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Virginia & Kentucky Resolutions written
Written by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. The resolutions argued that the federal government had no authority to exercise power not specifically delegated to it in the Constitution. The Virginia reolution insated more communication with the public to give people information of what was going on. The Kentucky resolution went beyond Virginia stating that states had the power to nullify unconstitutional laws. -
Hartford Convention Meets during War of 1812
A meeting with the New England delegates during the War of 1812 to discuss their opposition to the war with England. They brought up several problems in New England during this war. One of which was how New England states refused to surrender their militia to national service even when they've been threatened with an invasion in 1814. -
Missouri Compromise
It was passed in order to preserve the balance of power in Congress between slave and free states. This law prohibited slavery in northern Louisiana Territory, so that their was an equal amount of free states versus slave states. -
Tariff of Abominations passed
In 1828, Congress passed the first Tariff, which was a protective tax made on imported goods, therefore protecting some of the new industries of the North. This was not the same in the South so, southerners called it the "Tariff of Abominations." -
South Carolina tries to nullify
In the late 1820's, the North was advancing industriously as the South was still holding on agricultural ties. After the Tariff of Abominations was passed the people of South Carolina felt that the new tax rates were too high and they proclaimed to grant a nullification in order to avoid the tariffs being passed down to southern states. -
Abolition of SLavery Act
The Abolition of Slavery Act was passed by Parliament in England, abolishing slavery throughout most of the British Empire. This act gave slaves in the British Empire their freedom. -
Texas Declares independence from Mexico
This issue was a large dispute between the U.S. and Mexico. Mexican president, Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, saw U.S citizens settling in Texas. To prevent this, Santa Anna abolished slavery and enforced new laws on the US citizens. In response, the settlers revolted under the command of General Sam Houston. Houston declared independence while organizing a new governement. -
James Polk elected
Polk became the 11th President of the United States. Polk's four main goals were to reestablish the independent treasury system, lower the tariff, settle the Oregon boundry dispute, and obain California. All oh which were successfully accomplished. -
Mexican War
Polk planned to purchase California and New Mexico, and to treaty certain lands claimed by Texas. Through misscommunication, Mexicans became enraged. The outcome of the war gave Mexico an increase in American territory and for the US, Polk allowed the British to keep the northern half of Oregon. -
Wilmont Proviso
Wilmot, an extreme protester against the extension of slavery, disliked the fact that Polk willing to fight for the South, but would only compromise for the North. Wilmot felt that a war was being fought to extend the way of life of the southerners, and in turn slavery. Wilmot's Proviso was passed several times to work out the competition against slave labor. However, it never became a law though. -
California enters the Union
Californian began to seek statehood after the Mexican War and also after the heated debates in Congress on the issue of slavery. By the Compromise of 1850, California entered the Union as a free, non-slavery state. -
Fugitive Slave Law enacted
After the first slave law was somewhat uneffective as it was not harshly enforced, Southerners became furious of this and it led to a second fugitive slave law apart of the Compromise of 1850 -
Publication of Unlce Tom's Cabin
It was an extremely influencial book written by Harriet Beecher Stowe. In the North, the people began to see how awful and horrible slavery was because they recognized slaves were actual people. The South was outraged, however, and the book helped the Abolitionist cause. -
Formation of Republican Party
There was much anger from the Kansas-Nebraska Act in Northern communities. Large public meetings were held in the North.The Whig party in the North united to oppose the Kansas-Nebraska Act, but the deaths of their major leaders, made the party ineffective. The Republican Party began to become strong around the Northern area, and supported many good ideas. -
Kansas-Nebraska act passed
The Kansas-Nebraska Act was passed in order to create a "popular sovereignty" vote in Kansas and Nebraska on whether they should become slave states or free states. The Southern leaders especially supported this act as they had a chance to make Kansas, that was above the 36^30', a slave state. -
Lecompyon Constitution passed
As Kansas gained enough people for statehood, pro-slavery and anti-slavery forces rushed into the territory to have a constitution submitted. The Lecompton Constitution was the pro-slavery document and because of the Border Ruffians, the pro-slavery document got passed. -
Cahrles Sumner attacked
Attacked During the ongoing fight in Kansas, the debate over popular sovereignty/slavery in western territories continued in U.S Senate. Sumner gave a speech called, "Crimes against Kansas," in which he accused Andrew Butler of South Carolina for this violence spreading across the country. Word of Sumner's speech quickly spread and it wasn't long until Butler's relative, Brooks, beat Sumner with his cane in revenge. -
Border Ruffians attack Lawrence
During the debacle of the Kansas-Nebraska Act, New England sent anti-slavery forces to fight off pro-slavery forces in Kansas. On the pro-slavery side, attackers coming from the border of Missouri were known as "Border Ruffians." The Border Ruffians violently fought off anti-slavery forces and began to vote illegally as they crossed into Kansas. The town of Lawrence was at the time an anti-slavery stronghold. The Border Ruffians attacked and destroyed the town. -
Pottawatomie Creek
In retaliation of the attack on Lawrence made by the Border Ruffians, a group of abolitionists, attacked and killed five pro-slavery settlers in the town of Pottawatomie Creek. These killings sparked even more violence between the North and by the mid 1850's, newspapers began calling the territory "Bleeding Kansas." -
Dred Scott decision passed
Dred Scott, who was a free black that moved back to the slave state of Missouri, created a case in which he appealed to the Supreme Court in hopes of being granted his freedom, once again. Taney, who was a very strong supporter of slavery, explained that, because Scott was black, he was not a citizen and had no say or right to have freedom. Causing more unrest in the north. -
Licoln Douglas Debates
Douglas believed in Popular Sovereignty and was responsible for the Kansas-Nebraska Act. Lincoln believed the U.S could not survive as half free states and half slave states. One of the main debates occurred in Illinois. This debate subject split families into Confederate and Union factions. Many lives were lost through war between the opposing states. -
Raid at Harper's Ferry
John Brown and company raided a federal armonory and with a small arsenal attacked the town trying to free the slaves and ultimately end slavery. His death sparked a fire of abolitionists in the north. -
Demorcrats split in 1860
During the election of 1860, the democrats in the South, split from the democrats in the North. Southern democrats believed Douglas was a traitor because he supported Popular Sovereignty in which a state has the capability of becoming a free state. Most Northern democrats joined the Republican Party. -
Formation of Constituitonal Union Party
The Constitutional Union Party was formed before the election of 1860 by the "Whig" and "Know Nothing" parties. This party believed that the middle of the country on the north/south division would become the main battleground in a civil war. The party sought, "no political principle but the Constitution of the country, the union of the states and the enforcement of laws." -
election of 1860
Election was between Douglas and Lincoln. The people in South Carolina thought of Douglas as a traitor because he supported Popular Sovereignty. Lincoln became popular from his debates and became a nominie for President. Lincoln went on to win the election and, as a result, South Carolina left the Union.
