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The Mexican War Ended
With the end of the Mexican War and the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, America was ceded western territories. This started a problem, as these new territories would be turned into states, the question was, would they be free or slave states? To deal with this, Congress passed the Compromise of 1850. This was laws setting California as a free state, creating Utah and New Mexico territories. -
The Underground Railroad
Some abolitionists actually helped runaway slaves to escape using “the Underground Railroad,” and there were situations in which men, sent to retrieve runaways were attacked by abolitionist mobs. -
Fugitive Slave Act
The Fugitive Slave Act was passed as part of the Compromise of 1850. This act forced any federal official who did not arrest a runaway slave responsible to pay a fine. This was the most controversial part of the Compromise of 1850 and caused many abolitionists to do more in their efforts against slavery. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin Was Released
Uncle Toms Cabin was written in 1852 by Harriet Beecher Stowe. Stowe was an abolitionist who wrote this book to show the evils of slavery. This book, which was a best seller at the time, had a huge impact on the way that northerners viewed slavery. -
Charles Sumner is Attacked by Preston
Border Ruffians ransacked Lawrence, Kansas which was known to be a free-state area.The next day, there was violence on the floor of the U.S. Senate between Sumner and Preston. -
Dred Scott Decision
Dred Scott lost his case that he had that was going to prove that he should be free because he had been held as a slave while living in a free state. The Court ended up ruling that there could be nothing done about his problem because he did not hold any property. This case furthered and ended up coming to the conclusion that he was not free because he was a slave and considered as property. -
Lecompton Constitution Rejected
The Lecompton Constitution was created allowing Kansas to be a slave state. Pro-slavery groups supported by President James Buchanan attempted to push the Constitution through the US Congress for them to approve. -
John Brown Raided Harper's Ferry
John Brown led a group of 17 men including five black members to raid the arsenal located in Harper's Ferry, Virginia which is now West Virginia. His goal was to use the captured weapons and start a slave uprising. After capturing several buildings, Brown and his men were surrounded and eventually killed or captured by troops led by Robert E. Lee. -
Abraham Lincoln Was Elected President
On November 6, 1860, South Carolina as well as 6 other states seceded from the union, Even though his views about slavery were considered moderate during the nomination and election, South Carolina had warned it would secede if he won. Lincoln came tot he conclusion that the south was becoming too powerful and made it part of their platform that slavery would not be at any new territory. -
Bleeding Kansas
The Kansas-Nebraska Act was passed and it allowed Kansas and Nebraska territories to decide,using popular sovereignty, whether or not they wanted the state to be slave state or not. By 1856, Kansas had become a place of violence as pro- and anti-slavery forces fought over the state's future. Things became so deadly and dangerous, it got the nickname of 'Bleeding Kansas'.
