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Underground Railroad
The underground railroad was a series of secret routes and homes established by Harriet Tubman. This was used by African-American slaves to escape slavery and to gain freedom. The underground railroad was highly praised by other slaves. This caused massive resettlement of African Americans and also caused slave owners to be even more strict. This was also used by other groups, such as the Quakers. (Red - Increased) The South did not want their slaves to escape from their masters. -
The Missouri Crisis
The Missouri Crisis and subsequent Compromise made clear how divisive an issue slavery could be in Congress. (Red - Increased) The South and the North increased issue between the continual confrontation of free states and slave states. -
Missouri Compromise of 1820
The Missouri Compromise was an effort made by the Congress to get rid of political rivalries triggered by the request of Missouri late in 1819 for admission as a state where slavery is permitted. This was significant because it set a pattern for the enlargement of United States without upsetting "free" and slave-holding. (Blue - Decreased) Both states agreed, causing no issues. -
William Garrison Publishes the Liberator
The Liberator, an antislavery newspaper published by William Lloyd Garrison, called for immediate emancipation of all slaves. (Red- Increased) The published newspaper about antislavery caused an uprising from the South. -
Nat Turner's Slave Revolt
Nat Turner's rebellion was a group of slaves trying to escape slavery by killing their owner. Nat Turner was the slave who started it. They went around gathering and busting slaves out of imprisonment of slavery.(Red - Increased) The South was furious after slaves killed people. -
Texas Annexation of 1844
The annexation of Texas amassed a large amount of land for the United States, but caused tensions between the United States and Mexico when finalized. Prior to annexation, Texas created disputes between Mexico and the United States. Texas gained independence from Mexico in 1836 and officially became part of the United States in 1845 under the leadership of President John Tyler, much to the dismay of Mexico. (Red - Increased) The North was against this, because Texas was a slave state. -
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Wilmot Proviso
The Proviso outlawed slavery in territory acquired by the U.S. as a result of the Mexican-U.S., which included most of the Southwest and extended all the way to California. Wilmot spent two years fighting for his plan. He attempted to attach it to the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. All his attempts at passing the Wilmot Proviso failed but it caused first thoughts of secession.(Red - Increased) The South was infuriated, with the effort to eliminate slavery at all. -
Fugitive Slave Law
This Act was passed as a part of the Compromise of 1850. This law stated that if a federal official didn't arrest a runaway they would be fined for their action. This forced abolitionists to put more effort against slavery. This Act forced underground railroads to help slaves have a safer escape route. (Blue - Decreased) A part of the Compromise of 1850, threatening the balance of power in the Senate. -
Compromise of 1850
War was resolved at service of the Compromise of 1850. This consisted of laws admitting California as a free state, questioned the creation of Utah and New Mexico territories, and ending slave trade in Washington D.C., and making it a whole lot easier for southerners to recover fugitive slaves.(Red - Increased) Threatened the balance of power in the Senate, and later caused battle in New territories by making the decision of slavery the citizens responsibility. -
Publication of Uncle Tom's Cabin
After this book was published, it was believed that it started the Civil War. This book caused people in the North to become much more opposed to slavery. This book also put faces on the slaves and slave owners.(Red- Influenced) The novel influenced the North's emotion about slavery, and gave more reason to oppose it. -
Formation of the Republican Party in 1854
Key anti-slave members of the Whig Party met in Ripon, Wisconsin and made the decision to formally created the Republican Party as the party to oppose slavery. (Blue - Decreased) This decreased the tension because the South wasn't involved. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
This bill allowed settlers of a territory to decide whether slavery would be allowed within a new state's borders. The conflicts arose between pro-slavery and anti-slavery. (Red - Increased) It served to repeal the Compromise of 1820, which created balance for both free and slave states, causing an uprising. -
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Bleeding Kansas
Bleeding Kansas was caused by the Kansas-Nebraska Act. This Act gave the two territories an option to become pro- or anti- slavery. So, many people from both sides migrated there to help decide which the state would be in terms of slavery. It was fairly even causing much violence. (Red- Increased) Issues being effected to resolve through violence confrontations. -
Dred Scott Supreme Court Decision
This day, the United States Supreme Court made a decision in the Dread Scott Case. The ruling at the end of this case gave the right of slave owners to take their slaves into western slavery. This was when black people were looked as of property, and not humans.(Red - Increased) The North was infuriated with the disrespect to African slaves, not being characterized as true U.S. citizens. -
Lincoln Douglass Debates
The main significance of the Lincoln-Douglas debates was that they brought Abraham Lincoln to prominence in the Republican Party, enabling him to secure the nomination to run for president in 1860. Even though Lincoln lost the election for senator of Illinois to Douglas after the debates, he defeated Douglas in the presidential election two years later.(Red- Increased) The North was with Lincoln, and the South was with Douglas. -
John Brown's Raid at Harper's Ferry
It convinced the South that the Abolitionists favored violent revolution, and they began to prepare for armed resistance. (Red - Increased) The South was mad because their slaves were trying to become disrespectful to their masters. The North supported. -
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 has a voice in politics and a number of states seceded from the Union. (Red - Increased) The Southern states wanted Breckinridge to win, but Lincoln won because he was an abolitionist.
