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Missouri Compromise
This event involved Henry Clay. The government made an effort to stop fights taking place when Missouri wanted to be a slave state. The Missouri Compromise was made to create a balance between slave states and free states. Eventually, the North and South became separated. -
1846, Wilmot Proviso
This event involved David Wilmot. The US acquired a new territory from Mexico during the Mexican War (Texas). It was to be decided whether the territory should be a slave state or a free state. -
Compromise of 1850
The Compromise of 1850 was a series of laws passed by the government to solve problems with slavery. The Compromise was made up of five laws that addressed slavery-related issues. The five laws were; Congress would make California a free state, the people of New Mexico and Utah would decide to be a free state or slave state for themselves, slave trade would end in Washington D.C, Congress would pass new fugitive slave laws, Texas would get $10 million in exchange for its claims. -
Fugitive Slave Act
This law allowed officials to arrest any person accused of being a runaway slave. The suspects could not have a trial. It was enforced because Senator Calhoun wanted to convince Northerners that slaveholders had rights to their property. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin
Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote a book called, "Uncle Tom's Cabin". She wrote the book to reveal slavery's cruelness. Lots of people read the book and realized slavery needed to be abolished. -
Kansas Nebraska Act/Bleeding Kansas
The Kansas Nebraska Act was when a debate over slavery took place between Kansas and Nebraska. Then Stephen Douglas made the Kansas Nebraska act. This allowed the states to decide whether they were free or slave states by popular sovereignty. -
Dred Scott Case
The slave Dred Scott was sued for his freedom. Scott claims that he lived with his owner in two places where slavery was illegal which led Scott to believe that he is a free man. Chief Justice Roger B. Taney was the one who made a decision on Scott's case. In the end, Dred Scott remained a slave. -
Lincoln Douglas Debate
The event involves Lincoln and Douglas. (Lincoln was Republican and Douglas was a Democrat.) They debated over the states that should be slave states and free states and if the states should decide for themselves. Douglas won the event. -
John Brown's Raid
The event involves John Brown and his followers. He wanted freedom for all slaves so he took action. John Brown and his group were terrorists who attacked the town, Harper's Ferry, Virginia. Ten of his soldiers were killed. John Brown believed the Bible told him to care for the enslaved, but he took it too far. Eventually, John Brown was sentenced to death. -
Lincoln's Election of 1860
In the battle between Douglas and Lincoln, Lincoln was the one who decided to take a stand. The Republicans which Lincoln was apart of, criticized slavery, while others had a totally different take on slavery. The election of Lincoln inspired the secession of the southerners -
Southern Secession
This event involves Abraham Lincoln and the southern states. The South was angry about Lincoln's election as president so they seceded from the US. This event started the Civil War.