The Peculiar Institution was the idea that slavery was as Jefferson put it, "a necessary evil", and therefore present in the South despite being controversial. Slavery was deemed unlawful in the British colony of Georgia from 1735 to 1750 but remained legal in the other 12 colonies. The drift between the two sides, South and North grew.

The Missouri Compromise helped to maintain a balance between free and slave states. It admitted Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state. This also established a line (30 60) across the North and South dividing them. This sectional division created debates over the expansion of slavery, which contributed to the North-South problem which ultimately led to the Civil War.

Nat Turner's Rebellion where they led a slave revolt in Virginia, had a big impact on the nation's idea of slavery. This rebellion of the killing of slaveowners made Southerners afraid of more slave uprisings, which intensified pro-slavery ideas. In response, they made harsher slave codes. This made the divide between Northern and Southern states tension rise, which would contribute to the civil war.

The Wilmot Proviso sought to ban slavery in territories claimed by the Mexican-American War. The debates that came across Wilmot Proviso reflected large sectional conflicts since the North opposed the spread of slavery, while the South wanted to keep it. These disagreements deepened the sectional divide and led to the Civil War.

This Compromise was created to address the sectional tensions over the territories acquired from the Mexican-American War. It also included the Fugitive Slave Act. This act intensified Northern resentment as it wanted the return of escaped slaves. So rather than this compromise solving the problems we had, it only pushed the nation closer to the Civil War.

This book revealed the harsh realities of slavery and the impact it had on individuals, as well as families. Its emotional principle portrayed the cruelty of slavery in the North. This book contributed to a growing anti-slavery movement and fueled the slave abolitionist. Which only increased the divide of Northern and Southern states, which made it a growing conflict that led to the Civil War.

Bleeding Kansas intensified the sectional tensions in the North and South because of the exposed issues of slavery. The conflicts that were violent between anti and pro-slavery reveals the failure to maintain a peaceful stance on slavery.

During the Dred Scott v. Sanford case said the enslaved people were not US citizens and were permitted to sue in federal court. This intensified the sectional tensions because Congress wouldn't prohibit slavery in these territories. These debates over slavery expansion into new states and territories led up to the Civil War.

These debates focused on the issue of slavery between Douglas who was a Democrat and Lincoln who was a Republican. The two publicly debated which helped to grow the split between the two sides.

Brown raid showed southerner's the North's rage and ruthlessness in their position on slavery as abolitionists. The aggression between the two sides grew as the raid angered the South and Brown's execution angered the North, further pining the two against each other.

When Lincoln won the election, he emphasized the importance of the Union and fought to keep the states together.

The Battle of Fort Sumter was lead by President Lincoln and caused the succession of Virginia, Arkansas, North Carolina, and Tennessee. The decision to restock the fort was debated on between the confederacy and union, with Lincoln making the decision to resupply the fort with only what it needs. The South attacked the fort anyway which did not make the North happy, causing more tensions and spurring the war on.

Apart of the Compromise of 1850 was the passing of the Fugitive Slave Act. This forced federal officials who failed to arrest freedom speakers to pay a fine, this caused many activists from the North to fight back and increase their part in the fight for freedom for slaves. This act also led to the underground railroad which angered the South, this act angered both sides and left both to fight harder for their positions on slavery.

An important event in Bleeding Kansas was when Congressman Preston Brooks, who was pro-slavery, attacked Senator Charles Sumner after Sumner gave a speech against pro-slavery movements and violence in Kansas. This shook up the government and the people, showing them that matters were no longer just official but politicians were starting to take personally, so the people should too.