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Bleeding Kansas
In 1854 the Kansas-Nebraska act overturned the Missouri Compromise's use of latitude as the boundary between slaves and free territory and instead using the principal of popular sovereignty decreeing that the resident would determine whether or not the area would become a free state or a slave state. Abolitionist John Brown led antislavery fighters in Kansas before his famed raid on Harper's Ferry. -
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Lincoln-Douglas debates
Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas were running against each other for senate. The issue of slavery arose which is what their debates consisted of mostly. Lincoln was the challenger and they met at political debates on a trail through Illinois. The debates attracted a lot of attention, more attention than normal senatorial debates attract. Douglas became senator but Lincoln won popularity as fast as Douglas lost it, Practically securing Lincoln’s candidacy for president -
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John Brown’s Raid
During the Bleeding Kansas conflicts, john Brown and his sons led attacks on pro-slavery residents. Justifying his actions as the will of God, Brown soon became a hero in the eyes of Northern extremists and was quick to capitalize on his growing reputation. By early 1858, he had succeeded in enlisting a small “army” of insurrectionists whose mission was to foment rebellion among the slaves. In 1859, Brown and 21 of his followers attacked and occupied the federal arsenal in Harpers Ferry. -
Lincoln's election
Lincoln was destined to win the presidential Election of 1860. The democratic party votes were divided so Lincoln received all of the republican votes although most of the united states voted against him. Since Lincoln was an abolitionist, the south despised him even though he was trying to keep the union together and wasn’t trying to immediately get rid of slaves. Douglas also lost popularity in the US because he lost respect from the south with his whole “popular sovereignty” spiel. -
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Southern Secession
When Lincoln became president, he thought that he could try and mend the union and its slavery issues. He was wrong. On December 20, 1860 South Carolina Seceded from the union angered by the presidential outcome. South Carolina was followed in secession by Mississippi a month later. Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, Virginia, Arkansas, North Carolina, and Tennessee soon dropped out of the union as well. Those southern states formed together to create the Confederacy.
