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Missouri Compromise
Who: Henry Clay
When: 1820
Where: Missouri
What: Maine would be admitted as a free state and Missouri would be admitted as a slave state when applying for statehood under the Missouri Compromise.
Why: Because the Northerners were against Missorui entering the Union and they needed to compromise to fix the issue.
Other Details: Congress drew an imaginary line across the southern border of Missouri. Slavery would be allowed south of the line , but north of the line slavery would be banned. -
Wilmot Proviso
Who: David Wilmot
When: 1846
Where: Mexican Cession
What: The Wilmot Proviso was a document that stated "neither slavery nor involuntary servitude shall exist in any part of the territory."
Why: Some Northerners wanted to outlaw the slavery in any parts of the Mexican Cession.
Other Details: The document was created by David Wilmot and was passed by the House of Representatives because there was more northern power but not the Senate because it had more southern power. -
Compromise of 1850
Who: Henry Clay
When: 1850
Where: California
What: California was admitted as a free state, harsher a Fugitive Slave Laws were enacted, and the Mexican Cession was divided into two territories, Utah and New Mexico.
Why: There was another debate between the Southerners and Northerners about admitting California into the Union.
Other Details: In each territory, voters would decide the slavery question according to popular sovereignty. -
Fugitive Slave Act
Who: Slaveholders
When: September 1850
Where: The U.S.
What: The Fugitive Slave Act made it a crime to help or hide runaway slaves. It also allowed officials to arrest those runaway slaves in free areas.
Why: Because there were so many slaves running away from their holders, the slaveholders wanted this to stop so they created the Fugitive Slave Act.
Other Details: People who helped or hid runaway slaves could be fined $1000 and face 6 months in prison. -
Kansas-Nebraska
Who: Stephen Douglas
When: 1854
Where: Kansas and Nebraska
What: Kansas and Nebraska would use popular sovereignty to answer the question of slavery.
Why: Stephen Douglas created this act to settle the debate of letting slavery spread to the West.
Other Details: The act pleased the northerners because it repealed the Missouri Compromise. -
Bleeding Kansas
Who: John Brown
When: 1856 (Day and Month unavailable)
Where: Kansas
What: An anti-slavery supporter led one of the most violent campaigns to end slavery.
Why: John Brown did this to help end slavery.
Other Details: The conflict proved a long future to come. -
Dred Scott v. Sandford
Who: Dred Scott and Sandford
When: 1857 (Day and Month unavailable)
Where: Missouri
What: Dred Scott was a slave that Sued for his freedom. He argued that he was free when he lived in free territory.
Why: Dred Scott wanted his freedom and believed he was a free African-American.
Other Details: First the Supreme Court had to find out if Scott was a citizen. Second they had to figure out if Scott was free. Third they had to find constitutionality in banning slavery in the Louisiana Territory. -
Lincoln-Douglas Debates
Who: Lincoln and Douglas
When: 1858
Where: Illinois
What: Lincoln challenged Douglas in some debates called the Lincoln-Douglas Debates.
Why: Lincoln and Douglas were battling for the Illinois senate spot.
Other Details: Lincoln often argued the African Americans were entitled to all of the natural rights listed in the Declaration of Independence, but they weren't the same social or political equals as whites.