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Causes of the Civil War
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Missouri Compromise
In the Missouri compromise Maine wanted to be accepted in to the Union as a free state and Missouri wanted to be accepted as a slave state. The Congress accepted both of the in order to keep the balance of votes in congress even. Congress also passed a bill that said all of the land above the Missouri Compromise line was free and all of the land below the line allowed slaves. -
The Wilmot Proviso
Wilmot Proviso proposed that slavery should be prohibited in Mexican Cession territories (The Wilmot Proviso). Southerners did not approve of this because they believed the north was attempting to bring down slavery. He was a Pennsylvania Representative, so his bill passed in the House. However, it did not pass in the Senate. -
Compromise of 1850
The Compromise of 1850 was meant to resolve the issue of slavery. California was admitted to the union as a free state and the rest of the Mexican Cession would use popular sovereignty to decide if the land would be free or slave territory. The slavery trade in Washington D.C. was ended and we would buy New Mexico from Texas for 10 million dollars. Also Congress would pass the new Fugitive slave act. -
Fugitive Slave Act
Part of the Compromise of 1850 was the Fugitive Slave Act. Officials could arrest anyone accused of being a runaway slave without a trial. Northerners were forced to help capture them. John Calhoun’s plan was that the Northerners would accept that slaves were property. However, Northerners were more upset now that they now had to participate in the practice of slavery. Many refused to obey this law. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin
Uncle Tom's Cabin was wrote by Harriet Beecher Tubman. It was a book that exposed the horror of slavery to the north. When the south heard about the book and read it they believed it was propaganda, they believed that they were not doing terrible things to the slaves. When the north read it they were angry that the south were treating these people that way. -
Kansas Nebraska Act / Bleeding Kansas
Senator Stephen Douglas proposed The Kansas Nebraska Act. It allowed people from other territories to vote on the issue of slavery by popular sovereignty. However, there was much violence between the pro and anti slavery groups which resulted in Kansas splitting into two separate governments. John Brown, an abolitionist, led an attack on Kansas with his men. This resulted in much bloodshed, therefore Kansas earns the name “Bleeding Kansas”. -
Dred Scott Case
A slave by the name Dred Scott attempted to sue for his freedom. Scott lived in two places where slavery was illegal, so he argued that this meant he was free. The case didn’t reach court until 10 years later, when it was decided that Scott could not sue. The court stated that Scott was considered property and therefore not a US citizen in any state. Southerners were happy because slavery was legal everywhere, but northerners feared the spread of slavery to the west. -
Lincoln Douglas debates
The Lincoln Douglas debates were a series of debates between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas. The two of them would travel across the country debating about their different political views. They were mostly about their different views on slavery. Even though Douglas won the debates Lincoln then went and beat Douglas in the presidency race. -
John Brown's Raid
John Brown was an abolitionist who was willing to kill others and die for his cause. He was very religious and believed it was his duty to care for slaves. He led the raid on Harpers Ferry, Virginia in 1859. His plan was to gather up slaves and start an armed slave revolt, but it ended in him being captured. He was later accused of treason and hung. -
Lincoln's Election of 1860
Abraham Lincoln won the Election of 1860. He won in every free state as the only republican candidate receiving only 40% of the vote. The democratic votes were divided between 3 candidates including his northern rival Stephan Douglas. The southerners felt they had no more say in the government and that slavery would be abolished, so they decided to secede. -
Southern Session
The southern session started because Abraham Lincoln was elected as president. When he got elected South Carolina left the Union because they thought he would try to ban slavery. Soon more states joined South Carolina and formed the Confederate South. This soon led to the start of the Civil War.
