History

By SebastianM145
  • The Compromise of 1850

    The Compromise of 1850

    This compromise tried to keep peace between free and slave states. It allowed California to enter as a free state and created the Fugitive Slave Act, which forced people to return escaped slaves. How it led to war:
    It angered Northerners who hated helping enforce slavery and made the divide between North and South even deeper.
  • Period: to

    bleeding Kansas

    Pro-slavery and anti-slavery settlers rushed into Kansas, fighting bloody battles over whether it would become a free or slave state.
    How it led to war:
    The violence proved compromise was impossible and made both sides see each other as enemies.
  • Kansas-Nebraska Act

    Kansas-Nebraska Act

    This act, introduced by Senator Stephen Douglas, allowed settlers in Kansas and Nebraska to vote on slavery (popular sovereignty).
    How it led to war:
    It repealed the Missouri Compromise’s ban on slavery north of 36°30′, sparking violent conflict and dividing the nation further.
  • Lincoln-Douglas Debates

    Lincoln-Douglas Debates

    Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas debated slavery’s expansion during their Illinois Senate race.
    How it led to war:
    Lincoln’s strong moral stance against slavery made him a Northern hero and a Southern enemy.
  • Preston Brooks vs. Charles Sumner

    Preston Brooks vs. Charles Sumner

    After Senator Charles Sumner gave a speech attacking slavery, Representative Preston Brooks brutally beat him with a cane on the Senate floor.
    How it led to war:
    Southerners praised Brooks, Northerners were outraged, and it showed how violent and personal the slavery debate had become.
  • Dred Scott v. Sandford

    Dred Scott v. Sandford

    The Supreme Court ruled that Dred Scott, an enslaved man, was not a citizen and that Congress couldn’t ban slavery in the territories.
    How it led to war:
    This decision made slavery legal everywhere and outraged Northerners, destroying hopes for political compromise.
  • John Brown’s Raid on Harpers Ferry

    John Brown’s Raid on Harpers Ferry

    Abolitionist John Brown led a failed raid on the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia, to spark a slave revolt.
    How it led to war:
    Brown’s capture and execution made him a martyr in the North and terrified Southerners, convincing them war was coming.
  • Election of Abraham Lincoln

    Election of Abraham Lincoln

    Abraham Lincoln was elected president without carrying a single Southern state.
    How it led to war:
    Southern states saw his victory as proof they had lost power in the Union, leading them to secede soon after.