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First group of Africans arrive in America
In 1619, a Dutch ship brought about 20 Africans to Virginia. It is believed that the colonists did not consider them slaves, but as servants. Although slavery was not a familiar establishment in America at this time, these Africans were the first on record to be sold as involuntary laborers. This led to the Civil war because it marked the beginning towards the enslavement of Africans. -
Bacon's Rebellion
Bacon's Rebellion was an uprising in Virginia led by Nathaniel Bacon against Governor Berkeley. Bacon rebelled with an army of Virginians because Berkeley refused to retaliate against the Native Americans and didn't let settlers move west. The men involved were former indentured servants who were unstable and landless, so people turned to the African slave trade for labor and to prevent other social unrests. This led to the Civil War because it turned to the use of slaves for labor. -
The Invention of the Cotton Gin
Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin in 1793. The machine sped up the process of removing seeds from cotton fiber. This led to the huge increase of the production of cotton. This led to the Civil War because although the machine made cotton cleaning less labor intensive, it led to the increase for slave labor as the demand for more cotton picking on large plantations rose. -
The Missouri Compromise
Missouri tried to apply for statehood which would upset the balance between slave and free states and create sectional crisis. In the Missouri Compromise, Missouri would be admitted as a slave state while Maine would be a free state. Slavery would be prohibited above the 36°30 line. Thomas Jefferson called this "firebell in the night" where he warned about the separation of the Union. This led to the Civil war because it helped lead to an increase in sectionalism over the argument of slavery. -
Nat Turner's Rebellion
Nat Turner's Rebellion was a slave uprising during 1831 in Southampton County, Virginia. It was led by slave preacher, Nat Turner, with a group of African Americans. They were armed with guns and killed 60 white people. Nat Turner's rebellion was one of the bloodiest and most powerful in American history. The rebellion helped led to the Civil War because it triggered fear in Virginia that eventually spread to the rest of the South. -
The Fugitive Slave Law
The Fugitive Slave Law was passed by Congress as part of the Compromise of 1850. It was highly controversial because it allowed slave masters to recapture their runaway slaves. Harsh punishments were imposed on anyone who assisted in their escape. The law stripped runaway slaves the right to a jury trial & the right to testify in one's own defense. This led to the Civil War because the law brought attention to the inhumanity of slavery which made abolitionists determined to stop it. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin
Uncle Tom's Cabin was a popular anti-slavery novel written by Harriet Beecher Stowe. She wanted to show the evils of slavery to the American Public. It brought a message to a new audience & allowed people who didn't own slaves to have an idea about what slavery was like. The north was exposed to the horrors of slavery, while the south described it as slanderous. This led to the Civil War because it increased tensions between the north & south as the north had a negative view of slavery. -
The Kansas-Nebraska Act
The Kansas-Nebraska Act was passed by Congress allowing Kansas and Nebraska to decide if they wanted to be free or a slave state by popular sovereignty. The Act went against the Missouri Compromise. Kansas became filled with violence as pro and anti-slavery people fought so much where it was called "Bleeding Kansas". This led to the Civil War because it increased the disagreement between anti-slavery and pro-slavery factions. -
Dred Scott vs. Sanford
Dred Scott was a slave that sued for his freedom. The Supreme Court ruled that Scott couldn't sue because he wasn't a citizen, but a piece of property. Chief Justice Taney proclaimed that Congress lacked the power to prohibit slavery in any federal territories, making large portions of the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional. This led to the Civil War as it enraged abolitionists in the north & intensified the sectional conflict over slavery. -
Election of Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was elected president in 1860. Since he was a Republican, the party's anti-slavery attitude made Southerners fearful. Lincoln wanted to stop the expansion of slavery in any new states in the Union. The South felt hopeless in the Union. In 1860, South Carolina and 6 other states later seceded from the Union. This led to the Civil War because South Carolina was on the verge to secede and the outcome of the election gave them a reason to. In April, 1861, the Civil War broke out.
