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Events leading to the Civil War
These events promoted bitter hostility between the North and South which ultimately resulted in war. -
Missouri Compromise of 1820
Missouri's application for statehood to become a slave state sparked severe political tension. The issue of slavery was a major issue between the North and South. To make political leaders happy, Missouri became a slave state but Maine became a free state. Anything above the 36-30 line was considered free and anything below was considered a slave territory. This compromise brought further issues involving slavery. -
Nat Turner Rebellion
Nat Turner's rebellion was an uprising of slaves against white landowners because of the poor working conditions slaves had to endure. This insurrection of slaves brought a sense of fear against white landowners all across the South. -
Wilmot Proviso
An effort by David Wilmot to prohibit the practice of slavery in the west after the Mexican American War. All attempts to end slavery were unsuccessful. This caused much political tension. -
Compromise of 1850
The compromise prevented further territorial expansion of slavery while strengthening the fugitive slave act, a law which compelled northerners to seize and return escaped slaves back to the South. -
Dred Scott case
Case involving the Missouri Compromise of 1820. Dred Scott was a slave in a slave state and moved up North because his master moved up North. However, Dred Scott was still viewed as property and the 36-30 no longer became effective. Dred Scott was forced to become a slave again. This caused major issued between Republicans and Democrats. The Supreme Court ruled this decision. -
John Brown's Raid
This event occurred in Virginia. In response to Bleeding Kansas, John Brown caused a insurrection where he stole fire arms to give to blacks to try and defeat landowners and other whites. He was later stopped and hung for his "crime". -
Bleeding Kansas
The Kansas- Nebraska Act of 1854 allowed the citizens living in Kansas and Nebraska to chose whether they want to be a free or slave state. Both pro-slavery and anti-slavery groups fled to Kansas to try and persuade people living in Kansas to make a decision about the issue of slavery. This caused a group of anti- slavery protestors to kill pro-slavery supporters. -
Election of Abraham Lincoln
The election of Abraham Lincoln proved to be a major downfall for Democrats. Lincoln's primary goal was to preserve the Union and not immediately end slavery.