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Missouri Compromise of 1820
The Missouri Compromise of 1820 was an effort by Congress to spread out the sectional and political rivalries sparked off by the request of Missouri late in 1819 for admission as a state in which slavery would be permitted. At the time, the United States contained twenty-two states, evenly divided between slave and free. This event definitely increased the tension between the North and South because it was more divisional between the free slave states and non-slave states. -
Nat Turner's Slave Revolt
A slave named Nat Turner wanted him and other slaves to have freedom so he and other slaves rebelled that took place in Southampton County, Virginia, during August 1831. Turner and others killed 55 to 65 people, the largest and deadliest slave uprising in U.S. history. This event greatly increased tensions between whites and blacks across the South because trust no longer occurred. -
Texas Annexation of 1844
Texas seceded from Mexico and declared independence in response to Mexican abolition of slavery. US annexes Texas because Southern states support Texas slavery. The North feared expansion of slavery and war with Mexico. This increased tension in the North because they feared that they were going into another war. -
Compromise of 1850
The Compromise of 1850 prevented the Civil War by instating the Fugitive Slave Act, banning slave trade in DC, declaring California as a free state, splitting up the Texas territory, and bringing popular sovereignty in the Mexican Cession. However, this Compromise did build tension between the two groups of states over the concept of slavery and union. -
Dred Scott Supreme Court Decision
Dred Scott was a slave in Missouri. His owner, an army doctor, took him to the North where slavery was illegal. Dred Scott sued for his freedom after his owner died. The Supreme Court stated that Scott could not sue because he was an African-American slave who was not considered a citizen because of his race. Slaves were property. Owners were allowed to take their property wherever they wanted. This increased tension between slaves and the north and south because slaves were furious. -
Election of 1860
Abraham Lincoln, the Republican candidate, won because the Democratic party was split over slavery. As a result, the South no longer felt like it had a voice in politics and a number of states broke away from the Union. This increased tension because Lincoln did not receive a single southern vote but yet he was still elected into office, which therefore the South did not get a say in who was President and that caused great tension.
