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Missouri Compromise
Henry Clay wrote and proposed the Missouri Compromise in the year of 1820 in Congress. He wanted to add 2 new states to the union, so the free and slave states are equal in quantity. Maine would be a free state because Missouri wanted to be a slave state. Anything above the Missouri Compromise Line would be a free territory in the future. They used the Compromise on Mr. Scott to determine his freedom. (https://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsl&fileName=003/llsl003.db&recNum=586) -
Wilmot Proviso
David Wilmot was a representative from Pennsylvania. He suggested to get rid of the practice of slavery in Mexican Cession Territories. The bill passed the House of Reps, but didn't not pass the Senate. Politicians kept arguing over what to do about slavery, so Wilmot brought the idea of a bill that would annihilate the acts of slavery. This angered Southerners, but it was a step to the end slavery.(https://www.archives.gov/files/legislative/resources/education/wilmot-polk/wilmot-proviso.pdf) -
Kansas Nebraska Act / Bleeding Kansas
It is a free territory. Congressmen believed that it was going to make people believe that slavery was necessary. This event made many people lose their lives. Bloody Kansas was a debate that the land should be for slaves. It was one of many debates that would soon follow. (https://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llcg&fileName=033/llcg033.db&recNum=222) -
Compromise of 1850
The Compromise of 1850 was a series of laws to manage slavery. It let slavery increase above the Missouri Compromise line. President Fillmore signed the Compromise to become a law. This took place to solve the debate over slavery. This impacted history by beginning the end of slavery. (https://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llcg&fileName=022/llcg022.db&recNum=331) -
Fugitive Slave Act
It was a part of the compromise of 1850. Officials could accuse others of being runaway slaves. Senator Calhoun hoped that this would let Northerners know that Southerners had right to their property. Instead, they saw how evil slavery was. They began to resist the law. This also helped end slavery. (http://www.accessible-archives.com/2012/10/resolved-on-the-fugitive-slave-law-from-october-1850/) -
Uncle Tom's Cabin
Uncle Tom’s Cabin was a revolutionary book that changed America’s minds forever. It was written by Harriet Beecher Stowe. It made everyone realize what was going on around them. She wanted to make America better, and it made it be slave-free later on.(https://msa.maryland.gov/ecp/10/223/0001/html/00010001.html) -
Lincoln Douglas Debate
Lincoln believed in the freedom of slaves, but Douglas believed that slaves were property. Douglas wanted the spread of slavery for his side of the election. Douglas then won the election. This shaped history because Lincoln became a national figure. (http://hd.housedivided.dickinson.edu/node/25347) -
Dred Scott Case
After the death of his master, Dred Scott wanted to sue for the case of his families’ freedom. He waited 10 years for an approval. He was not considered a citizen. Here in the South, slaves were property. Because of this case, the North was doubting if slavery was right. He was denied approval. This was because he was still considered a slave. (https://www.loc.gov/item/mal0070700/) -
John Brown's Raid
He was an abolitionist. He was a terrorist, killing people for his cause. He attacked Harpers Ferry. He wanted to end slavery, but was hanged for treason in December 2nd, 1889. He died after he gave a short speech. The speech said how he died with millions of others for the same cause. He hoped that we would live as equal people one day. (https://www.gilderlehrman.org/content/john-brown%E2%80%99s-final-speech-1859) -
Lincoln's Election of 1860
Lincoln won in the election that took place in 1860. Southerners felt like they did not have a voice, and some seceded. At the end, 7 states seceded. Lincoln was under the pressure of a dividing nation. He helped the nation stop slavery. This event changed America forever. It was a step further into destroying slavery. (https://www.loc.gov/collections/abraham-lincoln-papers/about-this-collection/) -
Southern Secession
Because of Lincoln’s intents to end slavery, the southern states felt like they did not have a voice anymore, so they left the union. This event impacted history because Lincoln was turning the nation slave-free. The nation was breaking apart. Fort Sumter. Jefferson...Jefferson Davis. (https://dp.la/primary-source-sets/secession-of-the-southern-states/sources/774)
