-
Cotton Gin
The cotton gin was one of the most vital inventions ever created 1700’s, for it dramatically increased the production of cotton. Considering how Eli Whitney created the device to help produce cotton much faster, it gave slave owners a reason to imbed more slaves. By imbedding more and more slaves, the South’s cotton production doubled by nearly half. With numerous slaves running the cotton gins, the production of cotton was not the only thing bound to be increased. -
3/5 Compromise
The ⅗ compromise was very detrimental to slave states, considering it dealt with how slaves would be counted when it came to states paying taxes. Seeing as how the slaves were not freemen, they were only counted for ⅗ of a free person. That being said, this allowed slaves the right to vote, but their vote would only be counted as ⅗ of a vote. Eventually the ⅗ compromise played a factor in the math of the civil war because it did not consider slaves as people, which lead to a massive controversy. -
Nat Turner
Nat Turner played a very important role in the events leading up to the civil war. Not only was he an African American slave, but he was to the person responsible for being the leader of a slave rebellion in August 1831. As part of the rebellion, Turner managed to kill 56 whites as a form of “revenge”. However, Turner was eventually caught. After being caught, Turner was convicted, sentenced to death, and hanged. -
Fugitive Slave Act
The Fugitive Slave Act was one of the most controversial acts of 1850, due to dealing with Southern slave holding and Northern free soilers. The act itself dealt with slaves, especially runaway slaves. This act stated that any captured runaway slaves must be returned to their masters, where they would continue to work. By returning the slaves to their masters, slaves would more than likely be punished by their masters. This lead up to the Civil War , becuase it dealt with runaway slaves. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin
Uncle Toms Cabin happened to be one of the best selling books back in the 1800’s, and eventually played impacted the Civil War greatly. Considering how Uncle Tom’s Cabin was a book written about the devastating feelings floating through a slave’s head. Written by Harriet Beecher Stowe herself, Stowe wrote the story revolving around a long suffering slave; Uncle Tom. Along with trying to depict the reality of slavery, Stowe also preached in her words how Christian love can overcome things. -
Dred Scott
Dred Scott was a fighter, and believed that if once enslaved in a free state, then you are a free slave. However, not many people seemed to agree with his belief. When Dred Scott was enslaved, he and his master has resided in Illinois, which at the time was a free state. Because of his residing, Scott (in his eyes) was considered a free man, so when he traveled to different states he went to the U.S. Court and demanded that he be a free man in other states. Unfortunately, his demand was invalid. -
Lincolns Election
Lincolns election was one of the most important things that could have lead to the Civil War itself. Seeing as how Lincoln was against en-slaving blacks and forcing them to do tedious work, Lincoln was frowned upon by Southerners. Lincoln caused such "deep south" states such as Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri, and Arkansas to declare themselves as a new nation. However, Lincoln refused to recognize the Confederacy.
