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Missouri Compromise
This compromise kept the number of free and slave states equal by creating a line (36´30´) to designate future free and slave states. This only applied to the Louisiana Territory. For a short period of time, this compromise LOWERED tension. -
Mexican War
The war brought new land that both the North and South wanted to influence. The North felt that the war was southern conspiracy so it was later settled that California would be a free state. As a result, this RAISED tension. -
Wilmot Proviso
To appease the North, this bill proposed making all land won from Mexico free. This caused Southern Congressmen to angrily block the bill from becoming a law. This bill RAISED tension. -
California Gold Rush
Gold was found bringing many more people to California. California grew so much that it requested to become a free state. As a result, this RAISED tension because the South felt that this upset the free/slave state balance. -
Compromise of 1850
This determined the status of the land from the Mexican Cession including California. California became a free state and the rest of the land was decided by popular sovereignty, so this LOWERED tension. -
Fugitive Slave Law
This law forced northerners to aid slave catchers. Blacks were falsely identified as runaways, denied jury trials, and kidnapped to the South as slaves. As a result, this RAISED tension because the North and the South became more divided over slavery. -
Abraham Lincoln elected President
The United States broke apart and his effort was to preserve the union, this started the civil war. The South felt Lincoln to be a threat so Lincoln election RAISED tension. -
Uncle Tom’s Cabin is published
Uncle Tom's Cabin, written by Harriet Beecher Stowe, was a book about slavery. This book made slavery look terrible and caused more northerners to hate slavery but the southerners banned this book. This book RAISED tension. -
Republican Party Forms
Anti-Slavery Whigs, Democrats, and the Free-Soil Party hated the Kansas-Nebraska Act so they joined together to create the Republican Party. They did not want slavery to expand West. The South hated felt that Republicans in the North would be a threat to slavery. This RAISED tension. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
This law was meant to organized new northern states in the Midwest for a Northerner railroad. South didn't like it because it would hinder the equality of slave and free state balance. Because it was going to be run on popular sovereignty, the northerners were furious becuase it was above the 36'30' line so many came to fight to control it. This RAISED tension a lot. -
“Bleeding Kansas”
Abolitionist from the north and slave owners from the South populated Kansas. Many were killed because of the RAISED tension in Kansas between abolitionist and slave owners. -
Charles Sumner caned in the Senate
The speech made in the senate by Sumner, denounced slave states, especially South Carolina. Preston Brooks nearly beat Sumner to death with a cane. As a result the North was outraged and the South rejoiced, RAISING tension. -
Dred Scott vs. Sandford
The Supreme court made a ruling about slavery in the west. Scott sued and argued that because his master brought him to a free territory that he was now a free man. In the North, republicans and abolitionist were angry that slavery could legally spread west but the south loved it. As a result of this, this RAISED tension. -
John Brown’s Raid at Harper’s Ferry
John Brown and his followers seized a federal arsenal. He intended to smuggle military weapons to the South and start a rebellion. This event RAISED tension in the US. -
Southern states begin to secede
Jefferson Davis led the secession. The South felt it had no power left in the federal government and began seceding from the United States. South Carolina was the first to secede. This RAISED tension because now Lincoln has more to handle. -
Battle at Fort Sumter
Once Lincoln becomes president, the South did not like that. By his inauguration, the Confederacy claimed federal forts in the South. When Lincoln wanted to resupply Fort Sumter, the South refused to surrender. South boomed the fort and the Civil War began. As a result, this RAISED tension.
