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Slavery Compromises and Slavery Fails
During the mid 1800's, the United States was divided by the issue of slavery. Slowly, the North and South pulled apart. this finally led to the South seceding and the start of the Civil War against the Confederate States (the south) and the union states (the north). -
The Missouri Compromise
The Missouri Compromise was drafted by Henry Clay. This compromise had 3 main parts to it
1.Maine became a free state.
2. Missouri became a slave state.
3. An imaginary line was made at 36°30'. Any state above this line had to be a free state (except Missouri).
This compromise was declared unconstitutional in 1857. Because slaves are in other territories in the North, the south did not like that they took those states from them. -
Compromise of 1850
This Compromise was, of course, created in 1850. It stated 4 main things:
1. California could enter the Union as a free state.
2. Utah and New Mexico could pick if the wanted to have slaves or be a free state.
3. Slave trade was banned in Washington D.C.
4. A stronger fugitive slave law was passed.
This compromise was debated for a long nine months. the north did not want to cooperate with the fugitive slave law. The south called the north thieves and began to feel divided from the north. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
This bill was made by Stephen Douglas. In this bill two territories were created, Kansa and Nebraska. these territories were allowed to choose the right of slavery. After this bill was passed, people started pouring into Kansas, wanting it t be a slave state so that they could expand slave territory. But border ruffians came and cause conflict and bloodshed. The north labeled the south as a violent society, therefore pulling them far from he south. -
Dred Scott Case
Dred Scott, a Missouri slave, went to Wisconsin with his owner. He beleived that his time in Wisconsin, a free state, made him a free man. When he went back to Missouri, he tried his case in court. Chief Justice Roger Taney said that Scott could not bring a case to court because he wasn't a citizen. he also said that the Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional. Slaves were property and it was illegal to take them away. This enraged the north because they believed that slaves were citizens. -
Election of 1860
Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas were both running for the President. Their debates brought slavery as a moral issue. None of the south voted for Lincoln. Some ballots didnt even have his name. but when Lincoln one anyway. This was the last straw for the south, so they finally decided to secede from the U.S. The country was pulled apart. -
Attack on Fort Sumter
The south opened fire on Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina. This was the final straw of the north. now they would go into war. Civil War.
