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The Missouri Compromise
It declared Maine as a free state and Missouri as slave state. Along with the two states it created a "line" meaning that north of it no slavery was allowed and south of it slavey was accepted. They did this to help ensure equal amount of slave and free states. This compromise caused controversy before the Civil War when territories were becoming states creating unfair amount of slavery. It was replaced by the Kansas-Nebraska Act in 1854. -
Tariff of Abomination (1828)
The Tariff of 1828 taxed raw materials and textiles in the south. It was called an abomination outraged many southerners since they had a decrease in profits which affected their expensive lifestyle. Britain also disliked the taxes they had to pay to get cheap cotton from the South. It was created to help Van Buren gain support from farmers in the Northeast. Andrew Jackson created and passed Tariff of 1832, dismissing 1828 tariff. -
The Compromise of 1850
The Compromise of 1850 had 5 main parts which all helped settle the dispute over slavery. It created the Fugitive Slave Act and got rid of slave trade in D.C. It also declared California a free state which was south of the Missouri Compromise line (overpowered Missouri compromise). It gave Utah and New Mexico territory popular sovereignty over slave issues. The Act also resolved the Texas-New Mexico border issues and allowed the congress a few years without slavery disputes. -
Fugitive Slave Act of 1850
The Fugitive Slave Act was apart of the Compromise of 1850. This specific act was created to help balance the uneven number between free and slave states. It required citizens to aid in the return of runaway slaves to their owners. With this act as well, it declined slaves the right to a fair trial since they were considered property. Many north free blacks were captured and sent to the South with no trial which caused problems and many more Americans against slavery. -
Disunity of Whigs
The Whigs became divided over slavery issues. The Compromise of 1850 was one of the main causes of the Whigs disputes. Southern Whigs supported slavery meanwhile the Northerners were against it. This caused a problem with representatives in their party. They ended up separating into Republicans (antislavery), Democratic (pro slavery being dealt differently) and into a third party. This helped divide America into two main groups which helped the creation of the Confederate States. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
This Act overpowered the Missouri Compromise and gave Kansas and Nebraska popular sovereignty over being a slave state. Although the initial purpose was to build a railroad benefiting Stephan Douglas, it brought republicans and democrats to the new land to be apart of the decision of slavery. It caused deaths of 60 people (Bleeding Kansas) between the two parties trying to win majority votes. -
Dred Scott Case
Dred Scott was a slave and his owner was an army surgeon that spent most of his time in Illinois and Wisconsin (free states/territories) taking Dred along. He tried many times to buy his freedom, but his owner refused. They went to Supreme Court and Taney argued that he's property and can't be taken away until processed by law. Along that blacks aren't American citizens, so they cannot sue. The way the case was resolved upset northerners and caused a greater urge to abolish slavery. -
Abraham Lincoln winning presidency
He was the first candidate to win in the Republican Party. The Republican Party was against slavery and him winning the election worried southern states about losing their slavery rights. He dealt with South Carolina leaving America more proper than President Buchanan, such as they either come back to America or go to war. He first claimed the goal of the Civil War was to get Southern states back but throughout the years he added ending of slavery. He won reelection in 1864 but was shot in 1865. -
South Carolina seceding
SC was the first state to spilt away from America, eventually other southern states followed them months later. Another effect was the formation of the Confederate States of America. One of the main reasonings for seceding was fear that Lincoln being president would eventually lead to the banishment of slavery because of the Compromise of 1850. Also new land gained (Texas and California) were south of the Compromise Line but they could move there with their slaves or they'd be free. -
Creation of Confederate States
AL, FL, GA, LA, MS, SC, TX, were the beginning of a new nation with self-governing. They believed Lincoln winning presidency jeopardized their way of life. Eventually four other states joined the nation and fought the Union for their beliefs. Lincoln declared that succeeding was illegal and they can come back peacefully or war will begin. They were the main cause of the war, being the enemy of the Unions.
