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The Missouri Compromise
The Missouri Compromise was a settlement, by congress, of the rivalries triggered by the request of Missouri in 1819 for admission as a state that permitted slavery. -
The end of the Mexican-American war
The war was fought primarily in northeastern and central Mexico and resulted in a decisive American victory. A result of the war was that Mexico was forced to cede its northern and western provinces, which today comprise a significant portion of the western United States. -
The Fugitive Slave Law was Passed
To people who supported slavery a law mandating the hunting, capture, and return of fugitive slaves was overdue. People in the South had felt that northerners traditionally scoffed at the matter of fugitive slaves and often encouraged their escape. People who were against slavery felt the law brought the injustice of slavery home, making the issue impossible to ignore. Enforcement of the law would mean anyone in the North could be complicit in the horrors of slavery. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin was published
Uncle Tom's Cabin was a book about anti-slavery. The reading of the novel became a communal act to some families and led to discussions within families. But in the South it was denounced, and in some states it was actually illegal to have a copy of the book. -
The Kansas Nebraska Act
It was an act that created the territories of Kansas and Nebraska. It allowed people in the territories of Kansas and Nebraska to decide for themselves whether or not to allow slavery within their borders. -
Brooks attacks Sumner
Preston Brooks was mad that Sumner ridiculed his home state in his speech to perpetuate slavery. Brooks then beat Sumner with a heavy cane. He was later arrested and charged for assault, but then released on bail. -
The Dred Scott Decision
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Dred Scott who had resided in a free state and territory, where slavery was prohibited, was not entitled to his freedom. They ruled that African Americans were not and could never be citizens of the United States. -
John Brown raids Harper’s Ferry
John Brown raiding Harper's Ferry was an effort by abolitionist John Brown to initiate an armed slave revolt in 1859 by taking over a United States arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia. His group of 22 people was defeated by a group of U.S. Marines -
The election of Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was a very important president of the 19th century. Maybe even in all of American history. He led the nation through the Civil War and was notable for his great speeches. -
Lecompton Constitution Rejected
This was a controversial and disputed legal document of the Kansas Territory that became the focus of a great national crisis as the United States split over the issue of slavery.
