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Importation of slaves ends
The importation of slaves was ended by the federal government in 1808, but this did not stop slavery in the United States. The event was a political decision made by the government, but it affected slave trade and the slave trade market, meaning it was both political and economic. -
The Missouri Compromise/The Compromise of 1820
The Missouri Compromise admitted Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state to maintain balance in the Senate. It also banned slavery in the rest of the Louisiana Purchase lands north of the 36°30' line. The Missouri Compromise affected the economic systems that could develop in those areas. This means the compromise was both political and economic. -
The Wilmot Proviso
The Wilmot Proviso proposed that any new territory gained from Mexico would not allow slavery. The bill was not passed since the Senate refused to vote on it because Southern Senators thought it would create an imbalance in the Senate. The bill furthered the debate over slavery and its growth, showing the economic and political interests. -
The Fugitive Slave Act
The Fugitive Slave Act stated that when caught, slaves who escaped from a state or federal territory were required to be returned to their slaveholders. The law also let judges make decisions without a jury or trial. Conditions were also created where free people were captured and enslaved. This had political and social affects and increased tensions between the South and the North, leading to increased resistance to slavery. -
The Compromise of 1850
This Compromise let California join as a free state, made Texas give land to New Mexico and Utah, banned slave trade in the District of Columbia, and passed the Fugitive Slave Act. In addition, New Mexico and Utah could decide whether slavery was allowed. The compromise addressed slavery in the western territories as well as the political and economic situations of slavery in the new areas. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin
"Uncle Tom's Cabin" was a novel written by Harriet Beecher Stowe and portrayed the horrors of slavery. The novel influenced public opinion and contributed to the growing divide over slavery. In addition, the novel had a social impact. -
The Kansas Nebraska Act
The Kansas-Nebraska Act removed the restrictions on the expansion of slavery stated in the Missouri Compromise. The Act let new territories vote whether slavery would be allowed. The Kansas-Nebraska Act was related to the economic and political control in the new territories. -
Bleeding Kansas
After the Kansas-Nebraska Act, people in Kansas for and against slavery debated whether it should be allowed, giving the clash the nickname "Bleeding Kansas." "Bleeding Kansas" was a social and political event that showed the divide over slavery and its expansion. -
The Caning of Charles Sumner
The Caning of Charles Summer occurred when Representative Preston Brooks attacked Senator Charles Summer The event revealed the rising tensions between the North and the South over slavery and showed the political divisions and social discourse happening at the time. -
The Dred Scott Decision
The Dred Scott Decision was an important decision which ruled that enslaved people were not United States citizens, implied the Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional, and upheld slavery in US territories. The decision had political and social effects, furthering tensions between the North and the South. In addition, it impacted slavery in regards to the western expansion by denying Congress the ability to control slavery in new territories.