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Missouri Compromise, 1820
The Missouri Compromise was the USA’s attempt to try and get rid of sectionalism within the southern states. All because Missouri was a new state and needed to be determined as either a free state or a slave state. This was one of the many causes of the civil war because it actually just divided the north and south even more. The compromise made it so there was no slavery above the 36/30 line. This was only kept for a short while before it was repealed for being unconstitutional. -
Nat Turners Rebellion, 1831.
Nat Turner was a slave in the south that lead one of the most major rebellions of its time. He was self educated. Nat was convinced that he was “chosen by god to lead them from bondage.”. He lead the rebellion which lead to the death of 51, white men. He hid away for six weeks with a few other slaves who helped, but they were later found and hanged for their crimes. This helped fuel the North in trying to push the anti slave agenda. More slaves then started to try and rebel. -
Wilmot Proviso, 1846
The Wilmot Proviso was an early attempt to abolish slavery in the states that the US gained during the Mexican war. It really didn’t do much then help aid the growing rift between the south and the north. -
Fugitive slave act, 1850.
The Fugitive slave act was a series of federal laws passed to keep slaves from escaping into northern states and becoming free. It implemented harsher punishments for those who tried to escape from their slave homes. Some states even offered bounties to capture slaves that tried to escape. These acts only made the states drift further apart from each other over all and actually contributed a lot to the war coming in just a few years. -
Uncle Toms cabin,1852.
Uncle Toms Cabin is a story that supports anti slavery. The story focuses on slave families and just how cruel slavery is. The story itself influenced a large portion of the north. However it had the opposite effect on the south. It actually was banned by most southern states. -
Dred Scott VS. Sanford, 1857
Dred Scott VS. Sanford was a popular case that was over a slave becoming a free man. Scott was denied freedom at the level of state court and was forced to move upwards. He then sued in federal court. However it was determined that he couldn’t claim citizenship or freedom. Most of the north was angered by the decision while the south thought of it as more of an accomplishment. -
John Browns Raid, 1859.
John Browns led an 18 man raid within the state of Virginia. He wanted to start a slave uprising. He went into the small town of Ferry Virginia and actually slaughtered several people and tried to free the slaves. However it didn’t work out the way he planned (because it was poorly planned. He was captured easily and later on hanged for his crimes. Northerners thought he was a hero while the south viewed him as a terrorist.
