My Top Ten by Paige Powell

(1820) - Missouri Compromise

paige_powell — 2025-10-03 16:57:45 UTC

This was a political event. It kept the number of free and slave states equal to stop arguments between the North and South. It made Missouri a slave state and Maine a free state. It showed how the country was divided over slavery and tried to keep peace for a while. But it only delayed bigger problems that led to the Civil War.

(1854–1856) - Kansas–Nebraska Act / “Bleeding Kansas”

paige_powell — 2025-10-03 16:59:43 UTC

This was both social and political. The law let people in Kansas and Nebraska vote if they wanted slavery. It caused fighting between pro-slavery and anti-slavery groups called “Bleeding Kansas.” The violence showed how angry both sides were and how hard it was to compromise anymore. It pushed the country closer to war.

(1857) - Dred Scott Decision

paige_powell — 2025-10-03 17:03:21 UTC

This was a political event from the Supreme Court. The Court said Dred Scott, an enslaved man, was not a citizen and could not sue for freedom. It also said Congress couldn’t stop slavery in new territories. Many Northerners got mad and Southerners felt supported. It made the country even more divided.

(1863) - Emancipation Proclamation

paige_powell — 2025-10-03 17:05:27 UTC

This was political and social. President Lincoln said enslaved people in Confederate states were free. It changed the goal of the war to also fight against slavery. It gave hope to African Americans and let them join the Union Army. It made other countries not want to help the South.

(1863) - Battle of Gettysburg

paige_powell — 2025-10-03 17:08:14 UTC

This was a military and political turning point. The Union Army stopped General Lee’s invasion of the North. It was the bloodiest battle of the war and hurt the Confederate army badly. After this, the South never really recovered. Lincoln later gave the Gettysburg Address, which inspired people to keep fighting.

(1863) - Siege of Vicksburg

paige_powell — 2025-10-03 17:15:18 UTC

This was a military and economic event. The Union took control of the Mississippi River. It split the South in two and stopped them from sending supplies. The victory gave the North more confidence and power. It helped lead to the Union winning the war.

(1865) - Freedmen’s Bureau

paige_powell — 2025-10-03 17:17:40 UTC

This was a social and political program. The government made the Freedmen’s Bureau to help freed slaves and poor people after the war. It gave food, jobs, and started schools for African Americans. It helped many people but didn’t last long because of money problems and racism. It showed how hard rebuilding the South was.

(1865) - 13th Amendment

paige_powell — 2025-10-03 17:54:01 UTC

This was political. It ended slavery in the whole United States. It was one of the biggest changes in American history. But even after slavery ended, many African Americans still faced unfair treatment. It started a new fight for equal rights.

(1868) - 14th Amendment

paige_powell — 2025-10-03 17:57:06 UTC

This was political and social. It said everyone born in the U.S. is a citizen and must be treated equally by the law. It tried to protect the rights of freed slaves. Some states still ignored it and made unfair laws. It became important later for civil rights cases.

(1877) - Compromise of 1877

paige_powell — 2025-10-03 18:01:17 UTC

This was a political event that ended Reconstruction. The North took troops out of the South to settle an election fight. When the troops left, white leaders in the South took back control. Black people lost many of their new rights. It showed that the government stopped trying to protect them.