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Cotton Gin
The picking of cotton was too expensive. Slaves would cost more than the amount of profit slave owners would make. However, when Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin, they went from 750,000 bales a year to exporting 2.85 million bales by 1850. This lead to the Civil War by greatly expanding the need for slaves because cotton became profitable. -
Louisiana Purchase
The Lousiana Purchase, bought from France by Thomas Jefferson, nearly doubled the size of the US. There was a lot more land, however, people didn't know what to do with it. This lead to the Civil War because once states started to form people fought over which states would be for free, and which would be slave. -
Tariff of Abominations
This was a tax that made the trade of cotton for low imported goods from Europe heavily taxed. John C. Calhoun, the Vice President at the time, was displeased with the tariff so much that he tried to nullify it. This lead to the Civil War because it made the South feel like if they were being taken advantage of. The tariff made it difficult for the South to purchase items they couldn't produce. -
Nat Turners Rebellion
This was a revolt led by Nat Turner which killed up to 60 whites. This greatly angered the Southeners. This led them to attack and even kill innocent slaves. Tensions were high between slaves, Southeners, and Northeners. This lead to the Civil War because it installed fear into Southeners which later lead to hate of both slaves and Abolitionists who were thought of as the cause of these revolts. -
Mexican Cession
A lot of Mexican lands were added to the US. People were worried that the balance of free states and slave states would be affected. When David Wilmot porposed the Wilmot Proviso it settled the dispute. This lead to the Civil War because it finally upset the balance of the Senate and the South felt that slavery would be threated because of it. -
Popular Sovereignity
This idea allowed states to vote on whether they wanted to be a Slave or Free state. Stephen Douglas strongly supported this idea. However, when people get to argue over what they want, they will eventually fight over what they want. This of course added even more tension between the north and the south. Eventually it lead to the Civil War because there were battles and deaths of Americans on both sides of the arguement regarding whether a state would be free or not. -
Uncle Tom's Cabins
When Harriet Beecher Stowe published her book she opened the eyes of many Americans. Her book was based on how bad Southeners treated their slaves. Abraham Lincoln even said "Harriet was the little girl who started the big war." This lead to the Civil War because it made many northeners who have never seen a slave believe that all slave owners were horrible people. Also, the South felt insulted because they believed the book portrayed their behavior in a way that wasn't true. -
Kansas Nebraska Act
Kansas and Nebraska were going to become states but they left their Free or Slave status up to majority vote. This lead to heated arguements which led to a civil war in Kansas. This battle was later named Bleeding Kansas. In these battles John Brown killed and chopped up a couple of slave owners. This lead to the Civil War because it was American blood that was spilled on American soil. This was one of the first times the North and South fought with a toll of death. -
Dred Scott vs. Stanford
Dred Scott was a slave who was taken into free state territories by his owner. He pleaded to the Supreme Court that he deserved to be free. However, John Marshall stated that slaves are property and therefore wherever they go they will remain a slave. This lead to the Civil War because the Northeners were extremely angry at how a human being was considered property. Also, the outcome proved that Congress couldn't prohibit slavery in free territories. -
Election of President Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln said he wouldn't mess with the current slave states. However, he didn't believe in expanding slave states into the west. Before his inagauration seven Southern stated declared secession. His election of President was the last straw for the South. There was so much tension and discussion over slavery that his election lead to the Civil War because the South couldn't accept a President from the North.