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Wilmot Proviso
This bill aimed to outlaw slavery in territories taken from Mexico. The bill passed in the House of Representatives but was defeated in the Senate thus causing a division in Congress. Although not a success, it led to the formation of the Free Soil Party. -
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The Nation Breaking Apart
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Compromise of 1850
Henry Clay crafted a plan to settle the Caliornia problem. California would be admitted as a free state, and slave trade would be abolished in Washington, D.C. to please the north. To please the south, Congress would not pass laws regarding slavery. At the end of September, Douglas succeeded, and the plan became a law. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
In 1854, Senator Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois drafted a bill to organize territorial governments for the Nebraska territory. He proposed that it be divided into two territories - Nebraska and Kansas. To get Southern support for the bill, he decided that the decision should be settled by popular sovereignty. Southerners applauded the repeal of the Missouri Compromise aand supported the bill. It passed and became known as the Kansas-Nebraska Act. -
"Bleeding Kansas:
At the time of the election in March 1855, there were more proslavery settlers than antislavery settlers in the territory. Proslavery forces did not want to risk losing the election. 5000 Missourians came and voted in the election illegally. The official Kansas legislature was packed with proslavery representatives. -
Caning of Sumner
In late May, Senator Charles Sumner of Massachusetts delivered a speech attacking the proslavery forces in Kansas. His speech was packed with insukts. Preston Brooks attacked Sumner to defend the South. Brooks hit Sumner over the head with a cane several times. Sumner tried to defend himself, but his legs were trapped. Brooks broke his cane in the assault. -
Dred Scott vs. Sandford
Scott had been a slave in Missouri. His owner took him to live in terriories where slavery was illegal. They later returned to MIssouri. After his owner's death, Scott sued for his freedom, arguing that he was a free man because he had lived in territories where slavery was illegal. His case reached the Congress in 1856. -
Attack on Harpers Ferry
In 1859, John Brown had a plan. He wanted to inspire slaves to fight for their freedom. He planned to capture the weapons in the US arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia. on October 16, 1859, Brown and his followers captured the Harpers Ferry arsenal. They killed 4 people in the raid. US marines attacked Brown at Harpers Ferry. Brown and 6 others werre captured. -
Election of 1860
The Election of 1860 turned into two different races for th presidency, in the Nort.In the South, Lincoln and Douglas were the only candidates with much support. In the North, Breckenridge and Bell competed for Southern votes. The outcome of the election made it clear that the nation was tired on compromises. Lincoln defeated Douglas in the North.
