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The "Know Nothing" Party
Secret party of anti-immigrant supporters who when asked about the party, they would reply "I know nothing". They took a proslavery platform in 1856 -
Wilmont Provisio
Bans slavery in the areas acquired by the land gained from the Mexican American War. Angered the south greatly because it would be a huge shift of power, but the Senate voted the provisio down -
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Free-Soil Party
A group of supporters favoring the Wilmont Provisio, nominated Martin Van Buren as the running candidate for the presidency. The party wanted "free soil, free speech, free labor, and free men." Popular soverignty was used to decide the fate of each new territory's slavery status. -
Election of 1848
Slavery the main issue in the election after the arising after the free soil party speaks boldly about slavery, Zachary Taylor of the Whigs and Lewis Cass of the Democrats were the major candidates, however Van Buren carried enough votes away from Cass to grant Taylor with the victory. Impact: -
Compromise of 1850
5 Parts
1. Congress would admit California as a free state
2. New Mexico and Utah would use popular soverignty to decide the slavery status of the state
3. The slave trade would end in Washington D.C., however slavery in that area would continue
4. New, more strict fugitive slave law would be passed by Congress
5. Texas would be given $10 million to give up claims to New Mexico Impact: Maintained immediate unity, but in the near future teared the country apart -
Fugitive Slave Act
Adds more strict amendments that punish those who help escaped slaves and pressuring all to turn in all fugitives Impact: Created a huge uproar among the North and further separated the country -
Harriet Breecher Stowe
The book "Uncle Tom's Cabin" is released, first time slaves are depicted as people with their real struggles they go through Impact: Northerners absolutely love the book, Southerners would burn the book and consider it all lies -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
-Replealed the Missouri Comp.
-Divides the territory into 2 states
-Popular soverignty used to decide slave issue
-North were angered by this Impact: "Bleeding Kansas" -
Republican Party
Group created with a main focus on antislavery. Gained supporters from the antislavery Democrats, Know Nothings, Whigs, and Free Soilers allowing for rapid growth of the party -
"Bleeding Kansas"
Northerners and Southerners flood Kansas in hopes of tilting the vote in their favor, John Brown's Raid caused violent outbreaks in and around Lawrence. Impact: Violence spread to the senate where representative Brooks beat rep. Sumner unconcious with a cane -
Dredd Scott Case
Ruled that Dredd Scott was property and not a citizen therefore giving him no right to sue, stating that the deceased owner's family have the rights to the slave. His master died while he was on free soil so he lived for four years assuming he was a free slave. Impact: Northerners went ballsitic, considered secedeing from the Union. -
Lincon-Douglas Debates
A small Douglas had a long series of debates against Lincon while competing for a seat in the U.S. Senate. Both were near perfect opposites of each other, Douglas wins the senate spot in the end Impact: Lincon went on to become president two years later -
John Brown's Raid
Brown rallied 21 men to seize Harper's Ferry, the federal armory with a large arsenal of weapons, in order to attack slavery head on. Word quickly got out of the raid and federal troops stormed Harper's Ferry, ending in the arrest of Brown and many of his followers (Some fled to Canada). Brown was made a martyr for his valient efforts after he was hung at the gallows. Impact: Separates the North and South even further
