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The Compromise of 1850
The compromise of 1850 was a comprpmise dealing with the addition of territories and states gained from mexican cesseion. The south wanted slave territories, while the north wanted California admitted as a free state. The south disagreed because there would be more free than slave states. The final decision was that California was admitted as a free state and now there was New Mexico territory open to slavery. This was an important cause because it disrupted the balence of free and slave states. -
The Fugitive Slave Law
The Fugitive Slave Law was put in place on September 18th 1850, as apart of the Comprimise of 1850. It was set in place because many slaves had escaped to the North. This law gave slave owners the right to take back any run away slaves even if they were in a free state or territory. This made slaves seem even more like property, and the captured slaves would have no rights, and would have no trial. This was a significant cause of the civil war because it showed the wrong ways of slavery. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin
This book, written by Harriet Beecher Stowe, showed the cruelty and wrong ways of Slavery in the south. More so now that this was common knowledge in the North which had had little opinion before. The book was a significant cause of the Civil War because it showed the wrong ways of Slavery and put Slavery as common knowledge over all the U.S. -
Dred Scott v. Sandford
In this case the arguement was that Scott had been willingly taken to a free state by his owner and therefor was free. While on the otherhand he was still property of his owner and he had no rights. Sandford's side won and inturn Scott had no rights and couldnt have a trial. Scott was sent back to his plantation. This was a significant event because people were outraged with the fact that slaves were property and had no rights. -
John Brown's Raid on Harpers Farry
John Brown's Raid on harpers Farry was an attempt to Liberate slaves, weaken the Confederacy, and get supplies. John Brown made a small militia of men willing to liberate the slaves. They then took weapons from the Armory and killed many Confederate soldiers and guards. There were a few liberated African Americans in the miltia. John Brown was captured and hung for treason. This event was significant to civil war because it inspired an uprising, and calling out the south for its ways. -
The Election of 1860
Abraham Lincoln was running against John C. Breckinridge, John Bell, and Stephen A. Douglas In the Election of 1860. There was no majority vote in this election so the ballot went to electoral votes. Lincoln had the most electoral votes so he was elected the 16th President of the U.S. This was a major cause of the Civil War because the South highly disagreed with Lincoln being an abolitionist, which was shown by them seceding shortly before his inauguration to create the confederacy.
