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Missouri Compromise
The Missouri Compromisewas a Federal legislation that prohibited slavery from coming to the North by making Missouri a slave state. It remained in force for over 30 years before it was disregarded by the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1856. It was the beginning of the sectional conflict between the North and the South when it came to expanding slavery across the US. The Missouri Compromise was passed by congress on March 3, 1820. -
The Liberator
The Liberator was a weekly newspaper for abolitionists, written and published by William Lloyd Garrison. Through 1839, it was written by Isaac Knapp. The newspaper was more religous, rather than most political newspapers during that time. It urged the readers to fight to free slaves. It also contributed to fighting for womens rights. It started an abolishonist movement, and was read by many well known abolishonists, such as Fredrick Douglas or Beriah Green. -
The Whigs Party
The Whigs were an active political party in the US during the 1830s to 1850s. It was one of the 2 major political parties, alongside the Democratic party. The whigs had many major leaders including Henry Clay, Daniel Webster, William Henry Harrison, and Zachary Taylor. The name (Whigs) came from the British antimonarchist party, and and was an attempt to portray Andrew Jackson as "King Andrew." -
Wilmot Proviso
Wilmot Proviso was an unsuccessful proposal in 1846 to ban slavery in states acquired by Mexico in the Mexican-American war. This was one of the most major events to lead America to the Civil War. The proposal was agreed upon in the house but, because the Senate had more Southern democrats, failed in the Senate. People tried to propose it to the House and Senate 2 more times, for 2 years after the first proposal. -
Free Soil Party
The Free Soil Party was a short-living coalition party in the US, that was active from 1848-1854. The political party also merged with the Republican party during this time. The party was focused mainly on stopping the expansion of slavery into the Western parts of the US. -
Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad was a route of underground tunnels and safe houses that led up to free states and Canada. They were used by slaves during the mid 19th century in the United States. -
The Compromise of 1850
The Compromise of 1850 was a package of five separate bills passed by congress that defused the political confrontation between free states and slave states when territory from the Mexican-American War was being split up into separate political climates. With this, it set Texas’s borders and territories. The Compromise was created by Whig Senator Henry Clay, and the Democratic Senator Stephen Douglas, along with the support of President Millard Filmore. -
Uncle Toms Cabin
Uncle Toms Cabin was published by Harriet Beecher Stowe, in 1852 as an Anti-slavery novel. The novel effected attitudes of the white citizens toward African American slaves. It was also known to help lay out the groundowrk for the Civil War. -
Dred Scott Case
The Dred Scott Case Was named after Dred Scott who was a slave. He and his owners lived in Missouri and then moved to Wisconsin and Illinois territory, where slaves were considered illegal. He then sued them saying that he was free since they took him to a slave state and was denied freedom by the court. The decision named after him in the Supreme Court was to not include black slaves, or black freedmen, as citizens in the constitution. -
Harpers Ferry Raid
Harpers Ferry Raid was a Anti-Slavery movement conducted by John Brown in Harpers Ferry, Virgina. This was the second revolt that he led and it laster 2 days. He, and many slaves, raided the US arsenal. They were trying to take over Virginia, a slave state, and then help defeat the Confederacy. -
The election of Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln believed that the US should be a whole country and to be together with equality. He believed that a country that is seperated will not stand and that this country would prosper if a unity was formed. When the election was held, Lincoln gained the popular majorit vote across the North. Lincolns election served as the primary catalyst for the civil war as it increased tthe North’s strategic advantage. Lincoln was elected the 16th president on November 6th, 1860. -
Battle of Fort Sumter
Fort sumpter was originally built to fend off the British soldeirs in the War of 1812. It was succesful in it’s original purpose. But then, when it came to the Civil War, it was defeted by the rebel army (Confederate soldeirs). It all started when the confederates met up with Major Anderson. They wanted to take the base but not harm the Northern troops defending it. Major Anderson did not agree with the terms and so the confederate army went away only to come back with more ships. -
Secession of NC
On May 1st, 1861, a legislature was voted to let countries vote elect delegates that would determine whether North Carolina would remain in the Union. Then, on May 20th, the delegates, who were meeting in Raleigh, voted unanimously that NC should no longer be part of the United States and should become part of the Confederacy as a new country. North Carolina was one of the last southern states to join the confederacy. -
The Battle of Antietam
The Battle of Antietam, also known as the Battle of Sharpsburg in the South, was fought on Septmeber 17, 1862. The battle was between General Robert E. Lee’s army of Northern Virgina and the Union General, George B. McClelanns army. It was fought near Sharpsburg, Maryland, and Antietam creek. The Battle of Antietam is known as the bloodiest day in American History and had a total of 22,717 dead, wounded, or missing. The battle ended the Souths attempt to invade North Virgina. -
The Emancipation Proclomation
The Emancipation Proclomation was an executive order issued by President Abraham Lincoln. The Proclamation changed the legal status under federal law of more than 3.5 million enslaved African Americans in the secessionist Confederate states from enslaved to free. -
Vicksburg
The seige of Vicksburg lasted 47 days and was the main reason the Union was victorious. The seige also cemented the reputation of Union General Ulysses S. Grant. Vicksburg is know for having the connection to the Missisipi river, which was useless for the South before the war. When the Union took over Vicksburg, they regained control over the river and then had a large advantage. This started on May 18, 1863, and ended on July 4th 1863. -
Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle started on July 1st, 1863 and lasted 3 days. It was fought in the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and had the largest number of casualties in the war - in which it obtained the name, “The wars turning point.” After the confederate victory in Chansellorsville, General Robert E. Lee, and his army, marched over to Gettysburg when he was then ambushed by Union soldeirs, comanded by General George G. Meade. General Robert E. Lee retreated after 28,000 of his men died. -
Reconstruction Period
The Reconstruction period was a time after the Civil War in the SOuthg where they were trying to rebuild and renovate their way of doing things. They were now slavery free states but still needed income through their traditional farming methods. The way they would do this was called sharecropping. It was when a rich plantation owner, you used to have slaves working fro him, would give land to other white men. The South also wanted to become more industrialized like the North. -
Sherman’s March to the Sea
On November 15 - December 21, 1864, Union General William T. Sherman led some 60,000 soldiers on a 285-mile march from Atlanta to Savannah, Georgia. The purpose of the march/journey was to scare the local population to abandon the confederates and join the Union. This was an important part because all the South’s industrialization came from Atlanta. Atlanta had munitions, factories, foundries, and warehouses that kept the Confederate army supplied with food, weapons, and other goods. -
Lincoln Assassinated
On April 14th, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln was assasinated by, the very well known actor in that era, John Wilks Booth. The assasination was in the Fords Theatre in Washington DC. He later died the day after that at 7:22am.
