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The Nullification Crisis
After the tariff laws of 1828 and 1832 were passed, South Carolina, a southern state, felt that the tariff laws were unfair and only supported the north. Then the Vice President said any state can avoid or nullify a federal law it considers unconstitutional. But unfortunately, the federal government denied the argument and South Carolina threatened to secede. Then Henry Clay came up with a compromise to lower the tariff. -
Bleeding Kansas
Before Kansas entered the Union, there was an election of an official state legislature. Soon nearby proslavery neighbors of 5,000 people came to Kansas from Missouri and voted for proslavery representatives ILLEGALLY. As a result, Anti-slavery opponents started their own government, then the Anti-slavery government was attacked by proslavery forces. Afterwords, John Brown, who was an extreme abolitionist, murdered several proslavery people to avenge the attack on the Anti-slavery government. -
Dred Scott 1857
In 1857, a slave named Dred Scott sued for his freedom, his argument was that he should be considered free because he walked on free territory. Unfortunately, the court declared that African Americans are not considered citizens since the drafted Constitution in 1787, also Scott wasn't free based on residence plus Scott was considered PROPERTY of his owner, meaning he can't be taken away from his owner without due process of law. -
Attack on Harpers Ferry
A man named John Brown planned to inspire slaves to fight for their freedom by arming the slaves and capturing the arsenal located in Harpers Ferry, Virginia. Unfortunately Brown's plan failed as none of the slaves joined him in the fight, so Brown and his men were captured. Soon John Brown was put to death and the tensions in America were at the breaking point. -
The Election of 1860
Abraham Lincoln had won the election of becoming president of the U.S. But Southerners don't trust Lincoln, so the southern states began seceding from the Union after the election.
