Stepping Stones to the Civil War by Cameron

cwatson19 — 2015-02-24 19:25:09 UTC

Missouri Compromise of 1820 (1820)

cwatson19 — 2015-02-25 14:55:23 UTC

The Missouri compromise of 1820 allowed Missouri into the United States

however because it was a slave state maine had to be added as a free state

so there would be a balance in congress. The Compromise also had it set

that any land north of the 36*30'N parallel in the Louisiana Territory could

not be a slave state.

cwatson19 — 2015-02-25 17:45:54 UTC

Nat Turner's Rebellion (August 21, 1831)

cwatson19 — 2015-02-25 17:46:42 UTC

Nat Turner was a very religious and bright slave. He believed he was destined for more
than slavery. In 1831Turner saw an eclipse and took it as a sign from God. On August 21, Turner gathered 6 other slaves and started a small rebellion. In this rebellion Nat and his men went from farm to farm killing every white person they encountered. At the end 55 whites had been killed.
Nat vanished for some time but was caught and shortly executed. While his rebellion did not do much damage
it struck fear into the southerners who wanted to avoid another violent uprising.

The Wilmot Provisio (August 8, 1846)

cwatson19 — 2015-02-25 17:58:48 UTC

On August 8, 1846 David Wilmot a representative proposed during the war with Mexico that any land they gain should be slavery free. However this riled southerners and the law never did pass.

cwatson19 — 2015-02-26 18:37:06 UTC

Compromise of 1850 (1850)

cwatson19 — 2015-02-26 18:37:36 UTC

Many things led up to the compromise of 1850. California had recently applied

for statehood as a free state. In Washington D.C. antislavery groups wished to

ban slavery in the capital. Henry Clay proposed a compromise in which California

would be added as a free state but the rest of the new territories would have no

limits on slavery. He also proposed that the salve trade but not slavery itself should be

banned in D.C. There was large debate in congress, however when President Taylor

unexpectedly died and his VP, Millard Fillmore, favored a compromise. To end issues

Senator Stephen A. Douglas divided the compromise into parts that congress voted on.

Five bills were passed and became the compromise of 1850.

cwatson19 — 2015-02-26 18:39:34 UTC

Fugitive Slave Act (1850)

cwatson19 — 2015-02-26 18:40:04 UTC

Part of the compromise of 1850 instituted the Fugitive Slave Act.

This act required that all citizens help to return any runaway slaves,

and anyone who helped these fugitives would be fined or imprisoned.

Southerners believed this would help the North recognize the South's

rights but instead it convinced Northerners that slavery really was evil.

Instead Northerners helped slaves reach freedom on the Underground

Railroad and judges refused to convict those accused of violating the act.

cwatson19 — 2015-02-26 18:45:24 UTC

Kansas-Nebraska Act- Bleeding Kansas (1854)

cwatson19 — 2015-02-26 18:46:32 UTC

The territories of both Kansas and Nebraska were in position to become free states. To keep a fair balance, Stephen A. Douglas decided to abandon the Missouri Compromise and set up a system of popular sovereignty. This way the people could vote whether they wanted slavery or not. Citizens from Missouri and other states rushed into to assure Kansas would be a slave state. Antislavery groups dint agree with this, so they armed themselves and set up their own government. Both groups partook in violent events such as the attack on Lawrence and John Brown's murder of five pro-slavery members. This was seen as acts of a civil war as Americans were fighting each other, but this led up to something much bigger.

cwatson19 — 2015-02-26 18:53:52 UTC

The Dred-Scott Case (1857)

cwatson19 — 2015-02-26 18:54:13 UTC

Dred Scott was an enslaved African American Man who's owner had moved to Illinois in the 1830s after purchasing Scott in Missouri. They had also moved to Wisconsin Territory which was also slavery free. His owner moved back to Missouri and died shortly afterwards. In 1846 with the help of some lawyers Scott sued for his freedom. His man claim was that he had lived in areas where slavery was abolished. This went on for eleven years and grew so large it came to the supreme court. The court decided that Scott was property and didn't have the right to sue anyways and this decision showed possible slavery support in the constitution. This decision split the nation even more and antislavery groups called the judgment a "wicked and false judgement."

cwatson19 — 2015-02-26 19:03:45 UTC

John Brown's Raid on Harper's Ferry (October 16, 1959)

cwatson19 — 2015-02-26 19:04:38 UTC

John Brown, a very active abolitionist, led an attack on Harpers Ferry, Virginia. Brown attacked a local arsenal hoping to arm enslaved African Americans who would fight with him. However his attack was shortly dismantled by citizens and federal troops. Brown was accused of treason and was hung. This event led to even more distrust as the South felt this act confirmed that the North had a conspiracy against the South.

cwatson19 — 2015-02-26 19:12:18 UTC

Lincoln's ELection (1860)

cwatson19 — 2015-02-26 19:12:37 UTC

Lincoln won the 1860 election in a landslide as the democrats were split on who was running for them. Northern democrats supported popular sovereignty while Southern democrats main cause was to protect slavery. Lincoln and the republicans wanted to keep slavery undisturbed in the areas it was already in but exclude it in new territories. The southerners feared however that Lincoln winning would result in revolts from slaves. This was the last straw which then made the southerners secede.

cwatson19 — 2015-02-26 19:19:12 UTC

Fort Sumter (April 12-14 1861)

cwatson19 — 2015-02-26 19:19:33 UTC

Soon after secession the south began to retake forts in the south. Lincoln wanted to resupply Fort Sumter peacefully but Jefferson Davis decided to attack the fort. The fight went on for two days before surrender. No one died however four more sates seceded after this and the civil war had begun.

cwatson19 — 2015-02-26 19:28:27 UTC