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Events Leading Up to the Civil War
This timepsan is a great point in American history. A time where many events between the North and South ripped the Union apart. These events eventually led up to one of themost bloodiest wars in American history--the Civil War. -
Missouri Compromise
The Missouri Compromise of 1820 admitted Missouri to the Union as a slave-state and Maine as a free-state. It also created a line across the Louisiana Purchase at latitude 36,30.Norht of this line, was banned forever, accept in Missouri. South of the line, slavery was prohibited. -
Compromise of 1850
This compromise admitted California as a free state as well as allow the Nebraska and Kansas territories to choose whether to allow slavery or not. This also banned the slave-trade in D.C., although slaveholders could still keep their slaves. Lastly, this compromise called for a passage on the Fugitive Slave Act. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
Originally, Senator Stephen Douglas proposed to build a railroad in California but only thought it'd happen if Congress organized the Great Plains into the Nebraska territory and opened it for settlers. It said nothing about slavery. Southerners agreed to it as long as they could tweek it a little. As a result two territories were made--Kansas and Nebraska. On top of that, the two territories were free to choose between slavery or freedom. -
Dred Scott Decision
After traveling with his master into Wisconsin, Dred Scott declared that he was a free man because he had traveled into free land. A court was held and Dred Scott lost the the case. This was because slaves were property and property can't be taken away without due process according to the 5th Amendment. Therefore, Dred Scott was still a slave -
Election of 1860
In the run for president, there was a lot of diversity. The Northern democrats nominated Stephen Douglas, meanwhile Southern Democrats nominated John C. Breckinridge. The Republicans nominated Lincoln and a new party called the Constutional Union party nominated John Bell. With 40% of votes, all from the North, Lincoln won the election. However, it was odd was that he wasn't even on the ballot in the South -
Attack on Fort Sumner
After South Carolina left the Union, on 3/4/1861, Lincoln adressed that he thought it was unconstutional and wrong for SC to do so. In a sense of retalliation, Confederates of Charleston, SC, opened fire on Fort Sumner, a federal fort in Charleston Harbor. The defenders of the fort surrendered after 33 hours of heavy fire. Northerners were already ready to go to war. This was the start of the Civil War
