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Kansas- Nebraska Act
Description: A bill that organized the territories of Kansas and Nebraska. They could choose whether or not to allow slavery.
Significance: The South was gaining power because slavery was allowed to spread.
Cause: Stephen Douglas wanted to build a railroad through the territories. He also knew that the South would protest because they would be free territories.
Effect: The Missouri Compromise was repealed and territories were allowed to decide whether to be slave or free. -
Dred Scott Supreme Court Case
Description: Dred Scott sued his master for freedom in the Supreme Court because he had lived in free territories
Significance: Slavery had become such a hot issue that the Supreme Court had to step in.
Cause: Dred Scott won his freedom in a Southern Court after arguing that he was free because he had lived in a free territory . His master appealed until the case ended up before the Supreme Court
Effect: Scott was denied his freedom and Missouri Compromise was declared unconstitutional and it -
Hanging of John Brown
Description: John Brown was hung after an unsuccesful raid on Harper's Ferry.
Significance: The nation was becoming divided over the issue of slavery.
Cause: John Brown tried to take over Harper's Ferry and start a slave revolt with the weapons. He was captures by marines.
Effect: Brown became a martyr in the North and caused increased tensions in the South. -
Election of 1860
Description: A presidenttal election between Republican Abraham Lincoln, Union Party candidate John Bell and Democrat Stephen Douglas and John Breckinridge.
Significance: America had become so divided that there were really two seperate presidental elections going on.
Cause: The debate over slavery. Lincoln wanted to stop its expansion, Douglas wanted to leave the issue to the states, Breckinridge wanted to protect slavery and Bell wanted to create a compromise between the North and South. -
Election of 1860
Effects: Lincoln was elected as president of the United States. The majority of the South responded by leaving the Union and forming the Confederacy. -
The Bombardment of Fort Sumter
Description: Rebel forces bombarded Fort Sumer, an American Fort, with canon fire.
Significance: The Union was so split that the sections were willing to resort to violence.
Cause: Abraham Lincoln, a Republican, being elected as President.
Effect: The rapid succesion of Southern States and the start of the Civil War.
