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Missouri Compromise
Admitted Missouri to the Union as a slave state. Maine is created as a free state. This is done to keep a balance of free and slave states. Going Forward, if a free state enters the union, a slave state must enter as well. There would be no slavery north of 36˚ north latitude. -
Compromise of 1850
California wants to become a free state, but Missouri compromise says a slave state must enter. There aren't any slave states that enter, so California gets to enter as a free state. Southerners are mad. Government makes a stricter fugitive slave law. This law forces citizens of the north to return run away slaves. This angered anti-slavery people. It made slavery an issue in the north even though it didn't exist there. Free blacks in the north were now in danger of being caught by slave owners. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin
Novel written by Harriet Beecher Stowe that exposed the evils of slavery to the world. It was a worldwide best seller. -
Kansas/Nebraska Act
It made it possible that slavery could expand into new areas because of popular sovereignty. Individual States got to choose if they had slavery or not. This angered anti-slavery forces. Republican party was formed as an anti-slavery movement. -
Dred Scott Supreme Court Case
President Jackson believed in States rights. He appointed four people that also supported states rights. After the case, the supreme court rules that slaves are only property and ot citizens. Therefore, the slaves have no rights. -
Lincoln/Douglas Debates
Debates that took place in Illinois between Lincoln and Douglas. Douglas was recognized as a leader for the democratic party. Lincoln was an unknown democratic politician. Douglas tried to avoid making a strong stand on the slavery issue by saying that popular sovereignty should decide the issue in each area. Lincoln was against slavery. In '58 Douglas wins senate in Illinois. In '60, Lincoln wins president. South is worried that Lincoln is president because they know he will try to stop slavery -
Lincoln/Douglas Debates
Debates that took place in Illinois between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas. Douglas was recognized as a leader for the democratic party. Lincoln was a young and unknown democratic politician. Douglas tried to avoid making a strong stand on the slavery issue by saying that popular sovereignty should decide the issue in each area. Lincoln was against slavery. In 1858 Douglas wins the senate in Illinois. In 1860, Lincoln runs for president. -
John Brown's raid at Harper's Ferry, Virginia
John Brown was a radical abolitionsit. He killed as many slave owners as he could at Harper's Ferry. The South viewed him as a terrorist. The North viewed him as a martyr. The division between the North and the South grows, and is almost complete. -
Election of 1860
Abraham Lincoln was selected as president. South Carolina was the first state along with many other southern states to secede from the union because they know he is against slavery and will try to stop it. The civil war will start a very short time later -
Fort Sumter
The first shots of the Civil War are fired at Fort Sumter in South Carolina.