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Missouri Compromise
The Missouri Compromise's purpose was to preserve the balance between slave and free states in the Senate. In the Compromise, Missouri joined as a slave state, Maine as a free state, and north of 36º30'N lattitude was banned from slavery. The Missouri Compromise added to sectionalism in America by heping the North and South both gain more territory. -
Nathaniel Turner's Rebellion
Led by Nat Turner and taking place in Southhampton County, Virginia, this slave rebellion killed around 60 whites including the Travis family. Nat Turner believed himself a religous prophet whom God sent to kill all those people. This rebellion struck slaveholders with fear and the realization that the slaves could all come together and win a battle against the whites. -
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Wilmot Proviso
The Wilmot Proviso would have banned slavery in any lands that might be acquired from Mexico. Southerners protested this proposal because they believed that any antislavery policy about the territories endangered slavery everywhere. This proposal was not passed but started the bitter debate over slavery in the North and South. -
Wilmot Proviso
The Wilmot Proviso would have banned slavery in any lands that might be acquired from Mexico. Southerners protested this proposal because they believed that any antislavery policy about the territories endangered slavery everywhere. This proposal was not passed but started the bitter debate over slavery in the North and South. -
Compromise of 1850
The Compromise of 1850 was formed by five laws introduced by Henry Clay. These laws had California enter as a free state, while the rest of new territories had no limits on slavery. Senator Webster agreed with no limits; he reasoned that slavery had little chance in the new territories, because that land was not suited for plantations. The reason for acceptance of slavery in the new territories was to even out the amount of slave and free territories. -
Compromise of 1850 (continued)
The compromise also banned slave trade but not slavery in Washington D.C. The decisions made in this compromise might upset abolitionists, because they could see the slavery in new territories as unfair. -
Fugitive Slave Act
The Fugitive Slave Act was an effort to calm the slaveholders. This act required all citizens to help catch and return runaways, and if anyone helped a fugitive, they would be fined or imprisoned. This upset both slaveholders and abolitionists. The abolitionists felt the Fugitive Slave Act effected their states' rights, causing them to act agaist the act. Their actions against the act included the Underground Railroad which upset slaveholders because they went against the act. -
The Kansas-Nebraska Act - "Bleeding Kansas"
The Kansas-Nebraska Act was proposed by Stephen A. Douglas. The idea of this act was to allow the people of Kansas an Nebraska to decide whether or not to become slave or free states. Allowing the people to decide was called popular sovereignty. After this act was passed, Kansas was voted as a slave state. Antislavery people refused to obey their laws and decided to create their own government, causing two rival governments in Kansas. -
The Kansas-Nebraska Act - "Bleeding Kansas" (continued)
An effect of this act was "Bleeding Kansas". Violence was started by proslavery people when 800 of them attacked the town of Lawrence. In retaliation, John Brown, a passionate abolitionist, led a group of abolitionists to Pottawatomie Creek and killed 5 slavery supporters. Bleeding Kansas can be classified as a civil war, because this violence of citizens of the same country. The Kansas-Nebraska Act and Bleeding Kansas could be the starting of violence in the country. -
The Dred-Scott Case
Dred Scott was enslaved to a doctor. While living with the doctor, they moved from slave state to free state and then back to slave state where the doctor died. After the doctor died, Scott sued for his freedom. He claimed that because he once lived in a state that banned slavery he should be free. Denying his suit, Chief Justice Roger B. Taney stated that black could never be citizens therefore did not have the right to bring a lawsuit. -
The Dred-Scott Case (continued)
The Dred Scott decision enraged abolitionists and heightened North-South tensions, which would erupt in war just three years later. -
John Brown's Raid on Harper's Ferry
This raid was paid for by abolitionists and led by John Brown. Brown targeted an aresenal, hoping he could arm enslaved African Americans and revolt against slaveholders. Sadly, local citizens and federal troops defeated Brown's raid. Brown was convicted of treason and murder; he hung for his actions. The death of John Brown rallied abolitionists, but his actions struck Southerners with fear. -
Lincoln's Election
In his inauguration speech Lincoln extended an olive branch to the South, but also made it clear that he intended to enforce federal laws in the states that seceded. Lincoln also promised not to interfere with the institution of slavery where it existed, but took a firm stance against secession and the seizure of federal property. After Lincoln was elected, seven states left the union, because they feared that a Republican in office would threaten their rights of slavery. -
Lincoln's Election (continued)
The lower South succeeded and created the Confederate Sates of America. Jefferson Davis was the Confederate States of America's president. War between the two sections was inevitable. -
Battle at Fort Sumter
Lincoln sent an unarmed expedition with supplies to Ft. Sumter, and informed Governor Pickens that Union forces would not throw in men,arms, or ammunition unless they were fired upon. He left the decision to start shooting to the Confederates. Knowing this, Jefferson Davis decided to attack the fort before the supplies could arrive. With his actions, the Civil War had begun.
