The Road to the Civil War

  • Missouri Compromise of 1829

    Missouri Compromise of 1829
    The Northerners and the Southerners have intense debates over the issue of free and slave states. Henry Clay (aka The Great Compromiser). The Missouri Compromise were a series of laws that helped maintain the balance between slave state and free states.
  • The Nullification Crisis

    The Nullification Crisis
    Southern states thought that tariffs were unfair and it only helped the northern states. John C. Calhoun (VP) said states coud nullify a federal law if they think that it's unconstitutional. When he federal government denied South Carolina's argument, the threatened to secede from the Union. Henry Clay made a compromise that lowered the tariffs.
  • Compromise of 1850

    Compromise of 1850
    Congress had many heated debates. He new territories won from Mexico would be admitted as slave states or free states. Henry Clay helped. 1) California would be admitted as a free state. 2) congress would not pass laws banning slavery from the rest off the territories.
  • Fugitive Slave Act

    Fugitive Slave Act
    This act was passed by congress which permitted capturing fleeing slaves. The laws made tensions rise and set a ground for John Brown's raid.
  • Bleeding Kansas

    Bleeding Kansas
    5000 people from Missouri came to Kansas and voted for pro slavery representation illegally. when the anti-slavery opponents started their own government, pros lavery attacked them. In avengence, John Brown (abolitionist) murdered a lot of pro slavery people.
  • Dred Scott Descision

    Dred Scott Descision
    Dred Scott - a slave who sued his freedom. He argued that because he lived in a free territory that he should have been emancipated. The court ruled declaring:
    *Scott was not free based on his residence in either Illinoise or Wisconsin
    *African Americans were not considered citizens when the constitution was drafted in 1817
    *Dred Scott was the property of his owner, and property could not be taken from a person without due process of law
  • Attack on Harper's Ferry

    Attack on Harper's Ferry
    John brown wanted to inspire the slaves to fight for their freedom and to capture he arsenal to arm the slaves at Harpers Ferry. Brown and his men were captured. Brown was saluted by aboitionists as he was put to death, the issue of slavery raised tensions in America up to its breaking point.
  • The Election of 1860

    The Election of 1860
    Abraham Lincoln wins this election. After Lincoln is elected, the southern states started to secede from the Union.