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Missouri Compromise
The Missouri Compromise was a bill passed to make all states, that were purchased in the Louisiana Purchase, north of the 36, 30 N latitude boundary free states, and it was ushered in by the Speaker of the House of Henry Clay. The suggestion of this bill put slavery up for debate and made the United States into two clearly divided sides. -
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Timeline of Events
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Nathaniel Turner's Rebellion
Nathaniel Turner was an influential speaker and preacher among the slave community. In 1831, Turner saw a solar eclipse and thought that this was a sign from God that meant he should kill his enemies. He would go onto lead one of the largest slave rebellions seen on the night of August 21, killing over sixty white men, women and children. His actions caused plantation owners to fear another uprising lead by slaves and become even more harsh where slave code eforcement was concerned. -
Wilmot Proviso
Suggested by David Wilmot soon after the Mexican-American War began, the Wilmot Proviso was an act that, if passed, would ban slavery in lands taken from Mexico. This caused a retort from the Southerners and John C. Calhoun who stated that Congress did not have the right to control slavery as slaves were property. Neither of these two ideas were approved by Congress, but the dispute caused many harsh debates and made people take sides. -
Compromise of 1850
In 1849, California was about to eneter the Union as a free state which angered many Southerners because this would cause the free states to be able to outvote slave states. In 1850, Henry Clay would come forth with a five part compromise that, after the death of President Taylor, would be split into five parts by Stephen A. Douglas to push for a fugitive slave law, only allow slave trade in D.C., California would enter as a free state and no more limits on new states having slavery. -
Fugitive Slave Act
This was a part of the Compromise of 1850. This act would force all citizens to return fugitive slaves back to the slave's master, and it was primarily recommended to be passed by Henry Clay so that the Southerners could be satisfied. The Southerners believed this act would show the Northerners their power; however, the Northerners refused to follow this law and refernced "Civil Disobedience" to explain their reason for doing so. This caused tension between the North and South to increase. -
The Kansas - Nebraska Act
In 1854, Stephen A. Douglas proposed a bill to organize the lands of Nebraska and Kansas, but because of the lands locations, in accordance to the Missouri Compromise ,the lands should be free. This could not happen as it would greatly disrupt the balance of power between free and slave states, so the decision was left to popular sovereignty. Soon after, Kansas was settled by thousands of pro and anti slavery supporters who broke into a war when pro-slavery won.This was an early major conflict. -
The Dred Scott Case
Dred Scott was a slave owned by an army doctor who traveled from the South to the North. When Dred's owner died, Dred argued that he should be free as he lived in a free state for a time. Dred Scott was able to go to court with his case because of anti-slavery lawyers. Chief Justice Roger B. Taney, who was the judge at Dred Scott's court meeting, ruled that Dred should still be a slave as Dred was property and the constitution protected a man's property. This issue tore the country apart. -
John Brown's Raid on Harper Fairy
John Brown was an African-American who, in 1859, led an assault on Harper Fairy in an attempt to take over an arsenal. He was able to attempt to do so because of fundings provided by Northern abolitionists. His attempt to take Harper Fairy failed; he was stopped by a local militia and troops. John Brown's attack scared the Southerners of Northern abolitionists and what the abolitionists could do. John Brown's attack would only serve to encourage the Civil War. -
Lincoln's Election
In 1860, Abraham Lincoln was elected president after defeating John C. Beckenridge, Constitutional Union candidate John Bell and Stephen Douglass. He won with forty percent of the popular vote. His victory made the South feel threatened and take seccesion into deep consideration as President Abraham Lincoln's despise of slavery was common knowledge. (Note: Abraham Lincoln did not blieve that African-Americans should be regarded as first-class citizens.) -
Fort Sumter
Confederates had been taking forts that were on Union soil. A day after being welcomed into office, Abraham Lincoln recieved a notice from Fort Sumter, a fort gaurding Charleston Harbor, that read that the fort had low supplies and confederates were demanding its imediate surrender. Lincoln decided to send supplies along with a notice to Jefferson Davis stating that the Union troops would only fire if fired upon. Davis decided to launch a two day attack causing the Civil War.
