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The Missouri Compromise
The Missouri Compromise was an attempt to lessen political tension between the southern slave states and northern free states. It admitted Missouri as a slave state into the union and Maine as a free state. It also prohibited slavery above the latitude 36°30′. This whole move stabilized the political power within the Senate between the northerners and southerners for an amount of time, keeping the Union from falling apart prematurely. -
Nat Turner's Rebellion
Nat Turner's Rebellion was a slave uprising that was led by none other than Nataniel Turner. The group of rebels killed between 55 and 65 people, 51 of them white. Nat Turner and his followers were found about six weeks after the killings and were executed. This whole deranged event struck fear into many Southern slave owners. Thus harsher laws were implemented regarding slavery and created further friction between pro- and anti-slavery groups, along with the north and south to a larger extent. -
The Nullification Crisis
After the Tariff of 1832, South Carolina passed a nullification bill in an attempt to dodge the economic harm that would be done to the state if the tariffs took effect. The federal government took action and sent warships to South Carolina. Henry Clay would introduce a bill that'd reduce the tariff gradually to the point of 1816 levels of tariffing and South Carolina repealed its nullification. This was an early moment when the South resisted federal law in favor for their slave economy. -
Compromise of 1850
This consisted of 5 laws proposed by Henry Clay being passed, all having to do with slavery. It included the admission of California as a free state, lifting of restrictions on slavery in the Utah/New Mexico territories, ban of the slave trade in DC, Texas losing its boundary dispute to New Mexico, and the Fugitive Slave Act. It ultimately gave the north an upper hand in power. Yet the Fugitive Slave Act within the compromise did wonders that fumed the north and worsened the north/south rivalry. -
Fugitive Slave Act
Passed in Congress as part of the Compromise of 1850, this was an amendment to an already existing law that made it harsher for people trying to resist and/or interfere with the capture of slaves. The already existing law gave federal aid in capturing escaped slaves. This sparked a magnitude of controversy as the north resisted this change and the law itself, even so far to attempt nullification on it in some states. -
"Uncle Tom's Cabin"
A novel that was written by Harriet Beecher Stowe was published on 3/20/1852. It was about slave families and their cruel separations by slavery. This furthers the divide in the North and South, with the South claiming overstatements and banning the book while the North exposed to the horrors of slavery on a personal note. Something noteworthy was that this book made it hard for the British to side with the Confederates in the war. -
Bleeding Kansas
Bleeding Kansas is the name given to the violence between anti- and pro-slavery supporters as a result of the Kansas-Nebraska Act. People from both the north and south settled into the Kansas territory and advocated for their ideas on the basis of taking advantage of the popular sovereignty; it escalated into deadly confrontations. John Brown led free state fighters on the most part. Federal troops were ordered into the affected areas in order to cool down the bloodshed. -
The Kansas-Nebraska Act
Passed in Congress, it allowed for the people within the Kansas and Nebraska territories if they want slaves; it effectively repealed the whole prohibition slavery north of latitude 36°30´ from the Compromise of 1820. It provoked many Northerners and was supported by Southerners. Anti- and pro-slavery advocates poured into the territories to alter the places' free/slave status. This eventually led to violence led by anti-slavery leader John Brown. -
Brooks Attacks Sumner
Charles Sumner had given a fiery speech, denouncing the Kansas-Nebraska Act, taking potshots at 'slave power', and advocating free state ideals. Two days later, he was beaten brutally in Congress by Preston Brooks, who was assisted by Laurence Keitt and Henry A. Edmundson. Brooks obliterated Sumner with a cane for a modest amount of time before he was stopped and restrained by two other congressmen. The North was outraged and the South celebrated. -
Lincoln-Douglas Debates
A series of debates between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas as part of the campaign for Illinois Senate. The two mainly argued about slavery in Kansas and the fate of slavery. Lincoln delivered his famed "divided government" speech during this time. In the end, Douglas won the election but Lincoln won the popular vote. Both of the candidates were generally disliked by the South and the North has more or less supported the tow, especialling Lincoln. -
Raid on Harper's Ferry
This was an attack led by John Brown on an armory in an attempt to start armed resistance against slavery. Brown and his men overran Harper's Ferry and soon had been surrounded by federal troops. Brown's men were dismantled and the fighting resulted in the death of 10 of his men, 2 being his sons. Brown was tried, convicted, and executed soon after. This attack accelerated tension between the North and South to the point where there'd be no ending where both sides diminish their tense rivalry. -
Election of 1860
This election consisted of 4 candidates battling it out for the presidential seat: Republican Abraham Lincoln, Southern Democrat John C. Breckinridge, Democrat Stephen A. Douglas, and Constitutional Union John Bell. Here, the sectionalism between states was very noticeable, with Democrats dominating the south and Republicans dominating the north. Lincoln ultimately won, implementing a Republican leader. This was the final straw for the South and southern states start to depart from the Union. -
South Carolina Secession
After Lincoln had won the presidential election for the POTUS position, South separates from the Union. In a 169-0 vote in the South Carolinian legislation, the angered state leaves and dissolves the Union. This creates a domino effect and 6 states follow suit. The rivalry of the North and South has now progressed into a conflict that involves 2 sovereign entities, the Union and the Confederacy. These two bodies would eventually be the belligerents in the American Civil war.
