it created more tension than ever. -
Slave Returned to South
A Virginia slave Anthony Burns escaped from his owner in Virginia and fled to Boston. When he arrived many people fought for him to stay and be free in Boston. Once he was found he was imprisoned and then returned to Virginia. This angered many people in Boston and urged them to fight for slaves. -
Kansas Nebraska Act
This act was proposed by Steven Douglas. He believed that most Americans would like the south to be a part of the U.S. This caused conflict because the people from Kansas and Nebraska would vote against slavery, and it repealed the Missouri compromise. -
Dred Scott Case
In this case, a slave Dred Scott had to fight and fight for his freedom from slavery through a number of court dates and disadvantages that he had against his owner. This made abolitionists angrier about slavery in America and created even more issues between slave/nonslave states which is why It had an impact on the Civil War. -
The Lincoln-Douglas Debates
These debates were face to face between Stephen Douglas and Abraham Lincoln taking place all over Illinois fighting for the senate. They fought over their ideas on government and slavery Douglas stating that each state should get a say in whether they want slaves or not, and Lincoln stating that that isn't fair and would never work. This divided the two sides of slavery or non-slavery even more leading to Civil War. -
John Brown's Harpers Ferry
John Brown led an armed group of abolitionists to assault the U.S military arsenal at Harpers Ferry. This attack was a plan to gain a stronghold of freed slaves in the mountains of Maryland and Virginia. This had an effect on creating the Civil War because it was one of the first attacks fought over slavery.