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Suddenly, the South had a brilliant idea- secede from the Union! South Carolina was the first to secede, others joined to create the Confederate States of America.
Picture: huffingtonpost.com

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#14: Abraham Lincoln is Elected President  

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#14: Abraham Lincoln is Elected President  

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The victory of Lincoln was strange- in 10 southern states, his name wasn't on the ballot- he won with 40% of the votes. Southerners began to fear that Congress may abolish slavery. A Southern newspaper wrote that the abolishment of slavery would result in, "the loss of liberty, property, home, country- everything that makes life worth living."

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John Brown took an extreme approach to end slavery. He planned to capture federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia. He was later sentenced to death, and Northerners declared him a hero, while Southerners grew uneasy about the situation.
Picture: blackpast.org

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Lincoln decided to battle Douglas in a debate over slavery. Douglas said that the Dred Scoutt case "put the slavery issue to rest". Lincoln disagreed and stated that slavery was "a moral, not a legal issue." Needless to say, he lost.
Picture: americanhistorama.com

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In 1857, slavery entered the Supreme Court. Dred Scott a slave, had traveled to Wisconsin with his owner... Wisconsin had banned slavery- therefore Scott went to court to secure his freedom.
Picture: sutori.com

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Senator Charles Sumner suspected that Stephan Douglas had conspired with Southerners to make Kansas a slave state. He voiced his opinion in a speech with "harsh and shocking language"- saying "'compelling it to the hateful embrace of slavery.'" This speech showed how deeply divided the nation was over slavery.
Picture: socialstudiesforkids.com

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During 1854, ("after the Kansas=Nebraska Act was passed" (History Alive). many settlers rushed into Kansas- some came to support, while others came to protest slavery.Soon enough, Kansas had two opposing governments struggling for power. On May 21, 1856, proslavery settlers and "border ruffians" invaded Lawerence, Missouri- home of the antislavery government.
Picture: wikipedia.com

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The Kansas-Nebraska was created by Senator Stephen A. Douglas- it created two boundaries- Kansas, Nebraska; it abolished the Missouri Compromise by leaving it up to settlers to vote on to allow slavery in the territories.
Picture: sutori.com

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Both Northerners and Southerns didn't like the Fugitive Slave Act- Northerners simply didn't want to apply the law, while Southerners felt that it didn't do enough to catch runaway slaves. Some slaves decided to stand up and fight against the law.
Picture: history.com

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Henry Clay (senator from Kentucky) came up with a plan to end the "deadlock over California." His plan had something for everyone- North and South alike; it allowed California to be a free state, while allowing New Mexico and Utah territories to determine if they wanted to keep slavery.
Picture: American Historama.com

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Come late 1849, California decided to apply for admission into the Union as a free state; Northerners happily welcomed California, however Southerners said that the admission of California would disrupt the balance between the free and slave states.
Picture: wikipedia.com

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The gag rule allowed the discussion of slavery to be kept out of Congress. However, in 1846 President James Polk sent a bill to Congress requesting funds for the Mexican-American War. The Wilmost Proviso stated that "'neither slavery nor involuntary servitude shall ever exist"'.
Picture: pbs.org

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As a result of Nat Turner's rebellion, many slaves continued to runaway to the Northerners. To the slave owners they saw the northerners as "bank robbers". They demanded that a fugitive slave law be put into action.
Picture: wikipedia.com

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The Second Great Awakening was slowly building up, and many Americans came to believe that abolishing slavery would result in God's blessing. Once the "Gag Rule" was introduced, which attempted to silenced abolitionists, (they continued to fight and voice their opinion.) Mississippi decided to give awards of $5,000 to anyone who would rat abolitionists out. However, the "Gag Rule", caused the issue of slavery in Congress, ignored.
Picture: wikipedia.com

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The Missouri Compromise of 1820 allowed Missouri and Maine into the Union as a free state. However, North of the Lousiana Purchase, slavery was banned, except for Missouri; while South of the line- slavery was allowed.
Picture: http://www.compromise-of-1850.org