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Louisiana Purchase
The U.S., under Jefferson, bought the Louisiana territory from France, under the rule of Napoleon, in 1803. The U.S. paid $15 million for the Louisiana Purchase, and Napoleon gave up his empire in North America. The U.S. gained control of Mississippi trade route and doubled its size. this event increase tensions between the North and South -
Nat Turner's Rebellion
This was a rebellion taking place in South Hampton, Virginia. It was led by Nat Turner, a slave along with many others following him killing 55 - 65 white people in 1831. After the rebellion took place Nat Turner went into hiding for two months . Groups of white people killed 200 African American slaves . This increased tensions between the North and the South because the killings of white people by slaves made southerners afraid of another revolt from slaves wanting slavery to keep them safe . -
Compromise of 1850
This compromise introduced the Fugitive Slave Act allowing slave owners to retrieve slaves that escaped. It also introduced California’s admission to the union as a free state, allowed Utah and New Mexico vote whether or not to have slavery abolished in their states. Henry Clay was involved in the making of the Compromise of 1850. This compromise abolished slavery in some states but also took the escaped slaves back into slave states. -
Fugitive Slave Act
Allowed slave owners to retrieve escaped slaves under the protection of the law established in September of 1850. Many Northerners were against this act they saw it as too harsh. This act required officials to arrest anyone to be seen as a suspected runaway slave or they would be fined $1000. This increased the strain of the Northern and Southern relationship, it undermined being free in the North since slaves that escaped from the South were still in danger of being enslaved again. -
Uncle Tom's Act
This was a book published by Harriet Beecher Stowe in 1852. This book was inspired by the Fugitive Slave Act, having strong arguments against slavery. This book rallied even more support for the abolition of Slavery gathering more momentum for the North. Stowe was also inspired to write by an encounter with fugitive slaves. This caused tension between the North and the South because it rallied the public to view slavery in a Abolitionist point of view, making the South lose influence. -
Bleeding Kansas
The name given to the time period between 1854-1856 marked by civil unrest regarding the Free or Slave state question, resulting in many deaths. Abolitionist John Brown led anti-slavery fighters in Kansas before his famed raid on Harper Ferry. It happened in Kansas. It created tension by causing pro & anti slavery advocates to rumble. This event really pushed the North and South apart and had a large part in the Civil War happening. The Kansas-Nebraska Act overturning caused Bleeding Kansas. -
Kansas Nebraska Act
An act allowing people in the states of Nebraska and Kansas to vote on whether or not their region will have slavery in May of 1854, this idea originated from Stephen A. Douglas the senator of Illinois. This act was made to get rid of the Missouri compromise. This lead to violent outbursts between slavers and abolitionists. This act increased tensions between the North and the South because it was removing the Missouri compromise which Northerners saw as a long term agreement. -
Brook Attacks Sumner
Congressman Brooks came into the Senate chamber and attacked Sumner. It was in 1856. Brooks and Sumner was involved.Sumner was against slavery, Brooks was supporting slavery. Sumner-Brooks Affair revealed rising level of hostility between the North and the South. -
Dred Scott v. Standford
A court case saying a slave can’t sue in federal court in 1857. This case also said that congress couldn’t dictate whether slavery would be legal in the states. This was also a landmark case in labor laws and constitutional laws. This worsened the tensions between the North and the South because it took away ways for the North to get rid of slavery in a lawful peaceful manner, -
Lincoln Douglas Debate
Seven debates between the Democrat senator Stephen A. Douglas and Republican challenger Abraham Lincoln on the 1858 Illinois senatorial campaign, concerning the issue of slavery spreading to the territories. It was in Illinois. Douglas wanted slavery determined by popular sovereignty. Lincoln accepted slavery where it currently was but did not want it to spread. Lincoln-Douglas debates increased tensions between the North and South because it both events highlighted division on slavery. -
Raid on Harper's Ferry
Attempt in 1859 to start an armed slave revolt by seizing a United States Arsenal at Harpers Ferry in Virginia in 1859. Brown's raid was defeated by a group of U.S. Marines led by Col. Robert E. Lee. He asked Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass to join him when he attacked the armory. Illness prevented Tubman from joining him and Douglas thought his plan would fail and did not join him for that reason. This created tensions because North agreed South should fight, but the South was nervous. -
Election of 1860
Election where slavery was the issue, Lincoln wins vs Douglas. Abraham Lincoln- republican John Breckinridge- southern democrat. Set stage for the civil war. Hardly more than a month following Lincoln's victory came declarations of secession by South Carolina and other states which were seen as illegal by outgoing President James Buchanan and President-elect Lincoln. Lincoln did not receive any southern vote, he was still elected into office, so the South had no say in who was President.
