Pre-Civil War Events

General Notes

• As land was added – slave or free?

• Who will have control of the Congress?–How is that affected by

• Population?• The addition of states?

Missouri Compromise 1820

• Maine entered free• Missouri entered

slave• Slavery at 360 30’

• Extended slavery• Maintained balance of

free & slave states– Senate and House?

Mexican-American War 1846-1848

• War with Mexico• Acquired western

lands including UT, CA, AZ, NM, WY, NV

• Added vast new lands• Slave or Free?• The Wilmot Proviso

vs. The Calhoun Resolutions

• Extend the Missouri Compromise?

Missouri Compromise

According to the MC, what should happen to land gained by the Mexican Cession?

Compromise of 1850

• Stricter Fugitive Slave Act

• CA=Free State• No slave auctions in

DC• Slavery in the

territories left ambiguous slavery (NM, UT)

• Angered Northerners – party to slavery

• Northern reaction frightened Southerners

Compromise of 1850

North – California as a free state

South – Chance of additional slave states/Fugitive Slave Law

Fugitive Slave Act 1850• Northerners must

assist in returning runaway slaves

• No jury trial for alleged fugitives

• $10.00 for each fugitive

• Could require assistance

• 6 mos/$1,000 fine

• Drives wedge between Northerners and Southerners

• Proves each side “right”

• Incentive to capture free blacks

Kansas Nebraska Act 1854

• Where would the Railroad go?

• Popular Sovereignty would decide

• Killed the Missouri Compromise

• Kansas Slave• Nebraska Free

• Expands slavery into free territories

• Election fraud – “boarder ruffians”

• Dual governments• “Bleeding Kansas”

"

Kansas-Nebraska 1854Began as a railroad debate

Became a debate over slavery

Slavery is becoming an embarrassment to the North- “region of despotism, inhabited by masters and slaves”

Geography was unfavorable to slavery

Rushed people in

Popular Sovereignty

Popular Sovereignty

Come on, then, gentlemen of the slave states. Since there is no escaping your challenge, we accept it in the name of freedom. We will engage in competition for the virgin soil of Kansas, and God give the victory to the side which is stronger in numbers, as it is in right." -- Senator William Seward, on the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act, May 1854

Dred Scott Decision 1857

• Slave traveled from slave to free to slave territory.

• Sued in federal court for freedom

• Slaves had no right to sue

• Slavery could extend into free states

• Emotional victory/loss

John Brown’s Raid 1859

• Planned to start a slave revolt

• Seized arsenal at Harper’s Ferry

• Poorly planned• Brown was hanged

• Northerners supported Brown’s ideals– Frightened

Southerners

Lincoln’s Election 1860

• Anti-slavery president• Received no

Southern votes in Electoral College

• Panicked Southerners• Several states

seceded

Fort Sumter April 12, 1861

• Union held fort in southern port of Charleston S.C

• Seized by Confederacy

• Start of the Civil War• South actually fired

on a federal outpost