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Missouri Compromise
After Missouri was allowed as a slave state, a line was drawn west across the remainder of the country. It was meant to allow only free states to the North and slave states to the South. This created a line that divided the country, although it postponed the issue of balancing free and slave states. -
Nat Turner's Rebellion
In Southern Virginia, Nat Turner, a slave, started a rebellion that killed about 60 white people. It was the bloodiest rebellion yet. In response, further restrictions were placed on slaves, like limits to education, and it became more difficult for them to assemble. -
Lift of the Gag Rule in the House
The Gag Rule had been a tacit agreement not to talk about slavery in the House of Representatives. Now the topic was more open to discussion. -
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Mexican-American War
After the US accepted Texas into the country, a dispute about the border led to a war. The US won easily and gained a massive amount of land, which led to further conflict about whether or not slavery would be allowed in the new territories. -
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Wilmot Proviso
Proposed by David Wilmot, this would have banned slavery in all territory gained by the Mexican War. All of his attempts failed, but the debate started the first talk of secession. -
Compromise of 1850
Henry Clay and Stephen Douglas brokered this compromise, which prevented further expansion of slavery while strengthening the Fugitive Slave Act. It slowed down the development of the conflict between the North and South, but it also strengthened the divide. -
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Bleeding Kansas
Starting with the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which allowed for popular sovereignty to decide whether or not to allow slavery in these territories, pro- and anti-slavery factions emerged that violently struggled to enforce their ideas. Both territories eventually ratified anti-slavery constitutoins. This event shook the country with its violence. -
Ostend Manifesto
American ministers urged the US to take Cuba militarily if Spain refused to sell it. Many people in the North saw this as an attempt to extend slavery. -
Splitting of Kansas Government
Kansas elected to be pro-slavery, but, since the votes were messed with, an anti-slavery government also arose. -
Sack of Lawrence
Those who support the pro-slavery government of Kansas, Le Compton, burned some buildings in Lawrence, where the anti-slavery government was centered. This reflects how strongly some people felt about the slavery issue, that they were willing to resort to violence. -
Beating of Sumner
Senator Sumner, a radical abolitionist for the time, called out Senator Butler, whose nephew, Preston Brooks, beat him with a cane. Sumner was disabled for three years from the beating. Again, this just contributed even more to the violence. -
Murder at Pottawatomie Creek in Kansas
In response to the Sack of Lawrence and the beating of Sumner, anti-slavery forces led by John Brown at Pottawatomie Creek murdered 5 pro-slavery men, adding to the violence. -
Dred Scott Decision
Dred Scott was a slave who tried to sue for his freedom, since his owner moved to a free territory with him. The Supreme Court ruled that, as property, he did not have the right to sue. This managed to somewhat prevent the Civil War, since the classification of slaves as property made the federal government's involvment in slavery more unclear. Polarization intensified, however. -
Abraham Lincoln's Election
Although his name didn't appear on many Southern ballots, Lincoln still won by a large difference. He was a Republican who was against slavery, so the South didn't want him as president. -
South Carolina's Secession
About a month after the polls closed, South Carolina seceded from the Union. Six more states followed soon after. This was when the country became literally divided. -
Battle of Fort Sumter
Lincoln decided to send supplies to his garrisons, but SC sent them back to Fort Sumter and began a 34 hour bombardment. The garrison surrendered two days later. This marked the beginning of the Civil War.
