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Manifest Destiny
During the Antebellum period, it was believed that the U.S was destined to expand all across the North American continent. First, this idea fueled westward expansion leading to the U.S. taking new territories like Texas, Oregon, and California. Manifest destiny also shaped settlement in the western frontier and contributed to the tensions over the spread of slavery. This concept impacted both the nation's growth and development throughout the antebellum period. -
Missouri Compromise
On March 2nd, 1820 the Missouri compromise took place. This agreement had aimed to balance slave states and free states. The compromise allowed Missouri to enter the Union as a slave state and Maine to join as a free state. Additionally, they added a line that created a boundary between the northern free states and the southern slave states. This compromise was significant because it created some of the first separation between states and temporarily eased the tensions between north and south. -
The Underground Railroad
The Underground railroad played a vital role in providing escaped slaves with a network of secret tunnels and safe houses in the north. This system helped thousands of individuals seek freedom from slavery. But, this also heightened tensions between abolitionists and pro slavery advocates, adding to the mountain of conflicts leading up to the Civil War. The Underground Railroad symbolized the fight for freedom and equality during the antebellum period. -
Texas annexation
Texas annexation took place on December 29th, 1845. Due to the gain of territory issues heightened between the north and south over slavery once again. Texas’s annexation as a slave state fueled the debate over the expansion of slave states. This decision also intensified the already existing sectional divide between free and slave states. The annexation of Texas ultimately led to the Civil War by creating an issue in the balance of power between states. -
The Mexican American War
The Mexican American War began on April 12th, 1846 and ended on February 2nd, 1848. One key consequence was the expansion in U.S. territory after the war. These new states reignited the debates about the spread of slavery and intensified the sectional divide between north and south. The Mexican American war set the stage for the issues that would later lead to the Civil War. -
Fugitive Slave Acts of 1850
The Fugitive Slave acts were a giant problem that eventually led to the start of the Civil War. These acts made it easier for slave owners to recapture escaped slaves from the north. This caused tensions between the north and the south due to the north being forced to help catch and return slaves. This disagreement over slavery eventually divided the nation even further and fueled the fire for the Civil War. The Fugitive Slave acts showed how deep the issue of slavery was in the United States. -
Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe
Uncle Tom’s Cabin is a anti-slavery novel. This novel showed how slaves were treated using true stories, which allowed people to see why they should go against slavery. It got the entire nation talking about slavery. However, after the book was released it was outlawed by some states in the south due to the fear of slaves rebelling. In essence, it was truly a precursor to the Civil War. -
Bleeding Kansas
Bleeding Kansas added fuel to the fire that led to the Civil War. The conflict in Kansas over whether it would enter the Union as a free state or as a slave state. The conflict created heated debates over slavery. Settlers on each side fought each other which led to chaos and bloodshed. This violence in Kansas highlighted the deep divisions and tensions between the north and south. These issues would later push the country into war with itself and marked the violent issues due to slavery. -
Harper's Ferry Raid
In 1859, John Brown led a raid on the federal army at Harper’s Ferry in an attempt to start a slave rebellion. This event caused even more problems between the north and south over slavery. Brown’s raid and subsequent trial polarized the nation. Abolitionists viewed him as a martyr but southerners saw him as a dangerous radical. The raid on Harper's Ferry served as an agitator for the growing divisions and eventually led to the outbreak of the Civil War. -
Abraham Lincoln's election
Abraham Lincoln was elected president on March 4th, 1861. Lincoln was a republican president and at the time the Republican party was against slavery for it being inhumane. This was a breaking point for the south because with Lincoln in power they were going to abolish slavery. Due to this, the south separated from the Union and became the Confederacy where slavery was allowed. Abraham Lincoln’s election played a significant role in escalating the conflict between the north and south.