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Period: to
Catalyst of the Civil War
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The Invention of the Cotton Gin
Eli whitney patented the cotton gin in 1794 and in doing this ramped up the need for cotton production and thus slave labor in the South. This increase in the slave industry caused more tension between the North and South, leading to the Civil War. -
The Missouri Compromise
The Missouri Compromise admitted Maine as a free state and Missouri as a slave state and enacted the 36/30 parallel to decide slavery for further states. this intensified the divide between the north and the south so it's repeal can be seen as catalyst to the eventual Civil War. -
The Free Soil Party
The Free Soil party was a political party which nominated Martin Van Buren for president in 1848 and hoped to cease slavery's expansion as a result. This outward activism against slavery brought conflict to both sides and the outrage would lead to the Civil War. -
Compromise of 1850
The compromise created another critical decision for the future of slavery in deciding it's existence in future territories, defusing a 4 year long political disagreement. it set in motion however, a dissension that would only cause more disagreement between the North and South to act as fuel for the Civil War. -
The Fugitive Slave Act
The Fucgitive Slave Act was passed as a result of the 1850 compromise and allowed southerners to find and take back runaway slaves. This would become a cause for the civil war as many Southeners took advantage of this act and angered Northerners. -
Uncle Tom's cabin
The book, Uncle Tom's cabin spoke on the atrosities of slavery, opening the eyes of many American citizen's to it's many negative effects on society. Those that sympathized with it came to see the south as antagonizers, making the Civil a War a result of this view. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
This admitted the states of Nebraska and Kansas and allowed popular sovereinty to decide thier institution of slavery. The threat of slavery angered the South and spurred foul actions from them and further retalliation only led to the Civil War. -
Bleeding Kansas Beginnings
Bleeding Kansas were the series of violent events taking place in kansas as a result of the souths actions to force slavery's expansion. These were seen as villanous acts of the South and were only met with more violence, making the Civil War the outcome. -
Dred Scott v. Sandford
This case surrounded around the rights of African Americans as a man tried to sue for his freedom and was denied and as a result the Missouri Compromise, already superceded, was declared uncosntitutional. This crushing blow is what truly began the sectional dividing between the two sides making the Civil War inevitable. -
The election of 1860
The election of 1860 is the election that granted Abraham Lincoln presidency. Given the open threat to slavery this became the apex of issues for the south, and the following events of conflict would become the Civil War. -
Bleeding Kansas ends
Kansas is admitted to the union
