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The Constitution being drafted in Philadelphia 

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The Constitution is ratified                                         September 17th, 1787

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The Constitution is ratified                                         September 17th, 1787

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The constitution doesn't refer to slavery and the word was never used because the founders were embarrassed about it. Some believed that slavery was wrong and would die out so it was decided not to be spoken about because it would leave a permanent moral stain on the document. In a draft of the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson attacks the slave trade, but he was a slave owner himself. The founders made compromises such as the 3/5th compromise and the ban on ending the slave trade. These compromises were made because people believed it would lead to a stronger Union. This led to the Civil War because the founding fathers never acknowledged slavery and just believed it would eventually die out.

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The Northwest Territories consist of Michigan, Illinois Indiana, Wisconsin, and Ohio

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Northwest Ordinance                                                                               1787

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Northwest Ordinance                                                                               1787

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In 1787 as the constitution was being written, the Northwest Ordinance banned slavery in the new Northwestern states. The Ordinance proposed that 3-5 new states are created from the Northwest territory and slavery would be banned in all of them. Under this Ordinance, Native American's were also promised proper treatment and were provided with proper education. The Northwest Ordinance also laid the groundwork for the many states that were soon to follow in banning slavery. This led to the Civil War because many Northern states followed in abolishing slavery until just the South was left.

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3/5 of the slave population was counted towards representation and taxation purposes. 

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During the Constitutional Convention, the 13 colonies were trying to decide how representation would be decided. Larger states wanted representation to be based on population while smaller states wanted equal representation for every state no matter the population. The final proposal that was agreed on upon was there would be a lower house of government that was based on population and an upper house where each state would have 2 representatives. However, the Southern states had large enslaved populations that they wanted to be counted towards representation. The South threatened to abandon the convention if their demands were not met. Finally, the proposal that was agreed upon was that every 5 slaves would count as 3 free people and thus the South had secured voting power in the House of Representatives. This even led to the Civil War because the South was able to cheat out the North for more representative power making it more difficult to pass anti-slavery laws.

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The Cotton Gin allowed for Cotton to be produced at breakneck speed

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Invention of the Cotton Gin                                                                                 1794

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Invention of the Cotton Gin                                                                                 1794

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Slaves enslaved on plantations before the invention of the Cotton Gin were forced to handpick cotton and separate the seeds from the cotton by hand. With the invention of the Cotton gin, this process became automated. It allowed for cotton seeds to be easily separated from the actual cotton. The Cotton Gin was able to produce 50 times the amount of cotton than when produced by hand. But, the Cotton Gin had to be operated by a team of 2-3 people. This led to a demand for more labor. The invention of the Cotton Gin made the cotton industry get bigger and increased the need for labor. This invention was a contributor to the Civil War because it dramatically increased the need for slave labor and was making the South rich so they were willing to do whatever they had to do to maintain the prosperous economy.

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Thomas Jefferson was the third US president

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Thomas Jefferson is Elected President            1800

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Thomas Jefferson is Elected President            1800

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Thomas Jefferson defeated Federalist John Adams in the election of 1800. This election also marked the first time that power was peacefully transferred from one party to another. The election of Jefferson is very important because he negotiated the Louisiana purchase and organized the Lewis and Clark expedition. Had the Louisiana Purchase not have happened, the Civil War may have been avoided. This event was a contributor to the Civil War because Jefferson was a founding father and a slave owner as well. He criticized slavery but was a slave owner himself. He also negotiated the Louisiana Purchase and built a port in the South. The South profited from this key port.

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The Louisiana Purchase accounts for approximately 1/3 of the U.S. landmass

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Louisiana Purchase                                                      1803

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Louisiana Purchase                                                      1803

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Jefferson’s original intention when he purchased the land was to build a port in New Orleans. He knew that lots of traffic passes through there and building a port would make lots of money. Buying the land would also create more job opportunities. There would be more farmland available and small-town would sprout up from every corner of the territory. To add on, making the country bigger would expand the influence it has on regions. The main terms were is that the French would leave and sell the land for 15 million dollars and the U.S. in return would get approximately 800,000 acres of land. The Louisiana Purchase was a key contributor to the Civil War because there were major disagreements on how to decide if the new states were going to be free or slave states and later there were outbursts of violence because of these issues.

