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Missouri compromise
In 1820 Henry Clay proposed to congress that Missouri would be admitted as a slave state only if Maine would be admitted as a free state. And in the future any land above the Missouri compromise line would be considered free land. -
The Wilmot Proviso
In 1846, Representative David Wilmot of Pennsylvania proposed a ban on slavery in all states including slave states. The bill passed in the House of representatives but not in the senate. Even though the bill didn’t pass it angered many southerners. -
The Compromise of 1850
In 1850 Henry clay created another compromise between the north and the south regarding what to do about new states wanting the enter the union, called the Compromise of 1850. This allowed
California to enter as a free state, the states New mexico and Utah to decide if they were slave or free states through popular sovereignty, congress would pass the fugitive state law, and the slave trade would be ended in D.C. -
Fugitive slave act
In 1850 congress passed the fugitive slave act. It called that in any state any runaway slave could be brought back to their master’s and returned to slavery. Any person known to be helping a slave was arrested. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin
In 1853, an abolitionist woman: Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote her famous book Uncle Tom’s Cabin which highlighted the horror of slavery. The book was about an African-American man who was abused by his cruel master. This made northerners think that slavery was a moral sin. -
Kansas/Nebraska Act
In 1854, The Kansas Nebraska act was an act passed by congress. that the states Kansas and Nebraska would be decided if they were slave or free states by popular sovereignty or popular vote. This caused many people to move to Kansas and Nebraska to cast their vote for free or slave. This caused lots of violence especially in Kansas. -
The Dred Scott Case
The Dred Scott case was based off of the question that if a slave’s master moved a slave to a free state in the north would the be free. Dred Scott, his wife, and his befriended lawyer asked that question twice in court before the supreme court ruled that because dred was a slave he did not have the right to sue in court. After this case the supreme court basically made it legal for anyone to practice slavery in any state. -
Lincoln-Douglas Debate
In 1858, Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas fought against each other for the Illinois seat in congress. Lincoln believed that African-Americans should be entitled to the rights that white men enjoy. Douglas believed that the states should decide if they were free or slave states through popular sovereignty. Thousands of people showed up for these debates to shout their opinion. -
John Brown's Raid
During the late 1850’s (1859) a radical abolitionist, john brown raided Harper’s ferry in Virginia with his group of followers. He did this with the intention that many slaves would be freed or at least defy their masters. He thought that he would be backed up by a slave uprising but no slaves ever came and he was captured. -
Lincoln's election of 1860
In 1860 four parties put in their nominees for the presidency, the republicans with Lincoln, the northern democrats with Stephen Douglas, the southern democrats with John Breckenridge, and the constitutional union party with John Bell. Lincoln won the presidency but only shortly after South Carolina seceded and after that many other southern states seceded and created the confederacy. -
Southern Secession
After the election of 1860, Lincoln was elected, angering many states. South Carolina was the first state to secede after Lincoln was elected, Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas seceded following south Carolina, and North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and Arkansas seceded following the events of Fort Sumter.
