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War of Mexico
The War of Mexico was caused through U.S. soldiers antagonizing the Mexican soldiers into battle. Some speculate as to why the War of Mexico was started but some northerners were upset with The War because they believed it to be caused by southerners seeking more land to spread slavery into. -
The Fugitive Slave Act
Fugitive Slave Act denied accused runaway slaves trial by jury. Sometimes even freed slaves would be taken south because special commissioners were bribed to say they were not. Therefore, northerners were very upset because southerners could claim slaves in the north back down to the south. This was when the underground railroad to Canada began to be used more than ever, in an attempt to keep run away slaves free.(1850-1860). -
Publishing of "Uncle Tom's Cabin"
Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin upset Northerners and Southerners alike, but for different reasons. Uncle Tom's Cabin is a story of about slavery in the south. Southerners thought the story to be very exaggerated and depicted a slave's life worse than it really was. Northerners became more aware of what the life of a slave could be and truly was like and pushed more for abolition. -
The Kansas and Nebraska Act
The Kansas and Nebraska Act over turned The Missouri Compromise and made popular sovereignty the deciding factor upon whether or not a state would become a slave state. This decision split Northern Democrats and Whigs into two parties because many believed slavery could not be spread at all, even if the people wanted it to. -
Caning of Charles Sumner
Congressman Preston Brooks of South Carolina beats Senator Charles Sumner of Massachusetts with a cane. Northerners and Southerners become even more hostile towards each other because Congressman are supposed to be the examples for others and keep their country civilized. The Northerners were even more upset when the southerners celebrated with Preston Brooks and gave him gifts.(many gifts being canes) Preston Brooks acted out because of a personal insult in Charles Sumner's speech. -
Dred Scott Case
The Dred Scott case argued that SInce Dred had lived in a free state after being in a slave state he would then be free from slavery. When the southern-dominated Supreme Court ruled in the Dred Scott case that Congress could not restrict slavery in any territory, it not only nullified the Missouri Compromise and the Kansas Nebraska Act but also really upset the Northerners because their growing fear that Southerners would legalize slavery everywhere if they could was confirmed -
Lincoln VS Douglas Debate
During the 1858 election for Illinois, Abraham Lincoln and Stephan Douglas debated the issue of slavery. Abraham Lincoln believed slavery should exist where it is and not spread, but believed more that "A house divided against itself cannot stand." Douglas believed it was the people's choice/decision. The southerners felt threatened by Lincoln's beliefs because they thought that Lincoln's belief that the country couldn't be split would threaten the institution of slavery. -
John Browns Rebellion
The southerners became increasingly fearful of slaves revolting and northerners supplying them with guns and knives, as shown by the actions of John Brown. The southerners fealt they could not continue in the Union. -
Lincoln wins 1860 election
The southerners felt they had to leave the union or face the destruction of their institutions and values after Lincoln, an anti-slavery Republican, won the 1860 presidential election. The decision for the southerners to leave the union occurred at the southern convention. -
Attack on Fort Sumter
After Lincoln was inaugurated, he announced that he will bring supplies into Fort Sumter but not troops. He said that he doesn't want to declare war, but if the south tries to stop the supplying of Fort Sumter or if the south attacks Fort Sumter, it will become war. Southerners decided to not be cowards and attack Fort Sumter. This is the final event leading to the civil war.
