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Missouri Compromise
In Congress, there was a debate over Missouri. James Tallmadge came up with the Tallmadge Amendnment that stated that it could enter the Union only as a free state. This won in the House but not in the Senate. Later when Maine decided to enter the Union as a free state, Missouri was named into the union as a slave state. Congress also drew a line at latitude 36º 30'. North of the line, slavery was banned and South of the line, slaveholding was permitted. -
Congress Passes "Gag Rule"
Congress voted to table alll anti-slavery petitions. Abolitionists called this the 'gag rule" because it gagged all congressional debate over the issue of slavery. -
The Compromise of 1850
Henry Clay, from Kentucky, came up with the Compromise of 1850. This compromise admitted California to the Union as a free state, New Mexico and Utah would be territories open to slavery, end the slave trade in D.C, and called for a passage of a strong fugitive slave law. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
Senator Stephen A. Douglas introduced a bill into Congress that aroused an even greater furor. In his final bill, it created two new territories, Kansas and Nebraska. It also scrapped the Missouri Compromise by leaving it up to settlers themselves to vote on whether to permit slavery in the two territories. Douglas called this rule by the people. Northerners were outraged. He tried to calm them by saying the climate was not suited for slave labor, but maps were studied and they werent so sure. -
The Dred Scott Case
Dred Scott traveled with his owner to Wisconsin, where slavery was banned by the Missouri Compromise. When he returned to Missouri, he went to court to win his freedom. He argued that his stay in Wisconsin made him free. Two bombshells were dropped in court by Cheif Justice Roger Taney: African Americans, slave or free, was an American citizen-or could ever become one. He also said that taking away slaves was a violation of the 5th Amendment, since slaveholders consider slaves as property. -
The Dred Scott Case (cont.)
Rather than banning slavery, Congress has a constituitional responsibility to protect the property rights of slaveholders -
The Election of 1860
The 1860 presidental election showed just how divided the nation had become. While the Republicans were united behind Lincoln, the Democrats were split between northern and southern factions. Northern Democrats nominated Stephen Douglas. Southern Democrats supported John C. Breckinridge of Kentucky. It was even more confusing when a group called the Constitutional Union Party nominated John Bell of Tennesse. With his opposition split in 3 ways, Lincoln sailed to victory. South became a minority. -
The Attack on Fort Sumter
A month after Lincoln became president of the not-so United Sates, hotheads in Charleston, South Carolina opened fire on Fort Sumter, a federal fort in Charleston Harbor. After 33 hours of heavy shelling, the defenders took down their flag of stars and stripes and replaced it with a white flag of surrender. The time for compromise was over. The issues that had divided the nation for many years would now be decided over war.
