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U.S. Compromise- 3/5th Compromise
When the population of slaves was counted as 3/5th in total when assigning representatives. It's important because the states with slaves got more representatives -
Northwest Ordinance
America wanted to adopt around 3-5 more states from the northwest area. This gave them more states to work with for elections. -
Fugitive Slave Act
A law which provided southern slaveholders with legal weapons to capture slaves who had escaped to the free states. This was important because the southerners could capture run-away slaves. -
Invention of Cotton Gin
A machine that revolutionized the production of cotton by greatly speeding up the process of removing seeds from cotton fiber. It was important because it dramatically reduced the amount of time it took to separate cotton seeds from cotton fiber. -
Ban on Slave Importation
Law that stated that no new slaves were permitted to be imported into the United States. It was important because -
Missouri Compromise
Missouri was admitted as a slave state, Maine as a free state, and slavery was prohibited at 36°30′N, except for Missouri. -
Nat Turner Rebellion
Rebel slaves killed from 55 to 65 people, the largest and deadliest slave uprising. -
South Carolina Nullification Crisis
Political crisis between South Carolina and the federal government. -
Organization of Underground Railroad
A trail that helped fugitive slaves get to the North and Canada. Harriet Tubman was a conductor for the underground. -
Wilmont Proviso
Law that forbids the expansion of slavery in land that was won by the United States in the Mexican-American war. -
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
Treaty of Peace, Friendship, Limits and Settlement between the United States of America and the Mexican Republic. -
Compromise of 1850
Set of laws abolishing slavery trade in Washington D.C. It was important because the south gained by the strengthening of the fugitive slave law, the north gained a new free state, California -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
Allowed citizens in the Kansas and Nebraska territories to decide locally whether to allow slavery. -
Bleeding Kansas
A series of violent political confrontations in the United States between 1854 and 1861 involving anti-slavery "Free-States" and pro-slavery "Border Ruffian", or "southern" elements in Kansas. -
Charles Sumner Attacked
In the United States Senate when Representative Preston Brooks (D-SC) attacked Senator Charles Sumner (R-MA), an abolitionist, with a walking cane. -
Dred Scott Decision
A controversial ruling made by the Supreme Court in 1857, shortly before the outbreak of the Civil War.Dred Scott, a slave, sought to be declared a free man on the basis that he had lived for a time in a “free” territory with his master. -
John Brown's Raid at Harper's Ferry
Abolitionist John Brown leads a small group on a raid against a federal armory in Harper's Ferry, Virginia (now West Virginia), in an attempt to start an armed slave revolt and destroy the institution of slavery. -
Lincoln's Election (November)
Abraham Lincoln was elected 16th president of the United States in 1860 as the Republican candidate on a platform opposing the expansion of slavery. -
South Carolina Secedes from Union (December)
South Carolina became the first slave state in the south to declare that it had seceded from the United States.
