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Commonweath vs. Aves
This case called for the freedom of a young slave girl named Med brought into Massachusetts with her master. Her master fell ill and put Med under the care of someone else. An antislavery group saw this and brought it to court. Since MA was a free state, the court granted her freedom. From then on, any slave brought into MA by their master would be freed. -
Period: to
1836-1861
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Prigg vs. Pennsylvania
Edward Prigg entered Pennsylvania to reclaim a runaway slave, Margret Morgan. When he tried to take her, the authorities refused. He did not have the proper documents to take her without violating PE anti-kidnapping laws. After this he took her by force. He was brought to court and won. After this states were not allowed to have laws contradicting or preventing the removal of slaves from a free state. The Fugitive Slave Laws would be inacted. -
The Wilmont Proviso
The Wilmot Proviso was a piece of legislation proposed by David Wilmot near the end of the Mexican-American War. The Proviso proposed the outlaw of slavery in territories acquired by the United States in the war. This territory included most of the Southwest to California. This bill was never passed by Congress, even though it was approved by the House twice. The Wilmot Proviso created high tension between the North and South and helped solidify the conflict over the extension of slavery. -
The Compromise of 1850
The Compromise of 1850 was a product of the conflicts over the Wilmont Proviso. This compromise was created by Henry Clay and Stephen Douglas. The compromise proposed the prevention of further expansion of slavery, and the strengthening of the Fugitive Slave Acts. All the bills that composed the compromise were passed. This compromise postponed further conflict in the North and South, but by no means did it stop it. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin
Uncle Tom's Cabin was a book written by Harriet Beecher Stowe. This was a ficticious story about what life was like for a slave and was written mostly from a slave's perspective. This book caused great outrage in the South, they thought it was slanderous and they veiwed it as a direct attack on southern society and culture. In the North, people saw the book as a new light on an old conflict. The North rallied more than ever for the abolishment of slavery. The book was instantly a top seller. -
The Kansas-Nebraska Act
The Kansas-Nebraska act repealed the Missouri Compromise, which had prohibited slavery in areas above the 36' 30' latitude line in the Louisiana Purchase. This act stated that these states would have popular sovereignty, or the right to decide for themselves if they were free or slave states. After this act was passed, there was great turmoil between the North and South. People from both sides rushed in to sway the vote to their beliefs. This helped to further the separation of the Union. -
Dred Scott v. Sandford
Dred Scott was a slave from Missouri. From 1833-1843, he resided with his master in Illinois, a free state. When his master died, Scott sued for his and his family's freedom, claiming that their residence in free territory with no master made them free. His daughter was also born in free territory. The Scott family never won their freedom, cheif justice Roger Taney ruled against them 7-2. -
John Brown's Raid on Harper's Ferry
John Brown was a strong abolitionist, who would do anything to get others to see his way. On October 16, Brown launched an attack on the federal armory in hopes to capture it and start a slave rebellion. Brown sucessfully siezed the armory with his five sons and various supporters at his side, but no slave rebellions erupted to support him. The Marines defeated him. The armory was stormed and Brown was captured and hung for treason. Brown became a martyr for the abolitionist cause and fueled it. -
Abraham Lincoln's Election
Abraham Lincoln did not believe in slavery, and wanted it gone. These opinions greatly affected his election. The North wanted him in office, but the South despised him. They thought he would destroy the Southern lifestyle and slavery. When he was elected in 1860, most of the Deep South seceeded from the Union. The Upper South tried to convince them to rejoin, but they refused. This was a huge factor in the Civil War. The seceeded states called themselves The Confederate States of America. -
The Battle of Fort Sumter
After South secession, several US military forts still remained in the seceeded land. Abraham Lincoln decided to send supplies to the soldiers living there, specifically Fort Sumter. The Confederacy refused this, and Confederate warships attacked Fort Sumter. This was the first battle in the Civil War. It lasted a total of 34 hours. No one was killed in this battle, but the Confederacy took the victory.