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People in Africa were taken prisoner and shipped to various parts of the world were they were bought and forced to serve their owners

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The Slave Trade is banned                                 January, 1808

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The Slave Trade is banned                                 January, 1808

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In order to keep the Union united, the founding fathers decided that to keep the South pleased, they would allow for the slave trade to continue for 20 years before any action could be taken to ban it. By the time it was banned in 1808, there were around 4 million slaves living in the United States. Banning the slave trade was a major win for the North. Not only did it stop the importation of slaves, but it also prevented the slave population from continuing to grow at a high rate. Although the slave population in the South was self-sustaining it made it more difficult for slave owners to buy slaves in large quantities because there weren't any coming from overseas. This event contributes to the Civil War because no slaves were now allowed into the United States and this angered the South.

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Then Spanish Cession consists of present day Florida

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Spanish Cession                                                                                    1819

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Spanish Cession                                                                                    1819

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Before acquisition Florida was a territory of the Spanish Empire. After the treaty of Paris was signed, American's began to move into Western Florida. In 1810 these settlers rebelled against the Spanish government and declared independence from Spain. President James Madison used the opportunity to claim all of Florida knowing that the Spanish Government was seriously weakened due to Napoleon's invasion of Spain. This issue was not resolved until James Monroe was President. Florida was also quite problematic for the Spanish because runaway slaves often escaped to Florida and American settlers would frequently fight with nearby Native American's. After some military action by Andrew Jackson, Secretary of State John Adams used it as leverage and Spain ceded Florida. The U.S. agreed to pay 5 million dollars as compensation for damages done by American's who rebelled against the Spanish Government. This event contributes to the Civil War because now slaves could no longer run away to Florida and slaves who did could easily be returned because Florida joined the Union as a slave state.

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The Missouri Compromise had Maine join as a free state and Missouri join as a slave state.

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The Missouri Compromise of 1820                                                               March 2nd, 1820

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The Missouri Compromise of 1820                                                               March 2nd, 1820

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The Missouri Compromise of 1820 attempted to resolve the spread of Slavery by drawing a line above Arkansas and Oklahoma and declaring any new states under the line would join the Union as slave states and any states above the line would join as free states. This compromise also aimed to try to solve the issue of Missouri joining the Union. There were also many heated debates in Congress for many months over this issue. The South worried that if Missouri was allowed to join the Union then it would lose its voting power because it would tip the delicate balance of representation. Henry Clay proposed that Maine, which was part of New Jersey be allowed to join the Union as a free state and Missouri would join as a slave state. This event led to the Civil War because it was one of the first of three compromises that attempted to resolve issues between the North and the South. This compromise did not stop the expansion of slavery but just allowed for the delicate balance of power in congress to stay balanced.

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The Fugitive Slave Act was a major win for the South 

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Compromise of 1850                                                                September 18th, 1850

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Compromise of 1850                                                                September 18th, 1850

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The compromise of 1850 consisted of 5 different bills. These bills attempted to solve the disputes over new territories added to the U.S. in wake of the U.S. invasion of Mexican territories. California was admitted as a free state and Utah and New Mexico were left to decide if they wanted to be free or slave states. This compromise also made it easier for slave owners to recover their runaway slaves. The Fugitive Slave Act forced Northern states to return runaway slaves back to who they belonged to. This was an advantage for the Southern states because it made the Northern states bow towards their values and make them commit the very crimes they were fighting against. This event was a major contributor to the Civil War because it forced Northern states to return fugitive slaves while they were trying to abolish slavery.

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Uncle Tom's Cabin quickly became a bestseller 

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Uncle Tom's Cabin                                                                               1852

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Uncle Tom's Cabin                                                                               1852

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Uncle Tom's Cabin is a fictional book that explored slave life. The book was written by Harriet Beecher Stowe. Many people living in the North opened their eyes to the horrors that were occurring in the South. Many Southerners called her book damaging and untrue. It quickly became the second best-selling book in America. This book contributed to the Civil War because the popularity of this novel helped spread awareness about the atrocities in the South.

