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Period: to
Road to Civil War
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Missouri Compromise
When Missouri wanted to join as a state, the North didn't want to accept because Missouri wanted to join as a slave state. The North accepted later because the South allowed the North to join as a free state and a dividing line was made between North and South. This made tensions between the North and South higher because now there were more states on each side and there is a certain line between the two. -
Compromise of 1850
A compromise made by Henry Clay and Frederik Douglas. It had five parts.
1. California joins as a free state
2. Former Mexican land - Utah and New Mexico become states. Each state votes on slavery
3. Ended slavery in Washington DC
4. Made the fugitive slave law, (a law that makes people return runaway slaves to their owners.
5. It also settled land disputes between the two sides.
This made tensions higher because each side only got some things and the opposing side got some. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin
A book about a slave named Uncle Tom who was very kind and was brutally whipped to death because he didn't tell his owner where runaway slaves were. This showed the North that slavery wasn't just a moral issue, it was something that needed to be stopped and eliminated because it was cruel and wrong. -
Bleeding Kansas
A sequence of violent events that led to the deaths of many people over slavery. Pro slavery ruffians killed many anti slavery activists and were killed in retaliation. It was a phyical battle over slavery to determine if it was a slave or free state. This made both sides angry over the deaths and made the need for physical violence feel even more needed to support each side. -
Kansas - Nebraska Act
An act passed to allow Kansas and Nebraska to join as states and they would each vote for or against slavery. People rebelled saying that it denied rights because the states were both in the north area and slavery became legaal in new areas because of it. -
Dred Scott Decision
A slave named Dred Scott was moved to a free state so he sued for his freedom in court. He was denied because slaves were seen as property and taking them away was denying the constitution. This made slavery legal everywhere and made tensions even higher. -
Lincoln - Douglas Debates
A series of campaign debates over slavery between Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglas over slavery. They agreed that slavery was wrong and all blacks and whites are equal and it needed to be taken care of in order to make the nation better. This made the South angry because the new presidents of their country were against their beliefs and it would hurt their ways of life if they won. -
Raid on Harper's Ferry
A man named John Brown raided and arms warehouse to lead a slave revolt. There were very few slaves there and the guards killed his assistants. The revolt failed and Brown was captured and then put on trial. This made some people follow his example and join in his fight against slavery. -
Election of 1860
Frederik Douglas and Aberaham Lincoln ran for president. Aberaham Lincoln won because he was more popular in the Northern states and the Southern states didn't vote. When Aberaham Lincoln won the election, he said that he was against slavery and therefor, he was against the South and for the North.
