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Missouri Compromise
Legislation passed by Congress in 1820 allowing Maine to enter the Union as a free state and Missouri to enter the Union as a slave state; Moving forward any state above the 36th parallel would be free and any entering below the 36th parallel would be a slave state. Henry Clay, a leading congressman, played a crucial role in the missouri Compromise. -
Compromise of 1850
Legislation passed by Congress allowing California to enter the Union as a free state, slave trading ended in Washngton D.C., Texas gives up its claims to New Mexico, Utah decides if they want to allow slavery, and a stronger Fugitive Slave Law is enacted. The compromise was drafted by Whig Senator Henry Clay of Kentucky. -
Fugitive Slave Act (part of Compromise of 1850)
Part of the Compromise of 1850, this act required that all escaped slaves were, upon capture, to be returned to their masters and those officials and citizens of free states hate to cooperate in this law or face high fines. Abolistionists nicknamed it the "Bloodhound Law" for the dogs that were used to track down runaway slaves. It was drafted by Henry Clay. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
Created territories of Kansas and Nebraska and allowed the states to vote whether or not they wanted slavery (popular sovereignty); this law negated the Missouri Compromise and bloody fights broke out between free-soilers and pro-slavery citizens. The person behind the Kansas-Nebraska Act was Senator Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois. The Kansas-Nebraska Act began a chain of events in the Kansas Territory that foreshadowed the Civil War.
