Steps To Civil War Timeline by Rizwana Cohen

Missouri Compromise 1820

2025-03-11 17:44:44 UTC

The Missouri Compromise admitted Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state to maintain balance in Congress.


 They both benefited by gaining Missouri as a slave state, but was the North also gained Maine and a ban on slavery in most of the territories.


 This calmed things down for a bit between the North and South, but it kinda set the stage for more fights over slavery later on.

Manifest Destiny (James K. Polk) 1845

2025-03-12 17:28:15 UTC

Manifest Destiny was the belief that the U.S. was destined to expand westward. Under President James K. Polk, this idea led to aggressive territorial expansion, including the annexation of Texas and disputes over the Oregon and California territories.

The South benefited from gaining more land for potential slavery expansion, while the North had mixed reactions and some wanted expansion, but at the same time others wanted to stop the spread of slavery.

It made things worse between the North and South since every new land brought up the same old fight about slavery.

Mexican War 1846-48

2025-03-12 17:38:18 UTC

The U.S. went to war with Mexico over territorial disagreements , leading to the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which gave the U.S. a vast amount of land.

The South saw the new land as an opportunity to expand slavery, but the North resisted, leading to more division.

The war’s aftermath increased tensions over whether slavery should expand into the newly territories.

Growth of Sectionalism Early 1800’s

2025-03-12 17:56:53 UTC

Sectionalism is when different parts of a country care more about their own interests than the nation as a whole. In the early 1800s, the North and South started growing apart. The North focused on industry and wanted to end slavery, while the South relied on farming and needed enslaved labor.

It depends on the situation. The North benefited when slavery was limited, and the South benefited when new states allowed slavery. But, sectionalism hurt both regions because it made it harder for the country to stay united.

The growing divide between the North and South made it almost impossible for the government to make decisions without conflict. Laws like the Missouri Compromise and the Compromise of 1850 tried to settle the debate, but they only delayed the it. The tension between the two regions eventually led to the Civil War.

The Compromise of 1850

rcohen4407 — 2025-03-12 20:17:06 UTC

The Compromise of 1850 was a group of laws settle disagreements over slavery in new lands. It made California a free state, stopped the slave trade in Washington, D.C., and strengthened the Fugitive Slave Act, requiring escaped slaves to be sent back.

I feel like the South benefited the most because the Fugitive Slave Act helped them get back escaped slaves. The North got California as a free state and stopped the slave trade in Washington, D.C., but the South still had more control over slavery.

This event led to the Civil War because it caused more conflict. The North was angry about the Fugitive Slave Act, and the South wanted to keep slavery.

Popular sovereignty

rcohen4407 — 2025-03-12 20:28:28 UTC

Popular sovereignty meant people in new territories would vote to decide if slavery was allowed. Senator Douglas supported it, believing it was the most democratic way. In Kansas, whether slavery would be allowed was decided by a popular vote of the settlers.

I think the South benefited more from popular sovereignty because it allowed slavery to spread if people voted for it.

It made the North and South even more divided, leading to the Civil War.

Kansas and Nebraska Act

rcohen4407 — 2025-03-12 20:28:58 UTC

The Kansas-Nebraska Act, introduced by Senator Stephen Douglas in 1854, divided the Nebraska Territory into two smaller Kansas and Nebraska. It overturned the Missouri Compromise by allowing popular sovereignty, this meant settlers in each territory could decide whether to allow slavery. This led to both pro-slavery and anti-slavery groups, trying to influence the outcome.

The Kansas-Nebraska Act helped the South by allowing slavery in new territories.

The North was angry because it changed old rules. It led to violence in Kansas and made the North and South fight more, leading to the Civil War.

Dred Scott Decision

rcohen4407 — 2025-03-12 21:42:43 UTC

The Dred Scott Decision was a Supreme Court ruling that said African Americans couldn’t be citizens or sue in court. It also said that Congress couldn’t stop slavery in new territories, making the Missouri Compromise illegal.

The South benefited from the Dred Scott Decision because it allowed slavery to spread into new territories without any restrictions.

The decision divided between the North and South, making the Civil War more likely.

John Brown’s Raid

rcohen4407 — 2025-03-12 22:36:53 UTC

John Brown was an abolitionist who tried to start a slave rebellion by taking weapons from a federal arsenal in Harpers Ferry, Virginia. His plan failed, and he was captured and executed.

The raid benefited the North by strengthening the abolitionist movement and making John Brown a symbol of the fight against slavery.

John Brown’s raid made the North and South more divided and led to the Civil War.

Election of Abraham Lincoln 1860

2025-03-12 22:38:16 UTC

Abraham Lincoln, who opposed the expansion of slavery, was elected as the first Republican president. The South saw this as a threat to slavery.

The North, because Lincoln represented their interests. The South saw his election as a reason to secede.

Lincoln’s election led to the secession of Southern states and the start of the Civil War.

Attack on Fort Sumter

rcohen4407 — 2025-03-12 23:05:57 UTC

The attack on Fort Sumter in April 1861 was the first battle of the Civil War. Confederate forces fired on the Union garrison, and the Union surrendered, starting the war.

The attack on Fort Sumter helped the South at first, but it started a war that the North was more likely to win.

The attack on Fort Sumter started the Civil War because it made the North fight back, causing a bigger conflict between the North and South.