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The End of the Importation of Slaves
In 1808, Article 1, Section 9, Clause 1 of the Constitution was put into action, stating "The Migration or Importation of such Persons as any of the States now existing shall think proper to admit, shall not be prohibited by the Congress prior to the Year one thousand eight hundred and eight, but a Tax or duty may be imposed on such Importation, not exceeding ten dollars for each Person." This was a political event because it removed the USA from participation in the Trans-Atlantic slave trade. -
The Missouri Compromise/ The Compromise of 1820
The Missouri Compromise was created to appease Northerners and Southerners by declaring Maine as a free state but adding Missouri to the Union as a slave state. Slavery was banned north of the 36'30 parallel in the remaining Louisiana Territory. This was a political event because it was a proposition by Congress to keep the representation in the North and the South at an equilibrium. -
The Wilmot Proviso
The Wilmot Proviso was a proposition created by Pennsylvanian Democratic Representative, David Wilmot. The bill stated that in territory gained from Mexico "neither slavery nor involuntary servitude shall ever exist," leading Southerners to believe that slavery was threatened. This was an economic, social, and political event because enslaved peoples made up a third of the South's population, and Southerners believed that the Wilmot Proviso would've changed all of those factors. -
The Fugitive Slave Act
The Fugitive Slave Act was also created by Henry Clay to appease Southerners. Under the act, any African American person that was accused of being a runaway slave could be prosecuted. In addition, commissioners were given $10 to be in favor of the slaveholder. Furthermore, people that refused to help slave catchers could be jailed. This was a social and political event because it caused the federal government to defend slavery to not anger or disturb the South's social hierarchy. -
The Compromise of 1850
Senator Henry Clay of Kentucky had created eight solutions that allowed California to join the Union to appeal to both Northerners and Southerners. Clay's ideas caused many debates so Stephen Douglas took charge to create a format where senators could vote for/against parts of Clay's compromises. All parts of Clay's compromise were passed by Congress and President Millard Fillmore signed it into law. This was a political event because it involved an institution of compromises into the Union. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin
Harriet Beecher Stowe witnessed the atrocities of slavery and wrote "Uncle Tom's Cabin" after her sister shared the actions of slave catchers through a letter. After the publication of the book, many Northerners became less indifferent to slavery and the book sold millions of copies. This was a social event because "Uncle Tom's Cabin" had a massive impact on American citizens. Northerners found it eye-opening, while Southerners claimed it was an inaccurate depiction and tried to ban the novel. -
The Kansas-Nebraska Act
To create the northern route for the Transcontinental Railroad, Stephen Douglas created a bill that would repeal the Missouri Compromise to build the railroad in the land that was west of Missouri and Iowa. The land became Nebraska, intended to be free territory, and Kansas, intended for slavery. The passing of the act angered members of the Democratic, Whig, and Free-Soiler parties. Although this was majorly a political event, the Transcontinental Railroad had lots of economic benefits. -
Bleeding Kansas
In 1855, proslavery settlers and antislavery settlers moved to the Kansas Territory to try to turn the state in their favor. Proslavery Missourians moved to Kansas with slaves because of Kansas' rich soil and good climate, while Northerners wanted to make Kansas an antislavery state. In 1856, proslavery settlers attacked Lawrence, an antislavery town. This civil war was a political event because Northerners and Southerns had fought over slavery through a territorial civil war. -
The Caning of Charles Sumner
On May 22, 1856, Charles Sumner, a Massachusetts senator, and abolitionist, stated that proslavery senators forced Kansas to be a slave state and specifically discussed the actions of Andrew P. Butler, a South Carolina senator. Preston Brooks, Butler's cousin, assaulted Sumner in the Senate chamber with a cane days later. This was a political and social event since it occurred between major officials in Congress but also sparked pride in Southerners and determination in Northerners. -
The Dred Scott Decision
Dred Scott was a slave who had been taken out of Missouri to live in a free territory by his slave owner. However, they returned back to Missouri and Scott sued, stating that he was free because he spent time in a free land. In Supreme Court, Chief Justice, Roger Taney, ruled against Scott because he claimed that non-citizens, such as slaves, could not sue in court. The case was a major political event because of the Supreme Court's ruling and continued to divide the country.