New territories decided by popular sovereignty

New, stricter fugitive slave law

• Free slaves could be returned to previous slave owners

California joins the Union and becomes a free state

Slave trade is abolished in Washington, D.C.

Exposed slave brutality

Taught uneducated Northerners about slavery

Used the Grimké sister's writing as a primary source

Shares story of a slave named Tom who is whipped to death

Established Kansas and Nebraska as states

allowed popular sovereignty to decide whether the states were free or not

led to bleeding Kansas

• anti and pro-slavery groups fought over the land (popular sovereignty)

Whig party slowly collapsing

• fewer members

US division growing

• Northerners becoming anti-slavery

• Southerners remaining pro-slavery

The government left popular sovereignty to decide free/slave states for new territory from Mexico

Kansas and Missouri

Both anti- and pro-slavery groups in Kansas

• led to fighting and attacks

Charles Sumner spoke badly about Senator Andrew Butler

Butler's cousin attacked Sumner with his cane

• only stopped when cane broke

• In response, South sent boxes of canes in replacement

Sumner out of office for two years after attack

Dred Scott sued for freedom after living in free states

Supreme court rejected

• overturned two major acts in process

• declared slaves as property without ever having citizenship

John Brown Instigated an attack on Harper’s Ferry

Sent message to white supremacists

wasn't effective in freeing slaves

• attacked federal armory

• not plantation

“Secret Six” were six white men who funded the attack

22 men joined

killed five pro-slavery people

goal of preserving the Union

Put an end to succession and confederacy