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Uncle Tom's Cabin was a novel written by Harriet Beecher Stowe, describing the life and death of a slave Stowe called Uncle Tom. When it was first sent to a publisher, it was considered too long but Stowe said she did not write the book, but instead it wrote itself. It impacted the South and North by showing the truth behind slavery and emphasizing how much of a problem it was, gaining sympathy from the North and anger from the South.
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Created by the Whig Party in Ripon, Wisconsin, since they failed to manage slavery and originally dissolved when the Kansas-Nebraska Act was passed. Northerners supported them and they won the Election of 1856, Southern slave states threatened to leave the Union if Republicans won the Election of 1860. Abraham Lincoln won, a Republican, and South Carolina left the Union alongside others, leading to the Civil War.
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An act by Illinois Senator Stephen A. Douglas that addressed the expansion of slavery into West Missouri that was divided into two territories; Kansas and Nebraska. Popular sovereignty would decide whether these territories allowed slavery or not. Anti-Slavery people believed it repealed the Missouri Compromise, which created the 36°30' N saying where slavery could and could not be, which would make Kansas and Nebraska free territories.
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Began after the Kansas-Nebraska Act alongside Kansas having a higher chance of becoming a slave state. Starting in Lawrence since fake and illegal votes were used during the voting by people, deciding if Kansas would be a slave or free state. Proslavery men destroyed and raided Lawrence, the "stronghold of the Free State Party". Started violence between the North and South, ending in 1859 and soon making Kansas a free state.
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Took place during Bloody-Kansas, with James Buchanan becoming president after Democrats saw President Pierce as controversial. The Republican Party met in Philadelphia, beginning to deny Congress and legislatures. John C. Fremont was nominated by them, having led explorations beforehand. Democrats painted Republicans as disunionized, radicalists, and said Fremont would destroy the Union. In the end, Buchanan won with 174 votes from the Electoral College.
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Charles Sumner, a Republican Anti-Slavery Senator in Massachusetts, spoke of Kansas being a free or slave state, blaming Senators Stephen Douglas and Andrew Butler. Butler was the main target, which upset his kinsman, Preston Brooks. Brooks did not ask for a duel, but instead got a cane decided to teach Sumner a lesson. In the chamber, Brooks began beating Sumner, who tried to protect himself. Brooks went out without being stopped and Sumner sustained big injuries.
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Dred Scott was a slave, in a court case after he traveled through free territories. It questioned his right to sue, if he was free, and if Congress could ban slavery in territories. Stanford, the one Scott worked for, won 7-2 since people of African descent could not be citizens, sue, or be free since he was property. Alongside that, Congress could not ban slavery in territories so the Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional. The North was upset over this, but the South was pleased.
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A Constitution written by pro-slavery Southerners in Kansas to keep slavery. President Buchanan supported this, but anti-slavery people boycotted this since they popular sovereignty was being prevented after President Buchanan tried forcing Congress into accepting it. Either way, Congress denied it alongside majority of Kansas.
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A speech by Abraham Lincoln after the Scott v. Sanford case, saying it legalized slavery in the north and new territories. He struck fear into the people about a divided government, saying it would bring many problems in the future. Republicans, anti-slavery Northerners, supported him since he believed in abolishing slavery. However, Democrats, pro-slavery people, were upset by this as it sounded like a Civil War would start.
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Consisted of 7 political debates between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas for an Illinois Senate seat. The first started with an address of 1 hour, and then the other spoke for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Finally, the first finished the debate by rebutting. Lincoln saw races as inferior and superior, but did agree with natural rights for everyone. Douglas thought everyone was equal, it was just up to people to have slavery or not. Douglas won the debates, but Lincoln later won the election.
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A raid led by John Brown in the South with 21 men, attempting to start a slave rebellion by getting ahold of guns. However, it failed, growing tensions between the North and South. The North mourned this loss, making the South upset and wary about the North, believing a race war would take place and slaves would be free. This made the South lean towards leaving the Union and making a pro-slavery group.
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John Brown was executed on December 2, 1859 after he was trialed for Harper's Ferry, his attempt on starting a slave rebellion which failed. He admitted to the raid, seeing it as necessary by something God would have wanted. Northerners saw him as a hero for his attempt, however, Southerners saw him as someone dangerous and crazy.
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The Democratic Party chose two nominees after first meeting at Charleston, South Carolina. In Baltimore, Northerners chose Stephen Douglas, while Southerners chose John C. Breckinridge. The Constitutional Union nominated John Bell, the group focusing on supporting the Constitution and Union. Republicans chose Abraham Lincoln. Two separate elections were held; Lincoln v. Douglas and Breckinridge v. Bell. Lincoln lost the popular vote but won the Electoral College vote with 180.
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South Carolina left the Union alongside other Southern states after Abraham Lincoln became president in 1860, upsetting Southerners who had lost the previous election. The Confederate States were created, which soon began attacking Fort Sumter. This broke down the Union, beginning the Civil War.
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A response to the secession, saying it was wrong but he would not invade the South and leave places with slavery alone, hoping to get the South back into the Union with the North. The North was pleased as he tried to ease the Union back together, but the South was still wary. However, the Civil War began after 6 weeks.