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Congress adopts the Compromise of 1850
Congress adopts the Compromise of 1850, and admits California to the Union as a free state. It does not forbid slavery in other territories acquired from Mexico. It also prohibits the sale of slaves in Washington, D.C. and includes a strict law requiring the return of runaway slaves to their masters. -
The first national women’s rights convention
The very first national women’s rights convention was held on October 23, 1850 in Worcester Massachusetts. This converntion attracted many delegates from nine states. -
Fugitive Slave
On February 18, 1851 a large Boston crowd had rescued Shadrack a fugitive slave from court custody. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin
Harriet Beecher Stowe published the book Uncle Tom’s Cabin, which sold 300,000 copies in a year and 1 million copies in a total of 16 months. When Stowe met President Lincoln, he reportedly asked her, “Is this the little woman whose book made such a great war?” -
Kansas Nebraska Act
Stephen Douglas introduced the Kansas Nebraska Act in 1854. This act repeals the Missouri Compromises and helped Kansas and Nebraska to white settlement. -
Aids Society
Eli Thayer found that the Massachusetts Emigrant Aid Society encouraged opponents of slavery to move to Kansas because he wanted them to vote Kansas a free state under the Act “popular sovereignty” provisions. -
Anthony Burns
In Boston, the U.S. government returns Anthony Burns, a fugitive slave, to slavery because he was arreste in boston becuse he was a wanted fugitive and his master came to get him. -
Ostend Manifesto
Ostend Manifesto and an American minister James Buchanan urged the United States to seize Cuba's militarily if Spain were to refuse to sell the island they wanted. Notherthern's saw this as a plot to continue slavery. -
Sack of Lawrence
On May 21, 1856 the pro-slavery forces helped over 800 men from Kansas and Missouri to Lawrence to arrest members of the "free state government". A mob destroyed two newspaper offices as they threw the printing presses newspaper into a nearby river. They also burned and stole things from homes and nearby shops. They decided to aim their cannons at the Abolitionists. -
Brooks Beats Sumner With Cane
Preston Brooks beat Sumner after his two day speech on slavery because he strongly dissagreeed with his views. Preston beat him with a cain that caused him to be disabled for three years of his life.
