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Northwest Ordinance
Abolished ten districts created in 1784, creating one Northwestern territory (lands north of Ohio). The territory could be divided into 3-5 territories. Population minimum of 60,000 for statehood, guaranteed religious freedom, the right to trial by jury, and eliminated slavery in the territory. Kentucky developed quickly through 1770’s and 80’s. Threw off balance between slaves and free states-starts 75 year path to Civil War. -
Missouri Compromise
In 1819, MO tried to join the Union as a slave state- threatened to upset balance between slave and free states (11 free and 11 slave). Congress created compromise that admitted MO as a slave state and ME as a free state. Also prohibited further slavery and slowly emancipated slaves in MO. Senator Thomas proposed amendment forbidding slavery north of the 36’30 line and vice versa. Northern and southern Nationalists thought resolution threatened the Union. -
Nat Turner Rebellion
Nat Turner was a slave preacher who led the only effective slave rebellion in US history: Nat Turner Rebellion. He led a band of African Americans, armed with guns & axes. They went from house to house in Southampton County, VA - killed 60 white men, women, and children before they were overpowered by federal troops! More than 100 blacks executed in aftermath. Inspired fears of more large-scale slave insurrections. Southerners became more suspicious of Northern abolitionists. -
Gag Rule
First movement in practice of forbidding HOR from considering anti-slavery petitions. Hammond (SC) proposed rule in Dec 1835. Speaker, James Polk (TN) brought issue to special committee to solve problem. Committee Chairman, Henry L. Pinckney (SC) declared all petitions, memorials, or resolutions concerning slavery-immediately tabled. Rep JQ Adams (MA) raised first and most passionate protest- believed it was a restriction on free speech, countered it at next 4 Congresses. Repealed: Dec 3, 1844. -
Amistad Case
Portuguese slave hunters seized Africans from Sierra Leone and shipped them to Cuba in Spanish vessel (Amistad). Legal battle ensued, funded by some abolitionists. 1839: Effort to return seized Africans. However, US Navy captured them and claimed they were pirates. Abolitionists help find legal means to declare the Africans free since international slave trade was illegal. JQ Adams argued the anti-slavery stance. Court declared Africans free & anti slavery groups paid for trip back to Africa. -
Annexation of TX
Until LA Purchase, TX= part of MX. 1820s: gov’t. encouraged American immigration to TX. Pres. Houston offered to join Union. Democrats and Whigs opposed introduction of TX as slave territory. Jackson was afraid of war w/ MX and sectional tensions. In 1844 Tyler got TX to apply again. Jackson presented the treaty as if its only purpose was to expand slavery- defeated by northern senators. TX became main issue in election of 1844 and became a state under Polk. Exacerbated Mexican War tensions. -
Mexican War
Mexicans rejected Slidell’s offer to purchase disputed land. Polk ordered Taylor’s army to move to the Rio Grande. Mexicans didn’t attack American soldiers for months. Congress finally declared war. Whig critics thought Polk staged border incident while others claimed war was a drain on resources/attention from Pacific Northwest. Slower victory than Polk hoped. Monterrey captured: Sept. 1846 and later MX City captured. Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ended war, giving US broad territory. -
Wilmot Proviso
During the Mexican War, Polk asked Congress to allocate $2 million for peace w/ MX. Representative Proviso from PA- antislavery dem., introduced an amendment to appropriation bill that would prohibit slavery in any territory acquired from MX. Passed in house, failed in senate. Voted on repeatedly for years. Southern militants declared all ppl had equal rights in lands acquired by MX, including the right to purchase land there. This action was beneficial to the Republican Party. -
California Gold Rush
News of strike spread on Jan. 24, 1848. Atmosphere: Crazed with excitement and greed. San Francisco- almost completely depopulated when residents raced to mountains to search for gold. Gold Rush Immigrants- 49ers prepared carefully for journey. Men abandoned families/ land, piled onto ships, and flooded overland trails. 95%= men. Attracted some of the 1st Chinese migrants to the US- work on expanding railroads in CA. Effect: serious labor shortage in CA- opportunities for immigrants. -
