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Abolitionist Movement
The Abolitionist Movement was organized in effort to end slavery and give those enslaved freedom. This movement started with a religious root, it turned into a serious political divide within the whole country. It was an eye opener to the people that slavery is morally wrong, and needs to banned. The tensions and the amount of divide that was resulting from the movement pushed the start of the Civil War. Abolishing slavery helped end the Civil War with the awareness brought. -
Nat Turner's Rebellion
Nat Turner, a slave, led a rebellion because he believed he was called by God to free slaves. Him and his followers let out one night and killed his master's family. They then went out to kill 55 others until they were stopped by white authorities. This rebellion led to fear being installed in Virginians, and eventually to the whole South. It is one of the reasons for the coming of the Civil War, and a larger debate on states restrictions involving slavery. -
Mexican-American War
The Mexican-American War stemmed from the Texas Annexation and was from a dispute of Texas' end. This war paved the way for numerous important events! The new founded territory led to a higher issue with unresolved slavery and northerners anger rose which led to the Civil War. Both sides of the Civil War were both ready to fight for what they wanted after the result of the Mexican-American War. It is said that the Civil War is "God's punishment for the Mexican-American War". -
Fugitive Slave Act
This Act was a part of the Compromise of 1850. It required slaves to be returned to their owners, even in a free state. It also made the hunting of escaped slaves legal. The rise of the Republican Party was another result in the Act. People in the north having to return their slaves back to the south was a huge conflict, and if they didn't, they were fined. This contributed to the main cause and start of the Civil War. -
Publish of Uncle Tom's Cabin
Harriet Beecher Stowe published this story to tell the story of an enslaved man and his nobleness. Uncle Toms Cabin gained popularity very quick and was a great way to reach those people who weren't aware of the situation. This story gave a light on those enslaved by sharing ideas about the injustices slaves experience. This pushed people in the north to speak out on antislavery and gain the power to fight for their beliefs. This then led to the march to the Civil War. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
The Kansas- Nebraska Act was passed to repeal the Missouri Compromise. It mandated "popular sovereignty", allowed settlers of territories to decide if slavery should be allowed within the state's borders. It also created new territories. "Bleeding Kansas" was an uprising where pro slavery and antislavery activists flooded the territories. The act made the slavery debate more serious which would then lead to the Civil War. -
Dred Scott v. Sanford
In this court ruling, The Supreme Court ruled enslaved people were not citizens of the U.S. Slaves now had no protection from the government. The Missouri Compromise was now ruled unconstitutional, and tensions are now higher than ever. The division of the North and South grew as well as the secession of the South. This case pushed the country closer to the Civil War just from the outcome! -
John Brown Raids Harpers Ferry
John Brown, a known abolitionist, along with his supporters left for Harpers Ferry to provoke an uprising of African Americans. Brown and his men then captured citizens and seized the federal army and arsenal. After the seizing, 8 of his men were either captured or killed. Brown was then hanged for his crimes. This uprising and hanging would then be a huge turning point for the start of the Civil War. -
Election of 1860
The election of 1860 was centered over the slavery issue. The Republican Party, with Abraham Lincoln, won the election with 40% of popular votes, and most of the electoral votes. This election would shape the future for the U.S and the end of slavery. Southern states were worried and began to secede from the Union. On March 4th, the First Inagural was delivered and a Civil War seemed to be coming sooner than expected. -
Abraham Lincoln
When Lincoln was elected, he thought secession was illegal. He was willing to use force to the Federal law and Union. Confederate batteries then fired on Fort Sumter and made them surrender. Lincoln then called 75,000 volunteers from the states to end the rebellion. Lincoln says slavery is the reason for the Civil War, as well as his failed attempt to try and calm the nation. He then declares than an "insurrection" exists, which marked the start of the Civil War.