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Period: to
1820-1860
Civil rights/slavery refutes between the North & the South. -
The Missouri Compromise
The Missouri Compromise admitted Missouri to the Union as a slave state, and Maine as a free state. This was to balance the powers between free states and slave states. The Missouri Compromise drew an imaginary line across the Louisiana Purchase, it stated that the north part of the line would all be free states, and the South would all be slave states. This was a problem however because of new territory that was being claimed by the U.S. later. -
The Gag Rule
During this time, abolitionists flooded Congress with antislavery petitions. Congress told them that they had no power of slavery in the states. Due to many arguments and oppositions, Congress decided in 1836 that they would set aside all antislavery petitions. This caused an outrage among abolitionists. -
Nat Turner's Rebellion
Nat Turner's rebellion was the last large-scale slave revolt. Nat Turner thought of himself as a visionary, and many of his followers, including escaped slaves, travelled to many plantations. When they went to these plantations, they would take the slaves working there, and fight the plantation owners. -
Wilmot Proviso
This stated that "neither slavery nor involuntary servitude shall ever exist" in any part of the terriorty that may be acquired by Mexico in the Mexican-American war. -
Henry Clay's Plan
In 1850, Henry Clay's plan was to admit California into the union as a free state, and to leave New Mexico & Utah territories to decide whether or not they wanted to be slave or free states. He also said that his plan would stop slave trade in the nation's capital, Washington D.C. Along with his plan, he wanted the Fugitive State law, which made it easier for slave owners to obtain their escaped slaves if they fleed to free states. -
California Becomes a State
In 1849, California applied to be in the Union as a free state. Northerner's welcomed California, while Southerners rejected it. The South warned that Calfornia becoming a free state would upset the balance of slave & free states. California became a state on September 9th, 1850. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin
In 1852, Uncle Tom's Cabin was published as a novel. This novel was written by Harriet Beecher Stowe, an American abolitionist. This novel induced much powerful emotions around all of America, it was an immensely popular book. Both the book and Harriet, were scorend and cursed by the Southerners. -
The Ostend Manifesto & Kansas-Nebraska Act
Ostend Manifesto: The Ostend manifesto was a message sent to the secretary of state by three American diplomats who met in Ostend, Belgium. This manifesto urged the U.S. government to seize Cuba by force from Spain, so they could add another slave state to the Union.
Kansas-Nebraska Act: Stephen A. Douglas proposed that he wanted a railroad to be built to California. He thought this would work out better, if Congress organized the Great Plains in Nebraska, and opened it to settlers. -
Kansas Violence
Starting on May 21, 1856 there was an attack by proslavery settlers, on Lawrence, Kansas. These settlers burned a hotel, looted homes, and tossed two printing presses of abolitionist newspapers into the Kaw River. This started a chain of violence throughout Kansas, earning it the nickname, Bleeding Kansas. -
Charles Sumners Speech & Assault
In 1856, Charles Sumner made a speech, "Crimes Against Kansas", publicly. During his speech, he expressed his outrage, and pointed his finger at many Southerners saying it was their fault. Due to his victimizing, a few days after his speech, he was assaulted by Preston Brooks, a relative of one of the people Sumner mentioned in his speech. Sumner was almsot beat to death with Brooks steel tipped cane. -
Dred Scott Decision
In 1857, Dred Scott brought a case to the federal court statin that since he spent time with his master in Wisconsin, a free state, that he was now a free man. Because of the controversy and issues to due with the laws on slavery, the case was brought to the Supreme Court. On March 6th, Chief Justice Taney delacred that since African Americans could not be citizens, so he couldn't sue for his freedom This outraged the North, and overjoyed the South. -
Lincoln Douglas Debates & Republicans
On June 17, 1858, the Republican party was created.
The Lincoln Douglas debates were a series of 7 debates between
Abraham Lincoln and Senator Stephen Douglas. Both Lincoln and Douglas were trying to win control of the Illinois legislature. The main issue of these debates was slavery. Lincoln being antislavery, Douglas being proslavery. -
John Brown Raid
John Brown planned to seize the federal arsenal at Harper's Ferry, Virginia. This is where ammunition and wepaons were stored. Brown wanted these weapons to arm slaves with artillery to start a rebellion. Brown launched his raid in 1859, ultimately ending in failure.
