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Missouri first requested to be admitted into the Union as a state, however, Congress was hesitant. The situation had then gotten worse, because Maine had also wanted to enter, as a free state. As time passed, Southerners began to become angry and considered civil war. Because of this, Congress finally agreed to create the Missouri Compromise. The Missouri Compromise admitted Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state in order to balance the number of slave and free states.

"Missouri Compromise" history.com

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The Missouri Compromise settled the conflict for a while, until the Second Great Awakening. The Second Great Awakening inspired abolition and many abolitionists sent petitions to the Congress. Things were going out of control, so Congress decided to create the "gag rule," which stated that all antislavery petitions would be ignored. However, this did not stop the abolitionists. They continued to argue in books, newspapers, and public meetings.

"The Second Great Awakening" blogs.bu.edu

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Nat Turner's rebellion inspired many slaves to run away and seek freedom. People in the North often helped the slaves escape. Slave owners saw slaves as property. They urged Congress to pass the fugitive slave law to capture their "property" back.

"Nat Turner" history.com

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In 1846, President James Polk sent a bill to Congress asking for funds for the war with Mexico and Pennsylvania representative David Wilmot added the "William Proviso" to the bill. This stated that slavery should not exist. Southerners in Congress disagreed with this. The William Proviso passed the house, but not the Senate.

"Expansion of Slavery in the U.S." understandingrace.org

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The North and South debated on what should be done about slavery. The South suggested that the line for the Missouri Compromise extend to the Pacific so that the North is free and the South has slavery. However, Northerners in Congress refused. In 1849, California requested to enter the Union as a free state. Northerners accepted but Southerners refused because they didn't want California to become a free state.

"California Statehood Issue" arago.si.edu

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Henry Clay had a plan to settle the slavery debate. In 1850, he met up with Senator Daniel Webster of Massachusetts to gain his support in order for his plan to go through Congress. Clay's compromise admitted California to the Union as a free state and also let Mexico and Utah territories decide on slavery. The compromise also ended slave trade in Washington D.C. and granted a strong fugitive slave law. There was, however, debate among the compromise. Southerners talked about leaving the Union, but Webster opposed. To avoid war, Congress finally agreed to the plan.

"3d. The Compromise of 1850" USHistory.org

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Many people didn't like the Fugitive Slave Act. A person caught as a runaway slave almost loses all of his/her legal rights. Anybody who is suspected of helping a runaway slave or refusing to help slave catchers could be arrested immediately. The North was very unhappy with this and refused to support the act which made catching slaves very difficult.

"Fugitive Slave Acts" history.com

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Senator Charles Sumner of Massachusetts believed that Douglas and the Southerners had been planning to turn Kansas into a slave state, and when it really did happen, he was shocked. He wrote a brave and merciless speech called "The Crime Against Kansas," offending many figures including Senator Andrew P. Butler of South Carolina. His speech was published and spread, causing conflict. Two days after the speech, Senator Butler's nephew, Preston Brooks, beat Sumner in the Senate which inspired many of his supporters as well as infuriate many Northerners.

"Preston Brooks vs. Charles Sumner, 1856" time.com

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14. Abraham Lincoln is Elected as President

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14. Abraham Lincoln is Elected as President

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Republicans supported Lincoln, Northern Democrats voted for Douglas, Southern Democrats supported Breckenridge, and a Constitutional Union Party nominated John Bell. Lincoln won the election with 40 percent of the votes, all from Northerners. This opened eyes because people started to realize that the South was now the minority, which meant they had less power.

"Abraham Lincoln Elected President, November 6, 1860, Part One"

npg.si.edu

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The nation was falling apart and senators looked for compromises to hold the nation together. A reporter in Springfield, Illinois asked Abraham Lincoln whether or not he could support a compromise on slavery. Lincoln said that it was up to the South and there would be no compromise. At the same time in Charleston, South Carolina, late 1860, Southerners voted to leave the Union. It began with South Carolina and six more states followed soon after. In February 1861, the states that separated formed the Confederate States of America.

"32e. The South Secedes" UShistory.org

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John Brown plotted to raid the federal arsenal in Harpers Ferry, Virginia in order to arm slaves for a rebellion against slavery. In 1859, he launched his raid. All of his men were captured and killed, including him. His last words haunted Southerners as well as the fact that Northerners looked up to him.

"John Brown's Raid on Harpers Ferry" american-historama.org

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In 1857, a Missouri slave by the name of Dred Scott went to court to sue for his freedom. Years before, he had traveled to Wisconsin, which was banned from slavery because of the Missouri Compromise. He believed he could return as a free man. However, on March 6, 1857, chief Justice Taney, who was always against slavery, returned with the Dred Scott decision. Taney stated that Scott could not sue for his freedom because he was not a citizen, and could not be one because he was African American. Taney also stated that his stay in Wisconsin would not make him a free man because the Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional. Southerners were delighted, however, Northerners were stunned and enraged.

"32a. The Dred Scott Decision"

USHistory.org

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When the Nebraska-Kansas Act was passed, people of all different types including abolitionists and pro-slavery settlers all flooded into Kansas. Soon, there were two competing governments in the area. On May 21, 1856, settlers raided Lawrence, where the anti-slavery government lived. This infuriated the North. The conflict inspired John Brown's raid.

"Bleeding Kansas - Sparks of War" nps.gov

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Included in Douglas's bill was the Nebraska-Kansas Act. This created Kansas and Nebraska and got rid of the Missouri Compromise by letting settlers in the areas decide what to do with slavery. Northerners were hesitant and scared that slavery may spread.

"31a. The Kansas-Nebraska Act" USHistory.org

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Abraham Lincoln believed that a divided country would not work out. Stephen Douglas, on the other hand, thought that it could, so Lincoln challenged him to a debate. Douglas argued that the Dred-Scott decision had already settled everything and slavery was a moral issue. Lincoln argued that the problem was that a country would never get along with two different opinions. Lincoln lost the election, but his arguments made him a very important figure.

"Lincoln Douglas Debates" american-historama.org