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Presidency of James K. Polk
11th president of the USA. Served one term. -
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Mexican-American War
The United States fought Mexico over a dispute in the territory that is now Texas. The United States won the war, and both countries signed the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo, ending the conflict in 1848. -
Signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo
The Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo was signed on February 2nd, 1848, ending the Mexican-American War. This caused conflict among the Union, because it meant there was plenty of states that would want to apply for statehood into the union. This would mean there would be debates about whether they would be slave states or free states. -
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Presidency of Zachary Taylor
12th president of the USA. Died a year into Presidency. -
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Presidency of Millard Fillmore
13th President of the USA. Served one term. -
Fugitive Slave Act is Passed in Congress
The Fugitive Slave Act, a part of the compromise of 1850, made any federal official that did not report a runaway slave be forced to pay a fine. This angered abolitionists and caused them to fight harder against the institution of slavery. -
"Uncle Tom's Cabin" is Published
"Uncle Tom's Cabin" was a book written by Harriet Beecher Stowe to show the evils and the horrors of slavery. This created abolitionist propaganda, pushing many northerners to the anti-slavery side. -
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Presidency of Franklin Pierce
14th President of the United States. Served one term. -
"Bleeding Kansas"
The phrase "Bleeding Kansas" is a term that is used to describe the time when pro-slave southerners and anti-slave northerners clashed in the new state of Kansas. Violence ensued for about a year. -
Passing of the Kansas-Nebraska Act
The Kansas-Nebraska Act was passed as an attempt to create more land to create a larger railroad system. However, when Kansas was admitted as a state, it became a free state, much to the anger of many southern pro-slavery democrats. -
Charles Sumner is Attacked by Preston Brooks on the Floor of the Senate
Charles Sumner gave an anti-slavery speech on the floor of the Senate, when he was suddenly attacked by Preston Brooks, a pro-slavery senator, with his cane. This ignited a fierce debate on the issue of slavery in Congress and created a divide between North and South. -
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Presidency of James Buchanan
15th president of the USA. Served one term. -
Election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States
Abraham Lincoln was elected as president, much to the dismay of Southern Democrats. As a result of the election many states in the South gradually secede from the Union. -
South Carolina Secedes from the Union
South Carolina Secedes from the Union, with others soon to follow suit. -
Mississippi Secedes from the Union
Mississippi becomes the 2nd state to remove itself from the Union. Others will follow. -
Florida Secedes from the Union
Florida becomes the 3rd state to remove itself from the Union. Others will soon follow. -
Alabama Secedes from the Union
Alabama becomes the 4th state to remove itself from the Union. Others will soon follow. -
Georgia Secedes from the Union
Georgia becomes the 5th state to remove itself from the Union. Others will soon follow. -
Louisiana Secedes from the Union
Lousiana becomes the 6th state to remove itself from the Union. Others will soon follow. -
Texas Secedes from the Union
Texas becomes the 7th state to remove itself from the Union. Others will soon follow. -
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Presidency of Abraham Lincoln
On the brink of his 2nd term, but was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth at Ford Theater. -
"Battle" of Fort Sumter
The Confederate States of America bombarded Fort Sumter, sparking the American Civil War. Nobody on either side was killed during the actual bombardment, although one man died during the surrender ceremony of the fort by being hit with a cannonball being shot out accidentally. -
Virginia Secedes from the Union
Virginia becomes the 8th state to remove itself from the Union. Others will soon follow. -
Arkansas Secedes from the Union
Arkansas becomes the 9th state to remove itself from the Union. Others will soon follow. -
North Carolina Secedes from the Union
North Carolina becomes the 10th state to remove itself from the Union. Others will soon follow. -
Tennessee Secedes from the Union
Tennessee becomes the 11th state to remove itself from the Union. Others will soon follow. -
Missouri Secedes from the Union
Missouri becomes the 12th state to remove itself from the Union. Others will soon follow. -
Kentucky Secedes from the Union
Kentucky becomes the 13th state to remove itself from the Union. It is the last state to do so.
