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The Missouri Compromise
The Missouri Compromise was a result of a debate over where slavery would and wouldn't be allowed. Missouri became a slave state and Maine became a free state. The 36'30" was a line that decided whether slavery would be allowed in certain territories. The compromise was effective for almost 30 years. After around 1850, it became less effective. -
Compromise of 1850
With the Compromise of 1850, there are a few changes to the Missouri Compromise. California enters as a free stale. Area from the Mexican cession divided Utah and New Mexico. The slavery issue was to be decided by Popular Sovereignty. Slave trade in Washington DC had ended. A strict Fugitive Slave Law was made. The border problem was settled between New Mexico and Texas. These solutions solved the problems, but only for a small period of time. -
Fugitive Slave Law
The Fugitive Slave Law was a part of the compromise of 1850 that required citizens to catch runaway slaves. If a person didn't comply, they would be fined up to $1000 or put in jail for 6 months. Judges would receive $10 for returning slaves, and only $5 for freeing them. Many free slaves were captured and sent back into slavery. Northerners disliked this law because it forced them to be a part of the slavery system. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin
Uncle Tom's Cabin was a novel written by Harriet Beecher Stowe. The novel was about the evils of slavery by telling the story of an older slave who had been whipped to death. Many Northerners changed their view on slavery after reading her novel. On the other hand, Southerners said that the novel was filled with lies. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
The Kansas-Nebraska Act divided land into Kansas and Nebraska territories. It was decided that slavery issues would be decided by popular sovereignty. This led to violence in the Senate. There were pro-slavery and anti-slavery settlers in one area which causes conflict. Northerns believed that it repealed the Missouri Compromise. -
Pottowatomi Creek Killings
Because of what was going on in Kansas, John Brown and four of his sons took the law into their hands. They pulled 5 pro-slavery men out of their beds in the middle of the night and murdered them. Many Northerners are shocked at what he did, although they don't believe in slavery. -
Dred Scott Decision
Dred Scott was a slave who lived with his owner in a free territory, but moved back to a slave state. While there his owner died and he had abolitionist attorneys file a law suit.The case went to Supreme Court but lost. He wasn't a citizen, rather property. It was ruled that Congress couldn't ban slavery in any of the territories. This replaced the Missouri Compromise. Southerners loved the rule while Northerners hated it. This meant that slavery could spread to all the territories. -
Lincoln-Douglass Debate
During this debate Douglass believed that popular sovereignty should decide slavery. On the other hand, Lincoln believed that slavery shouldn't be allowed to spread to the territories. He also believed that the nation couldn't survive if fighting continued to rip the Union apart with the slavery issues. -
Raid on Harper's Ferry
John Brown led 5 blacks and 13 whites into Harper's Ferry. They had planned to raid an arsenal and start a slave revolt. A number of his men ended up dying and Brown was eventually arrested. Brown was then tried and found guilty of murder and treason, so the result was getting hanged. There were some Northerners who saw Brown as a martyr. -
Election of 1860
During the Election of 1860, Lincoln ran against Douglass. Southern states didn't like Lincoln nor what he believed in. They overwhelmingly supported Douglass, but Lincoln still got elected. They grew angry because of this and believed that the North had too much power. Many sSoutherners talked about seceding the Union.