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Important People - former northern whigs, Martin Van Buren, Charles F. Adams

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August 1848 ~ The Formation of the Free Soil Party

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August 1848 ~ The Formation of the Free Soil Party

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A party formed from the remaining whigs at the time focused primarily on limiting the expansion of slavery into the West. A focus stemmed from the issue of competing with "free" slave labor in the South and the acquisition of new land from the Mexican Cession.

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Important People - Henry Clay, Senator Stephan Douglas

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Following the acquisition of the Mexican Cession, the issue of slavery arose once more. Similarly in this case as well, this compromise aided in dividing the new territories into "free" and "slave". California was to be free and the rest was put up to popular sovereignty, meaning it's up to the people living there.

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Important People - Harriet Beecher Stowe

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While slavery in America was incredibly prevalent in the minds of many in America at the time, a vast majority have never come into contact with how heinous it truly is. That is until "Uncle Tom's Cabin" shed light on the matter and opened the eyes of those in the North. An effect that would also go on to inspire more extremists and push many away from their neutral stances on slavery.

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Important People - Abraham Lincoln, John C. Frémont

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March 1859 ~ Formation of the Republican Party

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March 1859 ~ Formation of the Republican Party

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A Political Party formed from the schism within the former Free Soil Party now focusing heavily on stopping the spread of slavery and simply the abolition of it as well later on. This schism was due to the differing views on how slavery should be dealt with in America. (North whigs vs. South whigs).

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A set of laws put in place following the establishment of Kansas and Nebraska meant to clear up the confusion of whether or not they were slave or free states. This confusion was stirred in the first place by the conflict that the senate was already imbalanced and this would upset that balance further. So, Senator Douglas came up with the conclusion that it should be left to popular sovereignty under the pretense of the Compromise of 1850, invalidating the Missouri Compromise entirely.

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Important People - John Brown, James Buchanan, Stephen Douglas, John Frémont

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Following the unofficial declaration of whether or not Kansas and Nebraska was free or slave, it caused people of both sides' extremes to move there. Meaning those who were willing the most to die for their respective cause, were the ones moving, a recipe for disaster. Many riots, revolts, and general violence occurred during this time period leading it to gain the name "mini-Civil War".

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Important People - Roger B. Toney, Dred Scott

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Dred Scott, a slave from the South, was an African American man who was once living in the South however now in the North, then shortly after moved back all due to the constant moving of his owner. This main point of everything stresses the issue as under the pretense of him living officially in the North, he was legally a free man never to return to slavery. A point that he brought to SCOTUS in his plea for freedom. However, unfortunately, Chief justice Roger B. Toney declared that he still be a slave. This ruling was so significant because it now meant that the North can't truly enforce freedom to citizens anymore.

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Important People - Abraham Lincoln, Stephen A. Douglas

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August-October 1858 ~ Lincoln-Douglas Debates

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August-October 1858 ~ Lincoln-Douglas Debates

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A series of political debates between Lincoln and Senator Douglas centered on the issue of slavery within America and how it's impacting the country. With Lincoln's stance being that it's something akin to a poison that should be abolished immediately as "a house divided cannot stand". And the contrary, Douglas says it's only a small issue that should be dealt with in small ways, this being through acts like popular sovereignty.

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Important People - John Brown, Owen Brown, A multitude of freed slaves, Barelay Cappock, Francis Jackson Meriam

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October 1859 ~ John Brown's Raid on Harpers Ferry

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October 1859 ~ John Brown's Raid on Harpers Ferry

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A slave revolt led by extremist Abolitionist John Brown on the United States arsenal Harpers Ferry. This revolt was intended by John not only to free slaves from captivity there, however to also arm them in hopes of freeing others and others while simultaneously creating a stronghold for those already freed. However, this plan ultimately failed and John Brown was hung for treason, murder, etc. along with his accomplices. While this act was heavily feared amongst the Southerners as it demonstrated how far abolitionists will go, it provided a martyr in due time in the North. Thus finally pushing toward further extremism in the populus and providing a catalyst for the Civil War greater than any other leading up to it.

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Important people - Abraham Lincoln, Hannibal Hamlin

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November 1860 ~ The Election of Abraham Lincoln

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November 1860 ~ The Election of Abraham Lincoln

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On November 6th, 1860, Abraham Lincoln would go on to win the four-way presidential race between himself and fellow Republican Hannibal Hamlin. Lincoln's election, for the North, had an extremely positive reception as it essentially guaranteed the abolition of slavery within America along with everything else he promised. Contrastingly, for the South, it had an extremely negative reception for exactly those same reasons. The abolition of slavery in America. Pushing the boiling point of the Civil War ever closer to an outbreak.