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Causes of the Civil War
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The Missouri Compromise
The Missouri Compromise was created by Henry Clay. The Missouri Compromise was that Maine joined the Union as a free state and Missouri joined as a slave state. This kept the balance of slave states and free states in the U. S. Senate. The compromise would last for thirty years. -
Fugitive Slave Act of 1850
The Fugitive Slave Act was a part the Compromise of 1850. This act made it illegal to help runaway slaves in any way. Moderates all over the country accepted this law. It postponed the southern states from seceding for a decade. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
The Kanses-Nebraska Act took place in 1854, Kansas and Nebraska were deciding if they were going to be free states or slave states.Nebraska ended up killing 200 Kansas citizens! this was the first time Americans were fighting over slavery. -
John Brown Rebellion
John Brown, five of his sons and some of his supporters formed a rebellion against pro-slavery people. Their plan was to take over towns and free slaves. They took over the arsenal in Harper’s Ferry, VA and had access to the weapons but decided to stay where they had control. Since they stayed, the local militia and marines attacked them capturing John Brown and killing two of his sons. -
The Election of 1860
Abraham Lincoln was elected President on Nov 6, 1860. The southern states were afraid he would either restrict or prohibit slavery completely. It would take a strong president to prevent the Union from breaking apart. The war was unstoppable even for president Lincoln. -
Secession
On December 24, 1860, South Carolina decided to secede from the Union. They believed the new president, Abraham Lincoln, was going to end slavery. South Carolina needed slaves for farm labor to support their economy. Ten southern states formed the Confederate States of America and even elected Jefferson Davis as their President. -
Slavery
Slavery was the most critical issue leading to the Civil War. The southern states depended on slaves to work on their cotton farms. The northern states thought that slavery was wrong and gave the southern states more power. After many years Lincoln declared war to save the Union.
