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Wilmot Proviso
As a result of the Mexican War, the Wilmot Proviso proposed slavery be banned in all territory acquired from the war. If passed, this would disrupt the Missouri Compromise and the balance between the free and slave states. Sectionalism increased due to the Wilmot Proviso failing, as well as the tension between the North and South. -
Free Soil Movement
The Free Soil Movement was a political party with the purpose to oppose the westward expansion of slavery. Believed free men produced more efficient economic results. This caused tension between the North and South due to the North supporting it and the South going against it. -
Compromise of 1850
The Compromise of 1850 includes 5 laws created by Henry Clay to resolve the problem of slavery and prevent great conflict between the North and South. This allowed California to enter as a free state, divided the Mexican Cession into two territories, and adopted a new strengthened Fugitive Slave Law. The compromise did little to address the problem, and also even increased the tension with the Fugitive Slave Law. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin published
Uncle Tom's Cabin, written by Harriet Beecher Stowe, was the most influential book during the time. It consists of an enslaved man named Tom and his white owner. This book was a great cause to the Civil War because it fueled the abolitionist cause and caused many people to view southerners as "monsters". -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
The Kansas-Nebraska Act allowed people within Kansas and Nebraska to decide themselves whether to allow slavery or not. Since this repealed the Missouri Compromise, this angered many people in the North. This act was supported in the slave supporting South. -
Republican Party Formed
The Republican Party was formed in response to the Kansas-Nebraska Act and consists of Free-Soilers and anti-slavery Whigs and Democrats. Their purpose was to stop the expansion of slavery in the territories. As the party's numbers grew greatly, this threatened the South due to the party strictly being Northern. -
"Bleeding Kansas" incidents
Violent conflict between the anti-slavery and the pro-slavery on whether slavery should be legal in Kansas. As fighting increased, the North and South became even more divided. -
Caning of Charles Sumner
When Senator Charles Sumner verbally attacked the Democratic administration, which included personal charges against Senator Andrew Butler, Preston Brooks beat Sumner with a cane to defend Butler's honor. Brooks angered the North, while being approved by the South. This incident only increased the tension between the two sides. -
Dred Scott v. Sanford decision
In this case, a slave named Dred Scott argued for his freedom due to his residence being on free soil. The final decision that the Court made was against Scott. This angered the North, but made the South happy. Northerners believed that the Democratic president and the Democratic people of the Court secretly planned the decision. This conspiracy persuaded many Democrats to vote Republican. -
Lincoln-Douglas debates
A series of debates between Abraham Lincoln, Republican, and Stephen Douglas, Democrat, for the Senate seat. Douglas won the campaign for the senate, but lost some of the respect of his own party by alienating Southern Democrats. Lincoln emerged as a national figure and a leading contender for the Republican nomination for president in 1860. -
John Brown's Raid on Harpers Ferry
John Brown led a small army on an attack on the federal army on Harpers Ferry to start a slave uprising. He was caught by Robert E. Lee and was hanged in Virginia. Even though the North disapproved of his actions, the South didn't believe them. The South saw the attack as the North's true intentions to destroy the South with slave revolts. -
Election of Lincoln
As the election began, the Democratic party began to break apart and nominated Stephen Douglas and John C. Breckinridge as candidates. The Republican party nominated Abraham Lincoln as their candidate. The results came up with Lincoln having 59% of the votes. Although both Douglas and Breckinridge received more popular votes, the North had enough electoral votes to select the president without any from the South. This made the South call for immediate secession from the union.
