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The Missouri Compromise
The Missouri Compromise occured around the time Missouri applied for statehood. Tensions were high between the free states and the slave states, and when Missouri applied for statehood it threatened to disrupt the balance between the two. The compromise was a two-part compromise allowing Missouri to be a slave state and Maine a free state. The Missouri Compromise also drew a line on the 36°, 30° latitude line to establish free states in the North and slave states in the South. -
Wilmot Proviso
In 1846 congressman David Wilmot proposed a federal law that any slavery in any territory that the United States captured from Mexico should be banned. This caused David to force Southern Politicians to defend their stand on slavery. Also he pushed the Recognition that slavery was banned in the northern states of the U.S. This federal law was not ultimately passed though. -
Zachary Taylor
Zachary Taylor was the 12th president but died in 1850 not even half way through his presidency. He was described as a war hero and his family was the largest slave owning family. Taylor also never voted. -
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Millard Fillmore
Millard was Vice President but when Taylor died he moved up to be the 13th president of the United States. He was against the Taylor cabinet and was not well educated. Fillmore grew up very poor and in his presidency he signed the compromise of 1850. Also both sides were upset about the slave act. -
Compromise of 1850
The Compromise of 1850 consisted of five laws and it was introduced by U.S. Senators These laws were connected to slavery in the south and the north of the United Sates. During this time the Fugitive slave act was strengthened and California became a free state which was an advantage for the north. The Slave trade was abolished in Washington D.C. but still was not banned. During this the Utah and New Mexico territories were gained and yet to be determined to be a Slave or free state. -
Fugitive Slave Act
The Fugitive Slave Act was a set of laws set by Congress that allowed permitted the people all around the U.S to capture and return run away slaves back to their owners. This happened because slaves were running away form their plantations to the North were they heard they can become free. The laws also authorized people to be punished for hiding a slave as well as helping them fight. The South felt redemption as where the North was infuriated. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin
Uncle Tom's Cabin was a novel written by Harriet Beecher Stowe in 1852. She wrote this book to promote anti-slavery as well as to fight against the Fugitive Slave Act. The novel expanded on what slavery real was like, how a slave lives, and why it is wrong.Over 300,000 copies were sold.The North part of the U.S was extremely shocked at how people were treated and believed they had to do something. On the other hand, the South thought it was as misrepresentaion of them and wanted the book banned. -
Franklin Pierce
Franklin Pierce was the 14th president of the U.S. Pierce was a Northerner, but supported the North and South. He was also the son of a war hero, and was in the House of Representatives. During Pierce's presidency, he suffered the loss of his son. This made him depressed and incapable of being president. For example, Franklin Pierce stood by and watched the Kansas-Nebraska act happen because he was deeply depressed. He could have stopped "Bleeding Kansas" and possibly stopped the Civil War. -
The Creation of the Republican Party
In Ripon, Wisconsin, the anti-activitists and members of the Whigs party gathered together not just to create a new party but to oppose the spreading of slavery to other areas of America. This party was known as the Republican Party. The North was excited to join the party and work against slavery. The South is worried about the Republicans working against slavery and what this could mean for the South. -
Kansas Nebraska Act
The Kansas Nebraska Act was a plan by Stephen Douglas to organize the territories in the West. The Pro-antislavery elements flood Kansas causing bleeding Kansas. The northern people had felt mad about voting for decisions. But the Southerners liked the idea of people voting for the decisions of if a state should be a free or a slave state.This concluded in repealing the Missouri Compromise and led to the formation of the Republican party. -
Sumner Caning
Charles Sumner was a Senator for Massachusetts and was against slavery. Since he was like the leader of his anti-slavery group he at one point went to far and denounces the threat of slavery. This is very humiliating for the north. A southerner takes advantage and beats up Sumner with a cane and was later celebrated by the south, this man is called Preston Brooks.By all of this Sumner humiliates the pro slavery supporters. -
James Buchanan
James Buchanan was the 15th president of the U.S He was a democrat from Pennsylvania, a Quaker, and was involved in politics. James Buchanan did not like the presidency or controversy. Since Buchanan did not like controversy, he did nothing to intervene with the arguments of slavery. He told the people Supreme Court will decide the problem on slavery and that is final. This just made more people angry and push them further to war. -
The Dred Scott Case
Dred Scott was a free slave that resided in the free state with his owner, John Emerson. After living a free life, John Emerson moved down South to the slave state Missouri, forcing Scott to live as his slave. Scott then argued in the Supreme Court that he lived in a free state, which entitled him to freedom. The Supreme Court ruled that no black person, free or a slave, can acquire a U.S citizenship. This discards the Missouri Compromise and infuriates the North. The South feels justified. -
Lincoln-Douglas Debate
The Lincoln- Douglas Debate was a race between Abraham Lincoln and Douglas for the U.S. Senate seat. Abraham was nominated by Illinois to run against Douglas. The usual was that Lincoln would loose against him and that is exactly what happened here too. The 2 sides of north and south were divided against who should win. North was for Lincoln and South for Douglas. The South was concerned that Lincoln would win because they do not want him in office due to him being a anti-slavery northerner. -
Harpers Ferry
In the night, John Brown and his band invaded the arsenal in Harper's Ferry, Virginia. Him and his men gathered multiple hostages, which included slaves. They wanted to start an arm revolt against slavery as well as destroying the institution of slavery. By the next morning, Brown and his men were caught and many were killed; John Brown was executed after trial. The North did not know what to think of him, a hero or a martyr, since he died for a cause. The South thinks of him as a terrorist. -
Lincoln´s Election of 1860
Abraham Lincoln was elected as the 16th president in 1860 with a majority of electoral votes but only two-fifths of the popular vote. The election only made the north happy and the south was now scared and angry because they want slavery and Lincoln was against it. During this the Democratic party split up because of the issue of slavery. -
Southern Secession
After Abraham Lincoln wins the presidential election, the southern states start to secede or withdraw from the U.S.States such as South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas secede. This is because the Southern states were worried that slavery was going to end, and they were unhappy with Lincoln's ideas on slavery.The North was unhappy and were not letting the union fall apart without a fight. The South also felt unhappy about the idea of getting rid of slavery.
