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Period: to
Antebellum Time Period
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The House ¨Gag Rule¨ is Instituted
The House of Representatives institutes a law that forbids the discussion of anti-slavery petitions within The House. Speaker James Polk of Tennessee believed that this rule was a solution to the problem of constant discussions on slavery which occupied floor debate for weeks at a time. -
News of The Underground Railroad Is Published
A Washington newspaper reveals that slaves have began to use a so-called “Underground Railroad” to escape. The escape route slaves used included traveling with white abolitionists at night to and from a series of secret locations. This “Underground Railroad” will become well-known throughout the country by the 1840s. -
Growth in American Anti-Slavery Society
Originally founded in 1833 by William Lloyd Garrison and Arthur Tappan, the society had a large growth in members by 1840 and was a large discussion topic. In 1840, the society had about 2,000 local auxiliaries with membership estimated to be between 150,000 to 200,000, including freed blacks like Frederick Douglass. The society would meet, make resolution, and speak publicly, oftentimes through newspapers. -
Uncle Tom’s Cabin Becomes A Bestseller
Harriet Beecher Stowe’s book named "Uncle Tom’s Cabin" told of the struggles slaves faced daily. The publicity it received led to increased membership in abolition societies. The novel impacted politics by helping to create ideals for the Republican party and reinforcing the election of President Abraham Lincoln. -
Dred Scott v. Sanford Case
This case argues over whether the time Scott spent in a free state as a slave entitled him to emancipation. The court ruled against him, with the argument that no slave could claim citizenship and, in turn, had no right to petition to the court. This ruling infuriated abolitionists and furthered the gap between the north and south. -
Abolitionist John Brown Leads Raid
Brown and a group of his followers traveled to Harpers Ferry, Virginia (now West Virginia) to capture the U.S. arsenal. The raid failed and Brown and many of his followers were killed yet, proceeding his death, Brown was considered a martyr. -
Slave Uprisings Occur Rapidly
President James K. Polk’s widow witnessed armed slaves barricading themselves in protest on the plantation she owned in Mississippi. The uprisings began occurring in West Virginia, Virginia, Missouri, Kentucky, Illinois and North Carolina the same year. -
Abraham Lincoln Election
With the Democratic Party divided, Lincoln won as the Republican candidate. He was the first Republican to become president and won with 40% of the vote. He was against the institution of slavery and the expansion of said institution which would later cause problems with states who supported slavery. -
Abolitionist Arson Begins
A group of slaves along with white co-conspirators committed arson in 14 cities in north Texas. These eruptions would later continue to occur in Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina and other Southern states. -
South Carolina Secedes
After Abraham Lincoln was elected president, despite the fact the not a single person from South Carolina had voted for him, South Carolina drafted a formal ordinance declaring their secession from the United States. They were the first of the eleven states to do so and, after they had, they immediately motivated other states that supported slavery to join them. -
Mississippi Executions
In Adams County, Mississippi, a group of slaves along with possible white co-conspirators attempted to create an uprising at the same time Union troops arrived. Forty slaves were executed after a child revealed the plan.
