-
Missouri Comprimise
The Missouri Compromise preserved the belance between slave and free states in the senate. The Missouri Compromise allowed Missouri to join the U.S. as a slave state and Maine to join as a free state. The Missouri Compromise also temporarily put to sleep the debate over slavery. This could have led to a civil war because it made missouri a slave state, even though it was above the "line" between slave and free states. -
Nathanial Turner's Rebellion
Nat Turner was popular religious leader amoung the enslaved people. He believed he was sent by God to end slavery. In 1931, he and a few other slaves went on a rampage and killed every white person they saw, 55 of them. This could have led to a civil war because a few of the slaves rebelled, the slave owners could have thought other slaves would rebel too, which made slave laws more harsh, causing more upset. -
Wilmot Proviso
David Wilmot proposed the Wilmot Proviso. It stated that it would ban slavery in any lands that might be acquired from Mexico, but the southerners protested. The southerners believed any antislavery policy about the territories endangered slavery everywhere. This could have led to a civil war because it upset the South because it interferred with their opinions on slavery. -
Fugitive Slave Act
The Fugitive Slave Acts were laws that allowed the capture and return of runaway slaves within the United States. The Fugitive Slave Act let the government seize and return escaped slaves to their owners and impose penalties on anyone who aided in their flight. This could have led to the civil war because it would upset the North since they are against slavery. -
Compromise of 1850
Henry Clay introduced a series of resolutions on January 29, 1850, in an attempt to make a compromise between North and South. As part of the Compromise of 1850, the Fugitive Slave Act was amended and the slave trade in Washington, D.C., was abolished. This could have led to the civil war because it would have made the south angry for abolishing the slave trade. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act - "Bleeding Kansas"
Congress passed the Kansas-Nebraska Act in 1854. It let Kansas and Nebraska join the U.S. and basically removed the Missouri Compromise.This could have led to the Civil War because it removed a law that lessened the upset over slavery. -
The Dred-Scott Case
Dred Scott was an enslaved person. He was the slave of an army doctor that moved to a free state, and then to the Wisconsin Territory, where slavery was banned. The family later returned to Missouri, where the doctor died. Dred Scott believed that he should be free because he lived in free states. However, the court said that he was still an enslaved person and could not bring a lawsuit. This could have led to a civil war because the court's decicision angered many people. -
John Brown's Raid on Harper's Ferry
After the 1858 election, Southerners felt threatened by Republicans. This event added to their fears. John Brown led a group on a raid on harper's ferry, an arsenal. He planned to arm enslaved African Americans and start a revolution. This could have led to a civil war because he tried to start a slave rebellion, which angered the South. -
Lincoln's Election
Since Lincoln was becoming president, the south was thinking about seceding from the U.S. Lincoln said he would not allow the South to secede. This could have led to a civil war because the South knew that Lincoln was against slavery, so he could possibly make slavery illegal. -
Battle at Fort Sumter
The day after Lincoln took office, he recieved word that Fort Sumter was low on supplies and the South demanded its surrender. Lincoln responded by saying that he would send unarmed men down with supplies. He said they would not attack unless they were attacke. The Confederate leader ordered to attack the fort before the supplies arrived. This could have led to a civil war because it was the first real battle between the North and the South.
