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The Wilmot Proviso was a legislative proposal introduced in 1846 by Congressman David Wilmot during the Mexican–American War. It sought to ban slavery in any territory the United States might acquire from Mexico. Although it passed the House of Representatives multiple times, it repeatedly failed in the Senate. The Wilmot Proviso helped heighten the national debate over slavery and is considered an early step toward the Civil War. (Britannica) -
The discovery of gold at Sutter’s Mill occurred in January 1848 when James W. Marshall found gold flakes while working on a sawmill for John Sutter in California. This discovery quickly spread, despite attempts to keep it secret, and triggered the massive California Gold Rush. The influx of settlers transformed California’s economy and accelerated its path to statehood. The gold discovery reshaped the American West, bringing rapid population growth and significant social change. (History.com) -
The Seneca Falls Convention was the first major women’s rights convention in the United States, held in July 1848 in Seneca Falls, New York. Organized by Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott, and other reformers, the movement aimed to address the legal and social inequalities faced by women. The convention sparked widespread discussion, both in support of and criticism of women’s roles in society. It is regarded as the beginning of the organized women’s rights movement in America. (Britannica) -
The Compromise of 1850 was a series of laws crafted to ease tensions between free and slave states after the Mexican–American War. It admitted California to the Union as a free state while allowing the territories of Utah and New Mexico to decide on slavery through popular sovereignty. Additionally, it abolished the slave trade in Washington, D.C. Although the compromise temporarily reduced sectional conflict, it ultimately deepened divisions that would lead to the Civil War. (National Archives) -
The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 was a federal law passed as part of the Compromise of 1850 to strengthen the capture of escaped enslaved people. It required citizens and local officials in free states to assist in returning fugitives and imposed penalties on those who helped them escape. Its harsh provisions angered many Northerners and energized abolitionist movements. The act ultimately heightened sectional tensions and pushed the nation closer to the Civil War. (American Battlefield Trust) -
Uncle Tom’s Cabin, written by Harriet Beecher Stowe, was published in 1852 as an antislavery novel that depicted the brutal realities of slavery. It became an instant bestseller in the United States and abroad, spreading abolitionist sentiment far beyond existing activist circles. Southerners condemned the novel as inaccurate and inflammatory, while many Northerners saw it as a call to action. Its widespread impact contributed to the growing national divide before the Civil War. (Britannica) -
The Kansas–Nebraska Act of 1854 created the territories of Kansas and Nebraska and allowed the settlers there to decide the issue of slavery through popular sovereignty. This effectively repealed the Missouri Compromise, which had previously banned slavery north of the 36°30′ line. The act was proposed by Senator Stephen A. Douglas, who hoped it would promote settlement and support a transcontinental railroad. (U.S Senate.gov) -
“Bleeding Kansas” refers to the violent clashes between pro-slavery and anti-slavery settlers in the Kansas Territory during 1856. The conflict erupted after the Kansas–Nebraska Act allowed residents to decide whether the territory would permit slavery. Both sides flooded into Kansas to influence the vote, leading to riots, property destruction, and deadly confrontations. The violence in Kansas showed the failure of popular sovereignty and foreshadowed the Civil War. (National Park Service.gov) -
The Dred Scott decision was a 1857 Supreme Court ruling involving an enslaved man, Dred Scott, who sued for his freedom after living in free territory. The Court ruled against Scott, stating that African Americans, enslaved or free, weren't U.S. citizens and couldn't sue in federal court. The decision was celebrated by pro-slavery advocates but angered many in the North. Its impact also deepened national divisions and pushed the country closer to the Civil War. (National Archives.gov) -
The Lincoln–Douglas debates were a series of public debates in 1858 between Abraham Lincoln and Senator Stephen A. Douglas during their campaign for the U.S. Senate in Illinois. The main issue discussed was expanding slavery into Western territories. The debates attracted national attention and showcased the deepening divide over slavery. Although Douglas won the Senate seat, the debates greatly increased Lincoln’s national profile, leading to his presidential victory in 1860. (Britannica) -
John Brown’s raid on Harpers Ferry took place in October 1859 when he and a small group of followers attempted to seize a federal arsenal in Virginia. The raid failed quickly, and Brown was captured by U.S. Marines led by Robert E. Lee. He was tried, convicted of treason, and executed, becoming a martyr to the abolitionist cause. The raid heightened tensions between North and South and pushed the nation closer to the Civil War. (American Battlefield Trust) -
Abraham Lincoln won the 1860 presidential election as the candidate of the newly formed Republican Party, which opposed the expansion of slavery into the territories. His victory came despite not appearing on the ballot in most Southern states. Lincoln’s election alarmed Southern leaders, who feared his policies would threaten the institution of slavery. In response, several Southern states began seceding from the Union even before he took office. (Britannica)