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Period: to
Before the Civil War
This was the time period in which many events happened, eventually leading to the Civil War. -
The Missouri Compromise
There was a great debate whether slavery should be admitted to new states coming into the US, until Henry Clay settled the argument with the compromise of balance between slave and free states. A line was set- anything above the line would be free, anything below the line would be slave. -
The Nullification Crisis
Tarrifs were placed by the bank of the United States, and the South disagreed, claiming that they only supported the North's wealth. John C. Calhoun that any law that seems unconstitutional can be nullified. Soulth Carolina threatened to seceed, until a compromise was made. -
Compromise of 1850
There was much debate over whether the states won from Mexico should be allowed to be slave states or free states. Henry Clay again came up with the compromise that California would enter as a slave state, and Congress would stop banning slavery from the rest of the territories admitted from Mexico. -
Fugitive Slave Act
This act allowed the action of capturing African Americans and taking them to the South. This caused tense feelings between the North and South. This helped to eventually lead to John Brown's Raid and the Civil War. -
Bleeding Kansas
An election was being made in Kansas-- in which nearly 5000 pro-slavery supporters came and illegally voted in favor of pro-slavery. In this time, anti-slavery supporters started their own goverment, and were attack by pro-slavery supporters. As an abolitionist, John Brown avenged his wounded comerades by murdering several of his pro-slavery neighbors. -
Dred Scott Decision
Dred Scott had been in court hoping that he would be able to get freedom, after knowing that African Americans were "not citizens or coulf become citizens." The decision of the court was that Dred Scott could live in a free state, but live as a slave. This outraged many abolitionists. -
Attack on Harpers Ferry
John Brown captured an arsenal, armed slaves, and motivated them to fight for their freedom. They were eventually captured, and some were put to death, including Brown. Many saw this as the breaking point for abolition, as the tensions between the North and South rose. -
Lincoln's Election
In the election of 1860, Abraham had won. The Southerners still disbelieved him about the isasue of slavery, and soon after the election, Southern states started seceeding from the United States. This was the main milestone in the start of the Civil War.
