Major Events Causing the Civil War by Elaine Davidson

Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo/Mexican Cession, 1848

elainedavidson — 2024-12-02 17:59:21 UTC

The Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo ended the Mexican-American War. The treaty required that the U.S. pays Mexico $15 million for the Mexican Cession. Also, Texas border was set at the Rio Grande River, which is what the U.S. wanted. However, this reignites debates over slavery because the balance of slave and free states would be imbalanced.

Free Soil Party, 1848-1854

elainedavidson — 2024-12-03 12:59:09 UTC

This was a political party in the U.S. and it was formed by anti-slavery Democrats, (former whigs), It's primary goal was the prevent the expansion of slavery into the western territories. They advocated for "Free soil, free speech, free labor and free men" The party believed that slavery was morally wrong and economically harmful to free labor. It helped lay the foundation for the emergence of the Republican Party. This party appealed to the NOrthern interests, but it angered the Southerners who saw it as a threat to their way of life and economic interests. The tensions contributed to sectionalism and the Civil War.

Election of Zachary Taylor 1848

elainedavidson — 2024-12-03 13:05:39 UTC

The election of Zachary Taylor in 1848 marked the first time a Whig candidate won without a formal platform, relying on Taylor's status as a war hero from the Mexican American War. His victory of Democrat Lewis Cass and Free soil party candidate Martin Van Buren reflected a divided electorate amidst growing tensions over western and slavery expansion.

Compromise of 1850

elainedavidson — 2024-12-03 13:12:28 UTC

The Compromise of 1850 was a series of laws passed to ease tensions between free and slave states following the acquisition of territory from the Mexican American war. It included measures like admitting California as a free state, strengthening the Fugitive Slave Act, abolishing the slave trade in Washington, D.C., and allowing popular sovereignty to decide slavery in the Utah and New Mexico territories. Both sides clashed over its expansion, causing the increased conflict.

Fugitive Slave Act, 1850

elainedavidson — 2024-12-03 13:17:15 UTC

The Fugitive Slave Act, part of the Compromise of 1850, was a federal law requiring that escaped slaves be returned to their enslavers, even if they were found in free states. It imposed heavy penalties on anyone who aided fugitives and denied the accused right to a jury trial, which intensified tensions between the North and the South over slavery.

Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe, 1852

elainedavidson — 2024-12-03 15:20:18 UTC

This was an antislavery book published in 1852. It portrays the brutal realities of slavery through the experiences of its central character, Uncle Tom, an enslaved man of great moral integrity. The book was a bestseller and deeply influenced public opinion, galvanizing the abolitionist movement in the North while provoking outrage in the south.

Election of Franklin Pierce 1852

elainedavidson — 2024-12-03 15:23:28 UTC

The election of Franklin Pierce in 1852 saw the Democratic candidate decisively defeat Whig nominee Winfield Scott, largely due to divisions within the Whig Party and Pierce's appeal as a unifying figure. Pierce's victory highlighted the weakening of the Whigs as a national party, as debates over slavery increasingly polarized the nation. His presidency actively supported pro-southern policies, further alienating the North.

Kansas-Nebraska Act 1854

elainedavidson — 2024-12-03 15:27:59 UTC

The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854, introduced by Senator Stephen A. Douglas, allowed the territories of Kansas and Nebraska to decide for themselves, through popular sovereignty, whether to allow slavery. This effectively repealed the Missouri Compromise, which had prohibited slavery north of the 36 30' latitude, leading to violent conflict in Kansas ("Bleeding Kansas") and intensifying national divisions over slavery.

Birth of the Republican Party 1854

elainedavidson — 2024-12-03 15:38:35 UTC

The Republican Party was founded in 1854 in response to the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which allowed for the expansion of slavery into new territories. The party united anti slavery activists, former Whigs, Free Soilers, and disaffected Democrats, establishing itself as a political force dedicated to opposing the spread of slavery and promoting economic modernization.

