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Missouri Compromise
When Missouri was about to become a state, the north and south were having tensions about whether it would be a slave state or a free state. Henry Clay had an idea to solve this problem. Since Maine was also about to become a state, Clay decided that it was going to be a free state and Missouri would become a slave state. To settle all other tensions about free and slave state, Henry made a line under Missouri, and all above it would become free states and all under it would become slave states. -
The Nullification Crisis
Andrew Jackson created a tariff when he became president, and the southern states, like South Carolina, felt like it only supported the north. John Calhoun said that the states could nullify a national law that they felt was unconstitutional, but when the federal government denied that right, South Caroline threatened to secede. Henry Clay then created a compromise that lowered the tariff so both sides were happy. -
Compromise of 1850
After the Mexican War, there were once again tensions over whether the new territory would be slave territory or free territory. Henry Clay, again, created a compromise to solve this issue. He said that California would become a free state and the slave trade next to Washington D.C. would end, and the rest of the New Mexico territory would not be controlled slavery-wise by the federal government. -
Fugitive Slave Act of 1850
This law was passed by Congress and permitted people like slave catchers to capture freed slaves and take them back to the South. This act convinced many abolitionists that radical measures were necessary to end slavery. This law created more tension, and lead to John Brown and the Civil War. -
Bleeding Kansas
Before Kansas was going to become a state, it was going to have an election of whether to become a free or slave state. Since the South wanted it to become proslavery, people in Missouri went to Kansas illegally and claimed they lived there just to vote since they lived right next to Kansas. As a result, Kansas become proslavery. After this there was lots of tension and even some fighting, and because of these attacks John Brown, an extreme abolitionist, killed some proslavery people. -
Dred Scott Decision
Dred Scott was a slave who sued his owner for freedom. He argued that since he was free and living in a free territory that he should be free. The government ruled and declared that Dred was not free, and that African Americans were not considered citizens in the constitution. Dred Scott was his owners property and could not be taken without due process of law. -
Attack on Harpers Ferry
John Brown wanted to inspire slaves to start fighting for their own freedom. He wanted to capture the arsenal at the army base in Harpers Ferry so that the slaves could use those weapons to fight. John sent out the word to slaves, but when the day came, no one joined him. He and his men were captured and 10 people were killed. When he was put to death, tensions rose to the breaking point over slavery. -
Election of 1860
Abraham Lincoln won this election. He claimed that he would do nothing to abolish slavery in the south, but no one believed him. When he won the election, southern states began to to secede.
