-
The Missouri Compromise
The Missouri Compromise of 1820 divided the territory between the south slave states and north free states with the 36° 30' line, with the exception of Missouri being being a slave state. This was an attempt to stop the expansion of slavery. This compromise was broken 34 years later which created tension between the north and south. -
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
The treaty ended the war with Mexico as well as gained new territories for the United States. The new territory was disuputed between the north and south as being either slave territory or free territory, causing more tension. -
Wilmot's Proviso
The Proviso was an attempt to ban slavery in the territory gained from Mexico. It passed the house but the southerners voted against it, and it never became a law. This created tension between the north and south because the south was now convinced that the north would soon gain control of the senate and abolish slavery. -
Fugitive Slave Act
Under the compromise of 1850, the fugitive slave act instructed slave owners to pursue their run-away slaves in the north. Northerners were outraged by the fact that the south was forcing free Blacks back into slavery on their own door-steps. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
Southern Democrats and their Northern Allies passed the Kansas -Nebraska Act in 1854. This act repealed the Missouri compromise, The Kansas-Nebraska act introduced the idea of popular sovereignty, which allowed for the people of the territory to vote on the slavery issue. This allowed for the option of slavery in all territories. This could benefit both the north and south, but still created more tension between the two. -
Republican Party
The northern outrage over "Bleeding Kansas led to the creation of the Republican Party in 1855. Its main goal was to restrict slavery in the nation which the south did not support. -
Breakdown of the Two-Party System
After the rise of the Republican Party, the Democrats increasingly represented the south and the Republicans represented the north. This led to the end of the relationship between the north and south. -
"Bleeding Kansas"
-
Dred Scott Case
In 1857 the supreme court was ruled mainly by the south, who ruled that congress could not restrict slavery because slaves were considered property and the government was unable to take the property away. The north began to fear that slavery would be legalized everywhere. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin
Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote an anti slavery novel which had a big impact on the north and south because it showed the realities of how slaves were treated. The north's eyes were opened and the south made claims that the novel was a false assumption of what really happened. -
Lincoln - Douglass Debate
In 1858 Stephen Douglass and Abraham Lincoln had one of the biggest debates in American History. Lincoln stated that 'A house divided against itself canot stand' and Douglass argued for popular sovereignty. With Douglass being a Democrat and Lincoln a Republican, the south knew that if Lincoln won, slavery would eventually be abolished. -
The Actions of John Brown
John Brown initiated a plan to start a slave revolt in Harper's Ferry, VA. It failed miserably but the south were sure that the north was ready to give the slaves knives to kill their masters, which created tension between the north and south as the owners feared for their lives. -
1860 Presidential Election
The election was between the anti-slavery republican Lincoln, and the pro-slavery democrat Breckinridge. If Lincoln won the south knew that slavery would be abolished and with the vast population in the north thats exactly what happened. -
The Crittenden Compromise
The compromise was the last effort by the south to save the union by attempting to return the missouri compromise of the 36/30 line. The compromise failed and south realized it was over unless they would fight. -
Fort Sumter
After the succession of the 11 states, the federal government turned over most of the forts, except Sumter. The south was mad over this and attacked the fort. Lincoln called for volunteers instigating a war. This caused 4 more states to seceed from the Union. -
Violence Between Congressman and Senator
Congressman Preston Brooks beat Senator Charles Summer with a cane after Sumner attacked the institution of slavery in his speech. The beating caused the north to become appauled and the south supported it. Even the 'role models' werent acting appropriately.
