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Missouri Compromise
With the growth of slavery many politicians were having heated debates on slavery. Henry Clay (known as the great compromiser) came up with a solution by saying Maine would become a free state and Arkansas would be open to slavery. Missouri Compromise had laws that helped to maintain the balance of free and slave states. -
The Nullification Crisis
Southern states felt that tariffs were only supporting the North. The vice president (John C. Calhoun) told the states that they could nullify a federal law if it is considered unconstitutional. The federal government denied South Carolina's argument which stated that they could reject a federal law. So, South Carolina threatened to secede. Henry Clay then managed to once again come up with a compromise to lower the tariff. -
Compromise of 1850
Congress was having many debates about if Mexico would be slave states or free states. Henry Clay luckily came up with a compromise. California would become a free state. Congress did not pass laws banning slavery in the rest of the territories in Mexico. -
Fugitive Slave Act of 1850
The fugitive slave act was passed in 1850 and permitted former slaves who fled to the north to be captured. This dramatically increased the tensions between the north and south and would help cause the American Civil War. Also this helped cause John Brown's Raid. -
Bleeding Kansas
An election happened in Kansas to decide if it would be a slave or free state. Proslavery people illegally went to Kansas to help vote for slavery. Anti-slavery representatives started decided to then start their own government. They were then attacked by proslavery representatives. Angry, John Brown killed a couple of proslavery neighbors. -
Dred Scott Decision
Dred Scott was a former slave who was sued because he was free. The court said that he was property of the owner and he could not be taken from the owner without due process of law. This also helped in causing the American Civil War. -
Attack On Harpers Ferry
John Brown thought he could end slavery. He wanted to get slaves to fight with him. He took over arsenal at Harpers Ferry but could not hold it and he was captured with his men. Abolitionist thought of him as a hero and helped raise tensions about slavery between the North and South. -
The Election of 1860
Abraham Lincoln won the election. The southern states did not trust him and started to secede and form there own country called the Confederate States of America.
