Causes of the Civil War

By petersenkg

  • Missouri Compromise

    Missouri, now a slave state, wanted to join the Union. After being accepted, the balance of free and slave states was offset. Differences grew into sectionalism.

  • Wilmot Proviso

    Proposal that specified that slavery should be prohibited in any land aquired from Mexico. Southerners were very mad because they encouraged the spread of slavery.

  • Compromise of 1850

    Slave trade was banned in Washington D.C., the Fugitive Slave Act was amended and California joined the Union and became a free state.

    (Exact date unknown)

  • Fugitive Slave Act

    This act required all citizens of the North and South to help catch runaway slaves. Anyone aided a slave could be punished by fine and/or imprisonment. This act mounted anger in the North.

  • Uncle Tom's Cabin

    Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of Uncle Tom's Cabin, stunned people with her description of slavery. This grew anger in the South.

  • Kansas/Nebraska Act

    Stephen Douglas composed that the issue of slavery would be decided by the residents of the territory.

  • Bleeding Kansas

    A group of slavery-supporters ransacked Lawrence, Kansas. John Brown, an abolitionist fought back, in pursuit of killing every proslavery man in Pottawatomie Creek. Kansas became free.

  • Dred Scott Decision

    Slave, Dred Scott, sued for freedom from his owner who maintained possession of him when entering a free state. Court decided that he could not sue because he is property.

  • Lincoln Douglas Debates

    Stephen Douglas battled Abraham Lincoln in a series of face-to-face debates,(Topic of Slavery), to win a seat in the senate. This was the South's introduction to Lincoln.

    (Debates took place in many towns, therefor, many dates were undescribed)

  • John Brown's Raid on Harper's Ferry

    Abolitionist John Brown led a group of 20 men, including 4 blacks had planned to over run Harper's Ferry, Virginia and seize their arsenal.

  • Lincolns Election/ Election of 1860

    Lincoln Elected 16th president of U.S., even though his name wasn't on ballet in some southern states. This eventually pushed the south towards sucession.