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Missouri Compromise
The Missouri Compromise was a compromise that allowed Missouri to become a state. The north and south were at peace with the issue of slavery until a new state wanted to join the US. People did not want to disrupt the balance between slave states and free states. In order to keep this balance they also allowed Maine to become a state. They decided that Missouri would become a slave state and Maine would become a free state. -
Wilmot Proviso
The Wilmot Proviso was a document designed to eliminate slavery within the land we gained from the Mexican American war. He did not want the territory we gained to become slave territory. The president at the time was James K Polk. He thought that $2,000,000 was appropriate to include in the treaty. Slavery was still a conflict between the north and the south. The north was republicans and the south was democratic. Southerners were not happy and viewed it as the north attacking slavery. -
Compromise of 1850
The Compromise of 1850 is when the US gained the mid west from Mexico. We had finally reached Manifest Destiny by adding all of these states to the US. It was a package of 5 separate bills that decided the slavery standings on each of the new states. The people in the north hoped that these new states would be free. Soon the idea of popular sovereignty was brought upon. Henry Clay was the one that made a series of proposals hoping to resolve the conflict. -
Fugitive Slave Act
This act said that if free northerners found an escaped slave, they would have to return them to the south. If they protected the slaves and they were caught, they received severe punishment. Even if they had been free slaves and US citizens, they were to be sent back to a plantation. They also could have been born free but because of their race, they would be sent to the south. People were very racist and treated blacks poorly. This was unfair to the north because it went against their beliefs. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin
Uncle Tom’s Cabin was a novel written by Harriet Beecher Stowe. She knew how slavery really was and told the story through her book. The novel spread throughout the country bringing awareness to slavery. People finally realized how bad slavery actually was. Many other abolitionists spoke their minds through newspapers but newspapers only go through a couple cities. A book can spread anywhere it is sold and had a large impact. People in the south denied book's words even though it was true. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
The Kansas Nebraska Act used the idea of popular sovereignty and let the people of each state decide if they would be a free or slave state. The Act was supposed to get rid of the Missouri Compromise that said there would be no slavery above a certain longitude. Kansas and Nebraska are both above the established compromise line. Stephen Douglas helped pass the Kansas-Nebraska Act. This did not make Abraham Lincoln happy. Southerners supported the act and the Northerners were against it. -
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Bleeding Kansas
Bleeding Kansas was outbreaks in these areas over slavery agreements. Many people moved to Kansas to fight back against slavery. Bleeding Kansas is also called the border war. It was a series of violent confrontations in the US. A majority of the events were caused by the argument of slavery. Bands began traveling around the territory and harming or terrorizing the people that did not support their beliefs. -
Dred Scott Case
Dred Scott was technically a freed man. He was living in the north, free territory with his slave master. His master passed away and Scott decided to fight for his freedom. He fought for the right to become a citizen but was denied everywhere. The case got so big it was sent to the supreme court. When he was denied his freedom, people got the idea that slavery was allowed everywhere. Republicans feared that slavery would begin spreading to the west and all over the country. -
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Lincoln-Douglas Debates
The Lincoln Douglas Debate was a series of debates between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas. Abraham Lincoln supported the north and republican side. He was a candidate for the US Senate. Stephen Douglas was a senator. He supported the democrat side, known as the south. They debated their views on slavery and many people began showing up at their debates. In the end Douglas won but they later ran against each other for presidency and Lincoln won. -
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John Brown’s Raid
This was the raid on Harpers Ferry. John Brown and men took over an arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia. They seized guns and planned a revolt. John Brown raised a group of people to help free slaves in the south. He had a violent outlook on slavery and was strongly against it. He was caught and sentenced to death for his actions. He gave a famous speech as his last words and gave a note to the last person he spoke to that he became famous for. -
Lincolns Election of 1860
Lincoln won the election of 1860. He was not the most liked candidate but he won the vote of the electoral college. Two weeks after he took office the Civil War broke out. Just after he became president South Carolina seceded from the union. Shortly after that many other states followed and there were 7 total. The created the southern confederacy. Many people did not support Lincoln during the presidential election. Lincoln was not on most ballots in the south. -
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Southern Secession
Shortly after Lincoln became president, 7 states seceded from the United States. They thought that Lincoln was lying and not true to his word. They did not want their slaves taken away because it was their way of life. They also didn’t like Lincoln because he was a republican that supported the north. The south was democrats that created their own union when they seceded from the country called the southern confederacy.
