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Missouri Compromise
The northern and southern politicians have heated debates over the growth of slavery. Henry Clay settled the debate. The Missouri compromise were a series of laws that helped maintain the balance between slave states and free states. -
The Nullification Crisis
Southern states felt that tariffs were unfair and were advantageous towards the north. John C. Calhoun the Vice President at the current time said that any state could nullify any federal law they thought was unconstitutional. The federal government then denied South Carolina and the state them threatened to secede. Henry Clay then ended the argument and lowered the tariff. -
Compromise of 1850
After the war with Mexico congress began having heated debates, whether new territories earned from Mexico would be a free or a slave state. Henry Clay was involved in this decision and helped make a compromise. California was admitted as a free state and Congress would then not pass laws banning slavery from the rest of the territories. -
Fugitive Slave Act
This was passed in 1850 by the Congress. The act permitted the capture of African Americans who fled to the north to escape bondage. The laws made tensions skyrocket and caused John Brown to plan his raid and the American Civil War. -
The Kansas-Nebraska Act & Bleeding Kansas
5000 people from nearby proslavery Missouri came and voted for their representatives in Kansas illegally. Anti slavery opponents started their own government. They were then attacked by proslavery forces. To get revenge for this attack, abolitionist John Brown murdered several proslavery neighbors. -
Dred Scott Decision
He wasn't considered free in either state of Wisconsin or Illinois. African Americans were not considered citizens when the constitution was drafted in 1787. He was the property of his owner and he couldn't be taken from his owner without due process of law. 7 of 9 judges stated that slaves were not U.S. citizens. -
John Browns Raid on Harpers Ferry
John Brown and his men attetemted to steal guns to arm slaves with guns. They wanted to inspire slaves to fight for their own freedom. He and his men were captured. Abolitionist were honored by John Brown. Slavery raised tensions in America to the breaking point. -
The Election of 1860
Abraham Lincoln wins the election. This caused the southern states to secede from the union after he was elected.
