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The Cotton Boom
During the later half of the Antebellum Period, cotton productions skyrocketed throughout the south. It became the backbone of the southern economy, and a combination of the ideal growing conditions in the South with the difficult harvesting process of cotton meant that extensive slave labor was used to maximize profits. Slaves worked from sunrise to sunset under brutal conditions and were denied many rights because of their designation as "property" rather than US citizens. -
Nat Turner's Slave Rebellion
Nat Turner, who had managed to become educated despite being a slave, spent months gathering supplies and spreading word of a rebellion. Eventually he and about seventy other slaves raided white plantations, freeing slaves and killing white people. Ultimately, the rebellion was put down and the rebels were either physically punished or put to death. The rebellion instilled fear in slave-owners and state governments, so harsh laws were put into place to punish rebellious and run-away slaves. -
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Gag Rule in the House of Representatives
On May 26th, 1836, the House of Representatives implemented a "gag rule", preventing further discussion of anti-slavery petitions in an attempt to silence abolitionist views under the pretense that the deep divide over slavery was preventing the House from tending to other matters. This rule allowed slavery to thrive because Congress was forced to look the other way when anti-slavery issues were brought up. -
Compromise of 1850
With the addition of new states and territories, the Missouri Compromise of 1820 was not holding up. Henry Clay proposed a new compromise, which put off decisions of slavery until a territory applied for statehood, admitted California as a free state, implemented the Fugitive Slave Act, and in doing so, caused many controversies across the US. -
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Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad was a network of safe houses and paths that slaves could use to escape to the North. One of the most famous "conductors" of this railroad was Harriet Tubman, an escaped slave herself. Over the course of her time as a conductor, she made nineteen trips and is credited with over 300 rescued slaves. -
The Fugitive Slave Act
The Fugitive Slave Act was signed into law as part of the Compromise of 1850. It stated that all escaped slaves must be returned to their masters, and that it was every citizen's responsibility to aid in the capture and return of escaped slaves. This angered the North, many of whom held anti-slavery sentiments and did not want to be forced to help return slaves. -
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Bleeding Kansas
When Kansas was preparing to enter statehood, there was violent conflict between its pro-slavery and anti-slavery residents. They could not compromise on the legality of slavery in Kansas, and eventually the arguments became violent attacks. For years armed militias and rebel groups fought on Kansas soil, which served as a small prelude to the atrocities of the Civil War. Of course, Southern Democrats supported slavery and Republicans supported a free Kansas, so this only widened the divide. -
The Dred Scott Case
Officially labeled as Dred Scott v. Sandford (Scott's owner), in this case enslaved Dred Scott sued for his family's freedom under the pretense that they were living in a free state. The case reached the US Supreme Court, which ruled against Scott stating that the Constitution was not intended for black people to become citizens so he could not enjoy the rights of an American citizen in a free state. This ruling further divided abolitionists and slavery supporters and fueled the fire of the war. -
Debates Between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas
A series of debates between Lincoln and Douglas who were vying for the Illinois seat in the senate, in which many topics, including slavery, were discussed. Lincoln believed that slavery could not continue to be divided and would either spread to every state or be wiped out, while Douglas believed that each territory would decide if slavery should be allowed or not. While Lincoln ultimately lost the bid for senate, he gained widespread northern support and went on to become President. -
John Brown's Raid
John Brown, a prominent abolitionist of the time, led a raid on a federal armory in Virginia with the plan to arm slaves and abolitionists with the gathered arms and start an uprising. While he succeeded in seizing the armory, he was ultimately captured, convicted of treason, and put to death. He was remembered as a villain in the South, and as a hero and freedom fighter in the North, further dividing the two regions and pushing them closer to war.
