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Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad was a system that helped slaves escape slavery in the South and move to the north, sometimes as far as Canada. The “Conductors” were normally abolitionist northerners or formerly enslaved persons such as Harriet Tubman. Towards the civil war the Underground Railroad became very organized with a network of safe-houses and routes for escaped persons. It is estimated that 100,000 slaves used the Underground Railroad to achieve freedom. It started around the 1800-10s -
The Missouri Compromise
Signed by James Monroe, The Missouri compromise was a plan to keep the balance of slave states and free states in the U.S. The plan accepted Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state, and it ruled that any future states above the 36˚30’ would be free states. This opened up the southwest for the potential expansion of slavery. It quickly became problematic as it was difficult to keep the balance of slave and free states as the U.S. expanded west. -
Nat Turner’s rebellion
Nat Turner was a literate slave living in virginia. He was deeply religious and preached to fellow slaves. He had a vision one night that motivated him to lead. He conspired with neighboring slaves before the rebellion and was able to amass a following of around 50 people. The rebellion lasted for four days and in that time they killed 55-65 whites. This made this the deadliest slave revolt for whites and greatly increased white paranoia in the south. -
The American Anti-Slavery Society
The American Anti-Slavery society was founded by William Lloyd Garrison, writer of the Liberator, which was an abolitionist newspaper. They were group of New England Abolitionists who believed in immediate abolition rather than gradual. They wrote and distributed large amounts of anti slavery propaganda to northern states. The society had figures such as Frederick Douglas and Susan B. Anthony, and at one point had as many as 200,000 members. They were against the American Colonization society. -
The Free Soil Party
The free soil party was a short lived political party that arose during the election of 1848. This group was strongly against the institution of slavery. After the Democratic and Whig parties failed to nominate a president who was against the expansion of slavery, abolitionist leaning Whigs and Democrats teamed up with the Liberty Party to make the free soil party. Martin van Buren ran as the free soil candidate. The party would later merge with the new Republican Party. -
The Compromise of 1850
The Compromise of 1850 was an agreement that decided on the future of slavery after the civil war. After separating from Mexico, California wanted to be admitted to the union as a single free state. This would’ve upset the balance of free/slave states and gone against the Missouri compromise. To balance this, the New Mexico and Utah territories would both be open to slavery, and the Fugitive slave act would be passed. This act also established the western boundaries of Texas. -
The Fugitive Slave Act
The fugitive slave act was an expansion on the existing fugitive slave laws in the constitution and was controversial in the north. This law required all escaped slaves had to be returned to their owners. This Law prevented fugitive slaves from testifying in trial, and reserved punishments for marshals who would not enforce the laws and civilians who assisted the slaves. The severity of this law led to a spike of abolitionism in the North and increased the operation of the Underground Railroad. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
The Kansas-Nebraska Act was an idea proposed by Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois. Douglas wanted the transcontinental railroad to run through Chicago, but in order to do that, he needed to organize the Nebraska Territory. In order to get the South to support admitting another free state, he came up with popular sovereignty, where the new states could vote to have slavery or not. This would overturn the Missouri compromise and the compromise of 1850, as well as conflict in the new territory. -
Bleeding Kansas
Bleeding Kansas was the violent outcome of the Kansas-Nebraska act. In order to secure Kansas as a slave state, pro-slavery people from Missouri, called “border ruffians” came to Kansas to illegitimately cast their votes. At a point, the state had two capitals and two governments. Conflict broke out between the free staters and the border ruffians, and there was a mini-war between the two. Kansas would be admitted to the union as a free state, but the conflict over slavery killed as many as 200. -
Dred Scott Decision part 1
The Dred Scott decision was a controversial Supreme Court case (Scott v. Sanford) that overturned many standing rules on slavery. The case surrounded Dred Scott who was a slave living in the Wisconsin territory, which should have been free based off of the Missouri compromise. After his owner John Emerson died, Scott claimed that because he had residency in a free territory, he should receive his freedom. He lost in the Supreme Court 7-2 against Chief Justice Roger Taney. -
Dred Scott Decision part 2
Taney argued that as an African American Scott was not a legitimate U.S. citizen and so he should have never made it to the Supreme Court. This was problematic because several states already allowed African Americans to vote. He also claimed that the Missouri compromise was unconstitutional, and this was controversial this had already been superseded by the Kansas Nebraska act. The decision was infamous in the north because it technically made slavery legal across the United States.