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Uncle Tom's Cabin
Uncle Tom's Cabin was published by Harriet Beecher Stowe, which told the story of a slave named "Uncle Tom" who, by the end of the story, dies to his owner with no regrets. This outraged both the North and the South due to claimed misrepresentation of slavery, causing tensions to rise in both sections of America. -
Republican Party Founded
After the Kansas-Nebraska Act was passed, several different politicians from the Whigs, Free-Soilers, and even parts of the Democrat Party would come together to form the Republican Party as they did not favor the new act because it did not immediately abolish slavery. -
Dred Scott
Dred Scott was a black slave who lived with his owner until the latter died. He moved to a free territory for five years and claimed he was a free man, but the Missouri Supreme Court reversed the decision. He would attempt to sue John Sanford, the new owner of Scott, which then turned the issue to the Supreme Court. They ruled against Scott, claiming he was property so he could not sue, declared the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional, and him living in free territory does not make him free. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
The Kansas-Nebraska Act divided the remaining territory into two, repealing the Missouri Compromise, and established that any states west of Missouri and Iowa would decide whether or not to abolish slavery via popular sovereignty. It was created by Stephen Douglas in order to lower tensions between the North and South, but this would backfire later on. -
Bloody Kansas
After the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act, Nebraska voted against slavery. However, Kansas could vote either way, so countless people from the North and South flocked to Kansas so that it would vote in their favor. In trying to secure Kansas, several fights spurred from the political battle. -
John Brown
John Brown was a leading figure in abolitionism during the 1850s. While he did not interact in battle much, his main contribution during Bleeding Kansas was the Pottawatomie Massacre, resulting with him and a group of anti-slavery men killing five pro-slavery men. His actions would extend further to Harper's Ferry. -
Election of 1856
The events of Bleeding Kansas and the revival of questioning slavery was the main force behind the election of 1856. The main three candidates were James Buchanan (Democrat), Millard Filmore (Know-Nothings), and John C. Fremont (Republican) at the time. Even though Buchanan won the election, the Republicans holding 16 free states and 45 percent of the elections made the South fear the North more. -
LeCompton Constitution
The LeCompton Constitution was written as a way to end the fighting in Bloody Kansas. It stated that free blacks could not enter, all amendments were to take effect seven years after it was put in place, and several other effects benefitting the South. However, it was rejected due to the Northerners being against pro-slavery, leading to more violence. -
Lincoln-Douglas Debates
Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas argued against each other, claiming that the other was too radical in their beliefs for anti-slavery and pro-slavery respectively. The debates gave Lincoln the edge he needed to win the Election of 1860 later on. -
Harper's Ferry
Years after the Pottawatomie Massacre, John Brown would attempt to free a handful of slaves by invading Harper's Ferry and overrunning the federal arsenal. However, Brown would be caught by Robert E. Lee and later executed on account of treason. -
Election of 1860
Most notable for Lincoln's victory in the presidential campaign, the Election of 1860 caused major dissent in the South. The election also firmly established the North being anti-slavery and the South being pro-slavery in political views. -
Secession
After Lincoln's presidential victory, South Carolina formed a convention by John C. Calhoun to secede from the Union. They had created a declaration of secession in an attempt to justify the act of breaking away, leading to the famous line that South Carolina was "was too small for a country and too large for an insane asylum" by James Petigru. Six other states seceded three weeks later. -
Lincoln's 1st Inaugural Address
Lincoln's 1st inaugural address was sent as a response to the South seceding from the Union. He promised not to interfere with slavery in places where it was already established and removed government interference temporarily in hostile areas. However, he actively stood against secession and seizure of federal property.