-
Missouri Compromise
an effort to keep the balance of power in Congress between the slave states and the free states. This compromise made Missouri a slave state, and Maine a free state. -
Dred Scott decision
Dred Scott was an enslaved African American. His slaveholder moved from Missouri to Illinois, which is a free state, and then eventually back to Missouri where the slave owner died. Scott sued for his freedom with the help of anti-slavery lawyers. Scott's case was that he was free in Illinois and should be free now. Eleven years later the issue kept growing and becoming more important. Scott's case went to court and people said he wasn't free, luckily the constitution supported slavery. -
Compromise of 1850
Southerners wanted a law enforced that stated that states are required to return fugitives to their slave owners. People decided California would become a free state but northerners would be outraged if it became a slave state and southerners would be outraged if it became a free state. Southerners even threaten about seceding from the Union. Henry Clay made a compromise explaining that he would make California a free state and the rest of the new territories would have no limits on slavery. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
Stephan A. Douglas proposed organizing the region west of Missouri and Iowa as the territories of Kansas and Nebraska. He had hoped that the nation would expand and the nation would be acceptable to both North and South. This then would have to make Kansas and Nebraska free states. The southerners were not happy so he abandoned his first idea and allowed the people to vote on if the state is free or not, this was called popular sovereignty. -
"Bleeding Kansas"- Sacking of Lawrence
In May of 1856, 800 slavery supporters attacked the town of Lawrence, which was a stronghold of anti-slavery settlers, they burned homes, hotels, and newspaper offices. The anti-slavery settlers fought back vigorously. John Brown led a group along the Pottawatomie Creek and killed 5 slavery supporters. Even Congress began to fight. Charles Summer lashed out against pro-slavery senators in Kansas, beginning the "Bleeding Kansas." -
Lincoln Douglas Debates
The topic of these debates was slavery. Debate at Freeport: Lincoln questioned Douglas on what he thought on Popular Sovereignty, he replied with people could exclude the law by refusing to protect slavery rights. Douglas then claimed that Lincoln wanted African Americans to be fully equal to whites, Lincoln said this was not true. They had many debates on many subjects and it went on 7 times. Douglas ended up winning the election... Lincoln had lost. -
Raid on Harpers Ferry (John Brown)
Southerners felt threatened by republicans. John Brown led a group to raid the Harper's Bay. His target was the the arsenal, held storage weapons. Brown wanted to arm African Americans and start a revolt against slave holders. Unfortunately, Brown's raid was defeated by local citizens and federal troops. Brown was then sentenced to hang. He died a martyr, people believed he died fighting for something he believed in. -
Election of Lincoln
Election day. The northern democrats nominated Stephan Douglas and the southern democrats nominated John. C Breckenridge. The Republicans although nominate Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln believed that slavery should be left undisturbed where it existed and that it should be excluded from the territories. Southerners feared this, fearing that slavery would be going away if he took office. they counted the votes and Lincoln won by a excessive amount. He won over almost every northern state. -
Lincoln Inaugural Address
Abraham Lincoln first inaugural was about how our country believes that slavery is right, but Lincoln believed differently. It says that slavery is making the north and south enemies when we are all friends. He is in charge in fixing these problems, these fights. he believes that everyone is equal. -
Attack on Fort Sumter
a U.S. fort on an island guarding Charles Harbor. A message was sent there saying that they were low on supplies, the Confederates told them to surrender, but that's not what Lincoln had planned. He was sending an expedition with supplies to the fort, unfortunately, they were fired upon before arriving, creating the attack on Fort Sumter.
