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Underground Railroad
underground railroadFor many African Americans an escape from the South was the Underground Railroad. There were "conductors" who helped transport slaves in secret, while providing them shelter and food along the way. Harriet Tubman was one of the most famous conductors. This one of the events that lead to the Civil War because the North was part of the slaves running away, and the south didnt like how they helped. -
Mexican American War
mexican american warPolk directed a four prong attack to the heartland of Mexico. By 1847 California was secure. Next Kerney led troops to Santa Fe in August, which caused the govenor to flee. He then went to join Fremont in California. Next Zach Taylor crossed the Rio Grande and finally Winfield Scott's troops went the to captiol. After we go the land, many didnt want it to be slave land, but the south wanted it to. Yet again, another debate! -
Wilmot Proviso
wilmot provisoThe Wilmot Proviso was an amendment made by David Wilmot that said that in any territory the United States gained from Mexico, neither slavery nor involuntary servitude shall ever exsist. This helped settle the land arguing but many southerns felt they had a right to bring property with them where ever they went. Northerns didnt agree of course! So another argument started to brew! -
Compromise of 1850
compromise of 1850Congress ended up not passing Clays bill because President Taylor didnt like it, but Taylor ended up dying in July 1850. So now Vice President Millard Fillmore became President and supported the Compromise. At the end of the summer, Calhoun died. By September Congress passed all the part of the Compromise and President Fillmore signed them. This one thing many agreed on, it was broken up into smaller pieces so it would work. -
The Fugitive Slave Act
fugitive slave actUnder this law, a slaveholder or slave catcher had only to point out alleged runaways to have them taken into custody. And those who were accused had to go to federal commissioner and testify, even though if they were let free years ago they had no way to prove it. Northerners were mad about this because they wanted slaves to get away, and this made the south angry. slavery played a huge part leading up the war. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin
uncle tom's cabinUncle Tom's Cabin was a book written by Harriet Beecher Stowe. She was exposed to runaway slaves and she heard about the tragic reports about the victims of the Fugitive Slave Law and she wanted to "write something what would make this whole nation feel what an accursed thing slavery is" The story came out and sold 300,000 copies. Many southerners were outraged and said the book had false information in it and said it even caused the Civil War. -
The Kansas-Nebraska Act
kansas nebraska actStephen Douglas wanted to get rid of the Missouri Compromise so he could open up the Great Plains for settlement but he knew it would cause a big problem. He tried to gain Souther support by offering Nebraska as popular sovereignty, so the state can decided for itself if it is going to allow slavery or not. Then he tried to offer dividing the region into 2 territories but this made the Northern Democrats and Whigs mad. Even though no one agreed on this, it was passed. -
Ostend Manifesto
ostend manifestoA document written to basically explain why we wanted to purchase cuba from spain. We wanted to declare war if spain didnt agree. Southerners wanted Cuba to be a slave state but because of the Kansas-Nebrasaka Act people werent sure how to make it a slave state. But of course the north wouldnt want it to be. So like everything else it was a debate or problem about if it should or how it should be a slave state. -
Before the election of 1855
border ruffiansKansas was were the first fighting began between those who favored slavery and those who didnt. Thousands from Missouri called "border ruffians" came across the border to vote illegally in Kansas. They wanted to help make it pro-slavery. This was a huge thing that led the civil war because it came to the point of cheating to make Kansas what people wanted, but no one could agree on one thing. -
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Bleeding Kansas
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Two Governments
kansasKansas now had two governments, one opposing slavery, the other supporting slavery. In spring 1856 border ruffians from the North came and destroyed things. It became a scene of a territorial civil war between pro-slavery and antislavery. By the end of 1856, 200 people died fighting 2million dollars worth of property was destroyed. Having 2 government just shows how torn apart we are becoming, which shows slavery has caused a big part. -
The Caning of Charles Sumner
charles sumnerSenator Charles Sumner gave a speech accusing pro-slavery senators of forcing Kansas into the ranks of slave states. He mentioned senator Andrew P. Butler and personally attacked him in his speech. Preston Brooks, later went up to Sumner and hit sumner in the head with his cane. Many Southerners said Brooks was a hero and sent him canes to replace the one he broke. This is like symbolisim of the countrying just snapping. -
Dred Scott Decision
Dred ScottDred Scott v. Sandford. Dred Scott was a Missouri Slave who had been taken north to work in free territory for several years. After going back to slave territory with his slaveholder, he sued because him being in free territory would have made him a free man. But it wasnt exactly how it worked. Free terriotry wasnt for everyone and this made the North upset. -
John Brown's Raid
john brown's raidJohn Brown opposed slavery not with words but with a gun. Brown took revenge on 5 pro-slavery settlers by abducting and murdering them. Later he made a plan to attack Harpers Ferry Virgina. Soon Brown was facing the U.S. Marines from Washington D.C. This shows how people tried to act out against this problem before a war. If people could just see this is like a pre beggining to the Civil War maybe people could have compromised.