Bleeding Kansas 1854-1861

elainedavidson — 2024-12-03 15:42:18 UTC

Bleeding Kansas was a period of violent conflict in Kansas Territory between proslavery and antislavery settlers, sparked by the Kansas-Nebraska Act's provision for popular sovereignty to decide the slavery issue. The clashes, including events like the Sack of Lawrence and Pottawatomie Massacre, symbolized the deepening sectional divide and foreshadowed the Civil War.

Caning of Senator Sumner 1856

elainedavidson — 2024-12-03 15:45:33 UTC

The caning of Senator Charles Sumner occured on May 22, 1856, when Representative Preston Brooks of South Carolina brutally attacked Sumner with a cane on the Senate floor. Brooks assaulted Sumner in retaliation for a fiery antislavery speech in which Summer criticized slaveholders, including a relative of Brooks, highlighting the deepening tensions between North and South over slavery

Election of James Buchanan 1856

elainedavidson — 2024-12-03 15:49:34 UTC

The election of James Buchanan in 1856 saw the Democratic candidate defeated Republican John C. Fremont and American Party candidate Millard Fillmore. Buchanan's victory was largely due to his stance of neutrality on the issue of slavery, which appealed to both pro-slavery and antislavery factions, through his presidency would be marked by increasing sectional tensions leading to the Civil War.

Dred Scott vs. Sandford 1857

elainedavidson — 2024-12-03 15:52:19 UTC

The Dred Scott V. Sandford decision of 1857 was a landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling that declared African Americans, whether free or enslaved, were not citizens and had no right to sue in federal court, The Court also ruled that the federal government had no authority to prohibit slavery in the territories, effectively invalidating the Missouri Compromise and further intensifying tensions over slavery.

John Brown’s Raid, 1859

elainedavidson — 2024-12-04 16:24:25 UTC

John Brown's attack on Harpers Ferry was an attempt to ignite a slave rebellion by seizing the federal arsenal in Harpers Ferry, Virginia. Brown and his small band of followers, including free Black men and escaped slaves, hoped to arm enslaved people and overthrow the institution of slavery. This raid failed, Brown got captured and tried for treason and was executed. But this intensified tensions between the North and South, contributing to the Civil War.

Election of Abraham Lincoln, 1860

elainedavidson — 2024-12-04 16:28:53 UTC

The election of Abraham Lincoln was an important movement in U.S. history, as Lincoln, a republican, opposed the expansion of slavery into new territories. His victory, achieved without winning a single Southern state, convinced many Southerners that their voices and way of life were no longer represented in the federal government. This intensified sectionalism, as Southern States feared Lincoln would abolish slavery entirely, leading them to secede from the Union and ultimately sparking the Civil War.

Lecompton Constitution 1857

mackenziejolley — 2024-12-04 16:32:39 UTC

The Lecompton Constitution was a document drafted in Constitution Hall, located in Lecompton, Kansas. It was written by pro-slavery southerners who advocated for Kansas to become a state. Through defenses from slaveholders and a bill of rights excluding free Blacks, the document added to the tensions leading up to the civil war. It was rejected in a territorial election in 1858, it inspired President Buchanan to recommend statehood for Kansas. A compromise was presented, allowing the constitution to be voted on again. It was rejected again, but Kansas was admitted into the Union as a free state in 1861.This further alienated Northern Democrats and strengthened the Republican Party.

Secession of South Carolina, 1860

elainedavidson — 2024-12-04 16:33:23 UTC

South Carolina's secession from the Union in December was the first state to break away following Abraham Lincoln's election, citing the perceived threat to slavery and state's rights. This act intensified sectionalism by formalizing the divide between the North and South, as South Carolina declared the federal government had violated its sovereignty.. It sets a precedent for other Southern states to follow, leading to the forming confederacy and escalating tensions and culminated in the civil war.

Crittenden Compromise 1860

mackenziejolley — 2024-12-04 17:19:59 UTC

The Crittenden Compromise was a constitutional amendment proposed by Senator John Crittenden. The intention was to prevent the Civil War by addressing Southern complaints over slavery in addition to re-establishing the Missouri Compromise Line. The plan also consisted of protections for slavery where it already existed, and strengthened the Fugitive Slave Act. The compromise was rejected, leaving the North and South in deeper sectional tensions. This also inspired some southern states to secede, leading to the Civil War.