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Wilmot Proviso
This bill was aimed to outlaw slavery in territories taken from Mexico. This bill passed in the House of Representatives, but was defeated in the Senate thus causing a division in Congress. Although, not successful, it did lead to the formation of the Free Soil Party. -
Compromise of 1850
The Compromise of 1850 was a plan made by statesmen who had hoped it would become law. Henry Clay, senator of Kentucky, led the group making the Compromise. The Compromise stated that California would be a free state and slave trade would be abolished in Washington D.C.. It also restricted Congress from passing any additional laws regarding slavery, and promised that slaveholders would be aided in finding their runaway slaves. The Compromise did become law. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
The issue of slavery elevated conflicts between the North and the South. Senator Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois proposed a bill dividing Nebraska into two territories - Nebraska and Kansas. To help get Southerners on board, Douglas used the system of Popular Sovereignty. He wanted the people who chose to live in one of those two territories to be able to vote on whether or not they wanted slavery in their territory. This bill did pass and became known as the Kansas-Nebraska act. -
"Bleeding Kansas"
When the population of the territories voted, slavery won. However, those still opposed to slavery made their own government and called war upon everyone else. John Brown and seven other abolitionists killed five people. War then broke out and continued on for three years. The battlefield is known today as "Bleeding Kansas." -
Caning of Sumner
Senator Charles Sumner of Massachusetts gave a speech that insulted the people that were for slavery in Kansas. Sumner also ridiculed A.P Butler, a senator from South Carolina. Preston Brooks followed up by assaulting Sumner for delivering this speech. It drove antislavery Northerners to then desire a new political party for their own beliefs. -
Dred Scott V. Sandford
Dred Scott V. Sandford is a case that was held at the Supreme Court. A slave named Dred Scott sued for his freedom because he had been taken to live in territories where slavery was illegal. The Supreme Court ruled against Scott. -
Attack on Harpers Ferry
The Harpers Ferry supply of weapons was stolen by John Brown and eighteen of his followers. The U.S marines sentenced Brown to hang. The U.S. marines also killed six of Brown's men. -
SECESSION!
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Election of 1860
In the Northern election, the candidates for president were Lincoln and Douglas. In the South, the candidates were Breckinridge and Bell. Lincoln had strong views against slavery, and Breckinridge had strong beliefs for slavery. Douglas and Bell could believe either way. Lincoln ended up winning the election because of the greater population in the North. In result, the Southerners threatened to secede from the union. They didn't believe in Lincoln's beliefs, and for that reason, they seceded.