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Period: to
Antebellum
Events that caused the Civil War -
Compromise of 1850
Proposed by Henry Clay, it admitted California as a free state while granting the South more effective fugitive slave laws. Utah and New Mexico get the option of whether to be pro or anti slavery. A border is set up between Texas and New Mexico, as well as granting Texas $10 million to help them with their debt. This temporarily delayed the issue of slavery. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin
Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote this as an illustration of slavery. Written for the abolitionists in the anti-slave North, Stowe enlightens the reader on the issue, highlighting the horrors of slavery. This became a novel of inspiration for the North to fight against the evils of slavery. -
The Republican Party Forms
The party forms on March 20, yet does not truly come into affect until after the Kansas-Nebraska Act was passed. Once passed, the Republican Party gained many followers because of their anti slavery, anti Kansas-Nebraska Act ideology. Two years later, their first presidential candidate, John C Fremont, won the election. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
The Kansas-Nebraska Act was passed on this date, nullifying the Missouri Compromise. Prior to this, the debate of slavery was settled by a line of latitude, but was changed to popular sovereignty. This change led to an influx in population in the area, which then led to "Bleeding Kansas". -
Bleeding Kansas
As a result of the decree of popular sovereignty, many pro and anti slavery fanatics rushed to Kansas. The fanatics among both sides raced to gain the majority of the population. Inevitably, violence followed, and blood was spilled on Kansas soil over slavery. -
The Know-Nothing Party Forms
In 1855 the Know-Nothing Party formed and gained a large following. The party did not last long, as it disbanded in less than a decade. They did, however, manage to split votes in the Republican North, which led to a Democratic president James Buchanan. This displayed a lack of uniformity in the North. -
Dred Scott V. Sandford Decision
Scott was a free slave who sued his owner for his freedom. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of Sandford, as they ruled Scott was not a ctitizen. This meant that a slave in free territory did not mean that (s)he was a free slave. This had larger effects, as it essentially ruled the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional and guaranteed the extension of slavery in free territories. -
Raid on Harpers Ferry
In a four day event, John Brown (extreme abolitionist) led a raid on an arsenal in Harpers Ferry, Virginia in an attempt to start an armed slave revolt. He took a small group of slaves, fellow abolitionists, and prisoners to the arsenal, where he boarded up and had a stand off for the next two days. Eventually he and any surviving raiders were captured and executed. This was the first major conflict over slavery, and it further inspired the North to fight for the abolition of slavery. -
Lincoln Becomes President
In the preceeding years, there were two major candidates, Lincoln and Douglas. Douglas was the Democrat who wanted to leave slavery up to popular sovereignty, in favor of the South. Lincoln wanted to legally abolish slavery nationally, favoring the North. Lincoln became president, pushing the South over the edge. -
South Carolina Secedes
Lincoln being elected president was the straw that broke the camel's back. At this point, tensions were extremely and they finally snapped. South Carolina, being pro slavery, seceded from the Union, being the first state to do so. Other southern states soon followed the next year, and they went on to form the Confederacy. This led to the Civil War, fought over power directly, yet indirectly caused by slavery.
