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The Missouri Compromise
The Missouri Compromise was made to allow the state of Missouri to become a slave state and the state of Maine to become a free state. With the ideas of more states being added to the country, there were two split sides wanting two different things. These two sides being the north and the south. In this event, the north wanted more free states and the south wanted more slaves states. With both sides never getting what they want until after the Civil War, they would be fighting for decades. -
Nat Turner's Rebellion
Nat Turner's Rebellion took place in Southampton County, Virginia. This rebellion was one of if not the most successful slave revolt in US history. Hundreds of slave died during this rebellion and made southerners want slavery even more so. Those who escaped had to be careful because of the laws put against them like the Fugitive Slave Act. If they were caught later on escaping or up in the north, they would be sent back to the plantation and most likely facing harsher punishments. -
The Compromise of 1850
The Compromise of 1850 was established during the Mexican War where California was admitted as a free state and the slave trade in Virginia ended. In return, the Fugitive Slave Act was strengthened making it harder for slaves to escape and rebel. This raised many questions wondering what would happen next to the north and the south. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin
Written by Harriet Beecher Stowe, Uncle Tom's Cabin made the current slaves want freedom even more. The idea of the book is to show to everyone that slavery is wrong and shouldn't be allowed. The book was banned to all slaves as thought that if shown the book,the slaves would rebel on their owners to be free. This book split the north and the south with both sides having different opinions on slavery. The conflict between the North and The South would soon lead into the Civil War. -
Bleeding Kansas
Bleeding Kansas was a series of border ruffians with people that debated over if there should or shouldn't be slavery in Kansas. These heated debates turned into many fights between both sides. Some call these fights the first fights of the Civil War. -
Dred Scott vs Sanford
This court case about Dred Scott, was looking into whether or not he was a free man. After his master escorted him to the Illinois and Wisconsin Territory, his master, John Emerson, had given him his freedom. However, that was not how Chief Justice Roger Taney saw. When giving his decision, Roger Taney said that slaves were not citizens and he was not a freeman. This of course lead to people making their own opinions on the matter driving the split between the north and south even further. -
Abraham Lincoln's Election
Abraham Lincoln was elected the 16th President on November 6th, 1860. Coming into the presidency as a republican candidate, Lincoln was anti-slavery. This meant that mostly all of the south opposed him while the north were in favor. This election added to the almost already divided country and ultimately resulted into the secession of the southern states and the American Civil War a few years later.