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The Missouri Compromise
The Missouri Compromise restricted slavery anywhere above the 36/30 line, besides Missouri itself. This prevented the spread of slavery into new territories. Southerners, however, were angered because they wanted to maintain the balance between slave states and free states, so the Missouri Compormise slowly started dissolving away with Southern force. -
War with Mexico
After the war with Mexico, AMericans were fufilling their manifest destiny by signing the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, gaining more land, allowing the creation of new slave territory south of the 36/30 line. -
Wilmot's Proviso
Congressman David Wilmont caused southern upraor when he proposed a ban in slavery from all the new territory aquired from the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848. Southerners were convinced the North wanted to eventually abolish slavery completely and would take over the Senate to do so. Relations between the two regions were damaged greatly. -
Fugitive Slave Act of 1850
Along with the Compormise of 1850, the Fugitive Slave Act was put in place. The Northerners and free slaves were especially angered because they were required to capture runaway slaves. This act denied the the right to a jury trail to fugitive slaves. Single special commissioners were paid to decide if they were free or not, but would be paid more if a fugitive were found, creating an unfair decision- free blacks could easily be put back into slavery. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin
Uncle Tom's Cabin, an anti-slavery novel written by Harriet Breecher Stowe in 1852, opened to the USA the truths of slavery. Northerners became exposed to the knowledge of the harsh conditions of Slavery and truely became against it, leaning toward abolition, upsetting the South immensely. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
In 1854, the Missouri Compormise was repealed and the Kansas-Nebraska Act was passed. This act allowed for popular soverignty to decide whether or not slavery would be allowed in any territory. This act would make it possible for slavery to spread in any territory, as long as the majority wanted it. The anger over this new act from the Notherners led to the formation of the Republican Party. -
Bleeding Kansas
After the Kansas-Nebraska Act was passed, popular soverignty was put to the test to determine the fate of slaves in Kansas. The residents of Kansas would have to vote to deicde if the state of Kansas allow or disallow slavery. Unfortunately, people living in Missouri, a neighboring state that allowed slavery, crossed the border, upset over abolotionistic viewpoints of Northerns living in Kansas. Eventually, hundreds of were killed over the dispute over slavery, known as "Bleeding Kansas". -
Formation of the Republican Party
As the Northerners grew more agitated by the violence of the Southern slave-owners and supporters, a new party from different groups of the Whigs began to form called the Republican Party. The main belief of the Republican Party was that slavery should be abolished and restricted in all territories. The South, however, grew even more agitated by the Republicans and saw the formation of the party as a forwarning for war. -
Two-Party System
After the rise of the Republican party in the North 1855, the Democratic party began to gain popularity in the South. Since the two regions were being more split, for the Republicans and Democrats did not have to run against anyone else often, the opions on slavery of the cadidates became increasingly radical. -
Viloence Between Congressman Brooks and Senator Sumner
On May 22, 1856, Congressman Preston Brooks, a supporter a slavery, beat Senator Charles Sumner with a cane. Brooks, deeply offended from a anti-slavery speech given by Sumner, viciously beat Sumner to a pulp , who spent four years recovering from the wounds. As Southerners were impressed and supportive of Brooks' actions, Northerners could feel nothing but hate. Not only were the people of America becoming torn, but elected officials, the so-called role models of the USA couldn't control themse -
Dred Scott Case
In 1857, the majority of the Supreme Court contained Southerners, who ruled that congress could not restrict slavery anywhere because slaves were property and the government could not take their property away. Northerners began to fear slavery being legalized everywhere, strengthening the Republican Party. -
Lincoln-Douglas Debates of 1858
In 1858, two candidates, Lincoln and Douglas, debated for the Illinois vote. The two had two different opinions on the institution of slavery. Lincoln believing the US must decide to be completely for or against slavery because the Us would fail as a country otherwise. This was percieved as a threat from Lincoln to the South, saying if he was elected theer would either be a war or abolition of slavery- or both. Douglas argued for popular soverignty, but was not elected. -
Actions of John Brown
John Brown was an abolitionist who plotted a slave revolt without success. Southerners were distrought by this idea and gre more paranoid that Northerners were ready to equip slaves with weapons to kill their masters though he was hung as punishment, Northerners still appreciated his actions. -
1860 Presidential Election
In 1860, Lincoln was elected President of the USA by the high Northern populace. The South was deeply angered and knew theyr either had to abandon the union or abandon the idea of Slavery forever. -
Attack on Fort Sumter
After the success of 11 states, the federal government turned over most forts, except Fort Sumter. The South, angry over this unfair action, attacked the fort and officially opened hostilities between the North and South. Lincoln called for volunteers, instigating a war, causing four more states to seceed from the union. -
Crittenden Compromise
After the election of Lincoln, the Crittenden Compromise was an attempt created to please both sides of the spectrum. The compromise protected the Nothe from slavery, but allowed for the South of the 36/30 line to have slavery. Unfortunately, the North was determined to expand and rejected the idea.
