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The Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo is ratified.
This treaty gave the U.S. California, New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and Nevada. The U.S. had troubles concernig slavery in the new territories. -
The Compromise of 1850 is passed.
Disputes over where slavery should be allowed led to this compromise. In the compromise, the North benefited from the fact that California would be admitted as free state and the slave trade would be abolished in Washington, D.C. For the South, there would be no laws concerning slavery in the territories earned form Mexico. Also, there would be a stronger law help slaveholders. -
The Fugitive Slave Act is passed.
This act allowed slaveholders to capture slaves even if they were in the North. Also, they didn't need much proof of the slave actually being a slave so, they could also recapture freed slaves. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin is published.
Uncle Tom's Cabin was written by Harriet Beecher Stowe. It tells the story of a slave and the hardships he faced. It brought into light the side of slvaery that many Americans did not see. -
The Republican Party is formed.
Over disputes on slavery, several Northern Whigs met and formed the Republican Party. At the time, Stephen A. Douglas was more or less in charge of the Democrats. -
The Kansas-Nebraska Act is passed.
Stephen A. Douglas wrote this act in the hopes that it would get more people on his side. Popular sovereignty is when the people or citizens of a place are allowed to vote ffor something themselves. This would help because it would allow the people to decide whether or not to have slavery. -
The Sack of Lawrence occurs.
Angry pro-slavery protestors attacked and looted the anti-slavery town of Lawrence, Kansas. -
The Pottawatomie Massacre occurs.
In retaliation for the Sack of Lawrence, radical abolitionist John Brown and his followers attacked and killed five pro-slavery men in Pottawatomie Creek. -
The Election of 1856 takes place.
The candidates of this election were John C. Fremont, Millard Fillmore, and James Buchanan. Buchanan won the election for the Democrats. -
The Dred Scott v. Sandford case takes place.
Dred Scott was a slave who was suing for his freedom after living for a time in free territory. Roger Taney was the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. In the court case, Scott was unable to sue for his freedom. the Court said he was a slave and, therefore, property. -
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The Lincoln-Douglas Debates take place.
In a series of seven debates, Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas ran for Douglas' seat in the House of Senate. Douglas ended up winning and keeping his seat. -
John Brown raids Harpers Ferry, Virginia.
John Brown and five of his sons raided and captured the arsenal at Harpers Ferry, VA. They did so in the hopes of arming slaves and provoking them into an uprising. Unfortunately, no slaves arrived and they failed. Brown was captured and sentenced to hang. All five of his sons were killed in the fight for their capture. -
Abraham Lincoln is elected President.
Leading up to and following Lincoln's election, Southerners felt a deep and passionate hate for him. after his election, seven of the Southern states ceceded, South Carolina being the first. Although Lincoln tried to earn the South's trust and friendship in his inaugurational speech, they assumed he would make a ban on slavery. This ultimately led to the American Civil War.
