Road to the Civil War

3/5 Compromise

Jun 21, 1788

This was the first time the north and south had differing views on slavery. The north felt that the southern slaves should not be counted as people but it should be decided on so the south wouldn't unfairly get representation. The south felt that slaves were human but they didn't have rights so they weren't counted as one person. The 3/5 compromise worked out the first issues between north and south over slavery giving representation to the south but making taxes being paid for the population.

Cotton Gin Invention

Mar 14, 1794

Slavery was expensive for southern plantation owners, because their slaves were picking the cotton by hand and picking out the seeds. Eli Whitney's invention of the cotton gin made slavery in quick demand with a machine that took the seeds out by the spin of a handle. Cotton was now available at much faster rates so plantation owners made extreme amounts of money, making the south strong. The north wanted slavery to end, with the invention of the cotton gin it angered them with the high demand.

Missouri Compromise

Mar 3, 1820

This led to the expansion of slavery into the north and west. Though the north was happy because they had Maine admitted as a free state,it also allowed Missouri to be a slave state.The north and south agreed on the compromise since it allowed both the north and south to have an equal amount of free/slave states in congress.The north already did not want the expansion of slavery as far as Missouri,making them uneasy to what was to come if thecompromise wasn't obtained in the future.

Compromise of 1850

Jan 29, 1850

The Compromise of 1850 included omnibus bills,worked out by Henry Clay including that California would become a free state,Utah and Mexico would be popular sovereignty,and the Fugitive Slave Act was written.With 2 new states possibly becoming slave states,slavery was spreading Westward.In the fugitive slave act,it was written that judges were paid $10 to declare a person a slave and only $5 to be declared free.This increased the amount of slaves and grew more tension between the north and south.

Uncle Tom's Cabin

Mar 20, 1852

Uncle Tom’s Cabin was written by Harriet Beecher Stowe,a northern abolitionist.The book was first published by an anti-slavery newspaper in 1851,then a book in 1852.The book followed a young slave who was brutally beaten until killed by his master,showing those all around the country the terrible things slaves goes through.This book made many people become anti-slavery who before didn’t mind as long as it did not expand.In the south,the book was banned because they thought it would cause revolt.

Kansas-Nebraska Act

May 30, 1854

The Kansas-Nebraska Act allows for new states, to have popular sovereignty and move the 36' 30' line up. Both anti-slavery and pro-slavery ran to Kansas in hopes of shifting the support. This resulted in Bleeding Kansas with over 300 deaths. This angered and worried the north because slavery continued expanding in the United States.

Dred Scott vs Sandford Case

Apr 30, 1857

Dred Scott was a slave on a southern plantation but when his owner died, he was sent to Illinois (free state). Scott remained a slave in Illinois, so he went to court to sue since he couldn't be a slave if he was living in a free state. The court ruled that since he didn't have rights he could not go to court and remained a slave. The north was outraged by this case and also made more people become abolitionists.