Steps to Civil War Timeline by Laila Carter

Missouri Compromise (1820)

tstepp5802 — 2025-03-10 17:55:32 UTC

The Missouri Compromise of 1820 Turned Maine into a free state which In effect made Missouri A slave state. It also stopped slavery in the Louisiana Territory. In my opinion I feel like the south benefited more at the hands of the Missouri compromise, because it created the 36° 30’ latitude line. With Missouri becoming a slave state it expanded slavery westward which gave the south more influence.

Manifest Destiny (1844)

lcarter4174 — 2025-03-11 17:26:10 UTC

The Manifest Destiny took place during the 1844 Presidential election. This was the concept that the United States was destined to expand westward across North America.

I think this benefitted both regions because the United States gained new territory that would appeal to Manifest Destiny.

This is significant because since the United States gained all this land, this comes with many more problems in the economy and government.

Growth of Sectionalism (1850)

tstepp5802 — 2025-03-11 17:38:18 UTC

By the 1850’s Americans were feeling a greater pride and loyalty to their own section. Sectionalism came about because each section had its own interest in ways of life. The south had slavery,The west was made up of small independent farmers, and The North was head over manufacturing and trade. In my opinion I feel that No region benefited from sectionalism because it divided the nation and solved no issues.

Significance: sectionalism created a fundamental divide within the nation, making it impossible to peacefully resolve the deep-seated differences between the North and the South.

Summary: sectionalism gradually eroded national unity, creating a deep divide that ultimately led to the united states bloodiest conflict.

The Mexican War (1846)

lcarter4174 — 2025-03-11 17:54:06 UTC

The Mexican War happened in 1846 when President Polk wanted to add California and New Mexico to the United States. This was the Americans' first time fighting on foreign soil. In the end, the Mexicans lost the war and had to sign the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo which gave the United States the states of California, Utah, Arizona, Nevada, parts of Colorado, and New Mexico.

This benefitted the South because these states were primarily in the South which added to the slave states.

This was very big for the United States because this was their first war on different soil than their own.

Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854

tstepp5802 — 2025-03-12 17:34:52 UTC

During these times, pro and Anti-slavery groups rushed into Kansas attempting to create voting majorities. The Senator from Illinois knew that he could only win the support he needed in a crucial senate committee by reversing the Missouri compromise. In my opinion,The Kansas Nebraska Act Benefited southern pro slavery interests, and those who wanted transcontinental railroads like Stephen Douglas.

Significance: The act overturned the Missouri Compromise of 1820, which had prohibited slavery in the Louisiana Purchase territories north of the 36°30' parallel. This repeal reopened the contentious issue of slavery's expansion. The Kansas-Nebraska Act was a pivotal moment that exacerbated the nation's divisions over slavery, leading to violence and political upheaval, and ultimately contributing to the outbreak of the Civil War.

Summary: The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 was a pivotal piece of legislation that dramatically escalated tensions leading to the American Civil War.

Compromise of 1850

lcarter4174 — 2025-03-12 17:37:42 UTC

The Compromise of 1850 was put in place because the admission of California as a free state upset the balance of the Missouri Compromise. In this compromise, it was listed that California was admitted as a free state, and New Mexico and Utah were going to be decided through popular sovereignty, letting the people decide. People then decided to move to these states to share their opinions on whether they should be pro or anti-slavery.

I think this benefitted the South mainly because southerners could easily cast their votes for it to be a slave state and it made the fugitive slave laws stricter.

This could upset both northerners and southerners with the mix of opinions in these different states and also make the people who already lived in these states feel overwhelmed with all the people coming to their state to vote.