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Wilmot Proviso
After the war with Mexico, this was offered to try and prevent slavery from being allowed in the new territory that the U.S. had gained. Congressman David Wilmot suggested the bill. It was unsuccessful in passing. -
Mexican American War (ends)
As a result of the Mexican-American War, the United States gained a lot of new territory in the Southwest. -
Compromise of 1850
Henry Clay was trying to settle tension between the North and South. He came up with a series of resolutions - Compromise of 1850 - that were supposed to settle “all questions in controversy between the free and slave states…” They said that California would be admitted as a free state (for the North) and included a new fugitive slave law (for the South) as well as gave residents in the New Mexico/Utah area the ability to vote on slavery. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin
Published by an abolitionist - Harriet Beecher Stowe. Its message was that slavery was a huge moral struggle. -
Bleeding Kansas
After Kansas was declared a state, many people moved into the area. When there was enough people to vote on leadership and slavery, some people came into the area and voted illegally. This stirred up a lot of anger and violence and over 200 people were killed. This gave the nickname “Bleeding Kansas”. -
Formation of the Republican Party
To oppose the expansion of slavery to the new land that the U.S. had acquired, the Republican Party was formed. This was the party that Lincoln ran under as presidential candidate. Its formation caused more tension between the North and South. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
Bill that divided some western territory into Nebraska (north) and Kansas (south). If it passed, it would repeal the Missouri Compromise and establish popular sovereignty for Nebraska and Kansas. Became law in May 1854. -
Caning of Sumner
Sumner, a senator, gave a passionate but uncivil speech berating his Southern colleagues about their support of slavery. One of the Senators, Butler from S.C., was particularly attacked. Butler’s nephew walked into Congress and brutally attacked Sumner with his cane. -
Dred Scott Decision
Dred Scott was a slave who went to a free state with his slaveowner. He returned to Missouri, a slave state, and his slaveowner died. He sued claiming that he should be a free citizen because he lived in the free state. The Supreme Court ruled that slaves could not be citizens and that Scott’s claim was not even valid because he sued while in Missouri (a slave state). The ruling also eradicated the Missouri Compromise. -
Lincoln-Douglas Debates
Lincoln and Douglas were fighting for a spot in the U.S. Senate. Douglas as a Democrat and Lincoln as a Republican. Douglas supported popular sovereignty and while he didn’t have much of a problem with the morals of slavery, he didn’t think that many people would see the need for slavery in the prairie territories. Lincoln, however, was completely opposed to slavery and said that it should not continue to spread. The two held big stage debates across Illinois. Douglas won the Senate seat. -
Election of 1860
There were four candidates. The first was Stephen Douglas, supported by Northern Democrats. The second was John C. Breckinridge, supported by the Southern Democrats. John Bell was supported by the Constitutional Union party. Lincoln was supported by the Republicans. Lincoln won, but not by popular vote. He had sectional support, not national support, but the electoral college was what pushed him through to the presidency.