Civil War Causes

Missouri Compromise

Mar 3, 1820

This made Missouri a slave state and Maine a free state. This was meant to balance out the power within congress.

Nat Turner Slave Rebellion

Aug 21, 1831

Slave rebellion led by Nat Turner involving slaves who killed whites. Inspired the Virginia Slavery debate.

War With Mexico

Apr 25, 1846

War fought over Texas land between Mexico and America.

Wilmot Proviso

Aug 8, 1846

A proposal in the U.S congress to ban slavery in the territory acquired from Mexico. This proposal was unsuccessful.

Compromise Of 1850

Jan 29, 1850

Five laws passed creating California as a free state. Utah and New Mexico were left to decide whether to be a slave or free state.

Fugitive Slave Act

Sep 18, 1850

Act that required slaves to be returned to their owners even if they were in a free state.

Publication of Uncles Tom's Cabin

Mar 20, 1852

Anti-Slave novel published by Harriet Beecher Stowe. This book widened the arguments between the North and South.

Kansas-Nebraska Act

May 30, 1854

The Missouri Compromise was reversed. This allowed Slavery to be legal in the original areas of the Louisiana Purchase.

Bleeding Kansas

1855

Pro and anti-slavery war. Led to Republican Party being created.

Dred Scott Decision

1857

The U.S Supreme Court exceeded in Missouri Compromise because it had no power to forbid or abolish slavery in the west and north.

John Brown's Raid on Harper's Ferry

Oct 16, 1859

Raid with a small group of people led by John Brown. Attempt to start an armed revolt of enslaved people.

Abraham Lincoln elected president

Nov 6, 1860

Lincoln did not want slavery to expand anymore. He refused to accept any resolution from South.

South Carolina secedes

Dec 20, 1860

The first state to secede from the Union. South Carolina was one of the founding member sates of the Confederacy

Formation of the Confederate State of America

1861

7 southern states left the Union to make up the Confederate states. These states including, South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and with representatives from Texas.

Fort Sumter

Apr 12, 1861

Battle between Union and Confederate. The Union were forced to surrender the fort.

Antietam

Sep 17, 1862

Enabled the Union to repel the first Confederate invasion of the North. This allowed Lincoln to issue the Emancipation Proclamation.

Vicksburg

May 18, 1863

Victory for the Union that gave them control over the Mississippi river. The Union shut down confederate trade.

Gettysburg

Jul 1, 1863

The Confederates were winning the war, but the Union won this battle.

Appomattox Courthouse

Apr 9, 1865

The surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia under Robert E. Lee to the Union commander Ulysses S. Grant.