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Missouri compromise
The Missouri Compromise drew a line from the east to west along the 36th parallel, this divided the nation into two different halves. (Free and Slave states) -
Nat Turner Rebellion
Nat Turner, an African American slave in Virginia who killed his master, went on to kill the entire family and then started a rebellion that lasted two days. At least 55 white people died, slave owners or not. -
Wilmot Proviso
This document proposed that we prohibit the expansion of slavery from any territory gained from the Mexican-American war. It was proposed in Pennsylvania. -
Mexican-American War
A war that started because of the debate about where Texas' borders ended: this debate determined whether the U.S. or Mexico got Texas. -
California Gold Rush
A gold rush that began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. -
Fugitive Slave Act
A pair of federal laws allowed for the capture and return of runaway enslaved people within the territory of the United States. Enacted by Congress in 1793, the first Fugitive Slave Act authorized local governments to seize and return escapees to their owners and imposed penalties on anyone who aided in their flight. -
Compromise of 1850
The Compromise of 1850 was a series of laws passed by the U.S. Congress to settle several outstanding issues regarding slavery. In particular, the North and South disagreed over whether slavery should be allowed in new states and territories. -
Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad was a network of tunnels and pathways started by Harriet Tubman in Philadelphia. This served as an escape route for free slaves or slaves that escaped. -
Bleeding Kansas
Three distinct political groups occupied Kansas: pro-slavery, Free-Staters and abolitionists. Violence broke out immediately between these opposing factions and continued until 1861 when Kansas entered the Union as a free state on January 29. This era became forever known as Bleeding Kansas. -
Uncle Tom’s Cabin published
Stowe's vivid characters and portrayal of their struggles opened the reader's eyes to the realities of slavery and the humanity of enslaved people. Stowe hoped the novel would build empathy for the characters and, in turn, for enslaved individuals. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
The Kansas-Nebraska Act repealed the Missouri Compromise, created two new territories, and allowed for popular sovereignty. It also produced a violent uprising known as “Bleeding Kansas,” as proslavery and antislavery activists flooded into the territories to sway the vote. -
Dred Scott V. Sanford
The Dred Scott decision was the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling on March 6, 1857, that having lived in a free state and territory did not entitle an enslaved person, Dred Scott, to his freedom. In essence, the decision argued that, as someone's property, Scott was not a citizen and could not sue in a federal court. -
Lincoln-Douglass Debates
The main focus of these debates was slavery and its influence on American politics and society. The debates consisted of Douglas accusing Lincoln of being an abolitionist while Lincoln accused Douglas of wanting to nationalize slavery. -
Presidential Election of 1860
The U.S. presidential election of 1860 was an American election in which Republican Abraham Lincoln defeated Southern Democrat John C. -
John Brown’s Raid on Harpers Ferry
On the evening of October 16, 1859, John Brown, a staunch abolitionist, and a group of his supporters left their farmhouse hide-out en route to Harpers Ferry. Descending upon the town in the early hours of October 17th, Brown and his men captured prominent citizens and seized the federal armory and arsenal. -
South Carolina Secedes from the Union
When Abraham Lincoln, a known opponent of slavery, was elected president, the South Carolina legislature perceived a threat. Calling a state convention, the delegates voted to remove the state of South Carolina from the union known as the United States of America.