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Invention of the Cotton Gin
Eli Whitney invented the Cotton Gin helped increase the speed at which cotton was produced. Gave more of a reason for the increase of needed slaves. Helped America become known as "King Cotton." Link Text -
Missouri Compromise
Congress granted the request for Missouri to become a slave state and Maine to become a free state. Adding Missouri as a slave state made the balance of slave states to free states uneven. However this upset many southerners as they felt as though Congress could now put restrictions and rules about slavery. Link text -
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Underground Railroad
Enslaved Africans fled the south through an intricate system of secret pathways and homes called "safe houses." A variety of people, including freed slaves, free-born blacks, Native Americans, and white and black abolitionists, helped guide the runaways through the "railroad." It is estimated that around 100,000 enslaved people escaped through the Underground Railroad. Link Text -
Tariff of 1828 and Nullification Crisis
Link Text The Tariff of 1828 increased taxes on imported to goods to encourage the purchase of American goods. Many people saw this as unfair. John C. Calhoun proposed nullification, which would declare the tariff to be unconstitutional, which wouldn't allow it to be enforced. -
The Liberator is Published
William Lloyd Garrison began writing at the age of 13 and published his first newspaper, The Liberator, when he was 21. Garrison was seen as extremely radical as he was strongly against slavery. His ideas were so radical that Georgia offered $5,000 for his capture. Link text -
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Nat Turner's Rebellion
Link Text Nat Turner gathered a group of angry slaves and began planning an attack on white slave owners as early as February 1831. On August 21st, Turner and his fellow conspirators set out and vowed to kill all white slave owners they encountered, even the wives and children of the slave owners. Atleast 55 whites were killed. Turner was hanged on November 11, 1831. -
Wilmot Proviso
Link Text David Wilmot came up with a proviso to prevent the spreading of slavery in territory gained by the US in the Mexican War. The bill passed the Senate but the proviso didn't. This act only furthered the tension between the northern and southern states. -
The Compromise of 1850
Enter Text The Compromise of 1850 made it possible for California to be admitted as a free state. This was a very controversial decision since it would disrupt the balance between northern and southern states. This compromise also gave Utah and New Mexico the choice to be a slave state or a free state, based on the opinions of the people. -
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'Bleeding Kansas'
Link Text After the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 was passed, inhabitants of Kansas began fighting about whether to not slavery should be allowed in the state. By late 1855, rival governments had been formed. Civil conflict ensued and the nation as a whole began to chime in with their opinions. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin is Published
Link Text Harriet Beecher Stowe, born in 1811, wrote a book called "Uncle Tom's Cabin" which helped influence the way Americans viewed slavery. Stowe wrote throughout her whole life. She was literally jumping with joy when Lincoln announced the end of slavery. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
Link Text As colonists moved into the Kansas and Nebraska area, they began asking to be legally allowed to have slaves. The southern congress was uneasy with his topic as the area had been previously outlawed to slaves in the Missouri Compromise of 1820. The bill to allow the new states to decide if they would allow slavery passed in May of 1854. The North was outraged, as expected. -
Brooks-Sumner Event
Link Text Charles Sumner gave a speech called "The Crime Against Kansas" after the Kansas-Nebraska Act was passed. Representative Preston Brooks felt that Sumner had gone too far in his speech, and proceeded to go to his place of work and whack him in the head multiple times with his cane. Too few votes were received to kick Brooks out of the house, but he received a $300 fine. Sumner didn't return to the Senate for a few years due to his injuries. -
Dred Scott Decision
Link Text The US Supreme Court decided that slave owners had the right to take their slaves into western territories. Dred Scott was a slave whose owner had spent time living in free states such as Illinois and Wisconsin, which were free territories at the time. However, the court decided that Scott was not free based on either of those residencies since he was considered property of his owner under the Constitution of 1787. -
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Lincoln-Douglas Debates
Link Text Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas began a series of debates throughout the state of Illinois in competition for a seat in Senate. Citizens from all over came to watch the 7 separate debates. Douglas argued for popular soveirgnty, though Lincoln said this idea contradicted the recent Dred Scott decision. Neither ended up winning the popular election, though Lincoln became popular throughout the nation. -
John Brown's Raid on Harper's Ferry
Link Text John and his supporters headed through the town in the early morning in hopes of gaining a group of slaves to help them on their mission. They seized the federal army and arsenal. The local militia was on to him, though, so he took refuge in the local arsenal engine house. He was captured and sentenced to death on December 2, 1859. -
Election of 1860
Link Text Southern Democrats nominated Douglas for president. Republicans nominated Abraham Lincoln. The "Constitutional Union Party" nominated John Bell. Lincoln won, and South Carolina succeeded from the Union. -
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Secession of Southern States
[Link Text(]http://www.history.com/topics/american-civil-war/secession) The southern states decided to sever their ties with the union. They set up their own provisional government in Montgomery, Alabama. This only increase tension between the north and the south. The south named themselves the Confederate States of America. -
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Fort Sumter is Fired Upon
Link Text Fort Sumter was the first battle of the civil war. Confederates were angry when President Lincoln resupplied the fort. They began a 34 hour artillery exchange until the fort was eventually surrendered. The fort was held by the confederates for 4 years until it was abandoned. The fort was later restored by the U.S. military and used during later wars.