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The issue of slavery in the Kansas and Nebraska was decided through Popular Sovereignty 

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Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854                                              May 30th, 1854

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Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854                                              May 30th, 1854

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The Kansas-Nebraska Act aimed to organize Kansas, Nebraska, Montana, and the Dakotas. Land acquired from Mexico and the gold rush in California raised awareness about how urgently a transcontinental railroad was needed. One of the railway's major supporters wanted the route to be built North via Chicago but most slaveholders wanted a Southern route. For the bill to pass, a compromise was needed. Then it was decided they would incorporate into the bill that the issue of slavery would be decided by popular sovereignty. Now the issue isn't about railways any more, it's about slavery. Pro and anti-slavery supporters flooded into the territory to try and become the majority. Two governments were set up, one pro-slavery and the other anti-slavery. Brutal violence broke out. One of the most famous violent acts that occurred was when Lawrence, an anti-slavery town was attacked and looted. John Brown was angered by these attacks and he and his sons took revenge by dragging 5 pro-slavery supporters from their beds at night and hacking them apart with swords. This event contributed to the Civil War because it repealed the compromise of 1820 and allowed for slavery to be decided by popular sovereignty, which the North and South knew would be very violent.

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Charles Sumter was caned by Preston Brooks on the Senate floor

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Charles Sumner is Attacked by Preston Brooks on the Senate Floor                                                                            May 22nd, 1856

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Charles Sumner is Attacked by Preston Brooks on the Senate Floor                                                                            May 22nd, 1856

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One day after the attacks by pro-slavery supporters on the anti-slavery town of Lawrence, Senator Charles Sumner gave a speech on the Senate floor condemning the violence in Kansas. Congressman Preston Brooks, a strong supporter of slavery took offense from the speech and assaulted Charles Sumner with his cane. Sumner was badly wounded and sustained injuries that affected him for the rest of his life. This event contributed to the Civil War because it intensified the violence between Northerners and Southerners.

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Dred Scott lost his case in the Supreme Court to be free

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Dred Scott Loses his Case to be Free                              1857      

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Dred Scott Loses his Case to be Free                              1857      

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IN 1857, Dred Scott lost his Supreme Court case regarding his freedom. He argued he had been held as an enslaved person while he was living in a free state. The Court ruled that they couldn't see his case because he was "property" and was not a citizen. The Supreme Court also added that even though his owner had taken him into a free state he was still enslaved because black people who were enslaved were considered property of their enslavers. This decision further motivated the 19th-century black activists and increased their efforts to fight against enslavement. This event contributed to the Civil War because it showed that even while slavery was banned in the North, Black people were still not treated equally.

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The Douglas-Lincoln debates were a series of 7 debates during the Illinois Senate Race

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Lincoln-Douglas Debates                                                            August 21st-October 15th 1858

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Lincoln-Douglas Debates                                                            August 21st-October 15th 1858

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The Lincoln-Douglas debates were seven debates during the 1858 Illinois Senate Campaign over the issue of slavery and the expansion of it into new territories. Douglas, the architect of the Kansas-Nebraska act was a prominent politician and was considered a future presidential contender. By 1858, Lincoln was the most prominent leader in the newly formed Republican party. He announced his campaign in Springfield, Illinois, and famously declared "A house divided against itself cannot stand...this government cannot endure, permanently half slave and half free." Lincoln and Douglas had one debate in each of the 7 congressional districts in the state. Douglas's primary strategy was to call Lincoln a radical and that his views would put the nation on the path to war.  Lincoln lost the Senate Campaign. This event contributed to the Civil war because Lincoln was able to establish himself and eloquently convey the Republican party's stance on slavery.

