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(14) Missouri Compromise
Pro-slavery Missouri applied for statehood in 1818. Missouri was the first to apply for statehood west of the Mississippi River. Caused controversy over the imbalance of power between free and slave states. Henry Clay proposed that Congress admit Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state to preserve balance. The Senate added on the 36' 30' lat line with slave states south and free north of line. This is important because it increased sectional feelings between the north and the south. -
(15) Mexican American War
Texas annexation started the tension. President Polk sent Slidell to negotiate California and New Mexico selling: Mexico refused. General Taylor with army went down across the Rio Grande: many killed, giving an excuse to declare war. Whigs opposed the war. Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ended the war by recognizing the Rio Grande border, giving CA and NM to the U.S, in return giving $15 million and paying off Mexican debt. This is important because it helped Americans fulfill "manifest destiny." -
(13) Wilmot Proviso
The Mexican-American war was a cause for many controversies on the balance of slave and free territory. In the first year of the war, David Wilmot (a Pennsylvania Congressman) proposed an appropriations bill to forbid slavery in new territory claimed from Mexico. It passed the House twice but was ultimately struck down by the Senate. This is significant because it is the base for how the Republican party was formed and it caused fear in the south of the north taking too much control. -
(7) Fugitive Slave Law
The law persuaded many Southerners to accept the loss of California to abolitionists and Free-Soilers. North hated the law, but they were forced to follow it creating tension between North and South. The law's main purpose was to track down runaway slaves who had escaped to the North, kidnap them, and return them to the South. Fugitive slave cases were exclusively federal government cases. This is important because it enraged the North for having to participate in pro-slavery actions by law. -
(8) Compromise of 1850
California drafted its own constitution that banned slavery after the gold rush. President Taylor supported the decision. Talk of secession in the South, so Henry Clay created a compromise. Involved admitting CA as a free state, dividing the territory into Utah and New Mexico and allowing settlers popular sovereignty, assuming Texas's debt, banning the slave trade, and adopting a fugitive slave law. The law was passed. This is important because it increased sectionalism feelings. -
(10) "Uncle Tom's Cabin"
It was an anti-slavery book called "Uncle Tom's Cabin" written by a Northern writer Harriet Beecher Stowe. It was about a slave (Tom) and master. The book portrayed slave owners as inhumane monsters. Southerners claimed the book to be untrue and looked at it as just more prejudiced against them from the North. President Lincoln met Stowe and stated, "So you're the little woman who wrote the book that made this great war." This is important because it enraged the South being painted as villains. -
(9) Kansas-Nebraska Act (Popular Sovereignty)
Douglas created a plan to build a transcontinental railroad for western expansion. He wanted a divide in territory into Kansas and Nebraska, allowing people to decide whether to be a slave or free place (pop sov). Popular sovereignty is where the U.S. allows people of territories to vote on decisions. This violated the Missouri Compromise allowing slavery above the line, North claimed "slave power." This is important because it created an imbalance of free and slave power. -
(6) "Bleeding Kansas" (Charles Sumner Attacked)
The Kansas-Nebraska Act caused violent arguments about whether or not slavery should be permitted in the west. The Democratic Party split and the formation of the Republican Party. Nebraska was north enough, but Kansas was on the border with Missouri which caused the debate. New England abolitionists sent the Emigrant Aid Company to protect anti-slavery values. Kansas became a free state, but not under the union. This is important because it led to an increase in abolitionist feelings. -
(16) LeCompton Constitution
Buchanan's first challenge was to decide whether Kansas could be a proslavery state. Buchanan knew the Kansas constitution did not have much support from settlers. However, he still asked Congress to pass it and accept Kansas as a state. Congress didn't because Douglas and the Democrats rejected it. Next year, the proslavery document was rejected by Kansas antislavery Republican settlers. This is important because it protected slaveholding in the west, angering the north. -
(3) Dred Scott v. Sandford
The sectional crisis in the 1850s was partly a product of the Northern anger of the pro-slavery decision in the Scott case. Scott, a slave in Missouri, was taken to free Wisconsin. Scott argued that his residency on free soil made him a free man. Chief Justice Taney decided against Scott because African Americans weren't citizens, slaves were property, and the Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional. This is important because the North viewed it as a way to stop the debate about slavery. -
(12) Lincoln-Douglas Debates
Douglas was running for senator of Illinois along with Abe Lincoln. Lincoln was unknown compared to the "Little Giant." Lincoln was not an abolitionist but was against slave western expansion. "If slavery is not wrong, nothing is wrong." Lincoln gave a "house divided" speech that won him fame. Made Southerners view him as a radical. Douglas won reelection but lost support for Southern Democrats. Lincoln emerged as a national Rep. figure. This is important because it pushed Lincoln's popularity. -
(4) John Brown's Raid on Harpers Ferry
Brown confirmed the South's fears by starting a slave revolt in Virginia. He led an attack on a federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry. His plan was to use the guns to arm slaves. Robert E. Lee and troops captured Brown and the slaves. Brown and six others were convicted and hanged. Republican leaders and moderates didn't like Brown's violence. Brown was made a martyr by many antislave Northerners. This is important because it propelled slave revolt fear in the South. -
(11) Crittenden Compromise
Senator John Crittenden proposed a constitutional amendment that guaranteed the right to hold slaves south of 36' 30'. Lincoln didn't accept the compromise because it went against the Republicans against the expansion of slavery into the territories. Southern white voted for secession. They argued that they deserved national independence just like in the American Revolution. This is important because it decreased the territory that the south could practice slavery in the west. -
(1) Election of 1860
This presidential election would be a test to see if the union could survive. Many Democrats wanted Doublas as a candidate, but others wanted Buchanan. Southern Democrats then held their own convention voting for John C. Breckinridge. Republicans nominated Abraham Lincoln over William Seward. Fearing a Republican win, the Constitutional Union party was formed. Lincoln won with electoral votes. This is important because it increased talks of southern secession with Rep. candidate Lincoln winning. -
(2) South Carolina secedes from the Union
The Republicans didn't control Congress or the Supreme Court. A special convention in December 1860 held by the south all decided to secede after Lincoln's election. The South constitution would be based on the U.S. constitution except the Confederacy limited the government more. Elected president was Jefferson Davis and vice president Alexander Stephens. This is important because it started the division of Union and Confederacy in America. -
(5) Attack on Ft. Sumter
Fort Sumter, in the port of Charleston, South Carolina, was cut off supplies and reinforcements. Lincoln sent provisions of food to a federal garrison. He gave SC the choice of either opening up the fort or the Union would open fire. SC refused to back down and opened fire. The fort was captured after only two days and the Union united under the belief that they had to save the Union. This is important because it was the first battle between the south and north starting the Civil War.