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Missouri Compromise
Its purpose was to deal with the issue of slavery in the United States. The addition of Missouri as a slave state was balanced by the addition of Maine as a free state.
1. It states that any land north of 36°30’ prohibited slavery.
2. It was repealed by the Kansas-Nebraska Act.
The north opposed it because slavery was still an issue and it was growing as new states were being added to the US. The south also opposed it because congress was creating laws regarding slavery. -
Nat Turner's Rebellion
Nat Turner, a slave, led a rebellion in Virginia
1.The slaves killed at least 50 white men.
2.It was the largest slave rebellion in American History
His rebellion sparked a heated debate between the north and the south. -
Mexican-American war
The United States and Mexico went to war because of the annexation of Texas.
1. Through the treaty of Guadalupe, the United States gained control 2. of California and the southwest.
The United States acquired more than 500,000 square miles.
It increased tensions between the north and the south because the debate of whether new states added to the US were to be a free or slave state rose. -
Compromise of 1850
Henry Clay introduced the compromise in 1850.
1. The slave trade was abolished, and the fugitive slave act was amended.
2. This allowed Congress to avoid sectional and slavery issues for a few years.
The north refused to enforce the Fugitive Slave Act, increasing the tensions between the north and South. -
Fugitive Slave Act
The Fugitive Slave Act was a part of the Compromise of 1850. The compromise was proposed by Henry Clay.
1. It required to return all runaway slaves.
2. Even free states were required to return fugitive slaves back to their masters.
The northerners didn’t want to support slavery by following the Fugitive Slave Act. The act increased the number of abolitionists in the north. -
Uncle Tom’s Cabin
It was a story written by Harriet Stowe that greatly impacted the way people viewed slaves.
1. Stowe was inspired to write it by the Fugitive Slave Act.
2. It was the best selling novel in the 1800s.
Uncle Tom’s Cabin caused more people to oppose slavery. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
Stephen Douglas introduced this idea in 1854 by arguing for popular sovereignty.
1. It allowed for the people of Kansas and Nebraska to decide whether or not they wanted to become a slave state.
2. It repealed the Missouri Compromise.
Many were angry that the Missouri Compromise was repealed and felt that they had no power under popular sovereignty. -
“Bleeding Kansas”
It was a small civil war in the United States, fought between proslavery and antislavery advocates for control of the new territory of Kansas under the doctrine of popular sovereignty.
1. President Franklin Pierce had approved of the Kansas-Nebraska Act
2. Three distinct groups were fighting for power in Kansas at the time. Pro-slavery, Abolitionists, and free-staters It increased tension because a war broke out over slavery. -
Brooks Attacks Sumner
Abolitionist and senator Sumner delivered a speech announcing an affair with slavery of Andrew P. Butler another senator. Butlers Nephew, Preston Brooks, beat Sumner in his office after hearing about the speech.
1. Brooks used a cane to beat Sumner
2. Sumner was unable to work for over 3 years after the attack The south thought of Brooks as a hero for supporting slavery but the North referred to him as “Bully Brooks” and thought he was in the wrong. -
Dred Scott v. Sandford
The Supreme Court ruled that African Americans are not American citizens.
1. The court also ruled that congress does’t have the power to ban slavery.
2. African Americans were not allowed to sue in a Federal court This angered northerners and pleased southerners. -
Lincoln-Douglas Debates
A series of seven debates between the Democratic senator Stephen A. Douglas and Republican challenger Abraham Lincoln during the 1858 Illinois senatorial campaign, largely concerning the issue of slavery extension into the territories.
1. Lincoln lost the debates
2. Each man had to talk for an hour at a time so it wasn’t a true debate how we think about it nowadays. This increased tensions because Lincoln wanted to end slavery and Douglas supported it. Whoever won had the ultimate say. -
Raid on Harpers Ferry
Abolitionist John Brown led a small group on a raid against a federal armory in Harpers Ferry, Virginia in an attempt to start an armed slave revolt and destroy the institution of slavery.
1. John Brown determined that he would free the slaves in Virginia by instigating a revolt that would spread throughout the state.
2. Brown was hanged December 2 for murder and treason against the Commonwealth of Virginia.
It increased tension because people were starting revolt and release all the slaves. -
Election of 1860
Presidential election between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas. Slavery was in question. Lincoln won the election.
1. It caused SC to succeed because they didn’t want to get rid of slaves.
2. Lincoln only won 40% of the popular vote, the other 60% was distributed to the other 3 candidates
It increased tension because America knew that if Lincoln won he’d try to get rid of slavery but if he lost slavery would remain.