Fugitive Slave Act
Pierce avoided issue of slavery. Calhoun thought Northern fugitive slave laws strengthened the 1793 law. Northern opposition to FSA intensified after 1850 when southerners began appearing in northern states to pursue ppl they claimed were fugitives. Mobs formed in some northern cities to prevent enforcement of law and some even passed their own laws barring the deportation of fugitive slaves. White southerners- enraged that victory in 1850 Compromise meant nothing. -
Compromise of 1850
Clay (KY Senator) presented omnibus bill to settle sectional differences: CA admitted as free state, territorial gov’ts in acquired MX territory w/o slavery reforms, abolished slave trade in District of Columbia, enacted FSA. 7 months debate: older congressmen (Clay, Calhoun, Webster) argued on broad ideals; Douglas separated measures in Sept. and replacements Douglas, Davis, and Seward ratified compromise. Caused sectional tensions; each side resented the other’s gains. -
Publication of Uncle Tom's Cabin
Book first appeared in Antislavery Weekly. Exasperated public opinion regarding slavery in north and south in years leading up to the Civil War. Harriet Beecher Stowe (ardent abolitionist) was known as one of the most successful American writers of sentimental novels. She wrote the novel to show people the abhorrent impact slavery had on family life. Sold 300,000 copies within one year. Translated into 20 languages and sold 2.5 million copies worldwide. Stowe became a hero in the north. -
Kansas Nebraska Act
Douglas added this to MO Compromise: status of slavery in the territory would be determined according to popular sovereignty. When southern democrats wanted more, Douglas added an additional clause repealing the MO compromise. He divided KS ( likely slave) & NE. After lots of debate, became law in 1854 w/ unanimous support of the south and partial support of northern Dems. Destroyed Whigs, divided US into Northern Repubs and Southern Dems, spurred creation of Republican party in 1854. -
Bleeding Kansas
Events in KS 2 yrs after KN Act increased political tensions. 1855: election held for a territorial legislature. Thousands of MO voters-elected pro slavery forces and majority to legislature, legalizing slavery. Free Staters called constitutional convention & adopted a constitution excluding slavery & petitioned for statehood. Pierce denounced them as traitors. John Brown murdered 5 pro slavery followers-Pottawatomie Massacre. Guerrilla warfare by armed bands ensued. Neither side took blame. -
Ostend Manifesto
Pierce wanted to purchase Cuba from Spain; he dreamed of European governments modeled on the US, as well as expanding US industry in the Pacific. A group of his envoys sent him a private document from Ostend, Belgium which made the case for seizing Cuba by force. The document leaked to the public and enraged many slavery opposers of the north b/c new slave state would be brought into the Union. South opposed efforts to acquire new territory that wouldn’t support slavery. -
Dred Scott Decision
Scott v. Sanford: Dred Scott- MO slave once owned by surgeon who took him to IL and WI. Surgeon died (1856), Scott appealed to circuit court- declared free. Sanford (widow’s brother) claimed ownership of Scott and appealed to circuit court, which appealed to SC: divided. Taney ruled Scott wasn’t a citizen therefore had no rights under the const and Congress couldn’t seize property (slaves) under 5th amendment. South was happy. Repubs threatened to fill court w/ new members and flip outcome. -
John Brown and Raid on Harpers Ferry
John Brown was an anti-slavery zealot and thought he was an instrument of God’s will to destroy slavery. Moved to KS to make it a free state, Pottawatomie Massacre. Failed armed slave result in Harpers Ferry, VA and was tried for murder. He was accused of treason and hanged. Republicans tried to distance themselves from Brown but were unsuccessful b/c raid temporarily unified Democrats in preserving slavery. This increased tensions between the North and South. -
Crittenden Compromise
After Lincoln’s election SC & 6 other deep south states seceded. Trying to keep Union together, Senator Crittenden proposed constitutional am. to extend MO Compromise to West Coast, compensate fugitive slave owners, est popular sovereignty in territories, protect DC slavery, & protect interstate slave trade. Lincoln dismissed compromise, thought it violated Repub. Party’s opinion which was against expanding slavery into far west territories. Senate never acted, defeated in Mar 1861.
