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Underground Railroad
A secret network that gave aide and shelter to escaped slaves. Started in the late 1700's until 1865. People took escaped slaves into their homes , churches, and school houses and hid them from slave bounty hunters. -
Invention of the cotton gin
American inventor Eli Whitney patented the cotton gin in 1794. The cotton industry became much more profitable , increasing the number of slaves and boosting slave trade in the south. The cotton gin was also one of the first machines to popularly utilize interchangeable parts. -
Missouri Compromise
The Missouri Compromise was a decision made to allow Missouri to be a slave state , but Maine would be a free state. It angered Southerners that congress made decisions about slavery. While Northerners were shocked that Missouri applied to be a slave state. -
Tariff of 1828
The tariff of 1828 was a 62% tax on nearly all foreign goods. It was designed to protect United States industry. Southerners did not support the tax but Northerners did. -
Nat Turner's Rebellion
Nat Turner led a successful rebellion against the white slave owners in the south. The rebellion ended up killing around 60 people. When the rebellion was controlled and stopped Nat Turner was convicted and hanged -
The Liberator is Published
The Liberator was a weekly Boston newspaper that was antislavery. It also supported womens' rights. The Paper ran until 1865 -
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Nullification Crisis
Started when South Carolina refused to pay (nullified) the tariff of 1828. Andrew Jackson was against this and took it to congress. Congress decided that Jackson may use military force to collect taxes if necessary , angering the Southerners. -
Wilmot Proviso
Introduced by a congressman named David Wilmot. It failed to pass twice because of the South and greater representation in the senate. It proposed to ban slavery and land from the Mexican War. -
Compromise of 1850
It was originally 5 laws that were passed dealing with slavery. California, though southern, wanted to join the Union as a free state. The slave trade in Washington D.C. was abolished. They also settled the border between Texas and New Mexico -
Publication of Uncle Tom's Cabin
The novel, written by Harriet Beecher Stowe, highlighted the issue of slavery among the states. The book was incredibly during the 1800s, when it first came out. It featured Uncle Tom and many others, who shared their stories of being a slave and enduring the hard work and abuse. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
The act split a large territory into Kansas and Nebraska, who then would be able to decide if slavery was legal within their state. It separated the Whig party because the northern Whigs voted against and the southern Whigs voted for. This led to the northern Whigs creating the Republican party, and the rest of them went with the Democratic party. -
'Bleeding Kansas'
Also known as Bloody Kansas, were the many fights that occurred between the anti slavery northerners and the pro-slavery southerners. Many took it as a sign the compromise wouldn't happen. During these fights many were killed, for example those who were hacked to death by broadswords for being pro-slavery. -
Brooks-Summer Event
This event occurred during the 'Bleeding Kansas'. Peter Brooks brutally attacked abolitionist Charles Summer, after he gave a speech about the wrongs of slavery and its practitioners. Brooks was tried for assault and convicted. He was fined $300, which is $8,000 today. -
Dred Scott Decision
The case of Dred Scott brought to light the main question of the time period; whether or not slavery should be legal in the West. More the half of the justices that were on this case were pro-slavery, so it wasn't a surprise when they decided, even though he had lived in multiple free states, that Dred Scot was not free. The pro-slavery justices wanted to put a stop to debates about whether the western territories should allow slavery or not. -
Lincoln-Douglas Debates
This event consisted of 7 debates between Republican candidate, Abraham Lincoln, and Democratic candidate, Senator Stephen Douglas. All 7 of these debates revolved around the main issue of slavery moving into the new territories. Lincoln and Douglas decided to hold joined meetings, for which the debate would take place, each of which was around 3 hours long. In the end Douglas won the election by only a few votes, but Lincoln found that he was an important speaker for the Republican cause. -
John Brown's Raid on Harper's Ferry
John Brown wanted to tart and uprising of slaves, so he started to gather men to support the cause. The raid included taking over the arsenal and they took a few hostages. By the next morning word had gotten out about the raid and Brown's group was surrounded, and 10 of his men ended up getting killed, including 2 of his sons. John Brown was later tried and was found guilty of treason and murder, for this he was hanged. -
Election of 1860
This election ended up having a very big electoral split due to the different opinions on a slavery. In the end Abraham Lincoln won with only 40% of the vote; beating John Breckinridge, Stephen Douglas and John Bell. In the months leading to Lincoln's inauguration the Confederate States of the south had already started to form. -
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Secession of Southern States
During these months, 11 states throughout the south cut their ties with the Union; these states called themselves the Confederate States of America, while the other 21 states still used the title of United States. Many feared of the secession happening, but when the time came there was nothing they could do to stop it. -
Fort Sumter is Fired Upon
The fort was occupied by Union soldiers. P.G.T Beauregard was a brigadier general and gave Colonel Chesnut the permission to fire if needed. Captain Abner Doubleday was allowed the first shot, but missed.
