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President Lincoln got a message saying Ft. Sumter was low on supplies therefore, Lincoln said he would send and unarmed group with supplies. President Jefferson Davis of the Confederacy ordered his men to attack Ft. Sumter before the supplies got there. There was no loss of life, but more states joined the Confederacy had officially begun.

Why is the Battle at Ft. Sumter a stepping stone to the Civil War?

The Battle at Ft. Sumter is a stepping stone to the Civil War because, the Confederacy had officially fired upon the Union. This symbolized revolt. This battle also sent a message that the Confederacy was truly their own nation and that they were ready to fight.

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Abraham Lincoln had intentions of letting slavery remain how it was. The South, however, feared that if a Republican was in office slave revolts would be encouraged. After Abraham Lincoln was put in office, South Carolina voted to secede from the Union. More states seceded after and the Confederacy was formed. The South welcomed secession however the North believed the Union should be reserved.

Why is Lincoln's Election a stepping stone to the Civil War?

This is a stepping stone to the Civil War because the Union had officially broken apart. The United States was no longer United.

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John Brown's Raid on Harper's Ferry- 1859

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John Brown's Raid on Harper's Ferry- 1859

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John Brown led a group of abolitionists to raid an arsenal so that they could get weapons to arm slaves with. This was in efforts for the slaves to start an armed revolt. John Brown's group of abolitionists, however, was defeated and John Brown was hung. The execution of John Brown infuriated the North. The secession was to draw near.

Why is John Brown's Raid on Harper's Ferry a stepping stone to the Civil War?

The Raid on Harper's Ferry, Virginia is a stepping stone to the Civil War because it added to the North's intense anger. The North was already angry about the Dred-Scott Case and so soon after this comes along.

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Dred Scott was a slave owned by a doctor who lived in slave states and free stats. Dred Scott wanted to sue for his free because he said that he should be free because he once lived in areas where slavery was banned. Chief Justice Roger B. Taney decided that Dred Scott would not become free. His reasons for this were, the Fifth Amendment did not allow Congress to take away property, Congress was not allow to prohibit slavery, and the Missouri Compromise and the popular sovereignty were unconstitutional. This only divided the country more with the North being angry and the South being content on this ruling.

Why is the Dred-Scott Case a stepping stone to the CIvil War?

This is a stepping stone to the Civil War because, this furthered the divide between the two nations and the debate of slavery. The North was awestruck at the court's decision and were furious. This decision stated exactly what the South haas been saying all along, that slavery could not legally be stopped.

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Stephen A. Douglas proposed that the United States organize the Kansas and Nebraska territories. If following the Missouri Compromise, Kansas and Nebraska would become free states when entering the United States however, they knew that this would upset the South because it would give the North more votes in the Senate. Therefore, Stephen A. Douglas brought up the idea to get rid of the Missouri Compromise and let whoever settles in these territories vote on rather they become free or not free. When it came time to vote, thousands Missourians known as, border ruffians, whom traveled in armed groups came to Kansas along with many others. Kansas passed as pro-slavery, but the anti-slavery people refused to accept this. Therefore, by January 1856, two governments were in Kansas. One was pro-slavery the other was anti-slavery. Soon, an event called "Bleeding Kansas" occurred. In May 1856, pro-slavery people burned the Free-State Hotel, destroyed two newspaper offices and many homes. The anti-slavery people in Kansas would not stand for this. John Brown led an attack in which they seized in killed five pro-slavery people. Also, in Congress, Preston Brooks, pro-slavery, went into the Senate chamber and smacked Charles Sumner, anti-slavery, with his cane and caused him to be unconscious and bleeding.

How is the Kansas-Nebraska Act a stepping stone to the Civil War?

The Kansas-Nebraska Act is a stepping stone to the Civil War because this caused a major divide between the North and South. The North and South had come to a point to where they were killing their own people. The people they killed may have not been on their side of slavery, but these people were still a part of their country.

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The Fugitive Slave Act was a part of the Compromise of 1850, proposed by Henry Clay. It was put in place to make the slaveholders happy in efforts to keep the Union together. The law required all citizens to capture runaway slaves. The Southerners loved this law because they thought that the Northerners would recognize their rights as Southerners. However, the North did not recognize the South's rights at all. Instead, the North was determined to end slavery. Many Northerners would not abide by the law based on their morals. The Underground Railroad, a system of safe houses that led slaves to freedom, was created and defied the South.

How is the Fugitive Slave Act a stepping stone to the Civil War?

The Fugitive Slave Act is a stepping stone to the Civil War because the South began to feel like the North did not recognize their rights. Because of that, there was much talk of secession in the South which put the fate of the Union into the South's hands.

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To solve the conflict of the balance of the balance of power in the Senate, Henry Clay proposed a compromise. He proposed that California should enter the United States as a free state and the rest of the new territories would have no limit on slavery. Another part of the compromise was, slavery in Washington D.C. would be banned. The Compromise of 1850 was passed as five bills, one of them being the Fugitive Slave Act which required citizens to capture runaway slaves.

How is the Compromise of 1850 a stepping stone to the Civil War?

The Fugitive Slave Act caused problems in the North because it confirmed to them how wrong slavery was. Many Northerners also refused to abide by the law and created the Underground Raailroad.

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Presented by David Wilmot, the Wilmot Proviso would ban slavery in any land acquired from Mexico. It did not pass, but cause debate and protest.

How is the Wilmot Proviso a stepping stone to the Civil War?

The Wilmot Proviso helped cause the Civil War because it was favoring anti-slavery which was unfair to the people who were pro-slavery in the South.

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Nat Turner escaped slavery and in his rebellion killed at least 55 whites. In the result of his rebellion, Nat Turner was hung and more severe slave codes were put in place.

How is Nat Turner's Rebellion a stepping stone to the Civil War?

Nat Turner's rebellion was another stepping stone to the Civil War because the slaves started revolting and talk about secession was spreading throughout the South.

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The Missouri Compromise, proposed by the Senate, Missouri to enter as a slave state and Maine to enter as a free state. Also, the Missouri Compromise banned slavery in the rest of the Louisiana purchase north of 36°30' N latitude. This compromise temporarily resolved the debate over slavery.

How is this a stepping stone to the Civil War?

This is a stepping stone to the Civil War because people were only content with this for so long before the debate over slavery erupted again in the 1840s when the United States wanted to annex Texas.