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The Wilmot Provisio
David Wilmot from Pensylvania proposed that congress ban slavery in all states, that might join the United States after the Mexican American War. His prposal failed in the senate -
Free-Soil Party
The Whig Party combined with the Democratic party to create a new political party called the "Free Soil Party." The Free Soil Party wanted all the states from the Mexican American war to be Free States. -
Election of Zachary Taylor
The Democrats Party nominated Lewis Cass, the Whig Party nominated Zachary Taylor, and the Free Soil Party nominated Martin Van Buren. Zachary Taylor, was a hero from the Mexican American War, and won the election. -
The Comprimise of 1850
The comprimise was proposed by Senator Stephen Douglass, who hoped the comprimise would end the debate of slavery. The comprimise was signed by Millard Fillmore. The comprimise had five laws: California joined the union as free state, Slave trade was banned in the Nations capital, Congress could not regulate slave trade, Popular soverignty would be used to determine slavery in the Mexican Cession, and a new Fugitive Slave act. -
The Fugitive Slave Act
The Fugitive Slave Act allowed government officials to arrest anyone who was accused of being a runaway slave. Slaves who were accused were not granted to a trail to prove that they were innocent, a slave owner or white person to swear that they owned the slave. This law also required Northerners to hold slaves accused runaway slaves. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin
Uncle's Tom's cabin was written by Harriet Beecher Stowe, about a kind Uncle Tom, who was abused by his slave owners. This book was a best-seller in the North. The book caused northerns to view slavery as a morale issue versus a political issue. White Southerners were outraged -
The Kansas Nebraska Act
The Kansas and Nebraska Act was strongly supported by Senator Stephen Douglass. He wanted to build a railroad from Illinions to the Pacific Ocean. He suggusted creating two new territories, Kansas, and Nebraska. He said that the states would have slavery or not based on polular soverignty. It was signed by Millard Fillmore. -
Bleeding Kansas
In Kansas the pro-slavery supporters won the election to have slavery in Kansas. The Anti-slavery supporters were not willing to support this. Kansas now had two governments, one for slavery, and one against slavery. The two governments started violence, when a sheriff (proslavery) tried to arrest a anti settlers he was shot, and then John Brown (anti-slavery) shot an killed five men and boys. -
Republican Party
The Whig Party split in 1854, and many of the Whigs made the Republican Party, whose main goal was to stop the spread of slavery. The gained supported from other anti-slavery supporters, and free soil members. Eventaully the party became very powerful. -
Bloodshed in the Senate
Charles Sumner (anti-slavery) made speeches against slavery in Kansas. In one of his speeches he critisized Andrew Butler, a senator. Andrew Butler had his nephew, Preston Brooks go to the senate chamber, and beat Sumner with a cane. -
Election of 1856
James C Fremont (republican party, he was a hero in the mexican- American War,) vs James Buchanan. Buchanan won the election. -
Dred Scott v Sandford
Dred Scott was a slave owned by a US Army Doctor. The doctor settled in Missouri, a free state. Dred Scott sued to get to freedom saying that he lived in a free state, and should be free. The case reached the supreme court, and Cheif Justice Robert E Taney ruled that Dred Scott was not free because: 1. Scott couldn't sue in court because African AMericans were not citizens, 2. living in a free state does not make a slave free, because slaves are property which is protected by the Cnonstitution. -
Lincoln Douglass Debate
Lincoln( republican) was chose to run against Stpehen Douglass, for the Illinios Senator. Lincoln challenged Douglass to a series of public denates. Douglass supported popular soverienty while Lincoln said that slavery was wrong. Douglass won the debate, but Lincoln was now known throughout the nation -
John Brown Attacks Harpers Ferry
After John Brown was driven out of Kansas, he hatched a plan to take guns from the US army, and give them to slaves to help them to escape. Brown (and a small group of supporters) attacked Harpers Ferry in 1859. After obtaining the guns, Brown was surrounded by Colonel Robert E Lee. 10 of Brown's followers were killed, and Brown was wounded and captured. At his trail he was found guilty and later executed. Brown was a hero in the North and an outrage to the South -
Political Parties Divide
The Democratic party split into two: Northern Democrats, and Southern Democrats. Some previous democrats who wanted to reunite the North and the South formed the constitutional Union who wanted to keep slavery, and keep the Union Together -
The Election of 1860
Abraham Lincoln (republican) v Stephen Douglass (northern democrat) v John Beckinride (southern Democrat) v John Bell (constitutional union) Lincoln won the election -
Southern States Secede
The electional of Lincoln made the south mad, because they no longer felt like they had a say in government. South Carolina left the Union right after Lincoln was elected, and 6 more states followed South Carolina in seceding. -
Confederate States of America
In feb 1861, the leaders of the states that seceded met, and called themselves the Confederate States of America. When Lincoln had taken office the Confederate States had already written a constution, and elected jefferson Davis as President. -
Crittenden Plan
The plan was developed by Senator John J Crittenden, to comprimise with the south. It was presented to congress, but it was not passed by congress -
The North and SOuth Economy
The North Economy was based on factories with workers, while the south was more agricultural with plantations, and farms that used slave labor.