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John Brown attempted to start an armed slave rebellion

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John Brown's Raid                                                                            October 16-18 1859

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John Brown's Raid                                                                            October 16-18 1859

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John Brown, a popular abolitionist was a strong supporter of violent action against the South. After Bleeding Kansas, Brown returned to the North and threatened more violent action On October 1859, John Brown and 19 other supporters led a raid on a federal armory and arsenals at Harpers Ferry, Virginia. Their goal was to capture and confiscate the weapons there and hand them out to local slaves in an attempt to start an armed insurrection. A small group of US Marines led by Robert E. Lee stopped the attack. There were casualties on both sides with 7 of Brown's men killed and 10 injured before Brown was captured. On October 27th Brown was tried for treason against the State of Virginia and was hanged in Charles Town, Virginia on December 2nd. This event contributed to the Civil War because it attempted to violently harm slave owners in Virginia.

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Abraham Lincoln won the election with 180 electoral votes

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Abraham Lincoln Is Elected President                                             November 6th, 1860

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Abraham Lincoln Is Elected President                                             November 6th, 1860

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The Election of 1860 was a pivotal moment in the history of the United States. As the country was nearing war, whoever won the election would have to lead the nation through war or accept the beliefs of the South. The Republican Party held its the second convention on May, 16th, 1860 in Chicago. It nominated Abraham Lincoln and his running mate Hannibal Hamlin. Meanwhile, the Democratic Party was in shambles. The Democratic Party ended up splitting into a Southern Party and a Northern Party. Southern Democrats nominated John Breckinridge while the Northern Democrats nominated Stephen Douglas. The Constitutional Union Party, which consisted of unhappy Democrats, Republicans, and Whigs, nominated John Bell. Lincoln won the election in a landslide, with a total of 186 electoral votes and less than 40% of the popular vote. The North had a larger population and thus controlled the Electoral College. The election brought out the two major parties Republicans and Democrats. This event contributed to the Civil War because a month after the election South Carolina seceded from the Union and was followed by other Southern states.

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South Carolina seceded from the Union one moth after the election of Abraham Lincoln

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South Carolina secedes from the Union on December 20th, 1860

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South Carolina secedes from the Union on December 20th, 1860

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The South regarded slavery as crucial to its plantation-based economy. With the election of Abraham Lincoln, the Southern states realized that slavery was likely to be abolished by an amendment to the constitution. Many people believed that the sudden freedom of 4 million slaves was going to be a nightmare. South Carolina joined the Union in 1788 by free will. The decision of secession was then rested on the shoulders of the governor, William Gist. A month before the election he had informed other Southern Governors that South Carolina would leave the Union if Lincoln was elected president. A special convention is assembled on the 20th and at 1:15 P.M the 20 delegates unanimously voted to secede from the Union. Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisianna, and Texas swiftly followed. Virginia, Arkansas, North Carolina, and Tennessee later joined as well. This event contributed to the Civil War because the Union had officially dissolved and the Confederacy was going to form soon.

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The Confederacy is Formed                                           February 1861

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The Confederacy is Formed                                           February 1861

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In February of 1861, six seceded states met in Montgomery, Alabama to officially establish a government. Jefferson Davis was voted the first President of the Confederate States of America. Alexander H. Stephens became the vice president. The Confederacy modeled its constitution after that of the US. The Confederate Constitution upheld slavery but banned the African Slave Trade. Davis predicted the Civil War would be long and requested for legislation to allow three-year enlistments. However, the military affairs office anticipated a short war called up troops for only one year of service. This event contributed to the Civil War because now it was official that the Union was no more and that the North had to declare war on the South.

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The Confederate Flag flying over Fort Sumter

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The First Shots of the Civil War are Fired                               April 12th, 1861                                                     

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The First Shots of the Civil War are Fired                               April 12th, 1861                                                     

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As newly elected president Abraham Lincoln took office the Confederate Army threatened to take Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina. On April 12th, as Lincoln ordered a fleet resupply, Sumter, Confederate forces fired the first shots of the Civil War. Major Robert Anderson, commander at Sumter surrendered after two days of bombardment. The Confederates were captured and the Civil War had officially begun.