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Missouri Compromise
The Missouri Compromise were a series of laws that helped maintain the balance between free states and slave states. -
The Nullification Crisis
Due to tariff laws being passed at the time, Southern states thought that they were unfair and only supported the north.
John C Calhoun said any state could nullify a federal law they consider unconstitutional and unfair.
The fed. Govt denied South Carolina's argument that they beared the right to override a federal law and SC threatened to secede.
Henry Clay came up with a compromise and lowered the subjected tariff. -
Compromise of 1850
Henry Clay helped the north and south make a compromise.
- California would be admitted free of slaves
- Congress would not ban slavery in any other state won in the Mexican American war -
Fugitive Slave Act
Convinced many abolitionists that radical measures were nessicary to end slavery -
Bleeding Kansas
The anti-slavery government was attacked by proslavery forces. To avenge this attack, extreme abolishonist John Brown murdered several of his proslavery neighbors. -
Dred Scott Decision
Dred Scott was a slave that was angry about slavery and decided to sue for his freedom. He argued that he should have been free because he lived in a free territory but the court ruled that:
- Scott was not free based on his residence in either states of Illinois or Wisconsin
- African Americans were not considered citizens at the time of the draft of the constitution
- Dred Scott was the property of his owner and property could not be taken from a person without due process of law. -
Attack on Harpers Ferry
John Brown wanted slaves to rebel against their masters and planned the capture of an arsenal in the army base at Harper's Ferry, VA to arm slaves.
Brown sent the message to rally slaves but nobody showed up and Brown's men were captured
Abolitionists saluted John Brown when he was put to death, and raised the tension about slavery to the melting point -
Election of 1860
Abraham Lincoln wins, despite his statements that he would do nothing to abolish slavery in the south, he was still untrusted in the south.
States from the south started to secede from the Union almost immediately after Lincoln was elected.
