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Political-Northwest Ordinance of 1987-GREEN
Passed by Congress in 1787 it outlined an established gov for the Northwest territories. The Ordinance set a population requirement of 60,000 for statehood, guaranteed free religious practice and trial by jury in Northwest territories, and the abolition of slavery in Northwest territories. This Ordinance reinforced sectional issues as slavery was outlawed in certain territories, excaberating the indifference of abolitionist and pro-slavery power in Congress and causing problems later on. -
Political-Missouri Compromise- GREEN
In order to ease sectional issues, the Union admitted Missouri to the Union as a slave state and Maine as a free state, whilst banning slavery from the remaining Louisiana Purchase lands located north of the 30° 36° parallels. It would temporarily solve sectional issues but as more territories would be gained, the Missouri Compromise would later be repealed in the Kansas Nebraska Act. -
Social-Nat Turner's Rebellion-RED
In 1831 slave preacher Nat Turner led a violent slave rebellion in Southhampton County, VA. Turner and his rebels killed 55 white men, women, and children. There was a huge backlash from the American gov where Turner and all slave rebels were eventually executed, including many more innocent slaves. States also passed more restrcitive laws on the ability for slaves to learn to read and write in an attempt to stop further slave revolts. -
Political-Gag Rule-RED
The House of Representatives passed the Pinckney Resolutions, authored by Henry L. Pinckney of South Carolina, on May 26, 1836. The Pickeny Resolutions passed a series of pro slavery laws, but the most prominent law was known as the "gag rule". The gag rule ignored the many anti-slavery petitions sent to Congress that were from the North in order for relief or action against slavery. The gag rule was passed in a pro-slavery majority Congress in order to suppress the abolitionists movement. -
Political-Amistad Case of 1839-GREEN
A group of slaves being transported on a Spanish slave ship La Amastad, revolted and seized the ship. The 2 Spanish navigators left were ordered by the Slaves to take them to Africa, but tricked the slaves, bringing them to the US. Eventually a US ship captured the rogue vessel and the U.S. captain filed suit to take custody over the slaves. The legal battle between the slaves and captain passed to the Supreme court where it ruled the U.S. captain violated maritime law, and the slaves were free. -
Political-Annexation of Texas-GREEN
Texas became independent from Mexico in 1836, and applied to Congress for statehood, but because of issues over another large slave state, North objections, and the threat of war with Mexico, President Jackson denied Texas Statehood and recognition of Texas until 1837. The issue of statehood for Texas would be ignored by the next two presidents, but eventually annexed into Statehood in 1845 along with the free State Oregon after its Treaty of Oregon to maintain a free state/slave state balance. -
Political-Wilmont Provision-Green
Proposed by Northern Congressman David Wilmont, his provisions were an amendment to the Appropriation Bill that would prohibit slavery from any territory acquired from Mexico. Passed in the House but not the Senate, Southern militants contended that all Americans had equal rights in the new territories, including the right to move their "property" or slaves there. The rejection of this provision kicked the can further down the road for the issue of slavery in new territories to be solved. -
Economic-California Gold Rush (1848-1855)- RED
Caused when James Marshall discovered copious amounts of gold in the hills of CA. This discovery of gold led to a large influx of immigrants to CA that was very diverse as people searched for economic prosperity. With large immigration to California, a stable government was required and CA petitioned for statehood. This petition was a problem as CA laid in the middle of the Missouri Compromise 30-36 parallel, and its admittance as a free/slave state would upset the balance of slave/free states. -
Political-Mexican War (1846-1848)-RED
President Polk was intent on expanding westward and offered to buy the New Mexican and Ca territories from Mexico, but when Mexuci refused they sent troops across the Rio Grande to attack American ones (supposedly). This resulted in the Mexican war in 1846 and an American victory. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed and Mexico officially ceded New Mexico and CA territories to the US, also recognizing the RIo Grande as the boundary of TX. This new territory would prove problematic later. -
Political-Compromise of 1850-RED
Proposed by Henry Clay it was a combination of multiple proposals to ease sectional issues. California was admitted to the Union as a free state, the remainder of the Mexican cession was divided into two territorial governments of New Mexico and Utah without slave restrictions, Fugitive Slave Act was passed to apprehend runaway slaves and return them to their masters, and the slave trade was abolished in the District of Columbia. -
Political-Fugitive Slave Act of 1850-RED
Passed in the Compromise of 1850, it was a law that made it a crime to help runaway slaves and allowed for the arrest of escaped slaves in America, requiring their return to slaveholders. The Law also stripped a black´s right to jury. This law threatened free/enslaved blacks as the grounds for declaring a free black a runaway slave were undefined. The law was opposed by abolitionist as Southerners began appearing in northern states to pursue "runaway slaves, claiming they were criminals. -
Social-Publication Of Uncle Tom's Cabin-RED
Published by Conneticut resident Harriet Beecher Stowe, it was a novel on a fictional slave's life, Uncle Tom. The novel became the 2nd best selling novel of the 19th century next to the bible, and was pivotal in creating a sympathetic view of slavery by Americans. The novel had a profound effect on excaberating abolitionists and pro-slavery tensions. -
Political-Kansas Nebraska Act-RED
Stephen Douglas introduced a new bill that would support a transcontinental railroad and bring America closer. This act repealed the Missouri Compromise (no slavery above the 30-36 parallels) by creating two new states that allowed for pop sovereignty. This acquisition of two potential slave or free territories divided America further by exacerbating sectional tensions. These tensions resulted in North and South conflicts in the Kansas terrtitory known as Bleeding Kansas. -
Political-Ostend Manifesto-RED
Pres Franklin Pierce had been attempting to buy Cuba and Spain as part of his territory expansion A declaration issued from Ostend, Belgium, stated that the U.S. would be justified in seizing Cuba if Spain did not sell it to the U.S. Cuba was a huge slave territory, and it would become another slave state. The declaration enraged many antislavery northerners accusing the administration with conspiring to bring a new slave state into the Union.The Ostend Manifesto was blocked from being passed. -
Social-Dred Scott Decision-RED
Slave Dred Scott was moved around by his owners into free and slave states, so when Scott's owner died he sued Illinois on the basis he was free at a point; eventually the case made way to the supreme court. Justice Roger Taney passed the final verdict stating the black man was so inferior to the white man, the whites did not have to respect any freedom given in the Constitution to blacks. Taney furthered slave issues by declaring the basis of slavery legal and the Missouri Act unconstitutional. -
Social-John Brown and Harper's Ferry-Red
John Brown and a group of abolitionists attempted to launch a raid on the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry, VA. Brown hoped to capture the arsenal to give to slaves so they could revolt against their owners. Brown was stopped before he could complete his mission and Brown and his abolitionists were executed. Brown became a maurder to the abolitionist cause. -
Political-Crittenden Compromise-RED
Proposed by John Crittenden in 1860, was the South´s attempt for solving issues of slavery before it succeeded. It proposed a package of amendments ensuring Southern slavery. It reinstated the Missouri Compromise, proposed laws reinforcing the slave trade and fugitive slave laws (specifically in District of Columbia), and no future amendments could be made to revert these new amendments/interfere with Southern slavery. The Crittenden Compromise was ultimately rejected by pres. Abraham Lincoln.