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When Missouri applied for statehood, there was much debate as to whether it should be a free or slave state. If Missouri became a free state, the free states would gain a majority voting in Congress, which could upset the balance between the north and the south. However, if it became a slave state, then a southern state would exist north of the Ohio River/Mason-Dixon line. In the end, the north and south reached an agreement, allowing Missouri to become a slave state. This also resulted in a new boundary being drawn across the remainder of the Louisiana Territory.

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In the 1830s, there was a large push for abolition in Congress, so congress moved to table all antislavery petitions, which outraged many who called this new rule the "gag rule."

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Nat Turner's rebellion in 1831 sparked fear of violence in many southerners. In turn, landowners enforced harsh rules on their slaves. However, many slaves were escaping to the North, where they could be free. This enraged slaveowners, because they saw their "property" disappearing.

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When new land in the west, including large states such as California were acquired the debate for free or slave states rose up again. Many Northerns saw this as an opportunity to make a new compromise, one that would benefit them more. So, a new compromise was drafted. California would be admitted as a free state, while New Mexico and Utah were allowed to choose for themselves. This compromise also banned slave markets in Washington DC and stopped the implementation of the Fugitive Slave Act.

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Due to the fugitive slaves, southerners called for the Fugitive Slave Act, which demanded that anyone who knew about an escaped slave would return him/her to their owner. This act enraged northerns because many of them were strongly opposed to slavery.

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This act allowed the new states, Nebraska and Kansas, to choose for themselves whether they wanted to be part of the north or the south. In turn, both parties rushed to the two states in an attempt to sway the decision.

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After the 1854 act, a time known as "Bleeding Kansas" arose. This was a time of extreme violence where pro-slavery "border ruffians" attacked abolitionists and the "jay hawking" abolitionists attacked many pro-slavery families.

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In 1856, Preston Brooks, a pro-slavery representative from South Carolina used his cane to beat Senator Charles Sumner, an abolitionist. This act shocked the northerners, who vied it as yet another example of pro-slavery brutality. Southerners, on the other hand, celebrated the attack.

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Dred Scott was an escaped slave who ran to Wisconsin. When brought to court for his actions, Scott argued that his time in the north had made him a free man. However the Supreme Court ruled that as an African American slave, he was not, or could never be a US citizen, so therefore could not testify and that the Missouri Compromise itself was unconstutional. This decision was met with hatred by many northerns.

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During the 1850's a new political party arose; The Republicans. They were dedicated to the anti-slavery movement, and Lincoln was their leader. During the Lincoln-Douglas Debates, Lincoln forced Douglas to publicly explain his position on slavery and left a lasting impression to the growing number of abolitionists in the north.

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#11 Abraham Lincoln is Elected President

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#11 Abraham Lincoln is Elected President

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In the famous election of 1860, Lincoln was elected President. This was because the Republican party was united in their vote for him, whereas the opposing Democratic party was split three ways.

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After the election of such a powerful abolitionist, the south realized that they were outnumbered, and their right to own slaves would soon be taken away. In an effort to keep their way of life, the south seceded from the Union, which eventually resulted in the civil war.