The Era of Crisis: 1820-1860s

By Poptropica62833
  • Period: to

    Impact on Sectional Divide

    As the US acquired more land from the West, it continually brought up the issues the N and S had with each other, which was mainly over slavery. Many events caused these tensions to rise and ultimately break the binds between the two sides.

  • 2nd Great Awakening/ Rise of abolitionism

    Religious revival, individuals need to readmit God in daily lives, African Americans and NA included. Quakers tried to purchase blacks from their masters and send them back to Africa (American Colonization Society) (Lack of funds and blacks did not like this, thought America was native home.)
    As the N was expanding it's abolitionist movement, tensions began to rise b/w North and South

  • Missouri Compromise

    Set a line (36º30’ parallel) that prohibits slavery above it, and allows it underneath ( this line was set at the border of Missouri and Arkansas
    “Happy resolution” of a danger to the Union (quiets S a bit)

  • Gag Resolution

    1836-1844
    President: Andrew Jackson, Martin Van Buren, William Henry Harrison, John Tyler
    Petitions against slavery weren’t heard by the house
    By 1840, House changed it by prohibiting just the reception of anti-slavery petitions, creating substantial opposition by N Democrats, increasing tensions b/w N+S

  • Election of 1844

    Democrat Polk elected, and he had two goals: to annex Texas and reoccupy Oregon.

  • Annexation of Texas

    John Tyler was responsible for this. As soon as it became a state, Mexico broke diplomatic relationships with Washington DC.
    It reopened the issue of whether or not slavery should be allowed in the new territories.

  • Compromise of 1850

    Henry Clay created an "ultimate comp.", addressing all of the issues in one huge bill:
    - Cali enters as a free state
    - Territorial governments would be made in the new lands from Mexico with no regulations of slavery
    -The slave trade (not slavery) would be abolished in DC
    - New and effective fugitive slave laws
    Made by old leaders of Congress
    Then broken into separate bills in 2nd phase, the young leaders
    Stephen A. Douglas leader
    Seemed like a "just settlement of the sectional problem"

  • Kansas Nebraska Act

    Stephen A Douglas (leader of NW Democrats) proposed a bill to organize territory into Nebraska and Kansas, and slavery would be determined by popular sovereignty. Supported completely by South, partially by North Democrats. Caused Republican Party to rise

  • Creation of the Republican Party

    Presidency: Pierce
    Kansas Nebraska Act made the party
    Democrats opposed the repeal of Missouri Compromise --sacred part of the union
    Whigs were divided (almost killed party)
    Contained people who opposed Douglas’s bill: Anti Nebraska Democrats and the Anti Nebraska Whigs
    This was a new political power, and was mainly the anti nebraska (and mainly abolitionist) whigs and democrats, creating more sectionalism.

  • Bleeding Kansas

    John Browne (abolitionist) leads a group and massacres 5 slavery supporters. (pottawatomie massacre) Leads to more civil strife in Kansas.
    This became a symbol of the sectional controversy, with unit-slavery and pro-slavery leaders and people constantly fighting.

  • Dred Scott vs Stanford

    Supreme Court rules that slaves were merely property (Judge Taney), could not claim citizenship, and were merely property. Repeals Missouri Compromise.
    Southerners elated, Northerners dismayed (widespread) and Republicans threatened to pack Court w/ new members when they take control of the government.

  • Lincoln Douglas Debates

    Lincoln wasn’t a national figure, used debates over slavery to raise popularity. Douglas seemed like he had no morale opinion. Lincoln believed that other groups (immigrants) can be deprived of rights if AA were not entitled to basic human rights. Was not an abolitionist, thought slavery was morally wrong.
    Brought the issue of slavery into more national floor, unified people on one side or the other

  • Election of 1860

    Lincoln’s election, won by popular and electoral votes
    Immediately caused the secession of 7 S states, who thought that their case was hopeless. Both sides were convinced that they shared no common ground with other.