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Period: to
1780-1865
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Northwest Ordinence
After states ceded the land in the Northwest to the US Government, Congress passed the Northwest Ordinance establishing the Northwest Territory. The Ordinance stated that slavery and involuntary servitude be prohibited.The movement sparked Westward expansion and was the first act of Congress limiting the expansion of slavery. -
3/5 Compromise
In 1787 politicians debated if slaves be counted in the population census and represented in government. The argument was slaves are either property or people, but ot both. Ultimately t was decided that every five slaves would be counted as three people. The compromise made people question slavery; how could anyone be just 3/5 of a person? -
The Mexican War (1846-1848)
When President Polk was elected into office he had three goals; two of which were to acquire Texas, and purchase California. This land belonged to the Mexicans, who did not want to give up their land. The US engaged in a war wth Mexico and won, acquiring one million acres of land. With the new land, slavery vs. freedom was in question, bringing the slavery issue to th forefront of politics. -
The Compromise of 1850
<a href='http://hd.housedivided.dickinson.edu/node/9584' >5 parts of The Compromise of 1850 The Compromise of 1850 bundeled five compromises into one compromise. Part of the compromise stated that Calfornia will be a free state, but slavery in new territories will be decided by poular sovereignty. The idea of popular sovereignty conflicted with the Missouri Compromise which said there must be an equal number of slave and free states in the Union. -
Harriet Beacher Stowe's "Uncle Tom's Cabin" published
"Uncle Tom's Cabin" is an anti-slavery novel written by Harriet Beacher Stowe and published in 1852. The novel was based on the life of slaves, and questioned the morality of slavery. "Uncle Tom's Cabin" helped Amercian's decide if they wanted to be a slave or free nation. -
Dred Scott Decision
When Dred Scott's master took him from the slave state of Missouri to live in the free state of Illonois, Dred Scott went to court seeking freedom. He wanted to be considered free when living in a fre state. Cheif Justice Taney was bias and sided with the South. He ruled that no blacks have any rights that must be repected by whites. He also deemed the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional, leaving the south free to expand slavery throughout the United States. -
Battle of Fort Sumter
After the seccession of the southern states from the Union, they formed the Confederate States of America. On April 12, 1861 the Confederates launched an attack on the Union's Fort Sumter in Charleston County, South Carolina. On april 13, Major Anderson surrenders the fort, and President Lincoln calls for volunteers in response to the attack. This battle is the first of many in the Civil War.
