-
Period: to
Conflicts Leading Up to the Civil War
-
The Wilmot Proviso 1846
The Wilmot proviso was designed to try and stop the spread of slavery to the new territory acquired from the Mexican War. The proviso brought about even more separation between the pro-slavery vs anti slavery states, along with creating a political rift between democrats which contributed to the creation of a republican party. -
Compromise of 1850
This documented contained 5 laws that were passed in 1850 that dealt with the issue of slavery. It was created to avoid a crisis between the North and South over California being added as a free state which would cause an uneven balance of free and slave states. To fix the balance California was added as a free state along with Utah and New Mexico being added as territories that could choose if they were to be free or slave through popular sovereignty. -
Fugitive Slave Act 1850
The Fugitive Slave Act was a federal law that stated that, any run away slave in territory of the US must be captured and returned to their owners.This act was to be upheld by all citizens along with law enforcement and brought about harsh penalties for people who helped slaves or interfered with the capture of slaves.The act was highly controversial, which led to the Northern states passing special legislation to avoid it, which upset Southern slave owners who were trying to get slaves back. -
Release of the Book "Uncle Toms Cabin" 1852
Harriet Beecher Stowe's goal in writing this book was to show the evils of slavery in a personal way to American citizens and to try and persuade people to join the anti-slavery cause.The book was extremely controversial, in the North it was a family book and, hardened peoples feelings against slavery.The South however it was denounced and in some places illegal to own the book.The book brought about even more talks about slavery that showed the North and South's very clear and opposing views. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act 1854
The Kansas-Nebraska Act stated that people in Nebraska and Kansas could decide if they were going to be slave or free.The North strongly opposed this because they thought the Missouri Compromise should be upheld,the South supported the act.Pro and anti slavery groups flooded to Kansas to effect the vote.The vote said Kansas would be a slave state,anti-slave groups tried to hold another election, but the pro groups refused to vote and conflict broke out, leading Kansas to be called Bloody Kansas. -
Dred Scott Decision 1857
Dred Scott was a slave who was trying gain freedom legally. The Supreme court denied him freedom and said the no person of African blood will be a citizen. This directly opposed the Missouri Compromise which outraged people in the North and became a rallying point and strength for Northerners in the election of Abraham Lioncoln -
John Brown's Raid 1859
John Brown was an anti-slavery Jay-hawker who organized a raid with his sons on a government arsenal in Harpers Ferry, Virginia. His goal was to steal weapons and give them to slaves to try and start a slave rebellion. Brown achieved his goal of capturing the arsenal, but was quickly defeated and captured. He was tried for treason, found guilty, and executed. In the North he was seen as a martyr while in the he was seen as a criminal. -
Election of Abraham Lincoln 1860
Abraham Lincoln was elected in 1860 by a lot, even though in some places in the South he wasn't even included on the ballot. South Carolina before the election said that if Lincoln became president they would secede from the Union, which is exactly what they did, setting off a domino effect of states seceding from the Union. -
Secession of Confederate States 1860-1861
South Carolina was the first state to secede from the Union on December 20,1860. They were then followed by Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and Texas on February 8, 1861. They became the Confederate States of America with its capitals being Montgomery, Alabama and its president Jefferson Davis. The secession led to the Union fighting the secession of the states causing the civil war. -
Battle of Fort Sumter 1861
On April 12, 1861 the confederate army, led by General P.G.T Beauregard, open fired on Fort Sumter which was controlled by the Union and under the command of Major Robert Anderson who forced to surrender the fort on April 13 and he evacuated on the 14th. This was the first battle of the Civil War.
