-
Missouri Compromise
The Missouri Compromise admitted Missouri into the United States as a slave state and Maine as a free state. This occurred at the same time so that the balance within the federal government would stay 50% slave and 50% free. This way neither side would have a majority rule within the government and threaten the other side. Additionally, it stated that slavery was no longer legal above the 36º 30' latitude line within the remainder of the Louisiana Territory. -
Wilmot Proviso
Wilmot Proviso was a failed proposal that stated that slavery would be illegal in any territory that was gained from Mexico after the Mexican-American War. The Northerns saw it as a method to keep blacks out of the new territories which would help smaller white settlers. The Proviso passed the House of Representatives, but failed to pass the Senate. A Georgian Senator warned that if it got passed, he would prefer disunion than 'degradation' hinting at the coming problems within the government. -
Compromise of 1850
The Compromise of 1850 admitted California into the United States as a free state. Unlike with the Missouri Compromise, no slave state was added along with it, tipping the scales within the government. In order to create compromise with the South, the territories of New Mexico and Utah were left to their own decisions on whether to legalize slavery or not. Additionally, the Fugitive Slave Act was amended to give more power to the South. It was officially released on the 18th. -
Fugitive Slave Act
The Fugitive Slave Act allowed for federal marshals to track down and return runaway slaves to their owners even if that reached safety within the North. They also had the ability to form a posse for these hunts, and refusal to join could add up to a $1,000 fine. In 1854, an ex slave names Anthony Burns was captured. In response, a Boston Mob broke into a courthouse and killed a guard in an attempt to rescue him. This and other abilities granted to the South angered the abolitionist. -
Uncle Tom’s Cabin
Uncle Tom's Cabin was written by Harriet Beecher Stowe and had weekly instalments in an anti-slavery newspaper. It focused on the life of a slave who changed owners after his first one died. While in the possession of his new owner, he was flogged to death because he refused to give the location of two fugitives. Eventually, this was reprinted as a whole book and sold over 300,000 copies in the first year. This novel helped shift some Northern mindsets and pushed more to support anti-slavery. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
The Kansas-Nebraska Act was an act that introduced Kansas and Nebraska to the United States. It repealed the Missouri Compromise in the fact that it allowed for the states themselves to vote whether or not they were going to allow slavery or not. Many people from Missouri were migrating down into these states, namely Kansas, to ensure the vote was tipped in favor of slaves. This clash of people created what became known as "Bleeding Kansas' as it was a time of great violence. -
Sack of Lawrence
Between the periods of 1855 to 1856, occurrences of strong violence happened throughout Kansas in response to the Kansas-Nebraska Act. Eventually, a pro-slavery group raided a Free State stronghold in Lawrence and burnt down some buildings. John Brown, a strong abolitionist, marched through Pottawatomie Creek with several of his sons and murdered five pro-slavery settlers. In both instances, the Northern press exaggerated what occurred which sparked even more violence and opinions on both sides. -
Scott v. Sandford
The Dred Scott case was a case in which Scott, a slave, traveled with his master to Illinois and Wisconsin before returning back to Missouri. Both Illinois and Wisconsin were free land, so Scott went before the court of Missouri to fight for his freedom. It eventually traveled up to the Supreme Court where they ruled that he was not free on the grounds that there was nothing against US citizens taking their 'property' to these areas. This angered the Northerners and they say it as a threat. -
Period: to
John Brown’s Raid
After the incidents in Kansas, John Brown wanted to do something more decisive for the abolitionist. He captured a federal arsenal at Harper's Ferry, Virginia where he planned to get weapons to start a slave revolt. His plan failed though as he was surrounded by state troops from both Virginia and Maryland. The siege lasted for 36-hours and a total of 17 people were killed and many were threatened as hostages. This event proved that the Southerners' worst fears were becoming reality. -
Election of 1860
The Election of 1860 was one of the final points before the Civil War broke out. Even in the South, divide was happening and citizens could not agree on who to elect for the Democratic party. Because of this, the party got divided between 2 delegates and both ran for president. Due to this, Lincoln was able to win due to the more united Northern front of the free states. The election of a Republican president opened the gate for succession within the South as the government was now Republican. -
Start of Civil War