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Underground Railroad
Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad is the name given to the ways slaves gained their freedom. Most traveled as far as Canada and Mexico.They were moved between "stations", usually at night. Many people,including Harriet Tubman, acted as "conductors" by helping slaves gain their freedom. Both slaves and the people who tried to help slaves risked their lives trying to obtain freedom. -
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Mexican-American War
Mexican-American War
This war was mainly caused by the annexation of Texas because Mexico did not want it to become part of the U.S.The Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo was the peace treaty of this war. The U.S. received the Texan territory, along with New Mexico territory and California. The Whigs strongly opposed this war, saying it was unconstitutional. The Abolitionists feared the South would try to use this new land to spread slavery. -
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Wilmot Proviso
Wilmot Proviso
The Wilmot Proviso was introduced many times over these years. It was supposed to prevent slavery in any territory acquired from Mexico. It was not passed any of the times it was introduced. The North was mainly the one pushing for this because they didn't want anymore slave states, but the South didn't want anything to do with it. -
Compromise of 1850
Compromise of 1850
This was a series of five bills which, avoided secession or civil war and reduced sectional conflict for four years (fragile peace). This compromise addressed boundary, territory, and slavery issues. The Fugitive Slave Act caused the most controversy, causing the abolitionists to increase their protests against slavery. -
Fugitive Slave Act
Fugitive Slave Act
This act passed as part of the Compromise of 1850. It forced any federal officer who did not report a runaway slave to pay a fine. This angered many abolitionists and caused them to increase their anger towards slavery causing tensions to rise between the North and South. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin
Uncle Tom's Cabin
Uncle Tom's Cabin was an anti-slavery book published in 1852 by Harriet Beecher Stowe. It was a big hit, selling over 3,000 copies. This book caused many people to change the way they viewed slavery, even Lincoln recognized this book. Uncle Tom's Cabin caused tensions to skyrocket between abolitionists and the people who wanted slavery. The book was banned in the South. -
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Bleeding Kansas
Bleeding Kansas
This was a time span when there was a lot of violence over deciding if Kansas would be a free or slave state. The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 started this when they allowed Kansas to decide if it would be free or slave. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
Kansas-Nebraska Act
This act created Kansas and Nebraska allowing new lands to be settled. It let settlers decide if they wanted to be free or slave states. This led to Bleeding Kansas causing tensions and violence between the North and the South. The North felt that if the Compromise of 1820 was ignored the Compromise of 1850 would be ignored too. -
Ostend Mainifesto
Ostend Manifesto
This mainifesto said that the United States should take Cuba by force if Spain refused to give it to us. Southerners were for the document, but it was strongly opposed by Northerners, they believed it was a plan to extend slavery. -
Caning of Charles Sumner
Caning of Charles Sumner
Congressman Preston Brooks of South Carolina attacked Senator Charles Sumner of Massachusetts with a cane. Sumner spoke out in disapproval against the violence the Southerners were causing in Kansas, this made Brooks very angry. The North kept Sumner's seat open waiting for him to get well. The South had celebrations and sent Brooks new canes in memory of this event. This outraged the North more than the caning itself. -
Dred Scott Decision
Dred Scott Decision
Dred Scott lost a case that he should be free because he had been a slave in a free state. The Court ruled against him because he had not owned property. This caused abolitionists to increase their efforts to fight against slavery. -
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Transcontinental Railroad
Transcontinental Railroad
The First Transcontinental Railroad was built between 1863 and 1869. It joined the east and west of the United States. It was used for trade, commerce, and travel. This railroad was being built during the Civil War.
