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Texas becomes Independent from Mexico
Texas became independent from Mexico after a group of settlers from the United States Declared independence from Mexican Texas. Texas left after both Anglo and Mexican citizens refused to accept the governmental changes mandated by "Siete Leyes".
This is important as the Union was already in a state of sectional divisions between the North and South over slavery, with this new land the government would have to decide if it was a free state or a slave state. -
U.S. acquires Texas
The U.S. acquires Texas after Congress agreed to it in 1844. Texas entered as a slave-holding state.
This is significant as the Northern states would be upset over the prospect of another slave-holding state. Increasing sectional divisions. -
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Mexican-American War
War between Mexico and the United States after the annexation of Texas. The Republic of Texas was an Independent country, but the majority of the Anglo-American Citizens wanted to be annexed by the United States.
The sectional divide over slavery widened as the power imbalance between the North and the South in Congress would give one side more power in congress. -
Wilmot Proviso
A provision that slavery be excluded from the Mexican cession. The House passed the proviso several times but it never became law.
Senators saw this Proviso as another cause for sectional divisions and divided Congress further. -
Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo
Treaty was signed after the Mexican-American War, which officially ended the Mexican-American War. Gave the United States 4 states, California, Nevada, Utah, and New Mexico.
This is significant as with all the new land Congress would have to make a decision on how the new land would treat slavery, any choice they made would exacerbate the tension between the North and South. -
Publication of Uncle Tom's Cabin
Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote about the injustices of slavery, bringing awareness to the Northers' of how cruel slavery was. Pushed back cultural beliefs about the physical and emotional capacity of African-Americans.
This is significant as the North started to see slavery as more barbaric, putting a divide between the North and the South as the South defended slavery. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
The Kansas-Nebraska Act created the territories that were Kansas and Nebraska. It repealed the Compromise of 1850 and allowed for popular sovereignty in these territories.
This is significant as this enforced the slave power conspiracy that the North had, which extended the divisions between the North and South. -
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Bleeding Kansas
Three kinds of political groups occupied Kansas shortly after Kansas was obtained by the union, pro-slavery, Free-staters, and abolitionists. Violence broke out between these three groups to have the majority vote for popular sovereignty.
The violence only raised tension between the North and the South, causing them to have different perspectives about each other. Increasing the divide. -
Caning of Sumner
Senator Charles Sumner, a Massachusetts anti-slavery Republican had discussed the admission of Kansas as a state and their proceedings on slavery. After the meeting, Preston Brooks took a dog cane and beat Sumner on his head.
This is significant as it showed how the divide was wide enough to push high-class politicians to violence against one another in a Government official building. -
Dred Scott Decision
The Dred-Scott decision denied African-Americans citizenship, even if they were free. The supreme court had declared the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional.
Overruled the Northern states' rights to outlaw slavery on their territories. Which enforced their slave power conspiracy, creating a bigger divide between North and South.