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Missouri Compromise
slavery was prohibited north of the 36°30′ parallel, excluding Missouri. -
Tariff of 1828
This tariff would benefit the northern manufacturers, it would also place an impossibly high tax on imports that would wreck the South’s economy when they couldn’t export their crops. -
Mexican-American War
Because of Manifest Destiny, the USA wanted to take many pieces of land from Mexico -
Wilmot's Provisto
David Wilmot proposed a law to ban slavery in all of the territory aquired from Mexico. Wilmot's Proviso, however, was blocked by southern senators who feared that as soon as Northeners gained control of the Senate slavery would be abolished, and with it their way of life. -
Compromise of 1850
California entered the Union as a free state, the slave trade was abolished in DC, a tougher federal fugitive slave law was passed, the Texas territorial dispute was resolved, and the New Mexico and Utah territories would decide slavery based on the idea of popular sovereignty. -
Fugitive Slave Act
in order force the North to return all of the runaway slaves to their Southern owners. The Southerners felt very threatened by the overwhelming voice of radical anti-slavery abolitionists in the North, but this bill ironically motivated abolitionists even further with their open rejection of the Act. The Northern abolitionists still continued to use the underground railroad as a tool to save slaves from the Southerners which only server to further infuriate the South -
Uncle Tom's Cabin
Uncle Tom’s Cabin was the second-best-selling book in America in the 19th century, second only to the Bible. Its popularity brought the issue of slavery to life for those few who remained unmoved after decades of legislative conflict and widened the division between North and South. -
Gadsden Purchase
The US would pay $10 million for the area that is southern part of modern New Mexico.This southern route was chosen because of topographical advantages that couldn’t be found elsewhere. Despite this practical reasoning, it seriously angered the North. -
Bleeding Kansas
The race to Kansas would ultimately determine the fate of the state’s slave status because it was to be decided through popular sovereignty. There was a war between pro-slavery and anti-slavery forces which killed many people -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
It was by far the most significant piece of legislation regarding slavery. Repealed the Missouri Compromise by allowing slavery to be determined by popular sovereignty in the new Kansas and Nebraska territories. Once again, the slavery issue was revived despite the fact that it had just been calmed down with the Compromise of 1850. The Southerners were tolerant and accepting of the act, but the Northern Republicans united to protest. -
Ostend Manifesto
The US tried to by Cuba from Spain but it was rejected.Americans truly believed that they were entitled to expand; the rejection of the purchase was the necessary means for war. This outraged anti-slavery Northerners because they saw it as the expansion of slavery by the “Southern Slave Power.” -
Sumner-Brooks affair
Senator Charles Sumner delivered his “The Crimes Against Kansas” speech, an insulting antislavery speech to the Senate. In response, Senator Preston Brooks violently attacked him with a cane. being struck on the Senate floor, Brooks was seen as a hero in the South. Sumner was seen as a martyr in the North and the South took extreme offense at the rude things that Sumner had said in his speech, which further solidified the North versus South mentality. -
Dred Scott vs Sanford
Nullified the Missouri Compromise and the Kansas-Nebraska Act. This proved to be a major victory for the South since slavery could be constitutionally moved anywhere now, but the North denounced this decision. But the North was not happy because they had fear that slave owners would try to legalize slavery everywhere -
John Brown's Raid
John Brown was a radical abolitionist who attempted to spark a slave revolt and invade the south. He did this by trying to capture an arsenal at Harper's Ferry, but his plan failed, and he was captured, convicted of treason, and put to death. The pro-slavery South saw this event as a Northern conspiracy against slavery rather than the isolated radical act that it actually was. In contrast, the North viewed John Brown as a martyr. -
Presidential Election of 1860
Lincoln's victory angered many Southerners because of his support of sectionalism. As threatened, South Carolina was the first state to secede from the Union when Lincoln won. -
Fort Sumter
President Lincoln sent 4 ships to resupply Fort Sumter, and let it be known that if the South tried to prevent it the North would attack. The South feared being viewed as cowards for freely allowing the Union to run the fort and bombarded Fort Sumter for 2 days. This opened hostilities between North and South, and Lincoln called for volunteers, which made it clear he was prepared to fight to keep the South in the Union.