Cartoon election john bell candidates southern democrat 1860

Sectionalism in the U.S.

By KellenL
  • Missouri Compromise

    Missouri Compromise
    The main issue of the Missouri Compromise was whether new states would be admitted as free or slave states. The North and South were impacted differently because it affected the balance of power in Congress. The compromise increased tension by making slavery a national political issue.
  • Nullification Crisis

    Nullification Crisis
    The nullification crisis was an issue because it pretty much-allowed state governments to just not obey federal laws, such as taxes. Both the North and South were affected because the southern states like South Carolina were the ones nullifying tariffs but this also affected the North because now the central government had no money. This increased sectionalism because now the North had to get involved and stop this or else the central government would go broke.
  • The Compromise of 1850

    The Compromise of 1850
    The issue this compromise solved was whether California and Texas would be free or slave states. The North and South, specifically Texas and California. This increased tensions because it passed the fugitive slave act which made the North very mad.
  • Fugitive Slave Act

    Fugitive Slave Act
    The main issue of this act was that Southerners could go up north and take their slaves back with them. This increased sectionalism because it made the people in the north very mad that they could just come to invade their land trying to find their slaves. In this act, slaves were impacted because now they weren't free in the North and could be taken back into slavery.
  • Uncle Tom's Cabin Published

    Uncle Tom's Cabin Published
    The main issue this book adressed was the lack of knowledge of how slaves lived. The people in the north and south were affected by this. The people in the north now knew how the slaves lived and became even more anti-slavery and the people in the south were embarrassed and mad. It increased tensions because now almost everyone in the north hated slavery and wanted to get rid of it but the south did not.
  • Kansas-Nebraska Act

    Kansas-Nebraska Act
    The issue with the Kansas-Nebraska Act was whether Kansas and Nebraska would be free of slave states. The North and South were both affected because of the balance between slave and free states. This increased sectionalism because it led to bleeding Kansas.
  • Bleeding Kansas and the Pottawatomie Massacre

    Bleeding Kansas and the Pottawatomie Massacre
    The main issue in this conflict was the people of Kansas fighting over whether Kansas should be a free or slave state. The north and south governments were affected by this because it would add another slave state or another free state. Also, the people that lived in Kansas were because this was a pretty deadly event. It increased tension because now people were killing for their beliefs on slavery.
  • The Dred Scott Decision

    The Dred Scott Decision
    The issue or conflict of the Dred Scott decision was that the government determined that slaves did not count as people, but rather property. The slaves were affected by this. After all, now they know that they have no basic rights because they are property. This increased tensions because the North was mad that all of the slaves counted as property and not actually people, even though they were people.
  • John Browns Raid and Trial

    John Browns Raid and Trial
    The main issue in this is the conflict and violence it brought to the nation. Both the abolitionists and pro-slavery people were affected by this because it brought the first blood and deaths of the conflict. This increased division and sectionalism because it was, again, the first time it got violent.
  • Election of Abraham Lincoln

    Election of Abraham Lincoln
    The issue with Abraham Lincoln being elected is that he was a well-known abolitionist, meaning that the abolitionists and the North had complete control over the government. The South was mainly affected by this because they were very mad and it was the final straw before they seceded. This increased sectionalism because now the South was threatening to secede and leave the country.