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Missouri Compromise
As tensions heightened and abolition was gaining support, people started to become concerned with the growth of slavery in the south. Many debates had been made, and Henry Clay settled the problem by saying that Maine would be a free state and Arkansas would me open to slavery. This helped keep the balance between the free and slave states. -
The Nullification Crisis
After the passing of tariff laws, states such as South Carolina felt that they were being treated unfairly and how the laws only benefited North. John C. Calhoun stated that any country could void a federal law that seems unconstitutional, yet the federal government denied South Carolina's argument that they had that power, and this caused South Carolina to threaten to secede. This is where Henry Clay shows up with another compromise that lowered the tariff. -
Compromise of 1850
After the Mexican-American war, congress had many debates on whether the new territories would be admitted as free or slave states. This is where Henry Clay came in.He made the Compromise of 1850, and it stated that California would be admitted as a free state, Slave trade would be abolished in Washington DC., and Congress would not banish slavery from the rest of the new territories. Some people thought that the Compromise helped save the Union. -
Fugitive Slave Act of 1850
This Fugitive Slave Act said that Slaves that had escaped to the north and were found HAD to be returned back to their slave owners. This Act made many people outraged, and convinced John Brown that action had to be taken. This was also one of the many reasons to start the Civil War. -
Bleeding Kansas 1855
Before Kansas were to enter the union, there would be an election that would determine whether Kansas would be considered a slave or a free state. 5,000 people from nearby pro slavery Missouri came and voted for slavery illegally. And as a result, Kansas became a slave state. Anti-slavery opponents started their own governments, it was attacked by pro slavery forces, and this led to John Brown murdering 5 slave owners. -
Dred Scott Decision
Dred Scott was a slave who sued for his freedom. He thought that by using the fact that he lived in free territory, he should be free, but the court did not think like that. They stated the Following
-Scott was not free based on his residence.
-African Americans were not considered free according to the Constitution when it was drafted in 1857.
-Slaves were property -
Attack on Harpers Ferry
John Brown decided to use the slaves and build up a rally to fight against their slave owners on the arsenal, but none followed. Because Brown was short on men, he was captured and then executed. Abolitionists honored John Brown when he died, and tensions were raised in American. -
The Election of 1860
Abraham Lincoln gets elected for president despite what he said about not doing anything to abolish slavery in the south. Short after he wins the election, Southerners start to secede from the United States.
