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Soon after Lincoln was elected, he declared that he would allow slavery in the South to continue and ensure that escaped slaves returned to their masters, but he would not allow slavery in the new states. In 1860, delegates in South Carolina voted to secede from the Union, and soon after, six states joined them, forming the Confederate States in 1861.

"Flags of the Confederate States of America"
https://en.wikipedia.org

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Because the other political parties were divided, Lincoln was elected with only 40% of the votes, almost all of them in the North. This also led the South to realize that they were now not the majority and slavery was more likely now to be abolished.

"Abraham Lincoln"
http://nortoncenter.com

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In 1859, John Brown, an abolitionist, launched a raid on the federal arsenal at Harper's Ferry, Virginia, leading to the capture or death of all men who had participated and John Brown was sentenced to death. Because of the raid and the fact that many Northerners respected John Brown, many Southern slave owners became fearful of rebellion.

"John Brown's Raid on Harper's Ferry
https://www.sutori.com

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In 1858, Abraham Lincoln challenged his rival in the Senate Race, Senator Stephen Douglas, to a debate. Lincoln claimed that slavery was a moral issue, and depended on whether one thought it was okay or not, while Douglas claimed that slavery was only a legal issue, and it had already been resolved by the Dred Scott Decision.

"Lincoln-Douglas Debates" www.uh.edu

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Dread Scott, a slave, went to court after traveling to the north and returning to the south saying that because he had gone to the north, where slavery was illegal, he should be set free. To many slave owners' delight, the Supreme Court ruled that Scott would not be set free, and that the taking away of property that the Missouri Compromise legalized was unconstitutional.

"Dred Scott" http://lesurvivaliste.blogspot.com

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Because Senator Charles Summer was so angered by the violence of the Southerners in Kansas, he angrily spoke out on the issue and insulted many Southerners. As a result, the nephew of Senator Andrew P. Butler, one of the men Summer insulted, beat him with a cane.

"Charles Summer" http://deacademic.com

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Soon after the Kansas-Nebraska Act was passed, not only peaceful settlers began moving into Kansas, but many abolitionists and pro-slavery settlers did too. The two opposing groups quickly began using violence, and pro-slavery settlers raided abolitionist newspaper stands, homes, and a hotel, causing the North to send down more weapons and people.

"Bleeding Kansas" https://todayinhistory.blog

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The Kansas-Nebraska Act formed two new territories in the plains above the Missouri Compromise line, and additionally, allowed settlers to decide whether or not they wanted to allow slavery in their state. Many Northerners were unhappy because Kansas and Nebraska were farther south, and would be more likely to continue the practice of slavery.

"Kansas-Nebraska Act 1854"
http://www.studythepast.com

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The Fugitive Slave Act did not please many Southerners because they felt that it was not enough to ensure that they could recapture their slaves, and furthermore, the resistance from the Northerners made the Act difficult to enforce.

"Fugitive Slave Act of 1850" http://jesselatour.blogspot.com

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Henry Clay, who was also the creator of the Missouri Compromise, proposed a compromise to Senator Webster so that it could be passed to Congress, suggesting that California be admitted as a free state and that New Mexico and Utah would be allowed to consider being a slave state. A fugitive slave law would also prevent slaves from escaping and allow them to be recaptured. The slave trade would also stop in Washington, D.C., but slaveholders would still be able to keep their slaves. After nine months of debate, Congress accepted the compromise, but some Southerners were still unsatisfied.

"Equal and Free States" https://www.emaze.com

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When Congress debated over what to do with the Mexican Cession, Southerners proposed that the Missouri Compromise line would extend all the way west, but was rejected by Northerners. When California asked to be admitted to the United States, Northerners agreed, but Southerners argued that an imbalance of slave and free states would result.

"Map of California" https://nerdgeeks.co

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When President James Polk asked for funds for the Mexican War, David Wilmot, a Pennsylvanian representative, added an amendment saying that no slavery would be allowed in the land gained from the war in the Wilmot Proviso. Southern representatives protested and the proviso was not passed.

"David Wilmot" https://freedmenspatrol.wordpress.com

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Although large-scale slave revolts no longer occurred, individual slaves attempted to escape and were often aided by Northerners. Southern slaveholders saw this as thievery and asked Congress to pass a Fugitive Slave Act.

"Canada and The Underground Railroad" https://canadaalive.wordpress.com

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After receiving too many requests to ban slavery by abolitionists, Congress passed what abolitionists called the "gag rule", which prevented slavery from being debated in Congress anymore. Abolitionists continued to spread their ideas, even when it became banned in the south.

"Mexican Cession"
https://northalc.wikispaces.com

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Both Missouri and Maine had requested to enter the United States, so Henry Clay, a representative, proposed that Missouri would be admitted as a slave state and Maine would be a free state. Congress agreed. However, not many people were pleased with the compromise.

"Missouri Compromise of 1820"
http://www.slavia.info