Chapter 15: Road to Civil War

  • Missouri Compromise

    maine=free
    missouri=slave
    anything north of 36'30" in Louisiana territory is free
  • Texas becomes a state

  • Free Soil Party nominates Van Buren

  • Fugitive Slave Act passed

    part of the compromise of 1850
    all citizens required to help catch runaways and anyone helping a fugitive would be fined or imprisioned
  • Compromise of 1850

    proposed by Henry Clay. passed as 5 separate bills.

    1. california is a free state
    2. new mexico territory has no restrictions on slavery
    3. new mexico-texas border settled in favor of NM
    4. slave trade (but not slavery) prohibited in D.C.
    5. stronger fugitive slave law
  • Uncle Tom's Cabin is published

    written by Harriet Beecher Stowe
    portrayed the evils of slavery and convinced many americans it was wrong
  • Kansas- Nebraska act passed

    proposed by Stephen A. Douglas
    organized area wezt of iowa and missouri into kansas and nebraska
    let settelers in each territory decide on slavery with POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY
  • Republican Party is formed

    Anti- slavery party
  • Charles Sumner attacked in Congress

  • James Buchanan elected president

  • Dred Scott Decision

    Said that all slaves are property.
  • John Brown raids Harper's Ferry, Virginia.

    Radical abolitionist lead 18 men. Hoped to start a slave rebellion. Quickly defeated by local citizens and executed for treason. Some people called him a martyr.
  • Abraham Linconl elected President.

    His name wasn't even on the ballot in many southern states.
  • South Carolina secedes.

  • Confederate States of America formed.

    Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. Jefferson Davis is President.
  • Confederate forces attack Fort Sumter and the Civil War begins.